Background

• I am using a QNAP ARM CPU NAS, so its power efficiency is supposed to be a great advantage.

• I want to integrate the accessories, especially the IR remote, with HomeKit for a better user experience when controlling the old air conditioner. The BroadLink first-party app isn't very good.

Step By Step

Install HomeAssistant

First, install Container Station.

Do not follow the online instructions to download the ARM version; simply pull the latest version from GitHub.

• Please add the GitHub repository instead of using the default DockerHub repo.

  • LINK: https://ghcr.io

  • Choose Others tag

• Pull the image by selecting homeassistant/home-assistant:2025.1.4, which has been fully tested.

• Please note that you need to do two things:

  • Set the network mode to Host.

  • Create a volume on your NAS and map it to the /config folder.

• YES: You can visit the site at http://{your_nas_ip}:8123, then create your user and password.

Setup the devices

• First, you need to set up your devices using the BroadLink app.

• Then, use the lightweight web dashboard to add all the remotes you want. Of course, all of them can be detected through the network.

• 

Learn the commands

• Go to Developer Tools > ACTIONS. Some blogs or videos might tell you to look in the Service tab, but that's incorrect because it has been replaced by the new Actions section.

• The saved command will be located in the mounted volume at the /config/.storage folder (in the container; it depends on your actual path if you are using a NAS file browser), and the filename will be something like broadlink_remote_{mac_address_without_colon}_codes.

• This JSON file is very important; it's like a simulated switch and includes the command data like this:

  •   {
        "version": 1,
        "minor_version": 1,
        "key": "broadlink_remote_e816565421ef_codes",
        "data": {
          "Bedroom Air Conditioner": {
            "On": "JgBMAm43DSoNKg0PDQ8NDwwqDg8MDw4qDCoPDgwrDQ8MDw0qDioNDg4qDSoNDwwPDioNDg4ODSsNDg4PDA8ODg0PDQ8NDg4PDA8ODgwQDQ8NDg0QDA8NDwwPDg4MEA0ODSsNDg4PDBANDg0PDSoNKg0PDA8ODwwPDSsMDw8pDQ8NDg0PDQ8MDw4qDCsNDw0qDCsODg0PDSoNDw0PDA8ODg0PDCsNDw0PDQ4ODwwPDQ8NDwwPDQ8NEAwPDBANDg4PDA8NDg4PDA8ODgwQDBANDg0PDBANDg4PDA8MEAwPDRAMDw0ODRAMDw4ODQ8MEAwPDg8MDw4ODQ8MDw0PDQ8NDwwPDg4NDw0PDQ4NEAsQDQ8NDwwPDQ8NDwwrDCsNKg0QCxANKwwqDgACI3E4DSoNKw0ODg8LEA0rDA8ODgwrDCsNDw0qDRAMDw4qCysODwsrDioMEA0ODSsNDg0QDCoODwwPDQ8NDw0PCxANDw4ODQ8NDw0PDA8ODgwQDBANDg0PDQ8NDg4PDCoODg0PDQ8NDg4PDCoNKw0ODg8MDwwQDCsMEA0rCxANDg4PDBANDg0rDCsNDw0qDSoNDw0PDSoNDw0PDQ4ODwsQDioLEA0PDBAMEAwPDg4NDwwPDQ8NEAwPDQ4ODwwPDg4NDwwQCxAMEAwQDA8NDw0QCxANDg0QDA8NDg4PDA8NDw0QCxALEA0QDA8MEA0ODQ8NEAsPDhALEA0ODBEMDw0PDQ8MEAsPDg8MEAsQDQ8MEAwQDA8MEQsrDSsNKwsQCxANKwwrDQANBQ==",
            "Off": "JgAaAW04DCsNKg4ODQ8NDw0qDQ8NDg4qDSoNDw0qDBAMDw4qDCsNDw0qDCsODg0PDCsMEAwQDSwLEAsRDBALEQoRDBEKEQsRCxIKEQoSCxEKEgoRCxELEQoSChEMEQoRCxEKEgkTCRMJEwkTCC8JLQoTCRIKEwkTCS4JEwktCxEKEgoSCxALEgosCywMEAwrDCwLEQsQDSsLEAwQDBAMEAwPDCsNDwwQDBELEAwRChEMDwwRCxAMEAwQCxEMDwwRDBAKEgsRChIKEgsRChIKEQsSChEJEwoTCBIKEwkTCRMIEwkSChMIEwoSCRMIFQcUCRMIFAcUCRQHFAgVBxYGFQcUCBYFFgYVBxYGFQYXBhUGFgYVBxUGFgYzBAANBQ=="
          }
        }
      }
    

Add a Custom Switch for Wrapping the Action

• Click the button on this page: Home Assistant Switch Template to add the custom switch.

• Then, try to copy and paste the commands (starting with b64:) to the correct location.

Add HomeKit and Select Them

Notes