IR and RF Universal Remotes - Direction Starting

Hardware
1

TLDR: Seeking recommendations for Coordinator, IR Bridge and RF Bridge. Need to work with HASS in QNAP Docker and Tradfri. As simple as possible ploise.

LV: I’ve got a basic Tradfri set up through a few rooms of the house using the Ikea hub/gateway. I was drawn to Home Assistant thinking I could overcome some limitations of this gear… particularly the motion sensor logic… and bring in some audio/video control integration. This has actually become my main interest. I use Logitech Media Server (LMS) running on a QNAP TS-451+ NAS, and Squeeezeboxes, Sonos and AirPlay AV receivers. Some of these service speakers in outside areas, so conventional universal remotes are not convenient, despite me having an IR relay system between everything.

I saw the WiFi to IR “universal remote” smart devices and thought one would be worth bringing into this cobbled together arrangement to assist usability. I briefly noted something about Local Tuya and thought that sounded great, so bought an Arlec (Antsig) branded Tuya IR blaster from Bunnings. I got it set up mostly as per the instructions, though used the Tuya app on Android rather than the branded app. Overall, the Tuya WiFi blaster has worked well.

I created a few scenes and got those across to Home Assistant and HomeRemote. Home Assistant is running in a Docker container on the Qnap. These scenes, while a bit limiting, are adequate and also work acceptably.

However it’s cloud serviced by Tuya, and I don’t really want it as a weakness on my network. Blocking the device from accessing the internet kills the ability to operate it. Looking at Local Tuya more closely, I quickly realised it was unlikely to work with the Tuya IR device. I have received pretty solid confirmation in this regard, though am happy to hear otherwise.

I thought maybe I should have bought Broadlink. Then there’s Sonoff, plus re-flashed versions of them all. My Tuya blaster has an ESP chip, so Tasmota is a possibility?

However flashing would be towards the limits of my brain capacity / time allowance matrix. Flashed hardware also appears to make the IR learning process hard work. I have a fair swag of codes I want to be available. I am also a HA noob and an easily overwhelmed by the level of computer skills often outlined in these circles.

Sooooo… if you have read this far, I am looking for direction. Suggestions for hardware, technical topography, ideas and musings.

I have no HA coordinator yet, but figure the right one will assist. I can run additional technologies in docker such as Mosquitto (or whatever). I’d also like to add 433Mhz RF Universal Remote too, as I have a heap of RF controlled wall socket adapters. Either a single purpose RF unit or one with IR included is fine… I am happy to ditch the Tuya.

I have tried to fish for my answers prior to posting, but with so many possible directions it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Cheers, Steve

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Open the Tasmota console, point your IR remote at the IR Blaster, press the desired button, record the code.

Hard work ?

3

It will always be “hard” work to record all IR commands from a remote.
Using Broadlinks own app is not much easier if you ask me.
I find it the opposite actually, you only have a defined number of buttons and symbols you can learn and sometimes doesn’t “fit” your remote.

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No, it isn’t. Thanks for correcting the impression I had received… which to be fair may not have specifically related to Tasmota on the ESP based device.

Do you have any hardware recommendations to head this direction, based on the other components I have? I can probably get through flashing the Tuya if that’s the worst part of it :wink:

Cheers, Steve

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Yeah the Tuya app was the same. A few bad templates you could edit, but nothing at all like an AV receiver remote. Terrible.

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Your tuya blaster has an ESP-chip. However, tuya-convert will probably not work anymore, so you will have to flash serially.

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Apologies for making a mess of the quotation / reply system. It’s a bit different to what I’m used to.

I’ll try to keep it together. :grimacing:

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Any suggestions for a coordinator for the above?

Looking at this:

I don’t know if I’m more likely to have troubles given I’m running HA in a docker on my QNAP?

Cheers, Steve

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Or maybe it would be simpler on the NAS with this, as I won’t have to worry about USB being available to the docker container?

Cheers, Steve

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The topic is IR and RF Universal Remotes, now you are asking about Zigbee coordinators :slight_smile:

But yes, I would buy the one with the network port. That always works, and you can place it in the best place in your house (which is not always where your NAS is located)

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Thanks Francis.

To be fair on this noob, the coordinator was part of my opening question… I’m trying to avoid heading in the wrong direction for my primary objective, which is the local IR/RF aspect. The coordinator is a key element to ditching Tuya services… and the Tradfri gateway.

Appreciate your response taking into account the NAS. Scanning through threads, I do tend to read your posts more closely.

Cheers, Steve

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Truth, I should have reread the whole opening post.