PS5 Cinema Mode — Automate Your Gaming Environment with Home Assistant

Andrea Leandri
5 days ago
4 min read

Skill level: Intermediate | Time to complete: 60-90 minutes

What you'll build: A Home Assistant automation that detects when your PS5 switches on and automatically triggers a full cinema environment: projector on, room lights off, music stopped on all Alexa speakers. One button on the PS5 controller, the whole room transforms.

The Idea

Your PS5 already turns on the TV when you power it up via HDMI-CEC. But cinema mode is more than just a TV. This automation extends what the PS5 does natively: the projector switches on, the room lights turn off, and music stops on all Alexa speakers - all within seconds of pressing the PS5 power button, before you have even picked up the controller properly.

The key is PS5MQTT - a HACS custom integration that uses your PlayStation Network account to monitor your PS5 state via your local network and exposes it to Home Assistant via an MQTT broker. When the PS5 goes from standby to on, HA sees it and fires the automation.

How PS5MQTT Works

PS5MQTT communicates with your PS5 using the same local network protocol as the PlayStation app. It sends a ping and reads the response status - standby responds differently than fully on. PS5MQTT translates that into MQTT messages that HA reads. This is entirely local: no cloud, no PlayStation API, no external servers.

PS5 powers on -> PS5MQTT detects state change via local network -> publishes MQTT message to Mosquitto broker -> HA receives it -> switch entity changes to on -> automation fires.

What You'll Need

Home Assistant - any recent version (2024.x or later)
PS5 - connected to your local network via WiFi or ethernet
PlayStation Network account - the account signed into your PS5, and your PSN Account ID (a 19-digit number, different from your username)
HACS - Home Assistant Community Store
Mosquitto broker add-on - the MQTT broker running inside HA
PS5MQTT integration - HACS custom integration by FunkeyFlo

Part 1: Install Mosquitto MQTT Broker

Settings -> Add-ons -> Add-on Store -> search Mosquitto broker. Install it, leave defaults, start it and enable Start on boot and Watchdog.

Then add the MQTT integration: Settings -> Devices & Services -> Add Integration -> search MQTT. It detects Mosquitto automatically. Verify it works by calling mqtt.publish in Developer Tools - if it does not error, Mosquitto is running.

Part 2: Install PS5MQTT via HACS

In HA -> HACS -> Integrations -> search PS5MQTT. Find the integration by FunkeyFlo -> Download -> restart HA.

Then add it: Settings -> Devices & Services -> Add Integration -> search PS5MQTT. You need your PSN Account ID - a 19-digit number found by signing into my.playstation.com, opening browser Developer Tools, and looking for accountId in the network requests. Leave the MQTT topic prefix as the default ps5mqtt.

What PS5MQTT creates

switch.ps5_power - on when PS5 is fully on, off when standby
sensor.ps5_status - the running game or app title, or standby
media_player.ps5 - media player entity for what is currently playing

Part 3: Create the Automation

Settings -> Automations & Scenes -> Create Automation -> Edit in YAML.

alias: "Cinema mode - PS5 turns on"
description: >
  When the PS5 powers on, triggers full cinema mode:
  projector on, room lights off, music stopped on all Alexa speakers.

triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: switch.ps5_power   # your PS5 switch entity from PS5MQTT
    to: "on"

conditions: []

actions:
  # Turn on projector
  - type: turn_on
    entity_id: light.YOUR_PROJECTOR_ENTITY   # your projector entity

  # Optional: bias lighting behind screen
  - type: turn_on
    entity_id: light.YOUR_BIAS_LIGHT_ENTITY

  # Brief pause before sending TV/projector command
  - delay:
      seconds: 3

  # Turn on projector via Alexa if not directly controllable
  - action: alexa_devices.send_text_command
    data:
      device_id: YOUR_ALEXA_DEVICE_ID   # your Echo device ID
      text_command: Turn on The TV

  # Turn off room lights
  - type: turn_off
    entity_id: light.YOUR_ROOM_LIGHT

  # Stop music on all Alexa speakers
  - action: media_player.media_stop
    target:
      entity_id:
        - media_player.echo_dot_woonkamer
        - media_player.echo_studio_xxxxxx
        - media_player.echo_dot_keuken

mode: single

Part 4: Add a Cinema Off Automation

When you finish gaming and the PS5 goes back to standby, the room should return to normal. The for: minutes: 2 delay on the trigger prevents lights from flashing back on during a PS5 restart or system update reboot.

alias: "Cinema mode off - PS5 standby"

triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: switch.ps5_power
    to: "off"
    for:
      minutes: 2

conditions: []

actions:
  - type: turn_on
    entity_id: light.YOUR_ROOM_LIGHT
    data:
      brightness_pct: 80

  - action: alexa_devices.send_text_command
    data:
      device_id: YOUR_ALEXA_DEVICE_ID
      text_command: Turn off The TV

mode: single

What Else Can You Trigger This Way?

Once PS5MQTT is detecting your console state, the switch.ps5_power entity can power many other automations. Set a specific Govee LED scene behind the TV for gaming ambience. Dim lights to a comfortable percentage instead of fully off - better for long sessions. Adjust your ventilation system to high - gaming generates heat. Trigger a do-not-disturb mode to mute Alexa announcements while gaming.

Troubleshooting

PS5 switch entity never changes state: Check PS5MQTT is running, PSN Account ID is correct, and Mosquitto is running.
PS5MQTT shows unavailable: PS5 and HA must be on the same network subnet. Check both are on the same WiFi or LAN segment.
Automation fires multiple times: Add for: seconds: 10 to the trigger to require stable state before firing.
PS5MQTT detects PS5 as on when in standby: In PS5 Settings -> System -> Power Saving -> Features Available in Rest Mode -> disable Stay Connected to the Internet if you do not need remote wakeup. This makes standby state cleaner.
Lights or music do not respond: Verify entity IDs in Developer Tools -> States. A wrong entity ID silently fails with no error in the automation.

Guide written by a Home Assistant enthusiast in Utrecht. Built with Home Assistant, a PS5, and the satisfying click of a DualSense turning a whole room into a cinema.