iStrip BLE Light Integration for Home Assistant

This custom integration replicates core features of the official iStrip+ app, enabling control of iStrip BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) LED lights directly from Home Assistant. It communicates over BLE using AES-encrypted commands to provide smooth RGB color and brightness adjustments, just like the original app.

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Features

• Turn iStrip BLE light on/off
• Set RGB color with smooth brightness control
• 12 built-in effects: Fade, Breath, Strobe, Flash (in various colors)
• Adjustable effect speed and brightness
• State synchronization: Automatically updates Home Assistant when controlled via infrared remote
• Communicates via AES-encrypted BLE packets
• Supports automatic Bluetooth device discovery
• Fully asynchronous and compatible with Home Assistant's light platform

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Tested with

Component	Version
Home Assistant Core	2025.7.1
Supervisor	2025.07.1
Operating System	16.0
Frontend	20250702.1
Installation Method	Home Assistant OS / Core

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Installation

Option 1: Install with HACS (recommended)

1. Open HACS → Integrations → Custom repositories.
2. Add this repository URL and select category Integration.
3. Search for iStrip+ BLE Light in HACS and install it.
4. Restart Home Assistant.

Option 2: Manual installation

1. Download the integration:
   Clone or download this repository.

2. Copy files:
   Copy custom_components/istrip to your Home Assistant custom_components/ directory.

3. Restart Home Assistant.

4. Add the integration via Home Assistant UI:

• Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration
• Search for iStrip BLE Light
• Home Assistant will scan for nearby BLE devices and list them
• Select your device to complete the setup (device name might be something like "SSL-XXXX")

The integration will handle device discovery and configuration automatically.

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Usage

Once installed, the iStrip BLE light entity will appear in Home Assistant. You can:

• Turn it on/off
• Change its RGB color
• Adjust brightness (0-255)

Commands are sent asynchronously over BLE and encrypted to match the official iStrip+ app protocol.

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Effects

The integration supports 12 built-in effects:

Effect Name	Description
7-Color Fade	Smooth 7-color fade transition
3-Color Fade	Smooth 3-color fade transition
Red Breathing	Red breathing effect
Red Strobe	Red strobe/flash
7-Color Breathing	7-color breathing effect
3-Color Breathing	3-color breathing effect
Blue Breathing	Blue breathing effect
Blue Strobe	Blue strobe/flash
7-Color Flash	7-color fast flash
3-Color Flash	3-color fast flash
Green Breathing	Green breathing effect
Green Strobe	Green strobe/flash

Using Effects on your Dashboard

To control effects and their speed directly from a Lovelace dashboard, we recommend creating two UI Helpers.

1. Create the Helpers (Settings → Devices & Services → Helpers)

• Dropdown (input_select.istrip_effect):

  • Options: 7-Color Fade, 3-Color Fade, Red Breathing, Red Strobe, 7-Color Breathing, 3-Color Breathing, Blue Breathing, Blue Strobe, 7-Color Flash, 3-Color Flash, Green Breathing, Green Strobe
  • Icon: mdi:palette

• Number (input_number.istrip_effect_speed):

  • Minimum: 0.0, Maximum: 100.0, Step: 1.0
  • Unit of measurement: %
  • Mode: Slider
  • Icon: mdi:speedometer

2. Add Automations to link the Helpers

Add the following to your automations.yaml to automatically sync these helpers with your light:

- alias: iStrip - Sync Effect Speed
  description: Updates effect speed when slider changes
  mode: restart
  triggers:
    - entity_id: input_number.istrip_effect_speed
      trigger: state
  actions:
    - action: istrip.set_speed
      data:
        entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
        speed: "{{ states('input_number.istrip_effect_speed') | int }}"

- alias: iStrip - Control Effects
  description: Sync effect and speed controls
  mode: restart
  triggers:
    - entity_id: input_select.istrip_effect
      id: effect_changed
      trigger: state
    - entity_id: input_number.istrip_effect_speed
      id: speed_changed
      trigger: state
  actions:
    - choose:
        - conditions:
            - condition: trigger
              id: effect_changed
          sequence:
            - action: istrip.set_effect
              data:
                entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
                effect: "{{ states('input_select.istrip_effect') }}"
                speed: "{{ states('input_number.istrip_effect_speed') | int }}"
        - conditions:
            - condition: trigger
              id: speed_changed
          sequence:
            - action: istrip.set_speed
              data:
                entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
                speed: "{{ states('input_number.istrip_effect_speed') | int }}"

Using Effects via Services

Set an effect with optional speed:

service: istrip.set_effect
data:
  entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
  effect: 7-Color Fade
  speed: 75 # Optional: 1-100

Change speed of current effect:

service: istrip.set_speed
data:
  entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
  speed: 50

Turn on with effect:

service: light.turn_on
data:
  entity_id: light.istrip_ble_light
  effect: Red Breathing
  brightness: 200

Note: Setting an RGB color will disable the current effect, and vice versa. Effects and static colors are mutually exclusive.

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State Synchronization

The integration maintains a persistent BLE connection to automatically sync state changes when the light is controlled via the infrared remote.

How it works:

• When you change the light using the IR remote (color, brightness, power, etc.)
• The device sends a BLE notification with the new state
• Home Assistant automatically updates within 2-3 seconds
• No manual refresh needed!

Requirements:

• Bluetooth adapter must remain in range of the device
• The integration maintains a continuous BLE connection

Supported sync actions:

• Power on/off
• Color changes
• Brightness adjustments
• Effect activation (if supported by remote)

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Code Overview

• __init__.py — Minimal setup functions for Home Assistant.
• const.py — Domain constants and defaults.
• config_flow.py — Handles integration UI and automatic BLE device discovery.
• light.py — Implements the IstripLight entity and BLE communication.
• payload_generator.py — AES encryption and payload generation for commands.

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Dependencies

• Home Assistant
• Bleak — Python Bluetooth LE client library
• PyCryptodome — For AES encryption

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Troubleshooting

• Ensure Bluetooth is enabled and your Home Assistant host supports BLE.
• If devices do not appear during discovery, make sure the iStrip light is powered on and nearby.
• Check Home Assistant logs for BLE communication errors if commands fail.

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License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.