Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 is a new $69 box that brings old stereos, TVs and other wired gear into a modern smart home. Nabu Casa, the company behind Home Assistant, launched it on November 11, and it packs audio output, serial control and a Bluetooth proxy into one small device.
The pitch for the Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 is simple. Plenty of good hardware has no Wi-Fi or app, or has an app you would rather not trust. The AUX-2 gives that gear a local connection to Home Assistant without a cloud account.
In this article
Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 specs at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | $69 before tax, or €59 with tax |
| Chip | ESP32-S3 with 8MB PSRAM and 8MB flash |
| Power | Power over Ethernet (802.3af) or USB-C |
| Network | Ethernet or 2.4GHz Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5 LE with a dedicated antenna, used as a proxy |
| Audio out | 3.5mm analog or optical, one at a time |
| Serial | Two RS-232 ports, plus RS-485 through a USB adapter |
| Expansion | USB-A port for a Z-Wave or Zigbee stick |
Those details come from Hackster.io and Local Smart Home Guide. There is no microphone, no Bluetooth audio and no infrared blaster.
4 big things the AUX-2 can do
1. Turn old speakers into whole-home audio
Plug the AUX-2 into an amplifier or powered speakers, and they can play music from Music Assistant in sync with other speakers in the house. Audio runs at 16-bit, 48kHz, and a TI PCM5122 chip handles the conversion.
2. Control gear over RS-232
Many TVs, projectors, receivers and solar inverters still have serial ports for control. The two RS-232 ports let Home Assistant power them on, switch inputs or read their status. Nabu Casa gives an LG TV with an RS-232 port as an example.
3. Extend Bluetooth coverage
As a Bluetooth proxy, the AUX-2 picks up sensors and devices that sit too far from your main Home Assistant server. Hackster.io reports it can hold up to three active Bluetooth connections.
4. Place a Z-Wave or Zigbee radio anywhere
The USB-A port takes Home Assistant’s Connect ZWA-2 for Z-Wave or ZBT-2 for Zigbee. Since the AUX-2 can run on one Ethernet cable with PoE, you can put the radio in the middle of the house for better range. Zigbee support is new, needs Home Assistant 2026.11 and carries a caution warning from Nabu Casa.
Why the Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 matters
Smart home gadgets often push people to replace working hardware. The AUX-2 does the opposite. A decent stereo from 15 years ago or a projector with a serial port can stay in use and join automations, such as dimming the lights and starting a playlist when the TV turns on.
The Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 is also open. The device runs ESPHome with an unlocked bootloader, the case opens with four screws, and Nabu Casa plans to publish the circuit board and 3D files. That should let the community find new uses for it.
Local control is the other selling point. Nothing in the launch material mentions a cloud account, and the box is added through Home Assistant’s ESPHome integration. When a brand drops an app or changes a service, devices tied to its cloud can lose features overnight, so that kind of independence matters.
Availability and what you need
The Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 is sold through Home Assistant’s usual retailers, including Ameridroid and Seeed Studio. Stock may be limited at first. Only the device comes in the box, so you will need your own Ethernet, USB-C, audio or serial cables. General use needs Home Assistant 2026.9 or newer.
For anyone already running Home Assistant, the AUX-2 is a low-cost way to connect older equipment. For newcomers, it is a niche add-on rather than a starting point. For more gadget news, see our GTA 6 preload guide, the UK smart glasses ban or our latest stories.
FAQ
How much does the Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 cost?
It costs $69 before tax in the US, or €59 including tax in Europe.
Does the AUX-2 need the cloud?
No cloud account is mentioned. It runs ESPHome and connects locally to Home Assistant.
Can the AUX-2 control devices with infrared?
No. It has no IR blaster. It controls gear through RS-232 serial ports instead.
Sources: Hackster.io, Local Smart Home Guide, Android Authority
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