Please please tell me that we can find a way to integrate this thing into IC?!?!?!
http://gizmodo.com/amazon-echo-an-intelligent-speaker-that-listens-to-you-1655478795
Amazon Echo
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- Last Post 19 April 2016
tnamey
posted this
06 November 2014
- Last edited 11 April 2016
Ryan-Scott
posted this
10 November 2014
Please please tell me that we can find a way to integrate this thing into IC?!?!?!
http://gizmodo.com/amazon-echo-an-intelligent-speaker-that-listens-to-you-1655478795
I know, right? It's a pretty cool device; it doesn't look like there's an API for it though... that or Amazon hasn't published it. I'm guessing because of the places it's showing up, it'll draw in a big crowd of devs that will want to create a product for it.
Axial-User
posted this
14 November 2014
I must say, I'm not impressed at all with this device (the Amazon Echo.) Most new Motorolla and Nexus phones have the always-on voice activation already, so why would anyone need a big, expensive, bulky device in their home? Seems more convenient to speak directly to your pocket, or wherever your phone may be (it's always close by for most people). On top of this, Google voice is a LOT more effective than anything Amazon has developed so far (as of a month or so ago, it's also better than Siri as well, although this does go back and forth a lot, of course). Either way this is a better solution all around, and doesn't cost a cent if you already plan to upgrade to one of these awesome phones.
If it can be done, that's awesome, but I for one will never use such an integration... so for what it's worth, I think other projects should perhaps take priority. Then again, perhaps there's a nice niche here to exploit that may bring in money to the company.
I would really like a feature where we can tap into tasker within Android, though. Perhaps one already exists? I know there's a great solution for the Vera (link: http://kinkeadtech.com/2014/09/ok-google-turn-off-downstairs-lights/ )
Edit: I spoke too soon! Here is a place on this forum where someone has done just this! Very cool! http://store.incontrolzwave.com/boards/topic/332/integration-with-tasker-android-phone-automation-how-to#1380
Edit 2: Jeesh, this is all over the place - they have in the recipes section as well! I'm seriously blind, sorry about that haha. http://incontrolha.com/Recipes/List
tnamey
posted this
14 November 2014
I'll agree that the brain of this will never match Google Now, but that's not what makes this thing great. The Far-Field microphone system is what I want. If we can program it to used IC I'll probably not use the other software features on the device. I've spent a lot of time researching and testing voice options, nothing comes close to these promises for this price point, and ease of installation. Maybe it won't work like they state, but I'm going to try it out.
I love Google Now but even with Motos always listening option this would simply be more convenient for everyday life.
monkey-magic
posted this
14 November 2014
There is a tasker plugin for inControl now. That how to was before it all came about.
The main advantage of that thing is my wife doesn't have or will have tasker programmed onto her phone. Along with all guests, the kids and the dogs.
How are my dogs going to turn the lights on and off?
Josh
tnamey
posted this
17 November 2014
My dog doesn't need voice commands to turn the lights on. Every once and a while she will wonder into every room that has a motion sensor, just for fun I think. I'll come upstairs and wonder why all the damn lights are on.
tnamey
posted this
02 December 2014
This is from the ZDnet review.
"Having long worked with speech recognition and voice input, I am extremely impressed with how accurately it works on the Echo. The Echo can hear voice commands from over 30 feet away and it does so even with music playing. The microphone array is very, very good."
Looks like I'll be getting one if I ever get an invite. Hopefully they'll open it up to developers soon too.
tnamey
posted this
26 January 2015
I set my Echo up yesterday. The microphone system works as advertised. Can't wait for software expansion!
joey10e
posted this
24 June 2015
As soon as I saw this I thought this would be awesome as long as it works with IC. I hope there is a way to make this work.
I know nothing about developing but I did stumble across this not sure if it will help.
https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/devices/echo
tnamey
posted this
10 September 2015
How is this coming along? I'm getting antsy since several other hubs have announced full integration. :^)
mystic860
posted this
30 January 2016
I am in the process of leaving Vera for incontrol HA, however I must say I am completely disappointed that there is no integration with the echo, its the one thing I miss the most from vera as I had it working great with vera. I saw the plugin listed in the store and was excited and jumped before clicking on the link in the store and seeing it was not available.
Please give us the status of whats going on here.
MikeD99
posted this
12 February 2016
I am very interested in combining the voice recog part of Echo with InControl. I don't care so much about finding out SportsBall results or the weather or the time.
I got an Echo yesterday and am disappointed that it does so little. But it seems to do it very well. Should I send it back or will there be something available soon? They have a whole developer's kit out now but it stuff that I don't unnerstan, being an "old" person. I do better working on real time stuff that's not on the Internet.
There is a Python Interface but I can't find it, only the Java interface.
I am hoping for a Raspberry Pi/Python solution that will let me send and receive Curl commands.
I have so much to learn and this thing is really good at voice recognition, which I was doing with a Z80 in the '70s.
Apparently, anyone can sign up for a developer's kit and SDK now and there are Amazon videos about how to do everything.
It looks easier than usual for someone who knows Java/Web stuff, which is not me at the moment.
Mike D.
rscott
posted this
12 February 2016
We are going through the review process with Amazon. Over the last 2 weeks, we've re-submitted our app 4 times for review. Each time they come back asking us to change one piece or another. I must say it's very frustrating - worse than Apple's review by far!
I think we are getting close though. Hopefully this next one is the last review we'll need to go through.
Gene
posted this
19 February 2016
Just got my Amazon echo a week ago - count me in as a beta tester.
I haven't updated my InControl software in a while because the last time I upgraded it failed to remember my ThinkStick configuration... hopefully that isn't an issue for me anymore.
evldave
posted this
23 February 2016
Count me in on beta testing. I don't have an Echo yet, but integrations with ICHA might be enough for me to jump on board.
ccorey
posted this
10 March 2016
I figured out a way to use the echo until the app is approved. You can use the ifttt website to send a message through Autoremote to eventghost on your computer. In eventghost you can use CURL to activate a scene setup in IC. It's a roundabout way but it works. For example, say "Alexa Trigger Lights on", it sends that to ifttt, that is sent through Autoremote to eventghost and then triggers a scene with CURL.
ccorey
posted this
10 March 2016
I figured out a way to use the echo until the app is approved. You can use the ifttt website to send a message through Autoremote to eventghost on your computer. In eventghost you can use CURL to activate a scene setup in IC. It's a roundabout way but it works. For example, say "Alexa Trigger Lights on", it sends that to ifttt, that is sent through Autoremote to eventghost and then triggers a scene with CURL.
I forgot to mention, you can go straight to your computer without autoremote using your ip or dynamic dns but that means you'll have to open up a port on your router. With Autoremote you it'll make it through without doing that.
joey10e
posted this
25 March 2016
CCOREY
Can you give some more detail on your workaround that you found? I would love to set this up.
sgmathews
posted this
10 April 2016
I installed the new plugin but have yet to make it work! I installed the skill and activated it, but Alexa just says she can't find my devices in my profile. What am I doing wrong? Can you give more specifics on precisely what commands to use to activate scenes or to turn on/off a specific device?
rscott
posted this
10 April 2016
Try this:
"Alexa, ask InControl to turn on the bedroom lights."
"Alexa, ask InControl to activate the scene goodbye."
"Alexa, ask InControl to turn off the porch lights in 2 hours."
sgmathews
posted this
11 April 2016
Alexa started working on specific devices this morning. There seems to be some latency between the cloud server and the Echo services. I'm still not sure how to activate by room.
rscott
posted this
11 April 2016
Alexa started working on specific devices this morning. There seems to be some latency between the cloud server and the Echo services. I'm still not sure how to activate by room.
There isn't currently a way to activate by a specific room unless you name the device after the room itself. I'll make a note of that though. I can probably even sneak it in without having to go through the Amazon review again.
rscott
posted this
12 April 2016
Alexa started working on specific devices this morning. There seems to be some latency between the cloud server and the Echo services. I'm still not sure how to activate by room.
Here, try out version 4.1.5949 which includes the ability to turn on and off the lights in a room. For example, if your room is named "master bedroom" you could say: "Alexa, ask InControl to turn on the master bedroom lights"
joey10e
posted this
18 April 2016
Hi, so far I have only been able to get alexa to control 1 device. I am able to give commands but nothing happens. Any help would be great.
rscott
posted this
18 April 2016
Hi, so far I have only been able to get alexa to control 1 device. I am able to give commands but nothing happens. Any help would be great.
So did Alexa only work once? or does it always work, but will only control a single device?
joey10e
posted this
18 April 2016
It seems like it only responds to the one device. It has worked more that once but only with that device.
rscott
posted this
18 April 2016
It seems like it only responds to the one device. It has worked more that once but only with that device.
There are some troubleshooting steps here that you can go over. In particular, look in your logfile.txt for entries saying things like "unable to find such-and-such device" then compare that to the actual device names found in your setup.
Also note that any type of punctuation will confuse alexa (i.e, Master-bedroom should be master bedroom).
joey10e
posted this
19 April 2016
Okay, I was able to get more devices working through Alexa. I noticed if I said "turn off Kitchen" rather than "turn off Kitchen light" it seemed to work. I did not have any success with scenes or locks. Is that something I should be able to do right now?
rscott
posted this
19 April 2016
Okay, I was able to get more devices working through Alexa. I noticed if I said "turn off Kitchen" rather than "turn off Kitchen light" it seemed to work. I did not have any success with scenes or locks. Is that something I should be able to do right now?
As you noted, the device name has to match exactly. However, if you have multiple lights in the kitchen and add them to a room named "kitchen" you could get away with saying "turn off the kitchen lights."
Currently locks are not supported, though scenes are.
"Alexa, ask InControl to activate the scene welcome home." In that scenario, you'd need to have a scene named "welcome home."
