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Amazon Echo/Alexa Thread
- Thread starter Somnid
- Start date
BronsonLee
Member
I tried and it doesn't work
YELL AT IT LIKE ME
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
lol I did that too! I had to actually walk over to it and lower the volume to like 4 before it could hear me
PhoncipleBone
Banned
Got my Echo Dot today. Have it all synced up with my Harmony and tested a few things with it. Love it so far. Just wish I could disable the music command from auto doing any services and just switch to my turntable though.
Also seems to work well enough across the room while in the kitchen with water running. I will test it at higher volumes with more stuff going on, but so far very happy with the little thing.
Also seems to work well enough across the room while in the kitchen with water running. I will test it at higher volumes with more stuff going on, but so far very happy with the little thing.
Marty Chinn
Member
That's weird. It's usually pretty good about picking out your voice over the loud music it's playing.
pantsattack
Member
I've been using my Dot all day today and I'm pretty stuck to it. It's impressing me pretty highly. I'm going from song request, to artist station, to genre, to Pandora station, setting timers for cooking all along the way. It feels like this is just the basic stuff, but it is pretty slick.
I wish there was better pod cast support, because saying, "play program Comedy Bang Bang," and it working is so sick. And I found you can, "skip forward" to do a 30 second bump, but specific times worked too with, "go back one minute."
It gave me a Blade Runner's release year, but couldn't get any Metacritic scores. That'd be a nice feature.
Renaming Bluetooth sources would be nice. My bookshelf set have a nuts name that I'm never going to say.
I tried "add to playlist" for the current song and it wouldn't work, though it did say playlist specifically so it parsed what I said correctly. Is there a way to note songs by voice?
I wish there was better pod cast support, because saying, "play program Comedy Bang Bang," and it working is so sick. And I found you can, "skip forward" to do a 30 second bump, but specific times worked too with, "go back one minute."
It gave me a Blade Runner's release year, but couldn't get any Metacritic scores. That'd be a nice feature.
Renaming Bluetooth sources would be nice. My bookshelf set have a nuts name that I'm never going to say.
I tried "add to playlist" for the current song and it wouldn't work, though it did say playlist specifically so it parsed what I said correctly. Is there a way to note songs by voice?
Just connected up my Harmony Hub. I can pretty much leave my remotes in a cupboard now, but it is annoy8g to have to ask Alexa to ask harmony to watch BBC1. The new Alexa skill sounds great but we still dont have the blue skill in the UK
Same with roomba. No idea why such a delay - UK skill should literally be the same as the U.S. one
Same with roomba. No idea why such a delay - UK skill should literally be the same as the U.S. one
HawksWinStanley
Member
How does the regular Echo speaker compare to something like this?...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016XTADG2/?tag=neogaf0e-20
I got the dot, but as others mentioned, the speaker is meh for music and now I'm wondering if I should've just gotten the regular echo. Having a separate portable bluetooth speaker would be more convenient but I wasn't sure how the cheaper speakers like the linked one stacked up to the quality of the Echo's speaker.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016XTADG2/?tag=neogaf0e-20
I got the dot, but as others mentioned, the speaker is meh for music and now I'm wondering if I should've just gotten the regular echo. Having a separate portable bluetooth speaker would be more convenient but I wasn't sure how the cheaper speakers like the linked one stacked up to the quality of the Echo's speaker.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I think I might've figured out why my Echo isn't picking up my voice very well - I have it in a quasi-enclosure. It's up against a wall and there are some things near the sides that might also be blocking the sound.
Apparently there needs to be at least 8 inches of open space in all directions for it to properly work...
Apparently there needs to be at least 8 inches of open space in all directions for it to properly work...
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I'm going to try to make a Pi-Alexa this weekend. If that works, I'll probably make another.
that's not true, you still need to opt-in for each contact
You still need care because Echoes are generally public and because Amazon accounts are shared. Anyone sharing with the account you allow or anyone with physical access to devices on that account can drop-in.
Sure, though I think that goes without saying. To be clear though, the Alexa household is not the same as Amazon prime households. It isn't something you should be sharing with people that are not actual household members
pantsattack
Member
Do you need to be on att to use it?
Why? Just for fun? I assume you have multiple pies? A dot is is just as cheap or cheaper than a RBP3 and all the extras you would need.
Marty Chinn
Member
Here's some things I've observed with the new behavior of the Harmony integration.
- Whichever Echo you turn your Harmony devices on with will be the one that is locked to controls such as volume. For example, I turned on my TV setup from my bedroom and when I got out to the living room, I tried volume up but it wouldn't control the volume on my Harmony setup.
- Harmony taking over focus is not for the duration of your usage. At some point it will revert back to the Echo first over the Harmony. How long that duration is, I don't know at this point.
- Whichever Echo you turn your Harmony devices on with will be the one that is locked to controls such as volume. For example, I turned on my TV setup from my bedroom and when I got out to the living room, I tried volume up but it wouldn't control the volume on my Harmony setup.
- Harmony taking over focus is not for the duration of your usage. At some point it will revert back to the Echo first over the Harmony. How long that duration is, I don't know at this point.
Gordon Shumway
Banned
Yeah, it's more like you gotta block people on your contacts. Anyone with an Echo account in your contacts is automatically on your list. At least that was the case for me and friends in Miami, Prince George, and LA..did they change that?
FUCK! This explains everything today lol..I was so bitter. Thanks for this.
It's coding. Javascript/C# etc. Amazon will host 'em on AWS for free within some limits, or you can link to https externally. There's some fiddly setup, learning the right patterns for the AWS lambda and what the alexa skill side requires, but there's plenty of videos/tutorials.
Amazon's got a bunch of sample tutorials up on github too.
I just knocked up a simple call/response one with an on-going joke for my family. Set it up to be testable, and it's now running on my local Dot. The kids are going to be rolling around on the floor tomorrow when I trigger it
Marty Chinn
Member
Heh, no prob.
Oh ya, if you haven't figured it out yet, you can do "Alexa, increase volume by #" and it will change how much the volume changes by that many increments. You can do I think a range from 1 to 20, but I haven't tried anything beyond 20 yet.
What's the best hub for controlling my TV? Harmony? Which product specifically? I'm not knowledgeable about this class of products.
Also, what commands are possible? Can I change inputs? Turn on/off game consoles? Control my cable box (e.g., change channels)? Can I do bundle orders (e.g., in one order, dim the lights / turn on TV / switch to HBO, play music)?
Also, what commands are possible? Can I change inputs? Turn on/off game consoles? Control my cable box (e.g., change channels)? Can I do bundle orders (e.g., in one order, dim the lights / turn on TV / switch to HBO, play music)?
Marty Chinn
Member
Ya, get a Logitech Harmony hub. They come bundled with several different remotes or you can buy the hub alone.
Yes
Depends on the console.
Yes
Yes
Outtrigger888
Member
I don't want to connect my phone to the echo, but want to make it so I can call my house. I don't have a home phone but would like a way to call my kids without having to call my girlfriends cell phone. Is this possible?
Uh, I'm not sure your assumptions here but Alexa calling is only through the app or the Echo, it's like Skype. You can call your own household but it will ring every device connected to it.
Oh interesting, I didn't know they updated that as well.
So is there any good starting/must do guide? I got an Echo and Dot for my B-day yesterday and had enough time to set it up and ask what the time was in Paris ... because why not?
It would be nice to read-up on some stuff before I get home to fool around with it some more (and then set-up my Dot)
It would be nice to read-up on some stuff before I get home to fool around with it some more (and then set-up my Dot)
pantsattack
Member
My Alexa app is updated but I don't have the communication features. Is it because I'm not on Android 5.0?
So there seems to have been a few notable things in the last week:
- The Alexa Fire TV controls that leaked earlier are now available to all.
http://www.aftvnews.com/alexa-devices-can-now-control-the-amazon-fire-tv/
"Alexa, watch [program]", "Alexa, launch app [name]", "Alexa, volume up" etc
- Amazon did announce that security camera functionality currently on Echo Show will come to Fire TV/Alexa as well
http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-fire-tv-devices-will-soon-be-able-to-show-live-camera-feeds/
"Alexa, show camera [name]"
- Prime Photos can now be searched on FireTV
https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/04/amazon-alexa-prime-photos-fire-tv/
"Alexa, show birthday photos"
- You can now ask for music by activity
https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/04/alexa-can-now-find-and-play-music-for-over-500-activities/
"Alexa, play baby-making jazz"
- The Alexa Fire TV controls that leaked earlier are now available to all.
http://www.aftvnews.com/alexa-devices-can-now-control-the-amazon-fire-tv/
"Alexa, watch [program]", "Alexa, launch app [name]", "Alexa, volume up" etc
- Amazon did announce that security camera functionality currently on Echo Show will come to Fire TV/Alexa as well
http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-fire-tv-devices-will-soon-be-able-to-show-live-camera-feeds/
"Alexa, show camera [name]"
- Prime Photos can now be searched on FireTV
https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/04/amazon-alexa-prime-photos-fire-tv/
"Alexa, show birthday photos"
- You can now ask for music by activity
https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/04/alexa-can-now-find-and-play-music-for-over-500-activities/
"Alexa, play baby-making jazz"
AstroNut325
Member
Is there a way to get an Echo Dot to play music through my home audio system with a single command?
I want the ability to say "Alexa, play Pandora on my home audio system. " It would then turn on the AV receiver, set the input and stream the music to it?
I have a Logitech Harmony Hub. Is there a way to create custom commands or macro commands?
I want the ability to say "Alexa, play Pandora on my home audio system. " It would then turn on the AV receiver, set the input and stream the music to it?
I have a Logitech Harmony Hub. Is there a way to create custom commands or macro commands?
PhoncipleBone
Banned
Wondering about custom Harmony commands as well. Telling the Dot to turn on the turntable, blu ray player, Apple TV, etc works fine. But telling it to eject the disc does nothing.
Not currently. Cooperative playback is rumored to be coming soon though, so other Echoes could playback, and there is a partnership with Sonos happening. I'd imagine once that lands updating FireTV to playback through the entertainment system should follow if not land at the same time.
Custom macros aren't supported outside IFTTT.
Reptars Revenge
Member
Thank god they fixed the lights off commercial. It kept activating my Alexa.
Marty Chinn
Member
Logitech Harmony Hub. It can be had between $60 and $90 depending on sales.
So this thing sucks at answering questions. I wanted to know the name of the supercomputer that was on Jeopardy, asked four different variations of the question, and all it could do is say it doesn't know. Seriously?? It couldn't search Bing for the answer?? The answer was Watson, and my Pixel blew it out of the water regarding questions.
I'm about to install the unofficial "Ask Google" skill. Does anyone have any experience with it?
I'm about to install the unofficial "Ask Google" skill. Does anyone have any experience with it?
AngmarsKing701
Member
This. I ask my S6 instead of Alexa because she's as dumb as Trump.
So I've had an Echo Dot in my bedroom as a test since Christmas and I'm really not seeing the utility here. I'm never going to buy anything from Amazon using it, so my use-cases have pretty much been asking it for the weather, asking it the time, and asking it to play random music.
It can't answer most basic queries, and asking it things like hours for a store it just tells me to look in the Alexa app on my phone - uh, that sort of defeats the purpose of the damn thing.
Since I live in the Google ecosystem using Calendar and Play Music and have a number of Chromecasts and Chromecast Audio around the house I'm really thinking moving to the Google Home is the best bet for me.
I'm just getting into doing some home automation stuff using Phillips Hue and it seems Echo and Home are about on equal footing concerning that and the Logitech Harmony stuff, so I think the Google Home is likely the better solution for me.
Am I missing something obvious here that would make Echo actually better for me?
It can't answer most basic queries, and asking it things like hours for a store it just tells me to look in the Alexa app on my phone - uh, that sort of defeats the purpose of the damn thing.
Since I live in the Google ecosystem using Calendar and Play Music and have a number of Chromecasts and Chromecast Audio around the house I'm really thinking moving to the Google Home is the best bet for me.
I'm just getting into doing some home automation stuff using Phillips Hue and it seems Echo and Home are about on equal footing concerning that and the Logitech Harmony stuff, so I think the Google Home is likely the better solution for me.
Am I missing something obvious here that would make Echo actually better for me?
It will give you store hours if you ask.
I don't think Google Home is where Echo is in terms of Harmony support. Echo lets you use natural commands like "Alexa, turn the volume up," Home still needs a custom invocation "Ok Google, ask Harmony to turn the volume up."
Lighting control is roughly equal. Alexa is also equally good at using Google calendar. So really the only benefit to you is Chromecast support and better queries.
Hmmm, I've asked for store hours a number of times and it always tells me "I don't have that information right now, look at the Alexa app."
I didn't realize Calendar was supported so I'll have to look into that.
Maybe it's the specific store it doesn't have info for? I can ask for Best Buy and it'll tell me the hours of the closest one.
I'm asking for smaller local restaurants and shops that have their hours in Google Maps, but I'm not sure what Amazon uses to pull this data, so maybe it has it for the bigger chain stores, but not the smaller mom and pop stores.
This deal seems to good to be true and I see more standalone units at higher price - is this the right unit?
Logitech Harmony Smart Control - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQ5RYI4/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Logitech Harmony Smart Control - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQ5RYI4/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Marty Chinn
Member
If you want a hub, yes that's the right one. It's a common deal for that bundle. If you want a better remote to go with it, there are better but more expensive options.
Google is better at pure random questions about the world. Alexa answers only the basic questions. I do find at least when comparing Siri, google and Alexa that they all fail routinely enough at more wild questions that I am turned off by asking them anything crazy, so I just don't bother.
Since you have chromecast, google home is probably more capable overall. But since you have an Dot already, might as well start your home automation set up now and get google home later if you ever need to. Alexa didn't really sing for me until I had home automation, and now I use it every single day. I'm sure home will have some good holiday sales and you can supplement the dot later
pantsattack
Member
Is there a command to play from a Bluetooth sources once connected? I just keep getting the "you're already connected" response.
"Alexa, Play"