Hello!
I am looking for advice on a good alternative for running Room-Assistant. I really want to add it to my setup, but 2 nodes isn’t enough. At the moment the Pi Zero W is just absurdly high in price.
Will this reliably run Room-Assistant? Is there something better priced than this?
Thanks in advance!
I would say “ask on the Room-Assistant forum” - but it looks pretty dead… 
I figured I’d as here since this is the main place it seems to be used anyway. I just said screw it and ordered one to try it out.
Initially I am interested in room assistant also, but then I put that project on hold due to prices of the Pi Zero W.
At the moment I am following these 2 threads, thinking maybe they will stabilized soon in terms of compatibility, functions, etc.:
mmWave human presence for under $20?! - Hardware - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io)
New Aqara Human Presence Sensor FP1 - Hardware - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io)
I have an ESPresense setup using ESP 32s. Takes a LOT of calibrating, but eventually can be pretty accurate. I tried room assistant on 2 pis, and for some reason one always takes over the other. everyone is always in the bedroom, so I think I’m gonna stick with ESPresense. I modified the sensors from it to be more accurate anyway.
I like both of those ideas but I need to be able to identify WHO is in the room for Alexa Actionable Notifications and for the sensor I made to track if a cat is eating or not.
Any luck? I got very lucky with my first Zero WH purchase price but like you, I need more and while the banana is more pricey it’s at least in the ballpark!
Sorry, I actually messed around with Room Assistant enough that I couldn’t justify the switch, personally I think ESPresense is more accurate once you calibrate it properly.