Add Firmware Channel switching and serve end-user images for OTA

.github/workflows/build-beta.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+name: Build and Publish Beta
+
+# Builds PLT-1 firmware from the beta branch and publishes it as assets on a
+# rolling "beta-fw" pre-release. The on-device "Firmware Channel" select points
+# OTA updates at these assets. Stable firmware is built/published separately
+# by build.yml (push to main -> GitHub Pages).
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [beta]
+    paths:
+      - 'Integrations/ESPHome/**'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+# Least privilege: read-only by default; only publish-beta is elevated to write.
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  version:
+    name: Read version
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      v: ${{ steps.read.outputs.v }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - id: read
+        run: |
+          v=$(awk '/substitutions:/ {f=1} f && /version:/ {print $2; exit}' \
+            Integrations/ESPHome/Core.yaml | tr -d '"')
+          echo "v=$v" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "Beta version: $v"
+
+  build:
+    name: Build ${{ matrix.name }}
+    needs: version
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          # Beta serves OTA updates only, so it builds the end-user Minimal
+          # images, not the first-flash improv images.
+          - { yaml: Integrations/ESPHome/beta-channel/PLT-1_Minimal.yaml,  name: firmware-beta }
+          - { yaml: Integrations/ESPHome/beta-channel/PLT-1B_Minimal.yaml, name: firmware-b-beta }
+    uses: esphome/workflows/.github/workflows/build.yml@025a1e6255610c498ed590403b7e510b69e474df # 2026.4.1
+    with:
+      files: ${{ matrix.yaml }}
+      esphome-version: stable
+      combined-name: ${{ matrix.name }}
+      release-version: ${{ needs.version.outputs.v }}
+
+  publish-beta:
+    name: Publish beta release assets
+    needs: [version, build]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Download firmware artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          path: fw
+          pattern: firmware*
+
+      - name: Ensure rolling 'beta-fw' pre-release exists
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh release view beta-fw -R "${{ github.repository }}" >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+            || gh release create beta-fw -R "${{ github.repository }}" \
+                 --prerelease --title "Beta (rolling)" \
+                 --notes "Latest PLT-1 beta firmware. Auto-updated on every push to the beta branch."
+
+      - name: Rewrite manifests to absolute URLs and upload assets
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          BASE="https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/releases/download/beta-fw"
+          # Manifest names match the on-device variant_slug: "" and "-b".
+          declare -A DIRS=( [""]=firmware-beta ["-b"]=firmware-b-beta )
+          for v in "" "-b"; do
+            src="fw/${DIRS[$v]}"
+            man=$(find "$src" -name manifest.json | head -1)
+            if [ -z "$man" ]; then
+              echo "::error::manifest.json not found for ${DIRS[$v]}"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            echo "Rewriting $man"
+            # Make ota.path and parts[].path absolute release-asset URLs so the
+            # device never has to resolve a relative path against a redirect.
+            # The two variants have distinct device names, so bin filenames
+            # don't collide in the flat release-asset namespace.
+            jq --arg base "$BASE" '
+              .builds[0].ota.path = ($base + "/" + (.builds[0].ota.path | sub(".*/"; "")))
+              | .builds[0].parts |= map(.path = ($base + "/" + (.path | sub(".*/"; ""))))
+            ' "$man" > "manifest$v.json"
+            cat "manifest$v.json"
+            gh release upload beta-fw "manifest$v.json" -R "${{ github.repository }}" --clobber
+            find "$src" -name '*.bin' -print -exec \
+              gh release upload beta-fw {} -R "${{ github.repository }}" --clobber \;
+          done
+          echo "Beta assets published."

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -24,10 +24,16 @@ jobs:
       pull-requests: write
     with:
       device-name: plt-1
+      # The Minimal yamls are the end-user images served at firmware/ and
+      # firmware-b/ (OTA updates and dashboard adoption). The improv images
+      # move to *-factory/ and are only used for first flashes via the web
+      # installer.
       yaml-files: |
+        Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1_Minimal.yaml
+        Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1B_Minimal.yaml
         Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1.yaml
         Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1B.yaml
-      firmware-names: "1:firmware,1B:firmware-b"
+      firmware-names: "1_Minimal:firmware,1B_Minimal:firmware-b,1:firmware-factory,1B:firmware-b-factory"
       core-yaml-path: Integrations/ESPHome/Core.yaml
       esphome-version: stable
       # Bypass check if manually triggered with bypass option

Integrations/ESPHome/.gitignore

@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 # You can modify this file to suit your needs.
 /.esphome/
 /secrets.yaml
+beta-channel/.esphome/

Integrations/ESPHome/Core.yaml

@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 substitutions:
-  version: "26.3.2.1"
+  version: "26.7.8.1"
+  # Firmware variant identity: overridden to "-b" by the PLT-1B images so
+  # each hardware variant tracks its own manifests.
+  variant_slug: ""
+  # Default update channel on first boot (no stored user choice yet, i.e. a
+  # fresh flash). The beta-channel builds override this to "Beta" (see
+  # Integrations/ESPHome/beta-channel/) so firmware obtained from the beta
+  # channel keeps tracking it instead of offering a stable "downgrade".
+  firmware_channel_default: "Stable"
+  # Manifest URL bases. Stable = GitHub Pages (main branch builds).
+  # Beta = rolling "beta" pre-release assets (beta branch builds).
+  stable_manifest_base: "https://apolloautomation.github.io/PLT-1"
+  beta_manifest_base: "https://github.com/ApolloAutomation/PLT-1/releases/download/beta-fw"
 
 esp32:
   variant: esp32c3
@@ -339,6 +351,52 @@ button:
     icon: mdi:power-cycle
     name: "ESP Reboot"
 
+  - platform: template
+    name: "Firmware Update"
+    id: update_firmware
+    icon: mdi:cloud-download
+    entity_category: "config"
+    on_press:
+      - logger.log: "Applying firmware based on selected channel"
+      # OTA download needs the device awake for its whole duration.
+      - lambda: |-
+          id(deep_sleep_1).prevent_deep_sleep();
+      # Free heap for the TLS download when BLE (improv) is active. Guarded
+      # so images without BLE compile the same YAML.
+      - lambda: |-
+          #ifdef USE_ESP32_BLE
+          if (esp32_ble::global_ble && esp32_ble::global_ble->is_active()) {
+            ESP_LOGI("firmware", "Disabling BLE for firmware update");
+            esp32_ble::global_ble->disable();
+          }
+          #endif
+      - delay: 3s
+      - script.execute: apply_ota_source
+      - script.wait: apply_ota_source
+      # The manifest fetch runs in its own task and YAML has no "fetch done"
+      # condition to wait on (update.is_available stays false for same-version
+      # switches), so give it a fixed window like R_PRO-1/CAST-1 do.
+      - delay: 5s
+      - update.perform:
+          id: update_http_request
+          force_update: true
+      # Only reached if the update did not start (e.g. manifest unreachable).
+      - lambda: |-
+          #ifdef USE_ESP32_BLE
+          if (esp32_ble::global_ble) {
+            ESP_LOGI("firmware", "Re-enabling BLE (no update performed)");
+            esp32_ble::global_ble->enable();
+          }
+          #endif
+      - if:
+          condition:
+            and:
+              - switch.is_off: prevent_sleep
+              - binary_sensor.is_off: ota_mode
+          then:
+            - lambda: |-
+                id(deep_sleep_1).allow_deep_sleep();
+
   - platform: factory_reset
     disabled_by_default: True
     name: "Factory Reset ESP"
@@ -385,7 +443,37 @@ text_sensor:
     update_interval: never
     entity_category: "diagnostic"
 
+select:
+  - platform: template
+    name: "Firmware Channel"
+    id: firmware_channel
+    icon: mdi:source-branch
+    entity_category: "config"
+    optimistic: true
+    restore_value: true
+    options:
+      - "Stable"
+      - "Beta"
+    initial_option: "${firmware_channel_default}"
+    on_value:
+      then:
+        - script.execute: apply_ota_source
+
 script:
+  - id: apply_ota_source
+    # Sets the OTA manifest URL from the Firmware Channel select for this
+    # hardware variant (${variant_slug}).
+    # Stable = GitHub Pages, Beta = rolling "beta" release assets.
+    then:
+      - lambda: |-
+          const bool beta = id(firmware_channel).current_option() == "Beta";
+          std::string url = beta
+            ? "${beta_manifest_base}/manifest${variant_slug}.json"
+            : "${stable_manifest_base}/firmware${variant_slug}/manifest.json";
+          ESP_LOGI("firmware", "OTA manifest set to: %s", url.c_str());
+          id(update_http_request).set_source_url(url);
+      - component.update: update_http_request
+
   - id: statusCheck
     then:
       - if:

Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1.yaml

@@ -65,13 +65,13 @@ safe_mode:
 
 update:
   - platform: http_request
-    id: firmware_update
+    id: update_http_request
     name: Firmware Update
     source: https://apolloautomation.github.io/PLT-1/firmware/manifest.json
 
 wifi:
   on_connect:
-    - component.update: firmware_update
+    - component.update: update_http_request
   ap:
     ssid: "Apollo PLT1 Hotspot"
 

Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1B.yaml

@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+substitutions:
+  variant_slug: "-b"
+
 esphome:
   name: "apollo-plt-1b"
   friendly_name: Apollo PLT-1B
@@ -66,13 +69,13 @@ web_server:
 
 update:
   - platform: http_request
-    id: firmware_update
+    id: update_http_request
     name: Firmware Update
     source: https://apolloautomation.github.io/PLT-1/firmware-b/manifest.json
 
 wifi:
   on_connect:
-    - component.update: firmware_update
+    - component.update: update_http_request
   ap:
     ssid: "Apollo PLT1B Hotspot"
 

Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1B_BLE.yaml

@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+substitutions:
+  variant_slug: "-b"
+
 esphome:
   name: "apollo-plt-1bble"
   friendly_name: Apollo PLT-1BBLE
@@ -39,6 +42,17 @@ dashboard_import:
 ota:
   - platform: esphome
     id: ota_esphome
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: ota_managed
+
+http_request:
+  verify_ssl: true
+
+update:
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: update_http_request
+    name: Firmware Update
+    source: ${stable_manifest_base}/firmware${variant_slug}/manifest.json
 
 safe_mode:
 
@@ -50,6 +64,8 @@ esp32_ble_tracker:
     active: false
 
 wifi:
+  on_connect:
+    - component.update: update_http_request
   ap:
     ssid: "Apollo PLT1B Hotspot"
 

Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1B_Minimal.yaml

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+substitutions:
+  variant_slug: "-b"
+
 esphome:
-  name: "apollo-plt-1b-minimal"
-  friendly_name: Apollo PLT-1B Minimal
-  comment: Apollo PLT-1B Minimal
+  name: "apollo-plt-1b"
+  friendly_name: Apollo PLT-1B
+  comment: Apollo PLT-1B
   name_add_mac_suffix: true
   project:
-    name: "ApolloAutomation.PLT-1B_Minimal"
+    name: "ApolloAutomation.PLT-1B"
     version: "${version}"
 
   min_version: 2025.6.0
@@ -49,12 +52,27 @@ improv_serial:
 ota:
   - platform: esphome
     id: ota_esphome
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: ota_managed
+
+http_request:
+  verify_ssl: true
+
+safe_mode:
+
+update:
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: update_http_request
+    name: Firmware Update
+    source: https://apolloautomation.github.io/PLT-1/firmware-b/manifest.json
 
 web_server:
   port: 80
   version: 3
 
 wifi:
+  on_connect:
+    - component.update: update_http_request
   ap:
     ssid: "Apollo PLT1B Hotspot"
 

Integrations/ESPHome/PLT-1_BLE.yaml

@@ -38,6 +38,17 @@ dashboard_import:
 ota:
   - platform: esphome
     id: ota_esphome
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: ota_managed
+
+http_request:
+  verify_ssl: true
+
+update:
+  - platform: http_request
+    id: update_http_request
+    name: Firmware Update
+    source: ${stable_manifest_base}/firmware${variant_slug}/manifest.json
 
 safe_mode:
 
@@ -50,6 +61,8 @@ esp32_ble_tracker:
 
 
 wifi:
+  on_connect:
+    - component.update: update_http_request
   ap:
     ssid: "Apollo PLT1 Hotspot"