Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 launches today for $69 / €59 worldwide, giving existing stereos and serial-controlled equipment a way into a Home Assistant setup. Nabu Casa’s box combines audio streaming, two RS-232 ports and Bluetooth hub functions, and can connect a Z-Wave adapter over a home network. It supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), with USB power and Wi-Fi as alternatives.
For music, Connect AUX-2 provides analog and optical digital output through a shared jack, automatically detecting which type of cable is connected. Nabu Casa says the optical connection delivers lossless audio at CD quality, while a serial connection to compatible equipment can handle power, volume and input selection, including waking it from standby. The company puts the box’s power consumption at no more than one or two watts.
Music Assistant brings streaming services and locally stored tracks into a single library for playback through AUX-2. Its Sendspin protocol supports synchronized listening across speaker brands, allowing multiple AUX-2 units to play together or join speakers such as a HomePod or Sonos speaker. Nabu Casa also says AUX-2’s digital-to-analog converter improves on the one in Voice Preview Edition.
The two serial ports can control two devices simultaneously, provided users have suitable cables and add the corresponding Home Assistant integrations. Some equipment requires serial control to be enabled in its settings first. The ports use 3.5 mm connectors, and switches underneath the box let users swap RX and TX functions to accommodate different cable wiring. A $15 RS-485 adapter connected through USB also enables connections to Modbus devices.
Connect AUX-2 can place a Connect ZWA-2 somewhere with network access instead of keeping it beside the Home Assistant system on USB. Nabu Casa recommends a wired connection: its Wi-Fi testing with Connect ZWA-2 showed only a small latency increase, but the company still flags possible instability. Zigbee support through Connect ZBT-2 remains under testing, with Nabu Casa seeking more user feedback before promoting it for everyday use.
The hardware began as a simpler proposal to run Connect ZWA-2 or ZBT-2 over PoE, before Nabu Casa expanded it with serial and audio connections. In June, Home Assistant had outlined how projects from the Open Home Foundation could use proxying to bring older equipment into modern smart-home setups.
