Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 Review: Solid for Zigbee, Disappointing for Thread

The Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 is a USB accessory that easily adds Zigbee devices to your setup.

Plug it in, configure the Zigbee Home Automation integration, pair your devices, and you're set.

Adding Thread however, is another matter. As you'll see in the video, that didn't go so well.

Do you use the Home Assistant Connect regularly? How has it gone for your setup?

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Products and Gear
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This video is NOT sponsored. Product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something, I'll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!


👉 Sonoff Zigbee USB Dongle Plus-ZBDongle-E (via Amazon): https://geni.us/ITA6XK

👉 Home Assistant Green

Via ameriDroid:
https://ameridroid.com/products/home-assistant-green?_pos=1&_sid=8a9d0e801&_ss=r&ref=tomssmarthome

Via Amazon: https://geni.us/gBon

👉 Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1

Via ameriDroid:
https://ameridroid.com/products/skyconnect?_pos=1&_psq=zbt-1&_ss=e&_v=1.0&ref=tomssmarthome

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Playlists and Videos
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⚡Home Assistant Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBzZe9HL1Cc

⚡Home Assistant Hardware
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa_JGr3gZ9jHdI-PqBhudCsbmLEwkk6Kv

⚡Product Reviews
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa_JGr3gZ9jG72u-RlBRJtWFOEmpTQKnZ

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Links and References
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👉 Home Assistant Connect replacement program
https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2024/10/02/connect-zbt1-issue-and-replacement/

👉 Ton Time Tech unboxing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otJQH7pGcEw&t=126

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⏰ Timestamps ⏰

0:00 Expand your smart home!
0:41 Unboxing and naming
1:12 Installation
1:30 Configuring the Connect to work for Zigbee
2:44 Setup a new Zigbee network
3:46 Add a Zigbee device
4:42 Test the device
5:05 Manually update the Connect's firmware
6:19 Finally enabled automatic updates...but still ran into issues
6:53 Should you buy the Connect?