Apple homepod mini

Configuration
1

Hello. I currently have the Google Home mini as my TTS device for HA. Can the Apple Home pod mini be able to replace the Google Home mini?

2

Only as a TTS device yes

3

Thanks. I have this in my configuration.yaml:

tts:
  - platform: google_translate
    cache: true
    cache_dir: /tmp/tts
    time_memory: 300
    service_name: say

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What would be the equivalent coding for the Homepod?

4

Once you hook up your speaker you can simply use the TTS services and direct it there. I’m actually 100% HomePod and have a dozen of them. I prefer to use a different method for TTS, but I use this in my RV just fine:

service: tts.google_translate_say
data:
  cache: true
  entity_id: media_player.homepod_right
  message: Hello world

And you can use it for far more than just TTS, you can get HomeKit set up and voice control your HA using your HomePods (the primary reason I use them).

5

Thanks. You see, I am going to replace my google home mini with a Homepod mini. I will slowly wean myself from google.

6

You still need to translate text to speech, so Google may still be needed. Now for me I don’t use Google except in the RV, I use AirPlay on my Mac (and starting this in the RV soon too) and it does all the TTS for me and doesn’t require Internet).

7

But only if you bring the devices to Homekit via the bridge or do you mean controlling the Assist via the Homepods?

8

I don’t understand what you are asking.

9

I’m going to integrate the HomePod in HA via the “HomeKit Device”. Currently, I have an AppleTV as my Hub but I think I can switch it to the HomePod. I just received the HomePod but I haven’t opened it yet. We’ll see.

10

What do you control with your Voice? HA or HomeKit?

11

Correction, I added HomePod mini to HomeKit, not in HA. HomeKit is available wherever I am with my iPhone. With HA, I have to make a VPN connection to my home to connect to HA.

12

It will be HomeKit because it is available anywhere there is Internet coverage with my iPhone. I can always talk to Siri with CarPlay. With HA, I have to VPN into my home firewall to connect to HA from outside.

13

That’s really the reason to use them. I hated Alexa’s voice control for automation but HomeKit’s been solid for quite some time now. Sometimes a quirk or two but mostly solid.

14

Can the HomePod be configured as HA’s “Assist” so I can (locally of course) command HA to do things on HA devices (non-HomeKit)?

15

Following this thread as I just bought a HomePod mini as well so that I can get rid of my Alexas.
I would be interested in hearing experiences and setup needed to get “Assist” running and getting replies back through HomePod. I have to dig some more as I think I saw a YouTube video of someone doing something similar

16

I set up the HomePod with HomeKit, for now. I powered on the HomePod with my iPad on HomeKit App. HomeKit detected the HomePod immediately. Setup was a breeze. It upgraded the firmware. After the firmware upgrade, I tried Siri and it work flawlessly. I was able to turn On/Off devices, Open/Close the garage door, etc. On my HA, I got a notification that a device is ready to setup. HA set it up as a “Apple TV” as the integration name with homepod as device and the two Entities which I named: media_player.homepod and remote.apple_remote. HA’s TTS work flawlessly on the homepod. I also played an mp3 music to the homepod from HA. Can I configure “Assist” on the homepod??? (Or - can HomePod be input to Voice Assistant in HA???)