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Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta upgrades to Matter.JS 0.18.0 and adds camera talkback, custom support for Aqara’s FP400 sensor and IKEA radiator thermostats, and faster offline detection. The update lays groundwork for Matter 1.6.1 features, but it is not yet stable, and some features require further Home Assistant Core work.
The Open Home Foundation’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, support for custom features in Aqara’s FP400 sensor and IKEA radiator thermostats, and groundwork for Matter 1.6.1. The update is aimed at Home Assistant’s underlying Matter controller, but it is not yet a stable release, and some features still need work in Home Assistant Core before users can access them through the platform.
According to the release changelog cited by Matter Alpha, version 1.5.0 moves the server to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine and introduces WebSocket Schema version 14, including a camera API that manages WebRTC sessions and stream negotiation. A new talkback: true option allows compatible cameras and video doorbells to send audio from Home Assistant clients back through the device. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example; support depends on device compatibility and client integration.
The update adds definitions for three Aqara FP400 custom clusters, covering ambient-sensing configuration, radar sensing and occupant location. The report says this enables Matter access to detection zones and real-time target-position events, and notes a fix for sending zone-configuration data. For IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat, the server adds a custom ValveCalibration cluster and a dashboard control panel for calibrating compatible radiator valves without an IKEA hub.
Other listed changes include removing a fixed three-minute offline grace period, so devices can be marked unavailable once Matter.JS determines they cannot be reached. The update also adds clearer labels to the network graph, temporary guest PIN controls for supported door locks, commissioning details for sharing devices, and interactive command panels for several device categories. Older Eve Energy plugs receive a command-line option to adjust polling of custom attributes.
More Direct Matter Device Control
The release expands what Home Assistant’s Matter server can manage beyond common device commands. Camera talkback could let users speak through compatible cameras from an integrated client, while the Aqara and IKEA additions expose manufacturer-specific functions that standard Matter controls may not cover. That can reduce dependence on each vendor’s own hub or app for those tasks, although the source does not establish that every feature works immediately in Home Assistant’s main interface.
The Matter 1.6.1 work addresses a separate usability issue: how groups of devices receive commands. Matter Alpha reports that Home Assistant has handled group operations by sending individual unicast commands, which can make lights respond at different times. The new server lays protocol-level groundwork for IPv6 multicast group messaging over Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The report describes a foundation, not confirmation that users will see synchronized group responses as soon as they install this beta.
Faster unavailable status may also make automations and dashboards reflect failed connections sooner. That can help users spot problems, but it may change how quickly an intermittent device is shown as offline. The update’s value will depend on how the beta behaves across different networks and on the follow-up work needed in Home Assistant Core.
Home Assistant Matter camera talkback device
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From Matter Groups to Cameras
Matter Server is the controller used by Home Assistant to communicate with Matter devices. This update is version 1.5.0 of that server; Matter 1.6.1 is the protocol version it is preparing to support. Those numbers refer to different software, and the beta does not mean the whole Home Assistant platform has already completed a Matter 1.6.1 rollout.
The source says the Connectivity Standards Alliance released Matter 1.6.1 in September. It moved Groupcast out of provisional status and added independent volume and mute controls for doorbell chimes. The Matter Server update is described as establishing the technical basis for group messaging, while its camera API builds on earlier camera support. The report attributes its release details to the project changelog and GitHub; it does not provide a stable-release date.
“The new Matter Server establishes the protocol-level foundation required for native IPv6 multicast group messaging over Thread, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet.”
— Matter Alpha, describing the server’s Matter 1.6.1 work
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What Beta Users Should Expect
The report says version 1.5.0 is currently in beta and is expected to reach the stable Matter Server add-on soon, but gives no firm release date. It also does not specify which of the listed features will be exposed in Home Assistant Core first, or when that work will be completed. Users should not assume the beta’s server functions are already accessible in every dashboard or app.
Device-level availability also remains dependent on compatible hardware and implementation. The source identifies the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example of a camera for talkback and describes support for the FP400 and LILJEBAGGE, but it does not provide a complete compatibility list or independent testing results. It is also unclear when the Matter 1.6.1 group messaging foundation will translate into a visible change in group response times.
IKEA LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat
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Stable Release and Core Integration
Home Assistant users can opt into testing by enabling the beta option in Matter Server settings, according to the report. The next practical milestones are a stable add-on release and further Home Assistant Core integration so the new camera and device controls can be used through supported clients. Users considering the beta should check the project’s release notes and confirm that their devices and integrations are supported before relying on new functions in daily automations.
Further release notes should clarify when stable distribution begins, which features have completed Core integration, and whether groupcast produces the intended behavior across Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet devices.
smart home device calibration tools
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Key Questions
Is Matter Server 1.5.0 stable?
No. The source report describes version 1.5.0 as a beta and says a stable rollout is expected soon, without giving a date.
What does camera talkback add?
A new camera API supports WebRTC session management, with a talkback: true option for sending audio from a compatible Home Assistant client through a supported camera or video doorbell.
Which Aqara and IKEA devices are named?
The report names Aqara’s Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400 and IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat. The server adds support for custom clusters that expose device-specific functions.
Does this update mean Matter 1.6.1 groupcast is fully active?
Not necessarily. The report says the server adds the protocol-level foundation for IPv6 multicast group messaging. It does not confirm that all users will immediately get faster or synchronized group responses.
How can users test the beta?
The report says users can enable the beta option in Matter Server settings. Some new features may still require Home Assistant Core changes before they are accessible in the main platform.
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