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Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta upgrades to Matter.JS 0.18.0, adding a Matter 1.6.1 protocol foundation, a WebRTC camera API with two-way audio, and custom-cluster support for Aqara’s FP400 sensor and IKEA radiator thermostats. The update is not yet stable, and some features also depend on changes in Home Assistant Core.
The Open Home Foundation’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, groundwork for Matter 1.6.1, and custom support for Aqara and IKEA devices. The server is the controller used by Home Assistant to manage Matter devices, but the update has not yet reached stable release, and some features still need work in Home Assistant Core.
According to the release changelog cited by Matter Alpha, version 1.5.0 updates the server to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine. Its WebSocket Schema version 14 introduces a camera API that manages WebRTC sessions and stream negotiation for connected clients. A talkback: true parameter lets a client request two-way audio when starting a stream, so users can speak through compatible Matter cameras or video doorbells. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example; the feature’s availability depends on device and client support.
The update also adds definitions for custom clusters used by the Aqara Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400, including clusters for ambient sensing configuration, radar sensing and occupant location. The report says this allows Matter-based access to detection zones and real-time target-position events. For IKEA, the server adds a custom ValveCalibration cluster and a dashboard control panel for calibrating compatible LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostats without an IKEA hub.
Other changes listed include removing a fixed three-minute delay before unreachable devices are marked unavailable, clearer labels in the Thread network graph, and temporary guest PIN support in the Door Lock panel. The server’s dashboard also gains interactive command panels for several device categories, including robot vacuums, ovens and EV chargers. These are server-side additions; not every function is necessarily exposed through Home Assistant’s usual interface yet.
New Controls for Cameras and Heating
The update expands what Home Assistant can do with Matter devices beyond basic commands. Camera talkback could let users communicate through compatible cameras from integrated clients, while vendor-specific clusters give the server access to features that standard Matter controls may not cover. That can make Matter devices more useful without requiring every advanced feature to be managed through a manufacturer’s separate hub or app.
The Matter 1.6.1 work also sets up a potential change to how groups of devices respond. Matter Alpha says the protocol update establishes a foundation for native IPv6 multicast group messaging across Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Home Assistant has handled group commands by sending them to devices sequentially, which can make lights respond at slightly different times. The new server’s support is described as groundwork, however; the report does not establish that groupcast behavior is already active for Home Assistant users or supported by their devices.
Home Assistant Matter camera with two-way audio
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From Matter Groups to Device Features
The Matter Server is the underlying controller that connects Home Assistant to Matter devices. Matter Alpha reports that the Connectivity Standards Alliance released Matter 1.6.1 in September and moved Groupcast out of provisional status. The standard also added independent volume and mute controls for doorbell chimes. The 1.5.0 server release is described as laying protocol-level groundwork for the group messaging feature.
Matter defines shared functions, but manufacturers can also use custom vendor clusters for features outside the common set. The Aqara and IKEA additions address that gap for specific hardware. The release also includes a command-line option to change the custom-attribute polling interval for older Eve Energy plugs that do not support state subscriptions. These device-specific additions do not mean that every Matter product will gain the same capabilities.
““The standout addition is two-way audio support.””
— Matter Alpha, reporting on the Matter Server 1.5.0 changelog
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Stable Release and Core Support
The stable release date is not specified. Matter Alpha says users can opt into the beta through Matter Server settings and that the update is expected to reach the stable add-on soon, but it gives no firm schedule. The report also says many features need further work in Home Assistant Core before they are more accessible, without listing which functions will be available immediately or when those changes will arrive.
It is also unclear how broadly camera talkback and the Aqara and IKEA features will work across clients, firmware versions and device configurations. The release description establishes server support, not universal compatibility. Likewise, the Matter 1.6.1 groupcast groundwork does not confirm when Home Assistant will send group commands through multicast in everyday use.
IKEA LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat
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Beta Testing Before Stable
Users who want to test the changes can enable the beta option in Matter Server settings, according to Matter Alpha. The next milestones are a stable add-on release and related Home Assistant Core work that makes more of the server features available to users. No dates for either milestone were provided.
Before relying on a newly listed control, users will need to check whether their particular device and client support it. The release’s stable notes and Home Assistant Core updates should clarify which features are ready for general use and whether groupcast, camera talkback and vendor-specific controls are exposed beyond the server’s own tools.
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Key Questions
What is new in Home Assistant Matter Server 1.5.0?
The beta updates the Matter.JS engine and adds camera talkback, Matter 1.6.1 groundwork, and custom-cluster support for the Aqara FP400 and IKEA LILJEBAGGE thermostat. It also includes changes to device availability, diagnostics and dashboard controls.
Can users speak through Matter cameras with this update?
The new camera API supports requesting two-way audio with the talkback: true parameter when starting a stream. The feature requires a compatible camera and client; the report does not say it will work with every Matter camera.
Does Matter 1.6.1 groupcast work in Home Assistant now?
The report describes the update as establishing the protocol-level foundation for native group messaging. It does not confirm that groupcast is already enabled for users or that all their devices support it.
Is Matter Server 1.5.0 available as a stable release?
No. The report says version 1.5.0 is in beta and can be selected in Matter Server settings. A stable release is expected, but no date is given.
Do all the new features work through Home Assistant’s normal interface?
Not necessarily. The source says some features still need work in Home Assistant Core to become more accessible, and does not specify which functions are already exposed through the usual interface.
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