Jump to content

Amazon Echo and ISY


madmartian

Recommended Posts

IFTTT 'down for maintenance'.... Too many Alexa users linking up?

 

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

Annnnd it's back.

 

I've got a IFTTT setup now to call the Maker channel with a (secure) URL on my webserver in response to 'Alexa, trigger cabinet lights'. THe URL is a .php file that calls 'runIf' on a toggle program on ISY. Pretty sweet!

 

First run had a few seconds latency - but newer runs happen very quickly...

Link to comment

Hi stusviews,

 

Do you mean two ISYs or two Echos?

 

If ISYs, yes, you can actually tell Echo to switch ISYs.

 

If Echos, yes, as long as they use the same Amazon account.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Thanks. I mean for two (or more) Echos.

Link to comment

Can anyone suggest a rpi from Amazon?  I am trying to install some of this stuff on my windows PC, but am running into issues, and now that I think about it, I want something up 24/7 that I can count on so with 0 knowledge of RPI, i'm going to take the plunge to get this setup property.A

Any suggestions, links would be appreciated, here is what i'm looking at: 

http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Original-Preloaded/dp/B008XVAVAW/

 

My Echo is going to be here tomorrow so i'm going to tackle this in the next 24 / 48hrs hopefully.

Thanks!

Link to comment

Gi517,

 

That kit will work fine.  I Generally just buy a starter kit from Amazon ($49.99) Plus an 8G MicroSD for ($3.96). I have bought several of these from Prestige Milano via Amazon

 

What you need for the end game is a RPi 2 model B, a plastic case (I get clear ones), A power supply ( prefer 2 Amp), and an 8G MicroSD card. This is normally sold as a "Basic Starter Kit". If you want to go wireless then you also need a WI-Fi Dongle/Adapter.  If Possible I recommend Wired. All my RPi's run wired. To get started you need a monitor and a keyboard/mouse, an HDMI cable and an Ethernet cable. But I run all my RPi's wireless using tightVNC. It is easier to get started with a monitor/keyboard/mouse, keyboard/mouse on USB. But once started with tightVNC installed on RPi and a windows machine, RPi is very happy headless.

 

The NOOBS Software is free (download from IIRC,  RaspberryPi.org) and the tools to put the image onto  the MicroSD are also free (SD Formatter and Win32DiskImager).  All the application software is also free (HA Bridge, and Configuration program).

 

All of the work to get started is quite easy and fairly well documented/discussed in this thread. It seems daunting if you have no Linux/Unix experience but it really is not.  Plenty of info on the web to get started. Once you have the MicroSD setup and have selected Raspbian as the OS You will need to do an update and an upgrade to get all of the latest changes to the OS. The web has plenty of info on

the process (IIRC 'sudo apt-get update' and 'sudo apt-get upgrade', but not sure of the order.  As I said the web (yahoo or google search) is your best friend.   

Link to comment

I just ran into the Echo/Bridge communications issue. As of today the echo seems to only find one of my bridges (1 of 4).  Is everyone using 1.0.7 bridge having this problem??  I am going to try HA Bridge 1.0.8

 

Same thing on Bridge 1.0.8. I normally forget all devices then do a discovery. It used to find all the devices at once. Now it finds some of the devices. I then do a discovery without a forget all devices and it either finds some more or finds the rest. Subsequent discoveries will eventually bring the device total to the correct count.

 

Is anyone else seeing this?

Edited by barrygordon
Link to comment

I am running 1.0.7 it seems like it gets confused i i give it a command it says ok but nothing happens  but then if i give the same command it works just fine it happens alot not the harmony part as i only have one hub on harmony app running  the other are isy only but if i take out the 3 other hubs  it works just fine 

Link to comment

I just ran into the Echo/Bridge communications issue. As of today the echo seems to only find one of my bridges (1 of 4).  Is everyone using 1.0.7 bridge having this problem??  I am going to try HA Bridge 1.0.8

 

Same thing on Bridge 1.0.8. I normally forget all devices then do a discovery. It used to find all the devices at once. Now it finds some of the devices. I then do a discovery without a forget all devices and it either finds some more or finds the rest. Subsequent discoveries will eventually bring the device total to the correct count.

 

Is anyone else seeing this?

 

Barry, this is EXACTLY what is happening to me.  I tried going back to prior versions of software on my Pi, but to no avail.  Was there a software update to the Echo recently?  

 

I have not posted a lot on this because I thought it was an issue with my router or something that suddenly came up.  Also, while it does take several tries to discover all the devices, once they are discovered, the control works just fine.  

 

This first came up for me 1 week ago.  See my original post #782

Edited by blueman2
Link to comment

I am in contact with both bws systems and Amazon on this issue.  According to BWS the discovery is strictly local to LAN, but sooner or later something goes to Amazon as it has to populate the Echo Apps on mobile devices.

 

It is not a router issue as far as I can determine. My personal opinion is that it is an Echo search timing issue.  Amazon must know about it since they even tell you via the echo after a device discovery that "... if not all devices are discovered press the button on the HUE and do discovery again. BWS asked me to try something and I will do that and see what turns up. 

Link to comment

From what I can tell this recent issue is ONLY applicable to your rpi running a more than one instance of BWS' server correct?

 

I'll be installing tonight, and want to minimize issues so i'll be sure to run a single instance, and from what I read somewhere it will cap out a 46 devices...  that should get my living room and kitchen running :)

Link to comment

I have been in contact with Amazon and BWS Systems regarding the discovery issue between the Echo and the HA Bridge.  

I actually tried putting all 93 of my devices onto a single bridge and echo would not discover any of them.

BWS Systems states there is no forced limit in the HA Bridge. A bridge should be able to handle as many devices as desired.

Amazon has stated and implied in their discovery process that the Echo may not discover all of the devices in a single pass (one request to do a device discovery).

 

I now use the following process when changing the devices on my HA Bridge's. First I forget all devices. I then do repeated discovery requests until the Alexa app states that the number of devices discovered matches what is on my HA Bridges. I have had to repeat the discovery process up to 4 times. Based on the counts from the Echo, it appears to be discovering  a subset of the total number of bridges, and which subset appears to be random based on the uPnP responses the Echo gets to its M-SEARCH requests.

 

Personally I don't think Amazon will be changing anything in the near term, and I can live with the necessity for multiple discovery passes as it is an annoyance, not a failure.

 

As an aside I am working on ceiling mounting the Echo (Architectural rule: No one looks up). Not a priority with me, but am interested in how many others would like such an approach. It would be upside down in a circular wooden holder, the holder mounting on the ceiling and requiring an outlet available to plug in the Echo (I live in a one story home with a full attic).

Link to comment

I have been in contact with Amazon and BWS Systems regarding the discovery issue between the Echo and the HA Bridge.

I actually tried putting all 93 of my devices onto a single bridge and echo would not discover any of them.

BWS Systems states there is no forced limit in the HA Bridge. A bridge should be able to handle as many devices as desired.

Amazon has stated and implied in their discovery process that the Echo may not discover all of the devices in a single pass (one request to do a device discovery).

 

I now use the following process when changing the devices on my HA Bridge's. First I forget all devices. I then do repeated discovery requests until the Alexa app states that the number of devices discovered matches what is on my HA Bridges. I have had to repeat the discovery process up to 4 times. Based on the counts from the Echo, it appears to be discovering a subset of the total number of bridges, and which subset appears to be random based on the uPnP responses the Echo gets to its M-SEARCH requests.

 

Personally I don't think Amazon will be changing anything in the near term, and I can live with the necessity for multiple discovery passes as it is an annoyance, not a failure.

 

As an aside I am working on ceiling mounting the Echo (Architectural rule: No one looks up). Not a priority with me, but am interested in how many others would like such an approach. It would be upside down in a circular wooden holder, the holder mounting on the ceiling and requiring an outlet available to plug in the Echo (I live in a one story home with a full attic).

I am interested in ceiling mount as well. Although I have a vaulted ceiling in that room I'm wondering if I placed it at the peak if it would affect the acoustics and help or hurt the mic picking up people speaking

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...