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Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta upgrades to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine and adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, custom support for Aqara and IKEA hardware, and faster offline detection. The release lays groundwork for Matter 1.6.1 Groupcast, but the report says stable availability is still pending and some features require Home Assistant Core work.
Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, support for custom features in Aqara and IKEA devices, and changes to how quickly unreachable devices are marked offline. The Open Home Foundation’s server update also moves to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine and lays protocol-level groundwork for Matter 1.6.1 Groupcast, though stable release timing has not been announced.
The camera update introduces WebSocket Schema version 14 and lets the server manage WebRTC sessions and stream negotiation for connected clients. A new talkback: true parameter can enable users to speak through compatible Matter cameras and video doorbells, with the report naming the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example. The update also addresses some WebRTC session drops and adds more specific error codes for stream troubleshooting.
For the Aqara Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400, the server adds definitions for three custom Aqara clusters and Python client support. According to the report, this enables Matter access to detection zones and real-time target-position events, and fixes transmission of zone-configuration data. IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat gains support for the custom ValveCalibration cluster and a server-dashboard control panel for calibrating compatible radiator valves without an IKEA hub.
The release also removes a fixed three-minute offline grace period: devices are marked unavailable once Matter.JS determines they cannot be reached. Other listed changes include clearer Thread network-graph labels, temporary guest PIN codes for supported door locks, and additional interactive command panels in the server’s web interface. The source says the beta can be enabled in Matter Server settings.
New Controls for Cameras and Heating
The update could make Matter devices more useful through Home Assistant without relying on each manufacturer’s hub for the functions described. Camera talkback brings two-way audio into supported camera integrations, while the IKEA thermostat’s calibration panel gives users a way to configure compatible valves through the Matter Server interface.
The Matter 1.6.1 work addresses a separate usability issue: how groups of devices receive commands. The report says Home Assistant has handled group actions by sending commands to devices one at a time, which can make lights respond with a visible stagger. The server update provides the protocol-level foundation for native IPv6 multicast Groupcast across Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. That is groundwork, not confirmation that every group action will immediately become simultaneous; client and platform support also matters.
Faster unavailable status may also help users and automations react sooner when a device becomes unreachable. The change removes the server’s fixed delay, but the exact detection time will depend on when Matter.JS determines that a node cannot be contacted.
Home Assistant Matter camera with two-way audio
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What Matter 1.6.1 Adds
The report says the Connectivity Standards Alliance released Matter 1.6.1 in September. Among its changes, Groupcast moved out of provisional status, and the specification added independent volume and mute controls for doorbell chimes. The Home Assistant server update is described as preparing for the group-messaging capability rather than as a complete implementation of every related feature.
Matter provides common device functions, but manufacturers can also use custom vendor clusters for features beyond the shared standard. That distinction explains the Aqara and IKEA work: the server adds definitions for device-specific capabilities so they can be handled through Matter. The report identifies Matter Server 1.5.0 as a beta release and says some additions still need work in Home Assistant Core before they become more accessible to users.
“The new Matter Server establishes the protocol-level foundation required for native IPv6 multicast group messaging over Thread, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet.”
— Matter Alpha report
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Stable Release and Core Support
No stable-release date is provided, and the listed features are not all necessarily ready for everyday use in Home Assistant. The report says most new features still require work in Home Assistant Core to become more accessible, but does not identify which items are affected or give a schedule.
Compatibility details also remain limited. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350, FP400 and IKEA LILJEBAGGE thermostat, but does not provide a full device list, minimum firmware requirements or a breakdown of which camera clients can use talkback. It is also unclear when Home Assistant will expose the Groupcast foundation in a way that changes the timing of group commands for users.
IKEA LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat
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From Beta to Stable Add-on
Users who want to test the changes can turn on the beta option in the Matter Server settings, according to the report. The next milestone is a stable release of the Matter Server add-on; the source expects one soon but gives no specific date. Users should check release notes and device compatibility before relying on new camera, calibration or group-control functions in automations.
Further updates from Home Assistant Core will determine how broadly the server’s additions are available through the platform. Until then, the exact rollout sequence and the practical behavior of Groupcast in Home Assistant remain open.
Matter-compatible smart home sensors
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Key Questions
Is Matter Server 1.5.0 stable?
No. The report says version 1.5.0 is in beta. It expects a stable add-on rollout soon but gives no date.
What does camera talkback do?
For compatible Matter cameras and video doorbells, the new API can support speaking through the device using the talkback: true stream parameter. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example; it does not give a full compatibility list.
Which Aqara and IKEA devices are mentioned?
The report names the Aqara FP400 Spatial Multi-Sensor and the IKEA LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat. The server adds custom-cluster support for their described features.
Does the update make Matter group commands instantaneous?
That is not confirmed. The update lays the protocol-level foundation for IPv6 multicast Groupcast, but the report does not say that all Home Assistant group commands will immediately use it or respond at exactly the same time.
When will the update reach stable Home Assistant?
The source says a stable rollout is expected soon, but it provides no release date. It also says some features need further Home Assistant Core work.
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