templates VS openhab-distro

Setting two on/off cycles with 50 discrete schedules seems like a very inefficient way of doing this when the same thing could be accomplished with two rules. Any compatible device flashed with Tasmota or similar FOSS firmware would make this possible.

Have a look at https://templates.blakadder.com

Another WiFi based option is any compatible smart relay or switch flashed with Tasmota. In Tasmota, SwitchMode 15 decouples the switch state from the relay and sends status changes via MQTT to HA.

2) If you want to switch on/off the light switch in your room, your best bet is to replace your regular light switch with a WiFi light switch. (Yes, you must have some electrical knowledge to do this. But trust me, this is best, most reliable way.) See https://templates.blakadder.com/ for some good devices. Many of them can be re-flashed, so instead of using "their app", the light switch can be a web server that you can talk to from any computer on your network (including your laptop, your phone, etc).

If you're familiar programming ESP boards take a look at this repository of compatible devices.

Wifi switch, I suggest one that runs tasmota. Blakadder website seems to help.

I cannot find the correct model for this plug. On the back it says "WiFi Smart Plug / TWSP017" but I cannot find any reference to this online. I looked at the (long) list of pictures of plugs and sockets at the templates.blakadder.com site, but without finding anything that looks quite like it. There is one power socket, one LED (that never seems to be lit) and one button on the left side. It is a square shape with rounded corners; too generic a description to be useful I'm afraid.

You mention incompatibilities. I am not 100% what you mean but here's a link of Zigbee2Mqtt supported devices and Heres a list of tasmota supported devices . i'd reference these before buying anything.

The GitHub update, including changes, here: https://github.com/openhab/openhab-distro/releases/tag/4.1.0.M1

I understand the feeling :) I’ve tried home assistant multiple times, and I always come back to openHAB. Maybe it’s me getting old, don’t know. But like you, I dislike updating my server and having broken dependencies. That happens quite frequently with HA, where every once in a while we get people over on openHAB community forum asking for advice ( e.g. https://community.openhab.org/t/migration-from-home-assistant-to-openhab-and-installation-type/140110 ) because they too just want a stable service that they can rely on. I won’t say that there’s never been broken dependencies - not at all, in a previous update they changed the way the API works and the node red node broke - but here the difference is that you can go to their GitHub and review the changes (https://github.com/openhab/openhab-distro/releases/tag/3.4.0.M3) and they are impeccable in documentation. Check out the google integration documentation to understand what I mean:

OpenHab : https://github.com/openhab/openhab-distro/pull/1343

openHAB Beta 2.18.2-beta: Vendor and technology agnostic open source home automation

Look into OpenHab.

OpenHAB would work well as well. Definitely agree on zwave or maybe zigbee devices for low power usage.

I use this https://www.home-assistant.io/ or another https://www.openhab.org/ and a cheap raspberry pi zero. It can run 24/7. And maybe some "hacking" on your devices if not supported aka listed.