Home Assistant Green at half the price? Or how to get around the chip shortage and build a smart home cheaper.

The current world of technology is obsessed with a single topic: Artificial Intelligence. The massive hunger for computing power for data centers and AI model training has caused something we all feel – a critical shortage of chips and a sharp rise in the price of memory components.

This trend hasn't bypassed the world of smart homes either. The popular Home Assistant Green, which for many is the entry gateway into the world of automation, is becoming increasingly expensive and hard-to-find due to rising input costs. That’s why we at HomeBrainz decided to find a way to provide our customers with a nearly identical level of comfort at a significantly lower price.

Meet the Modified LinknLink iSG Box SE: The "Secret" Alternative

We were looking for a device that would match the hardware standards of modern Home Assistant but wouldn't be subject to the "popularity surcharge." We found it in the form of the LinknLink iSG Box SE.

At first glance, it’s an inconspicuous, compact TV box. However, under the hood lies a chipset that, in terms of architecture and performance, is very similar to the Home Assistant Green (Rockchip RK3528 vs RK3566). This makes it an ideal candidate for transformation into the brain of your smart home.

What have we done at HomeBrainz?

We understand the downsides of the original software and the entire LinknLink ecosystem, especially regarding the installation of Home Assistant Core. Therefore, considering the price and capabilities of this hardware, we decided to focus on how to flash a clean Home Assistant onto this device. The result is a device that you:

1. Take out of the box.

2. Plug into the network.

3. Immediately use as a full-fledged HA hub.

And the best part? Despite the current hardware market crisis, we can offer you this solution at half the price of Home Assistant Green.

Technical Insight: What's inside and how does it work?

Even though the LinknLink iSG Box SE is more affordable, it doesn't fall behind in any way. Here is an overview of what you get:

• Full-fledged Home Assistant Supervised: We install the Supervised version on the device. Although Nabu Casa (HA developer) doesn't officially label it as "supported" (because it doesn't run on their own OS), don't be misled.

• Everything works 100%: You have access to all updates, you can install all add-ons, and use Zigbee2MQTT, OpenThread Border Router, MQTT, HACS, and other extensions.

• Flexibility: If you decide in the future that you want to use the device for its original purpose, it is no problem to flash the firmware back to the original system.

Comparison at a glance

Why go with us?

We understand that flashing firmware can sound intimidating to a layperson. That's why we do the work for you. We provide a full two-year warranty on every device modified this way.

So you are buying a finished product that we stand behind. You get powerful hardware that won't break a sweat even with dozens of automations, and you save money.

System Overview (Screenshots)

Conclusion

The era of cheap hardware is gone due to the AI boom, but that doesn't mean building a smart home has to break your budget. Our modified LinknLink iSG Box SE is proof that with a little technical skill, you can get a premium experience for a fraction of the price.