Will Esp32-S3-Box-3B work correctly as Voice Assist in Home Assistant

1

I have an Esp32-S3-Box-3B which I cannot get to work correctly with Home Assistant.

Is this device supported yet in HA?

1 Like
2

The subject says the opposite. You may want to change it.

3

Have a look at this add-on:

There’s a detailed post on how to set it up here:

4

I do not know if the 3B version is different from the 3 version, but the 3 version is mentioned in the may release notes for improved sound playback, so that one is supported for sure.
It should be released in a few hours according to the release candidate page.

5

I’m having the same problem. I can install the ESPHome software, but never get the prompt to configure WiFi. As such, it cannot be detected by Home Assistant :frowning:

I tried a manual install, but I get a lot of errors trying to compile the yaml from here:

Specifically, at this line:

package_import_url: github://esphome/firmware/wake-word-voice-assistant/esp32-s3-box-3.yaml@main

I’m not yet very knowledgeable with ESPHome if things go wrong with installs :frowning:

If I find a workaround, I will post back here.

EDIT: Downloading Github Desktop allows me to get past these errors in complilation.
I got a few warnings in compilation with the microphone and speaker configurations:

src/esphome/components/esp_adf/microphone/esp_adf_microphone.cpp:110:3: warning: missing initializer for member ‘i2s_driver_config_t::chan_mask’ [-Wmissing-field-initializers]
};
src/esphome/components/esp_adf/speaker/esp_adf_speaker.cpp:77:3: warning: missing initializer for member ‘i2s_driver_config_t::chan_mask’ [-Wmissing-field-initializers]
};

And lots of warnings in the tensorflow libraries.
In the end, it compiled successfully, but fails on adoption once being discovered. Missing headers (vad.h) - I think. I may re-try later and post results.

I guess we’ll have to wait for a recompiled version for the BOX-3B

6

There is no official support for the BOX-3B for Willow, as yet.

7

No. It’s an add-on. Mine’s working really well.

8

And you have a 3B?

9

No, mine’s a 3.

10

My 3B just arrived, plugged the provided USB cable directly into the unit not the base and followed this page: ESP32-S3-BOX voice assistant - Home Assistant. Software installed no issue, and it added to HA and was able to adopt it in ESPHome - no issues, works perfectly.

11

Thanks for the report, @audiofreak9 . Lucky! Yeah, I did the same, but it never would prompt me for a WiFi configuration. Plugged from one of my PCs to the unit itself, as you did. I’ll try a different PC and see if that changes anything.
Thought/Question: Did you set this up after today’s latest HA update (2024.5)?

12

Yes on HA 2024.5 also used a mac book pro with Google Chrome browser. Good luck!

13

Here is my YAML…obviously I removed the encryption key.

substitutions:
  name: esp32-s3-box-3-641534
  friendly_name: ESP32 S3 Box 3 641534
  micro_wake_word_model: hey_jarvis
packages:
  esphome.voice-assistant: github://esphome/firmware/wake-word-voice-assistant/esp32-s3-box-3.yaml@main
esphome:
  name: ${name}
  name_add_mac_suffix: false
  friendly_name: ${friendly_name}
api:
  encryption:
    key: REDACTED***********************
wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password
14

Holy Moly! Thank you for the tip, @audiofreak9 !

So, I connected the box to my Mac, and magically, it works. I guess there is a plugin or something on my Windows machines, the driver is wrong, I don’t know – but the pop-up window when you connect to the box is different, with more options, on the Mac than on the PC. And after flashing, it presents the WiFi config pop-up, which didn’t appear on my Windows machines.

Thank you again for the tip to use the Mac!!!

I would try to figure out what’s wrong with the Windows side, but I’ve already flashed this thing 20 times or so - and I’m not sure I have many left!

1 Like
15

The difference between Box3 and Box3B is only in the supplied accessories. Both devices are the same.

16

Hi
Did the compiling take a long time.
Esphome dashboard just crashed my HA, Im now trying for a second time.
Mine is a 3B as well.

17

No very long…I compiled from here not HA. Once it erased, uploaded and connected to wifi, I was able to adopt it into HA.

19

I was able to install, then even attempt to adopt into home assistant but I get the following error in ESPHome Dashboard when attempting to adopt. Any clues.

In file included from src/esphome/components/micro_wake_word/micro_wake_word.cpp:1:
src/esphome/components/micro_wake_word/micro_wake_word.h:19:10: fatal error: tensorflow/lite/core/c/common.h: No such file or directory
 #include <tensorflow/lite/core/c/common.h>
          ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
*** [.pioenvs/esp32-s3-box-3-5a960c/src/esphome/components/micro_wake_word/micro_wake_word.o] Error 1
========================= [FAILED] Took 55.55 seconds =========================
20

Updated 21/6:
Managed to get the device adopted ! Reset the box after launching the connect script in the voice assistant did it. Very happy I can move on now.

So just a warning to stay away from the 3B for those that are considering to purchase it to act as voice assist in Home Assistant (at least for now.). Unless you have access to a Mac it won’t work.

Indeed Espressiv advertises the only difference is in the supplied accessories but something must be different
As the BOX-3 is a hard find, I ordered the BOX-3B to experiment. Installs the Voice Assistant fine, but on completion just don’t get the prompt for a WiFi configuration.

New to ESP32 and HA so was thinking I did it wrong.
Thank to this forum I realized its not me thats crazy. Will keep my eye on this topic, perhaps a specific image for the 3B or an opportunity to get my hands on a 3. Whichever comes first.

Unfortunately don’t know anyone with a Mac…to bypass the Windows issue.

Attached link for details:
ESP32-S3-BOX-3 vs ESP32-S3-BOX-3B

updated:
Found recent articles where wifi is also reported failing for ESP32-S3-BOX-3
ESP32-S3-BOX-3 homeassistant voice-assist No-Wifi · Issue #195 · esphome/firmware · GitHub. That can’t be a coincidence ?

21

The 3B works just fine, with or without a Mac, and as @pepe59 has stated, the only difference is that the 3B comes without accessories.

To bypass the no wifi (and adoption) issue, you can add a new device in the ESPHome addon, paste the code from github, edit the wifi details and install it manually using ESPHome Web.

2 Likes