ScottAvery

This is great, but it keeps the information inside Amazon's environment. I would still love to see them pass the device identifier information to 3rd party systems through the API. We could group each echo with a program or variable, I suppose, but if they can only be grouped once, you'd lose the native light control option. I look forward to tinkering.

Were there going to be a future for Insteon, they would have commited to giving Amazon free chips to put in the Echo's just to get the protocol out among the masses. Amazon is going to sell a lot of Zigbee simply by having the devices linked on the Echo page. Zwave will also suffer. I only have Zwave and Insteon control in my network, since i can only have one add-on in my ISY. Not sure if having access to Zigbee through an Echo would be useful.

They appear to have chosen ZigBee for their built-in smart hub radio. Can't be good for Insteon in the long run.

A post on AVS Forum reported whole-house audio capabilities are available for Echo now by grouping devices in the app. http://www.avsforum.com/amazon-adds-multi-room-capability-to-echo-devices/ While they are working on features for multi-echo households, any chance we will get an identifier for which device makes a request?

So sad. Like VHS and Betamax all over again.

This is impressive hardware. I recently bought a ton of new insteon dimmers, but if they don't work out for my 12v circuits I will definitely look into these. You might ask in the ZWave forum about compatibility.

if you do go with MobiLinc, don't get the Orchestrated version unless you REALLY want resource management, because it is just wasted screen space if you don't need it.

Nice work, I will definitely be interested if I do invest in the google ecosystem.

Interesting article about Amazon's showing at CEDIA. Apparently all the major non-DIY control solutions are getting integrated into Alexa ecosystem. Come on, when can we get an echo ID in the API!? http://hometheaterreview.com/cedia-2016-show-report-and-photo-slideshow/

Glad to hear the audio issues may have been overstated. As for my unclear statement/question above, I was wondering if they have added an echo ID to commands sent through the API such that we wouldn't need any complicated workarounds such as Stusviews employs to have context-sensitive commands. If 12 DOTs in 12 rooms all controlled their local lights with the command "Alexa, lights on," with the native API, that would make much more sense. The only reason I can think that they have NOT implemented this ages ago is that only a tool such as an ISY could use it, which would put to shame all the simple devices from the big players they have partnered with.

As for the 6-pack and 12-pack of DOTs, I am surprised at their expectation of selling so many when they still don't relay which Echo device received the command. Or did I miss that fix?

Precisely my plan as well. Using DOT as a controller and source for otherwise long retired hardware that is too high quality to sell/donate/recycle.

I still have two first gen DOTs unopened in boxes. Had not seen the $10 discount but glad to hear there is something. I bought them first day before the reviews came out stating that there was noise/popping on the audio out, which defeats the purpose of having an input to a high end stereo. Do the new DOTs fix that, I wonder?

Sad. These guys must have been crushed when the Tap was announced. They appear to have tooled up manufacturing already and dumped a chunk of change into prototypes.

OH, on my advice to put the PLM on an extension cord temporarily, also note that anytime the PLM is unplugged, you should first unplug the ISY. You don't power up the ISY again until the PLM has had a few second to stabilize after being plugged back in.

Some things to note: Every night the ISY has a routine to confirm communications with all devices. Default is 3AM. If it has comm errors then it will report them, and you will see the report pop up the next time you log in. That doesn't necessarily mean the comm errors are continuing at that very moment (it means it had a problem at 3 AM). If the device shows an error in the console you can right click and retry to get status of the device to determine if the trouble really continues. What you should note is that you have some communications issues and need to look into that. It is more likely your environment than any of the devices. It can be hard just starting out as you do not have enough devices distributed to create a strong mesh of repeaters and bridges across the power legs. You likely set up your PLM right next to your computer where you are working, which while convenient, is one of the noisiest places to put it. Try a long extension cord from another circuit until you have things sorted. You don't want the hub involved at all during setup, and probably ever. All here would recommend you factory reset any devices that were associated with the hub before adding to ISY. Give us more details of what you did. Restore device didn't bring them back? did it do anything at all? If you deleted them I'm not sure how you could restore unless you restored a backup of your ISY, which I am doubting.

I love the idea of a unit that could go in a standard electrical box and agree some 3d printing could help with the proper mounts. a finished surface may take more work, perhaps with a rotary tool and a standard face plate. Would be awesome if you could hack the Wink Relay and put your own OS on it as that is a slick form factor.

Agree on redefining the wake word, but I imagine there is probably some issue with voice training, and I know for me it would be hard to train myself to use a new name. Tried to rename both of my rescued dogs and the names from the shelters just stuck.

I have problems every time I try to change a keypadlinc's button config. Takes me 10 tries or more to do the conversion. Is there a trick to it?

Ask Alexa to open the pod bay doors.

As I recall, this should not be deleted. I renamed it, such that it would appear at the bottom of my scene list, and so I just ignore it.

If they released Alexa for Fire devices (tablet/phone) they might get new customers for those gadgets. The Fire phone was underwhelming on release, perhaps a second generation will compete.

Are you sure you have to enable the skill? I would do it anyway, I guess, but I think the critical step for CoHo is enabling ISY through the pitangui.amazon.com link. I had enabled the skill before CoHo was released. I was under the impression the two are fully independent.

The only reason this won't work for me is that I then lose my Amazon music as it is only on the primary account. Switching profiles is not practical for WAF.

I didn't know you could write to a battery device without pushing the button. Does this trick only work for a sensor? It would be nice to write to a missing mini remote.