inoCORE5
A Raspberry Pi CM5 based DIN-rail controller built for Home Assistant, Frigate NVR, and Codesys Runtime. One hardware platform — smart home automation or industrial PLC logic. Local-first, cloud-free, always in your control.
Overview
inoCORE5 is a DIN-rail controller platform powered by the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5). It is designed primarily for home and building automation — running Home Assistant, Frigate NVR, and other local-first smart home software — while also supporting Codesys Runtime for industrial PLC applications.
The key idea is simple: your smart home deserves proper hardware, not a Raspberry Pi taped to a wall. inoCORE5 fits inside a standard electrical cabinet on a DIN-rail, runs 24/7, and gives you the full power of CM5 in a form factor that belongs in a professional installation.
inoCORE5 runs either Home Assistant or Codesys Runtime — not simultaneously. Choose the mode that fits your project. The same hardware serves both smart home and industrial automation.
Home Automation
inoCORE5 is purpose-built for the Home Assistant ecosystem and local smart home deployments.
Home Assistant
inoCORE5 runs Home Assistant OS natively on Raspberry Pi CM5. With up to 8GB RAM and fast eMMC storage, it handles hundreds of devices, automations, and integrations without breaking a sweat.
- ✅ Home Assistant OS — full install, all add-ons supported
- ✅ HACS compatible
- ✅ Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter via USB dongles
- ✅ Modbus integration via inoNODE modules
- ✅ Local processing — no cloud dependency
Frigate NVR
The CM5 processor makes inoCORE5 a capable Frigate NVR host with AI object detection:
- ✅ Runs Frigate as Home Assistant add-on or standalone Docker
- ✅ Supports USB Coral TPU for hardware-accelerated detection
- ✅ Multiple camera streams (RTSP, RTMP)
- ✅ Local AI — person, vehicle, animal detection without cloud
- ✅ Full integration with Home Assistant
Local-first philosophy
- No cloud subscription required
- Your data stays at home
- Works without internet
- Full control over your system
- Open source compatible
Codesys
inoCORE5 supports Codesys Runtime on Raspberry Pi CM5 — turning it into a full-featured soft PLC for machine automation, industrial control, and building management systems.
Home Assistant and Codesys Runtime cannot run simultaneously on inoCORE5. The device operates in one mode at a time — choose based on your application.
Codesys Runtime on CM5
inoCORE5 supports two Codesys deployment options:
- Codesys Runtime for Raspberry Pi — standard ARM Linux runtime, installable via Codesys installer
- Codesys Control for Linux ARM — full SL runtime with real-time extensions
Both run natively on the CM5 ARM64 Linux environment.
Why inoCORE5 for Codesys?
- ✅ DIN-rail form factor — fits directly in control cabinet
- ✅ RS-485 / RS-232 — Modbus RTU to field devices
- ✅ CAN FD — real-time industrial fieldbus (variants 5.2, 5.3)
- ✅ Digital I/O — direct DI/DO without additional hardware (variants 5.2, 5.3)
- ✅ Industrial grade hardware — designed for 24/7 operation
- ✅ Ethernet — EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, standard networking
- ✅ Optional 4G/5G — remote access and monitoring
Typical Codesys applications
- Machine automation and motion control coordination
- Industrial process control (heating, cooling, pressure, flow)
- Building management systems (BMS) with IEC 61131-3 logic
- Protocol bridging — Modbus RTU/TCP, CAN FD, EtherNet/IP
- SCADA integration via OPC UA or Modbus TCP
- Standalone PLC replacing traditional compact PLCs
IEC 61131-3 programming
With Codesys you get full IEC 61131-3 support on inoCORE5:
| Language | Description |
|---|---|
| LD | Ladder Diagram — relay logic |
| FBD | Function Block Diagram |
| ST | Structured Text — high-level PLC language |
| IL | Instruction List |
| SFC | Sequential Function Chart |
Codesys + inoNODE
Even in Codesys mode, inoNODE modules connect via Modbus RTU/TCP and appear as standard Modbus slave devices — fully addressable from Codesys function blocks.
This means your heating, HVAC, and building automation field modules work identically whether you're running Home Assistant or Codesys on the inoCORE5.
| Parameter | inoCORE5.1 | inoCORE5.2 | inoCORE5.3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Home Assistant + smart home | Home Assistant + building automation | Frigate NVR + AI cameras |
| Compute module | Raspberry Pi CM5 | Raspberry Pi CM5 | Raspberry Pi CM5 |
| Ethernet | 1× Ethernet | 1× Ethernet | 2× Ethernet |
| USB | 2× USB | 2× USB | 2× USB |
| CAN | N/A | 1x CAN FD | 2× CAN FD |
| Serial interfaces | N/A | 2× RS-485 | 2× RS-485 |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi / BLE | Wi-Fi / BLE | Wi-Fi / BLE, optional LoRa®, 4G/5G |
| Mounting | DIN-rail | DIN-rail | DIN-rail |
| Dimension WxHxD | 72 x 90 x 58 mm | 72 x 90 x 58 mm | 107 x 90 x 58 |
| Ideal use case | Home Assistant, NVR, smart home gateway | HA + building automation cabinet | Industrial automation, edge |
At a glance
🏠 Home Assistant native
Runs Home Assistant OS on RPi CM5. All add-ons, HACS, and integrations supported out of the box.
📷 Frigate NVR ready
Run Frigate with USB Coral TPU support. Local AI camera detection — no cloud, no subscription.
⚙️ Codesys Runtime
Full IEC 61131-3 soft PLC on ARM64 Linux. Machine control, Modbus, CAN FD, SCADA integration.
🔩 DIN-rail form factor
Fits standard electrical cabinets. Professional installation, compact footprint, always-on operation.
Interfaces
The available interfaces depend on the inoCORE5 variant. All variants share the same CM5 compute core.
Wired interfaces
- Ethernet — 1× or 2× depending on variant (network segmentation, HA + camera network)
- USB — for Zigbee/Z-Wave dongles, Coral TPU, USB storage
- RS-485 / RS-232 — Modbus RTU for inoNODE and third-party devices
- CAN / CAN FD — industrial field bus (variant dependent)
- Digital I/O — inputs and outputs for direct sensor/actuator wiring (variant dependent)
Wireless interfaces
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth BLE — built-in via CM5
- 4G / 5G — optional cellular module for remote access
- LoRa® — optional long-range low-power radio (variants 5.2, 5.3)
Applications
🏠 Smart home automation (primary)
- Home Assistant hub — central automation controller
- Frigate NVR — local AI camera system with object detection
- Smart home gateway — Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter, Modbus under one roof
- Whole-home automation without cloud dependency
- Integration with inoNODE (heating/HVAC), inoSWITCH (lights/loads), inoLED (LED lighting)
🏢 Building automation
- Building management controller
- HVAC, lighting, shading, and energy integration
- Multi-zone control via inoNODE Modbus modules
- Local automation logic — works without internet
- Commercial and residential buildings
🏭 Industrial & Edge AI (secondary)
- Edge AI inference and local decision-making
- Protocol bridging — Modbus, CAN FD, RS-485 to IP
- Industrial IoT gateway to SCADA / MES
- Machine monitoring and condition tracking
- Anomaly detection and predictive maintenance
Why inoCORE5 for Home Assistant?
Most Home Assistant users run on a regular Raspberry Pi or a NUC. That works — but inoCORE5 takes it further:
| Regular RPi | inoCORE5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Open board | DIN-rail enclosure |
| Installation | DIY | Professional cabinet |
| Reliability | Consumer grade | Industrial grade |
| I/O expansion | Via HATs | Built-in RS-485, CAN, DIO |
| Frigate NVR | Limited USB | 4× USB + Coral ready |
| Integration | Manual wiring | inoNODE / inoSWITCH ecosystem |
| PLC option | No | Codesys Runtime |
System architecture
A typical inoCORE5 smart home deployment:
- inoCORE5 runs Home Assistant + Frigate in the electrical cabinet
- inoNODE modules control heating, HVAC, and climate via Modbus
- inoSWITCH modules handle lighting and electrical loads
- inoLED drives addressable LED strips via WLED / ESPHome
- inoNET provides structured DIN-rail networking in the cabinet
- All modules communicate locally — no cloud involved
What's next
- inoCORE5.1 — Home Assistant focused variant
- inoCORE5.2 — Building automation + Codesys variant
- inoCORE5.3 — Frigate NVR + Edge AI variant
- inoNODE — Heating and HVAC modules (Modbus)
- inoSWITCH — Switching and relay modules
- inoLED — LED lighting controllers