I've got the RM Mini 3 which works fine for the heat pump, just slow as it's cloud based. Using smartir plugin, had to learn all commands though as it wasn't in there.

For the TV I have this one, flashed esphome on it so it's local only and no longer cloud based.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPuQed8

[–] eagleeyedtiger 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Are you using the Broadlink integration? I only needed the app on first setup but have no delay on sending commands. It's classed as Local Polling on homeassistant.io

[–] sylverstream 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, got the Broadlink integration. Commands take about 0.5-1 second. For heat pump is fine, but to control TV + Android TV + Sound is super slow. Where can you see if it has Local Polling? First time I heard about that.

[–] eagleeyedtiger 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

On the integration page on homeassistant.io it shows on the right hand side:

The Broadlink integration was introduced in Home Assistant 0.35, and it's used by 8.1% of the active installations. Its IoT class is Local Polling.

Defined by them as:

Offers direct communication with device. Polling the state means that an update might be noticed later.

If you look at the integration on the Settings > Integrations page in your home assistant, it would show a little cloud symbol if it had cloud dependency like this:

I wonder if you're having the same issue I had with inconsistent signal when it's standing the right way up. If I lie it down and point the top directly at the device it works much better

[–] sylverstream 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hmm yeah you're right, doesn't show a cloud dependency. However, I found it still very slow.

I have it standing up right and it can control the heat pump fine which is above it. It could also control the TV which was on the same height about 4 meters away (as long as nobody was in between). But I do experience that sometimes the heat pump doesn't pick it up, e.g. in my morning automation to turn it on, I'm just setting it twice. It's rare though, it works 97% of the time.

[–] eagleeyedtiger 1 points 1 year ago

That makes sense with the heatpump. I suspect the layout inside it means line of sight isn't very good at the same level or below it. I'm trying to control something where the receiver is only around 60cm from the ground. Without pointing the top to it it was pretty inconsistent and the script that runs would often miss commands

[–] Dave 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh boy, getting something and then flashing different software onto it! This sounds exciting. I'm also really keen for local only where possible.

Anything I should know before I order one of those Aubess ones?

[–] sylverstream 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, pretty cool stuff to cut them from the cloud. However, beware, it's another rabbit hole. Took me quite some time to get my head around it. I started with a simple ESP32 board and a height sensor for my standing desk to understand ESPHome.

The Aubess one works on the cloud as well.

To install ESPHome you need to do:

Install LibreTiny on your RPI, this is a fork of ESPHome that allows for Tuya based devices. See: https://docs.libretiny.eu/
Get a Linux environment. I installed dual boot on my PC with Ubuntu. I tried on my RPI but ran into a zillion issues. It could work on a VPC on Windows.
Install Tuya Cloudcutter on Linux. It comes with ESPHome / LibreTiny kickstarter images. https://docs.libretiny.eu/docs/flashing/tools/cloudcutter/
Use ltchiptool to generate a YAML for your specific device.

There's a very handy Discord channel for any questions. So far I've flashed a relay, a Brilliant smart plug from Bunnings, and that Aubess IR controller.

For the IR controller you'll have to learn all commands manually by pressing the button, reading the ESPHome log which displays the command string received by the IR receiver, and then make that a service in your ESPHome yaml.

[–] Dave 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Haha oh boy it sounds like a lot of work. I will order one and give it a go, but be prepared for questions (in a month or two when it arrives)!

[–] sylverstream 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah all good to help. Took me a while to figure it out, in the end it's not that hard.

[–] Dave 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I decided to order both kinds. We have two heat pumps, and this way one will be working while I spend months trying to get the other working 😆

[–] sylverstream 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Good idea! Have a look at the smartir integration, which has all the codes for some heat pumps. Not mine, so had to create the JSON manually with all commands, which is quite a bit of work. Smartir integration allows you to use it as a thermostat in HA.

[–] Dave 1 points 1 year ago

I'll take a look, thanks!