How Did They Get This So Wrong!? - Sonoff NSPanel Pro Review

[@EverythingSmartHome]

THE FUTURE

[@KrispKiwi]

My thoughts when watching this: I can make this dashboard in home assistant for a wall tablet in less than 10 minutes 😅

[@gametec_live]

what about the serial console with adb? in theory you should be able to launch a wild webbrowser or install apps via the adb shell...

[@amitdk]

Great! Sir please make a video on squeezelite-esp32 .

[@RobertSprenkels]

Bit unfair to burn them like this. They told you already that it’s on early bird at the moment and that most of the features are in beta or will come later. I don’t even understand why you are reviewing an early bird product. Sorry to say but this is not your best content.

[@aSpaceLettuce]

@@RobertSprenkels shouldn’t send it out then

[@gnlgrim2]

Thank you very much for the honest review. Never stop giving us these videos. I had hope when they said it was going to run android( I mean, install home assistant android app, custom dashboard and you are done), but no Sonoff went the route all other companies follow, the closed eco system. It is really a shame they did not think of the open source community and home assistant. I would rather spent £40 more on a product that natively supports home assistant than buy something that doesn't. Why should we have someone in the community work hours and weeks on a custom software/rom(and I love our community for this), who will eventually stop supporting it and all these items will become e-waste on a landfill somewhere. It feels like the really missed the opportunity to make this a good product. Thanks for your constant support to the community and cannot wait for the Ultimate smart motion sensor.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

I could be wrong but I feel like Home Assistant (or other open source software) users make up the majority of Sonoff buyers, so not making them flashable is a strange move.

[@cooperised]

@@EverythingSmartHome My only guess is that they don't know that. It's not like their products are built with this market in mind. Perhaps they're sitting there thinking "cool, our products are selling well, that means we must be killing it," without realising that many of their users immediately bin the supplied firmware on most of their kit.

[@K-politic]

We need honest reviews like this. Thank you for that. and No, not harsh at all. You are completely correct on your comments about this device.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Appreciate it!

[@Stephen-Jones]

I had high hopes for this, thinking a wired zigbee device would be great for improving my coverage and be a great addition... very much seems like they didn't think this through and have made a massive misstep. Thanks for another honest review

[@tomekhekin914]

Thx for honest review. Not adding coverage to my zigbee network is a deal breaker for me.

[@BELSERVICEMAN]

I think you were quite fair and I felt their marketing department needs to pay attention. I didn’t buy one as it isn’t desirable for a US installation box size for features that don’t work. This was a very helpful review for us and SonOff!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback!

[@brianj4335]

That 1/2" makes all the difference 🤣🤣😂

[@EverythingSmartHome]

😂😂

[@KF5AIB]

Great, honest video! I will continue watching more of your videos and reviews in THE FUTURE! 🙂

[@emf9]

I just want something in a similar form factor that I can just stick a standard home assistant dashboard on.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Would be amazing!

[@unknotmiguel]

I just love yours vids and details. The calm voice, straight to the point no clickbait and boring stuff. Also like the shirts collection too 😀 you are really very good.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Ah thanks my friend ♥️

[@Sandriell]

Looking at this today, it seems they actually have delivered on everything promised. Would be great to see an updated review.

[@MrValles10]

Home assistant is supported now??

[@INSIGHTSAU]

Terrific honest review as always.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

🙏

[@PauloAbreu]

The most honest review I’ve seen on this product! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@AlexDelPrete]

Always appreciate your honest opinion on the products you review, there was no harshness, it's just being honest about the product. Keep up the good work. :)

[@henrikgcarlsson]

“I see you in the future” really cracked me up, I was expecting the pshuuuuuu 🤣

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Gotta mix it up a bit you know 😂

[@George-bb9yi]

I think you were quite fair in this review; companies should be clear about what they are selling. I await three of these panels, but my expectation was to use them primarily as simple displays and as doorbell intercoms. They look nicer than what I could cobble together at that price point.

[@HowardPrice]

Lewis! You just saved me 80 bucks. Thank you!

[@mattt9640]

Great review. I was half tempted to buy one but didn’t realise so many features weren’t there yet. Thanks I’ll hold for a while I think.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Good plan, glad it helped!

[@louwrenscoetzee]

Thank you for the review. I wanted to buy one of these. I'll get a zigbee bridge and a tablet with decent size screen.

[@ALaModePi]

I have to agree that the better move would be to make the display run a browser. Then you could just load up Home Assistant dashboards. The resulting product would be far more useful. Currently, I have several RM433 8-button remotes that I use for controlling certain lights, scenes, and automations. A full browser would add visual feedback and at-a-glance status indicators.

[@tedev]

the amount of BURN!!! in this video is over 9000! respect man. that was a real review video and everything i have been saying about NSPanel "Pro". Sonoff if you are reading this .... get your sh*t together.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

😂😂

[@TilmanBaumann]

A bloody Tuya device? Fantastic, Sonoff jumped the shark.

[@mkjustuk]

Great point on how Sonoff risk losing their way with a lack of flashability. There's too many and cheaper alternatives in that scenario. Also remember that with the efforts of the OpenBeken project, we may well be flashing the Tuya product first.

[@eberger02]

The lack of meshing is what stopped me preordering. Had discussions with them. It seems like they can control a mesh made up of some of their other devices but it can’t join a pre-existing mesh even if the pre-existing mesh is created by one of their own Zigbee bridges.

[@diogorrify]

If it’s a T6E, adb is available with the usb interface. You can sideload anything and replace the sonoff launcher.

[@Zirilana]

So, 1.5 years into the future. Do you think they have updated it enough to warrant a purchase? Im looking for some smart wall switches, and since im a sucker for fancy tech, im intrigued by these panels. Planning to connecting them to my sky connect and avoiding their app if possible.

[@NyxKemo]

I bought the original NS-Panel for the North American boxes, and I’m pretty excited to try it out and see it for myself

[@ezurita00]

Thaaaaaaank you! This is exactly what I needed and why I seek your opinion. Thank you!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Your welcome!! 😅

[@prathmeshshringare8814]

Thanks for making all the amazing to the point videos. I am starting my smart home journey and have a query. Can I switch on a wifi light using a zigbee motion sensor. I will install a sonof or hue bridge and create the automation using Alexa.

[@ufootje]

thanks for beeing honest Lewis. that is exactly the reason we appreciate reviews like this. I agree this products has too much promises for that price, even though I do trust Sonoff (I have several other products), I wouldnt buy it for that reason.

[@Ilikeridin]

Thanks for the honest review!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Thanks for watching!

[@SJPDurham]

A very honest review.

[@steveymcraft1795]

Hey btw. did you know you can flash the og nspanel with a lovelace ui?

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Sure did, it's great!

[@krdesigns]

Great review and yes.. SonOff should becarefull in releasing product such as this one.

[@mikosoft]

That must be the most polite slam on a product I've ever seen😁

[@damacucu2823]

wow, a bit pricy this small thing. For $100 you can buy a 10 inch amazon tablet on Black Friday and you can rebrand and modify it with a few easy tweaks . THX for the honest review.

[@edgar9651]

Thanks. For my new 100% home automated place I was planning to use maybe 10 NSPanels. Until now I bought 2. Now I am wondering if I should buy ASAP 10 "old" standard NSPanels, which I know will work, or should I wait a month or two and hope better panels will come? Obviously it's nice to have better hardware and software when it is available. But then, it is a lot better to have something which actually works instead of something which might work in the future...

[@rodgerq]

Is it for sale in the UK? Not seein much on Google....

[@sdfhjklhsfdjdsflhkds]

Thanks Lewis. I will stay away for now and keeping using my old panel for now. Maybe in the future ...

[@Bigglare]

I can't wait for the the Matter Controller version of this is released.

[@stebradbury6275]

Give that it has a Mic & Speaker, do you think Rhasspy would work with it?

[@antonclaeys]

What do you suggest as similar small wall display for home assistant?

[@CarlDavison]

Good review and not one "Ooooh The Zigbee". I was looking at the NSPanel v1 but decided to wait for the v2 but I think I will wait a little longer to see if the features actually turn up.

[@sethkazzim731]

Isn’t that Paul Hibbert?

[@CarlDavison]

@@sethkazzim731 yeah that's what I mean, it's nice to have an actual review for adults.

[@daywalkr5999]

what i'd like to know is what tuya product you found is the same thing as the ns panel. maybe thats cheaper and a better solution than the nspanel pro

[@EverythingSmartHome]

It's from Zemismart, not sure if it's out yet but can't imagine it's far away

[@nickcarswell1]

I can't get any Hue or Smartthings devices to display on the screen. The RTSP camera feed works great with my Ubiquiti cameras though.

[@BradleyFordAus]

Yes yes yes!!! Fully agree!!! They are trying to build their own little closed garden... I would have loved this to be more open, a zigbee router would be great

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Agreed!

[@TexSweden]

Sonoff has completely dropped the ball imho - Shelly has both better products, better apps and more openness to other ecosystems (plus they are really reliable)

[@MotorcycleEnhancements]

I think an android tablet on the wall would make more sense. Thanks for a great and real review

[@patrickchan0307]

Please evaluate new Aqara S1E switch once it is available. I could not set it up out of China as no device is found from the Apps.

[@yorks_atheist3069]

I still have the old version in a draw with ESP home loaded the lack of neutral in my UK light switches it stoping me fitting any of these so far

[@tifendro]

Nice review, hope some upgrades before buying

[@EverythingSmartHome]

🤞

[@PiefacePete46]

Tragic! Thank's for another REAL review.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

🙏

[@raoskidoo15]

Any alternatives to that product ? I'm looking at a smart home 'room' director like that. I want to control at least 1 light , maybe a smart lock , my soundbar ( samsung ). I have seen Orro , Noon and Brilliant . But none of these fits my needs :(

[@Sparky_D]

A cheap Android phone running the Home Assistant app would be a better solution for remote dashboards.

[@svizztech]

Yes, or a Raspberry Pi with a touchscreen (I have the official 7" one), running a browser in kiosk mode with the Home Assistant URL loaded. Done - and it looks nice 👌

[@Sparky_D]

@@svizztech true ( I considered commenting the same) however that combo costs a fair bit more.

[@АртемСьомушкін]

@@svizztech Can you show your setup? I actually use cheap 7" Android tablets, and don't think that RPi in housing + Power supply looks better than this. This was the reason why I bought NSPANEL and now preordered Pro.

[@kbxbr]

Thank you!

[@calebjpryor]

It's in the product description.. Needs Software Panel aka nspanel :)

[@EverythingSmartHome]

😂

[@ManfredBartz]

I think that the Zigbee radio in the NSPanelPro in combination with the Matter standard has the potential to remedy the single point of failure in Zigbee networks, i.e. the coordinator. AFAIK at this time, the Matter standard will build on Zigbee to form a system where multiple Zigbee radios with coordinator *and* router SW can network data, with one being elected to be the current coordinator. When the elected coordinator disappears, one of the other NSPP Zigbee coordinators will become elected and take over. I assume that the Zigbee radios in non-elected nodes will also have router SW and perform that role while not needed as coordinators. In any case, you are right to point out that the NSPP is at best an early beta version - I would even call it an early prototype. I see a big risk that the NSPP will morph into a different product in the future and existing users may find their HW abandoned and worthless. That the HW appears to be re-branded Tuya HW is a red flag for me, given Tuya's track record of proprietary, closed systems.

[@pzboyz72]

How much power does this thing take when it is idle?

[@andreap952]

I am also the owner of this panel... But I noticed... starting the conversation mode... That only the right microphone works... The left one doesn't... You can try plugging one and blowing on the other to see if is it just an anomaly of mine or not?

[@ulrar]

That's unfortunate, lovely screen indeed although the physical buttons were most of the appeal of the standard one for me. Sadly with no neutral wires anywhere all of these are out of reach for me anyway

[@EverythingSmartHome]

At least you won't miss much with this 😅

[@JamieVids76]

If you replaced light switch with this (or something better, or one of these that worked) you wouldn't be able to physically switch anything so could change the wiring in your light rose to a neutral down to your panel 😊

[@ulrar]

@@JamieVids76 The NSPanel does have decoupled relays so you can switch the load physically. But yeah no I can't get neutral there so it's not for me

[@JamieVids76]

The concept is great, but I'll wait a year at least. I don't really know why you would want a crappy intercom at the entrance to a room either as this is ideally mounted in a light switch hole. I do like the idea of the screen though, a bit smaller and neater than a tablet where you don't really need one.

[@b00573d]

Looks like youre just going to have to build your own now like your sensor!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Ha! Maybe that's the next product...😂

[@paulkelly8882]

A home assistant kiosk OS to flash onto older tablets (or phones) would be the dream. Probably beyond the resources of the Nabu Casa team at the moment.

[@Sierra-Whisky]

There's one other important issue with this device and it's called "security updates", or to be more precise "the lack of security updates." AFAIK this device runs an ancient version of Android which is unsupported by Google for about a year already. For this reason alone this device should be classified as 'broken by design', not to mention all other issues.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Good point - I didn't check the Android version myself but lots of these panels do tend to have ancient OS verisons

[@Sierra-Whisky]

@@EverythingSmartHome from what I found is that it's running Android 8.1, which ran out of support last year and didn't receive any (security) updates since.

[@vexrath]

For the most part I agree with your assessment and will (at the moment) not buy this Panel. But there is one thing that might be important to mention. When (or better if) support for Matter is added to the Panel it actually makes sense, that it can work as a coordinator, since the Thread protocol allows for multiple coordinators on the same Network, for redundency and therefore stability.

[@AndrewSpec]

Thanks for that review. I was recently considering to buy the non pro version or pro when I saw it but now I'm sure I won't buy it.

[@BobFrTube]

If it's an Android device then the most important feature is the browser. I have an Android device in each room running my web app, which is can be a superset of what Sonoff is offering. But it's limited because PWAs can't access much functionality directly, so I use separate devices as shims. Sonoff has the opportunity to provide home control APIs for browser apps. So close, but stuck in a closed ecosystem. Too bad since it is very tempting.

[@emms-place]

This kind of thing seems to be happening not only in hardware but software as well. Companies are pushing out products without them being ready and tested properly. Everybody is on the band wagon to get the next product out ASAP. I don't think you were harsh at all. They have not even fixed all the issues in the previous version.

[@Danielo515]

Can be said louder, but not clearer. Great review mate, will never buy something with this limitations, no matter the price

[@roccocadwallender]

19hrs after your video sonoff announce V1.3.0 is now available on the NSPanel Pro. I think they took note 📝 Plus looks like a new video might need to be made 🤣🤣

[@EverythingSmartHome]

I can't see literally any difference yet with the new update 👀

[@roccocadwallender]

@@EverythingSmartHome 🤣🤣

[@kelvin1316]

For that price you can buy a RaspberryPi (or something similar that you can ACTUALLY buy lol) and a small touchscreen LCD. Bit of DIYing to mount it to the wall and power and presto something that works immediately with HA.

[@dog_ds]

Is it hard to flash NSPanel with ESPHome?

[@EverythingSmartHome]

The original? No it's quite easy, have done a similar guide before

[@GabrielSouza-of7kt]

Thanks for your honest review. Here you brazil there is a channel that did the review and did not mention nothing like that. I was really angry with the product because I don't fucking get the point to release a product that will work only with our platform, but is nice that they have plans to the product, but still, it is kinda bullshit that it did not come with the device, being android brings so much power to the device and is a shame that you can't install any app or develop app to it.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Wish we could install apps on here, would make this more attractive for sure

[@bartjsmit]

These look inferior to the Amazon Fire 7" tablets I've been picking up for much less on Prime/Cyber/Etc. price dumping days. Android with Fully Kiosk Browser to Lovelace (can we still call it Lovelace?) with the on-board camera lighting up the display if you put your mug in front of it.

[@garytill]

These pro panels (and many other Tuya T6E based devices) can now be fairly easily unlocked to to run an essentially open, unlocked, rooted android. that way they can run any custom ui from homeassistant, a web ui or other android apps and is now a pretty good device once that is all done. buyer beware though, some identical looking devices are not android based and cant be unlocked in the same way.

[@tzm1843]

what version of android?

[@garytill]

@tzm1843 usually just android 8 like all generic chinese android devices seem to use. Some have newer versions though.

[@teamgartz-motorsports6881]

Your video made me decide to not buy that device, as you answered some of my questions regarding how it works and I agree with everything you said. Thank you.

[@SmartHomeJunkie]

I tested it with a Philips lightbulb that is say two or three years old. Didn't work...

[@EverythingSmartHome]

My Philips hue bulb did work with it (the one shown in the video) but guess they haven't verified every model!

[@TerraMagnus]

Sonoff could be the GOAT but they instead lean into the "low quality Russian junk" stereotype. I've got some of their Zigbee stuff around. The smart plugs are pretty good (would be better with open source firmware from the factory). The sensors though have like really cheap battery holders so they work intermittently. And don't seem to be very robust to the Zigbee network topology changing.

[@neoxnet]

I believe the official pronunciation of Sonoff is S-ON-OFF referencing a toggle of an on/off switch.

[@makeitworktech]

Savage, but fair. Nice overview, I'll know not to buy one. Here's to "THE FUTURE"!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

😂😂

[@rosswhite5014]

wow that ugreen thing's price is eye watering for what it is

[@lifeai1889]

I'm sure it's hackable just because it's android just need a custom launcher not a big deal u can even use kiosk fully single app and home assistant idk if there will be driver for ZigBee though

[@jeroenvandend]

maybe put small update on this, sideloading is available :)

[@Ender_Wiggin]

lol i never thought those panel would go anywhere. Just not the right idea

[@madman1027]

As said in the video, the ONLY reason I buy anything so off is to flash custom firmware.

[@espressomatic]

Trying to get sales in before Tuya gets steamrolled by all the matter products.

[@ayan.debnath]

In Indian Market, Sonoff is being replaced by Tuya Devices.

[@stephenlewis8760]

Great review, I was suckered into buying this by the promise of the Philips hue integration. Followed the instructions to the letter and no matter what I did it never found my hue downlights or lightstrips. Eventually it came out, their "Hue support" along with the very good instructions in fairness only actually worked with a very limited range of hue products and not downlights or lightstrips... TGF amazon who took it back as it was completly useless in its current state. I hoped they would drive it forward but in the 8 months since they have done noting

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Damn that sucks, glad you managed to return it though!

[@NiekvanOost]

If that home assistant integration will be as 'good' as the current integration for v1 panel is, you can easily ignore it, because its a really bad one.

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Oh yeah forgot about that!! 🤦‍♂️

[@MarkWebbJohnson]

Such a shame. An off-the-shelf standard UK sized light switch intelligent screen running android could have such promise. Just needs a camera / motion detector (for screen dim), and a web browser in kiosk mode. Nothing else.

[@keithws79]

4:04 I see what you did there! 😉

[@OPB682]

Just buy a 4inch android panel switch from Alibaba. They work great.

[@АртемСьомушкін]

Can you share a link?

[@keithcroshaw]

So sad. I feel like somebody could make a line of mains gang box (trying to use global friendly words...) mountable tablet with a modular number of relays built in so you could just snap in the number of relays your gang box has and just software support the integrations. A Thread gateway would probably be a good way to future proof the hardware. Or just throw their hands up in the air and make it super simple zigbee and unlocked android. I'd prefer if I could snap in old iPhones and iPads, just because the android tablets that have been in my life have been a hot mess as far as OS updates go.

[@jamesderrick8201]

HASS is a major ecosystem today; Matter seems likely to become another BUT my personal analysis is to STOP buying ANY home automation products for 6 months. 🛑 In that timeframe, Matter should start to shake out closed platform devices leaving only open devices which can be integrated. Crap like Fibaro refusing firmware updates and closed Alpha-software plus promises must not succeed in the market. "Works with X" certification is a guarantee we gadget buyers should explicitly demand. As others have said, Sonoff was made popular by Tasmota NOT Sonoff.

[@clairerovic]

No Flash No Cash

[@EverythingSmartHome]

😂 I like it

[@felixbrochat]

I can only advise against buying such products with promised features that should come at some point. after you have bought the product, at most security patches will be delivered. Judge me if I'm wrong, but there's no point in adding features and working on a product for a manufacturer if they don't make money. So please do us a favor and only buy such products when the manufacturer has installed all the promised features!

[@Eric_Tennant]

SonOff sold me a broke dongle. Had to fix it myself.

[@uSlackr]

Vaporware!

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Quite possibly!

[@Group51]

That’s a shame. It looks nice.

[@twn6426]

As said, never never NEVER buy a product for "coming" features. Motorola Xoom memory card expansion anyone?

[@EverythingSmartHome]

Agreed!

[@cheynespc]

For that price I’ll buy cheap android phones and use fully home kiosk browser