Amazon Echo

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Amazon Echo

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2609 posts

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#1957012 14-Feb-2018 12:30

As there is bound to be a lot of new users of Amazon echo I thought I would mention, in case you have not found it yet

https://www.alexaskillstore.com/

I have nothing to do with it other than suggest it to you :)

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jmosen

551 posts

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#1957083 14-Feb-2018 14:15

Good to see that RNZ and Stuff now have their skills available in US accounts.

Jonathan

rb99

3423 posts

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#1957099 14-Feb-2018 14:39

jmosen: Good to see that RNZ and Stuff now have their skills available in US accounts.

Seems to be some kind of flash briefing thing - don't suppose there's a skill that just plays RNZ ?

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rb99

budgie14

11 posts

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#1958132 14-Feb-2018 16:33

Ive been looking on Amazon about these but they wont ship them,says NZ is not eligible.I see JB HIFI sells them,$89 plus freight.but do they have to be registered with Amazon? what else do you have to buy to make them work? Any info be good thanks.Ian

rogercruse

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#1958164 14-Feb-2018 17:15

budgie14:...what else do you have to buy to make them work?...

Take them out of the packaging, plug them in and then sign-on using your amazon account.

After that, you can setup your address details so that any weather forecasts are accurate, etc.

SepticSceptic

2191 posts

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#1958167 14-Feb-2018 17:17

budgie14:

Ive been looking on Amazon about these but they wont ship them,says NZ is not eligible.I see JB HIFI sells them,$89 plus freight.but do they have to be registered with Amazon? what else do you have to buy to make them work? Any info be good thanks.Ian

As a newbie to the Echo world myself, you will need an Amazon account - I dont think it will work without it.

You dont need anything else to interact with it for basic functions, like shopping lists, briefings, jokes, etc.

It would be a good idea to get the Alex app on your smartphone, and link it in.

Music - you can use Amazon Prime music ( I havent signed up as yet - but there seems to be a good deal for Amazon prime Australia for around $7.00 per month for one device), Spotify, and a few more, though I have only used Iheartradio with the Echo - it's a bit ... meh.

SepticSceptic

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#1958178 14-Feb-2018 17:38

Amazon Echo, TV's and Automation:

Now that the Echo has been ensconced at home for a wee while, organising shopping lists, making bad jokes and playing random music tracks ... I'd like to advance its capabilities a bit more.

I've read thru the 56 odd pages, and there seems to be a couple of contenders for controlling the TV, and perhaps lights.

I was going to pull the trigger on a Samsung SmartHub, but reading one of the other threads, its a no-go because of the Z-Wave frequencies.

Harmony Hub was also mentioned a few times, and I would only need the Harmony Hub RF system base station ?

Or would the Harmony Smart Control be more appropriate ? http://a.co/0Ysa2Ne

As for lights - ha-bridge seems appropriate, or is it a case of duplication with the Harmony products ?

Cheers

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richms

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#1958263 14-Feb-2018 19:11

For lights, the arilux ones are my go to ones now, great strong RGB in them compared to the sonoff ones, and really cheap too. App connects to my US amazon account fine and you just use the lamp name in the "alexa desklamp on" or "alexa brass lamp blue"

Richard rich.ms

razor2000nz

218 posts

Master Geek

#1958592 15-Feb-2018 12:42

SepticSceptic:

Amazon Echo, TV's and Automation:

Now that the Echo has been ensconced at home for a wee while, organising shopping lists, making bad jokes and playing random music tracks ... I'd like to advance its capabilities a bit more.

I've read thru the 56 odd pages, and there seems to be a couple of contenders for controlling the TV, and perhaps lights.

I was going to pull the trigger on a Samsung SmartHub, but reading one of the other threads, its a no-go because of the Z-Wave frequencies.

Harmony Hub was also mentioned a few times, and I would only need the Harmony Hub RF system base station ?

Or would the Harmony Smart Control be more appropriate ? http://a.co/0Ysa2Ne

As for lights - ha-bridge seems appropriate, or is it a case of duplication with the Harmony products ?

Cheers

I have the Harmony smart control with a echo dot, i can voice control the following commands

turn on/off the tv

turn up/down the volume

change the channel to xx, it wont change if you say channel names (ie sky sport 1) but if you just say the number it works ie change the channel to 51, works everytime.

takes a bit to set up as you have to set up "activities" in the harmony app, but once you get it all set up correctly its sweet

hebegb

77 posts

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#1959488 17-Feb-2018 09:46

I am struggling to see any advantage to switching to an Amazon.au account. I like having the US content and there is bugger all to buy on the Aus site.
What am I missing? TIA

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JEDENZED

437 posts

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#1959489 17-Feb-2018 09:54

I switched to AU for NZ news flash briefings but it only lasted a couple days before I switched back to US.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

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#1959490 17-Feb-2018 09:58

I'm using the USA location again too... still hardly use it though.

da5id

550 posts

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#1959496 17-Feb-2018 10:15

SO, I've been trying to follow the thread to see what works well and what doesn't.

I'm thinking about getting one of these but I only subscribe to Spotify and I use Amazon.com and not the Australian version. What can I expect and how useful will it be with local news, and weather etc?

richms

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#1959503 17-Feb-2018 10:40

Weather is fine set to an amazon .com account, not sure on news because it doesnt interest me. Spotify works mostly but requesting playlists doesnt always work. I cant get it to play _my_ discover weekly, but it will pick one of the ones that I follow it seems. Daily mixes do not work either. Some of the playlists I have saved will play, but not ones I have made. Seems a bit erratic. Spotify dont seem to care about it.

Richard rich.ms

da5id

550 posts

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Inactive user

#1959539 17-Feb-2018 11:29

richms:

Weather is fine set to an amazon .com account, not sure on news because it doesnt interest me. Spotify works mostly but requesting playlists doesnt always work. I cant get it to play _my_ discover weekly, but it will pick one of the ones that I follow it seems. Daily mixes do not work either. Some of the playlists I have saved will play, but not ones I have made. Seems a bit erratic. Spotify dont seem to care about it.

Thanks! I'm messing around in the iOS app Astra at the moment to get a feeling of what it might be like (although Astra won't stream music, which is one of the main selling points fopr a device like this).

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