Amazon Echo

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#1822540 14-Jul-2017 15:17

Dont think this is the place but is there a "Clever One" who could build a Alexa skill share for trade me? How much of an incentive would one need to develop said skill?

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gnfb

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#1823231 16-Jul-2017 12:37

So been playing on and off with the echo show for the last 24 hours. A couple of first up observations.

1. yes it really is super cool

2. Due to the screen playing such an important roll in the functions now I find that I want the echo show in the kitchen on my desk and the bedside table. A tad indulgent to get a unit for each. Is there another solution ? Is there any way a battery pack could be gaffer taped to the unit and it would last for say 12 hours? The quickest solution and least hassle would be a docking station of sorts, at the very least ready power supplies in each location.

3. This is a layman question I want to ask Why can I not have the echo show replicated on a tablet?

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

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kryptonjohn

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#1823237 16-Jul-2017 12:59

I'm surprised it's not replicated on their Fire tablets... maybe it will be?

kryptonjohn

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#1824241 18-Jul-2017 10:40

Logitech have tidied up their Alexa integration which was two skills and is now unified into one... much better. When you have to prepend a request with "ask harmony to" it is far too clunky, Now you just say "Alexa turn on TV", "Alexa turn up volume" etc. There is still a slight wrinkle - after telling Alexa to turn on a device through Harmony, for a "period of time" it will route ambiguous requests like "turn up volume" to that device. It will then revert to using those commands itself. This default routing can still be overridden with "turn up volume on my TV" etc.

https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-amazon-alexa#whatsnew

Anyone here using the new stuff yet?

razor2000nz

210 posts

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#1824339 18-Jul-2017 12:47

kryptonjohn:

Logitech have tidied up their Alexa integration which was two skills and is now unified into one... much better. When you have to prepend a request with "ask harmony to" it is far too clunky, Now you just say "Alexa turn on TV", "Alexa turn up volume" etc. There is still a slight wrinkle - after telling Alexa to turn on a device through Harmony, for a "period of time" it will route ambiguous requests like "turn up volume" to that device. It will then revert to using those commands itself. This default routing can still be overridden with "turn up volume on my TV" etc.

https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-amazon-alexa#whatsnew

Anyone here using the new stuff yet?

Yes, much better now, had a quick play with it yesterday, works great if you have set up properly, I could get it to change the sky channels by just saying "alexa change the channel to 51 ". and it would change the sky box to the correct channel.

You have to use the channel number at not the name of the channel.

kryptonjohn

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#1824379 18-Jul-2017 13:50

Sweet. Can't you define favourites to name channels though?

Looks like I'm going to have to get me a Harmony Hub.

Can you put the hub in the middle of a room to control other stuff? I'm thinking heat pump as well as the TV and related components. What's the range and coverage of the IR like?

kryptonjohn

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#1824381 18-Jul-2017 13:53

Also is it fussy about phrasing? Does it care if it is "alexa change the channel to 51" or "alexa change to channel 51"?

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nurcopolics

144 posts

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#1824397 18-Jul-2017 14:18

I'm using the hub. It can turn on the TV and turn off the TV it can also turn the volume up and down. I noticed there was an issue though with the amplifier I had to disable that so it could only change the volume through the TV and not the amplifier even though there different brands.

nurcopolics

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#1824404 18-Jul-2017 14:19

I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

nurcopolics

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#1824407 18-Jul-2017 14:20

I can't wait for it to be integrated into iptv.

reven

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#1824421 18-Jul-2017 14:28

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command. people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work. someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back. smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these. just IMO.

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.

nurcopolics

144 posts

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#1824458 18-Jul-2017 15:14

reven:
nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command. people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work. someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back. smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these. just IMO.

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.

Good call. Yep no Alexa integration. What about using ifttt to use GPS location to unlock the garage door?

nurcopolics

144 posts

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#1824459 18-Jul-2017 15:14

reven:
nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command. people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work. someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back. smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these. just IMO.

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.

Good call. Yep no Alexa integration. What about using ifttt to use GPS location to unlock the garage door?

gnfb

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#1824473 18-Jul-2017 15:26

Trying to work out the best value way to buy a harmony remote with the following abilities

Control Kodi

interface with Alexa

Control Sony TV

Am I correct in thinking you have to have the hub for the alexa connection?

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
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reven

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#1824477 18-Jul-2017 15:31

nurcopolics:
reven:

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command. people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work. someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back. smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these. just IMO.

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.

Good call. Yep no Alexa integration. What about using ifttt to use GPS location to unlock the garage door?

i wouldnt even do that, gps location can be extremely flaky. nothing i found beats a remote for these doors yet. apps are slow and need to launch/connect to wifi (often when you pull it to your house, the wifi is detected so it switches to that, which takes a few seconds). a remote button is basically instant, very easy to use etc. the ability to remote open/close can be nice (i had to let a builder in that way, my front door went flat :P). but yeah, i stick with remotes for when i use it.

i did try using a smart watch and say "ok google, open garage door", but that was extremely flaky as well.

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