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Home Assistant’s Matter Server 1.5.0 beta upgrades its Matter.JS engine and adds a dedicated camera API with two-way audio, custom support for Aqara and IKEA hardware, and faster offline detection. The update lays protocol groundwork for Matter 1.6.1 Groupcast, but that does not by itself confirm that group commands are already available to Home Assistant users.
Home Assistant’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’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat, and groundwork for Matter 1.6.1. The update moves the server to the Matter.JS 0.18.0 engine; it is not yet a stable release, and some features still require changes in Home Assistant Core to be readily accessible.
According to the version 1.5.0 changelog described by Matter Alpha, the server introduces WebSocket Schema version 14 and a camera API that manages 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. The report names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example. The release also addresses some WebRTC session drops and adds more specific error codes for stream troubleshooting.
The update adds definitions for custom vendor clusters used by the Aqara Spatial Multi-Sensor FP400, including clusters for ambient sensing configuration, radar sensing and occupant location. The reported support enables features such as detection zones and real-time target-position events over Matter. For IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE thermostat, the server adds a ValveCalibration cluster and a dashboard control panel for calibrating compatible radiator valves without an IKEA hub.
Other changes include removing a fixed three-minute delay before an unreachable device is marked offline, clearer labels in the network graph, and dashboard support for temporary door-lock guest PINs with expiration settings. The server also adds command panels for several device categories, including robot vacuums, ovens and EV chargers. Older Eve Energy plugs gain a command-line option to set the polling interval for custom attributes.
Faster Camera and Device Control
The beta extends Matter Server beyond basic device commands by giving client applications a more direct way to manage camera streams and talkback. For people with compatible cameras, the feature could make the Home Assistant dashboard a more useful place to monitor and speak through a device, though availability depends on device compatibility and support in the client software.
Support for Aqara’s sensing clusters and IKEA’s valve calibration also matters because manufacturers may expose advanced functions through custom clusters not covered by standard Matter controls. Native server definitions can make those features available to Home Assistant integrations without relying on a manufacturer’s hub for the particular calibration task. Meanwhile, faster unavailable status may help users identify connection failures sooner.
The Matter 1.6.1 work concerns how groups of devices can receive commands. The source report says Home Assistant has traditionally sent group commands as separate unicast messages, which can cause devices to respond at slightly different times. The new server establishes a foundation for IPv6 multicast Groupcast, but the report does not establish that the full synchronized group-control experience is already implemented for users.
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Matter 1.6.1 and Groupcast
The Open Home Foundation maintains the Matter.JS Server used as the underlying Matter controller in Home Assistant. The reported 1.5.0 release upgrades that engine to Matter.JS 0.18.0. Matter Alpha says the Connectivity Standards Alliance released Matter 1.6.1 in September and that the revision moved Groupcast out of provisional status and added separate volume and mute controls for doorbell chimes.
In this release, the server change is described as protocol-level preparation for native group messaging across Thread, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Matter Alpha also reports that some new features need work in Home Assistant Core before users can access them through the platform’s usual interfaces. The article’s details are based on the cited changelog and source report, rather than a statement included here from the Open Home Foundation.
“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 Matter Server 1.5.0
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Beta Status and Compatibility
Version 1.5.0 remains in beta, and the exact date of a stable release is not given. The report says users can opt into beta testing through the Matter Server settings and expects a stable add-on rollout soon, but provides no firm schedule.
It is also not clear which features will work immediately across all Home Assistant clients, or which require additional Core changes. Camera talkback depends on compatible cameras and applications; the source names the Aqara Camera Hub G350 but does not give a complete compatibility list. The report describes Groupcast groundwork without specifying when users will see native multicast behavior in everyday automations.
The cited source does not provide performance measurements for offline detection or group command timing, nor does it detail the full range of IKEA valves supported by the calibration panel. Those points should not be inferred from the feature descriptions alone.
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Stable Release and Core Support
The next milestone is the move from the 1.5.0 beta to a stable Matter Server add-on release. Users who want to test the changes can enable the beta option in Matter Server settings, according to the source report; doing so means using pre-release software.
Home Assistant Core updates will determine how readily some of the server additions appear in the platform’s interfaces. Users should watch release notes for confirmation of stable availability, camera and device compatibility, and practical support for Matter 1.6.1 Groupcast. No rollout date or Core release schedule was specified in the material provided.
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Key Questions
Is Matter Server 1.5.0 available as a stable release?
No. The source report says version 1.5.0 is in beta and that a stable rollout is expected soon, without giving a date.
What does camera talkback add?
It adds a way for supported clients to send audio through a compatible Matter camera or video doorbell using a talkback: true stream parameter. The report cites the Aqara Camera Hub G350 as an example; it does not list every compatible device.
Does this update mean Matter group commands are already faster?
Not necessarily. The server adds a protocol foundation for IPv6 multicast Groupcast. The source does not confirm that full native group messaging is already available across Home Assistant’s user-facing controls.
Which Aqara and IKEA devices receive new support?
The reported additions cover custom clusters for the Aqara FP400 multi-sensor and a ValveCalibration cluster and dashboard panel for IKEA’s LILJEBAGGE radiator thermostat. The source does not give a complete list of compatible valves or all device requirements.
Do all of the new features work immediately in Home Assistant?
No. The report says some features still need Home Assistant Core work to become more accessible. Exact availability depends on the stable server release, Core support, and the device and client involved.
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