Home Assistant SkyConnect – Specifications/ Features/ Zigbee / Thread / Matter USB Stick For Home Assistant
Home Assistant SkyConnect – Specifications/ Features/ Zigbee / Thread / Matter USB Stick For Home Assistant
SkyConnect for the Home Assistant The functionality of the soon-to-be-released Home Assistant Yellow hardware is now available on any platform using Home Assistant, such as the Raspberry Pi, thanks to a physical radio adapter/dongle called a USB stick. The USB stick, based on a Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 chip, enables you to run Thread and Zigbee with a basic stick; Matter support will be available soon as a firmware update.
Home Assistant users will find the Home Assistant SkyConnect the ideal fit. With a firmware update from Home Assistant, the device offers a simple Zigbee connection and will later support Matter specifications. The device’s USB interface supports Over-The-Wire (OTW) Firmware Updates, enabling simple and quick updates for both protocols.
The gadget is an EFR32 Series 2 (Silicon Labs EZSP v8) adapter with a +20 dBm transmission power. When plugged into the supplied USB extender, the drive supports USB 2.0 full-speed. To connect to the Ember Stacks for Matter and Zigbee, Home Assistant will offer an Addon.
The firmware will regularly receive updates from Nabu Casa, ensuring the best possible user experience from a Zigbee/Matter Adapter. It will be easy for beginners because the USB Stick is Plug and Play and tightly integrated with Zigbee Home Automation.
FEATURES:
● 2.4GHz Multi-Protocol USB Transceiver
● Zigbee/Thread/Matter
● USB v2.0 full-speed
● TX power up to +20dBm
● Silabs EFR32MG21 Wireless SoC
● Over-The-Wire (OTW) update support
Runs 2 Protocols Simultaneously
● Dual-Protocol operation (Zigbee, Matter)
● Made for Home Assistant, adaptable for any case
● Futureproof Wireless Transceiver
● Low-risk bundle device for Gateway
The hardware consists of a Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 SoC, an IEEE 802.15.4 multi-protocol 2.4GHz radio MCU, which can simultaneously run the Zigbee 3.0 (EmberZNet/EZSP) and Thread (OpenThread/Spinel inc. Matter/CHIP over Thread) stacks and protocols when the firmware is in RCP RCP (Radio Co-Processor) mode.
A USB-to-UART bridge/converter built into the device will be used for direct local serial communication (presumably a chip in the Silicon Labs CP210x series). The Home Assistant / Nabu Casa team is also developing several add-ons that will enable both of these adapters to operate simultaneously as a Zigbee coordinator and an OpenThread border router (OTBR) for Thread-based Matter/CHIP-compatible devices, communicating locally over a USB-to-serial port using the OpenThread RPC Spinel interface over UART.
The zigpy libraries used by Silabs EmberZNet EZSP interfaces for Zigbee will also make it possible to integrate ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) immediately.
Specifications:
● Support for Zigbee, Matter, and Thread
● Over-the-wire (OTW) firmware updates
● USB v2.0 full-speed
Technical Specifications:
● Supply : 5V DC / up to 150mA
● USB: v2.0 full speed (12Mbps)
● Bridge: USB to UART, Silabs CP2102N
Mechanical Specifications:
● Dimensions (LxWxH): approx. 38.5 x 18 x 4,5mm
● Weight: 4g
RF Specifications:
● Transceiver: Silabs EFR32MG21
● Frequency: 2.4GHz
● Antenna: PCB
● TX Power: up to +20dBm
● RX sensitivity : -104dBm (250kbps)
● Protocols: Zigbee, Matter, Thread
● Stack: EmberZNet Serial Protocol (EZSP)
Note
When the firmware is ready, it will be updated using Home Assistant to enable Matter on SkyConnect instead of running at first. This is because not all of the information is available. After all, Matter won’t be released until November. Home Assistant is already working on the implementation of Matter.