RF devices such as motion sensors or door sensors are much cheaper than their Wifi equivalent. This post combines a few reviews I have posted in the past to help you find the best hardware on eBay and AliExpress.
RF devices run on the same protocol as your garage opener. Signals are emitted on a frequency of 433MHz and captured by a receiver. From there it can be further processed and acted upon by the home automation hub.
I wrote a custom integration for Home Assistant that helps map RF payloads to service calls in your configuration. It allows you to define RF devices such as a wall panel and specify the different button codes it is able to emit.
You can the define schedules (e.g. morning, afternoon, evening, night) that can be used to give the buttons on the device different functions depending on the active schedule.
One feature that all devices have in common is that buttons can be pressed in any combination. This is because the device emits different numbered payloads for each button combination. This means a 3 button panel will give you 7 possible button combinations. (Pressing buttons in any of the following combinations:
1
2
3
1-2
1-3
2-3
1-2-3With a bit of practice (and good memory) this can be used to trigger 7 different automations. Add to this the ability to configure schedules and time-based button functions will be sure to cater for any home automation scenario you have in mind.
Best RF Motion Sensors
For the best motion sensors check out this article.
Best RF Wall Panels
For the best wall-mounted panels check out this article.
Best Home Automation Button Trigger
This button is cheap and can be bought in bulk to trigger scenes or automations in your house. Check it out here
Conclusion
I hope this helps you find what you are looking. I use all these devices myself and they have great features, the battery lasts years and are very reliable. Is there anything I missed? Something I should review in the future? Please let me know in the comments.
