Interface with Amazon Echo?

[Scottmichaelj]

I'm having trouble understanding why you're trying to do this in the first place? Are you just trying to get around limit on device count in the emulator? If so its much simpler to just run more emulators, you can start up as many as you need and each supports ~40 devices if I remember correctly.

For some this means buying and configuring a PI or running a PC 24/7 and configuration, plus the limitations. However I don't think there is anymore needs since Amazon announced IFTTT custom commands now. Now with the Maker channel you could activate a program to run direct with IFTTT.

[stusviews]

How do you get Maker to run a program?

[Scottmichaelj]

How do you get Maker to run a program?

Thats what I am trying to figure out and said on post #100!

 

EDIT: Still working on it but I am trying in IFTTT on the maker channel entering the URL to the run side of the program.

[apnar]

For some this means buying and configuring a PI or running a PC 24/7 and configuration, plus the limitations. However I don't think there is anymore needs since Amazon announced IFTTT custom commands now. Now with the Maker channel you could activate a program to run direct with IFTTT.

 

This still doesn't make sense though.  From my understanding there is no way for the Echo and ISY to talk directly to each other.  You are left with one of three options:

 

1) Use an emulator as a bridge running on another device in your network acting like something the Echo can talk directly to

 

2) use IFTTT, in which case I don't think you'd need to use different dim level approach

 

3) use the (hopefully approved soon) ISY skill for the Echo routing commands through ISY Portal, which again I don't think would need this different dim level approach

 

The Hue emulator from BWS is a simple Java app, so you can run it on just about anything you may already have running 24x7 like a Pi, linux box, windows box, Mac, random NAS, etc.  And as I previously mentioned you can fire off as many as you need, one per every 40 or so devices or scenes you want to control.

 

Maybe I'm missing a forth approach where this would help.

[Scottmichaelj]

This still doesn't make sense though.  From my understanding there is no way for the Echo and ISY to talk directly to each other.  You are left with one of three options:

 

1) Use an emulator as a bridge running on another device in your network acting like something the Echo can talk directly to

 

2) use IFTTT, in which case I don't think you'd need to use different dim level approach

 

3) use the (hopefully approved soon) ISY skill for the Echo routing commands through ISY Portal, which again I don't think would need this different dim level approach

 

The Hue emulator from BWS is a simple Java app, so you can run it on just about anything you may already have running 24x7 like a Pi, linux box, windows box, Mac, random NAS, etc.  And as I previously mentioned you can fire off as many as you need, one per every 40 or so devices or scenes you want to control.

 

Maybe I'm missing a forth approach where this would help.

You do understand you can turn on and off your lights via a browser and URL right? I am trying to figure out how to run programs through a URL now and get the correct formatting. All you do is add the Alexa channel then, make a verbal command, add a then to the maker channel and put the url to the program or light you want to trigger and run. If I am wrong please correct me.

 

I found this thread that talks about how to use REST to run a program via a url browser but it doesn't make sense to me.

 

http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/15934-can-i-run-a-program-based-on-receiving-a-network-message-using-networking-module/?hl=%2Brun+%2Bprogram+%2Bvia+%2Burl#entry137185]http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/15934-can-i-run-a-program-based-on-receiving-a-network-message-using-networking-module/?hl=%2Brun+%2Bprogram+%2Bvia+%2Burl#entry137185

 

If anything I thought it would be something like: http: //external-ip.com/ username:password@ISY-IP /rest/programs/program-number/run - not sure what this means or does from the thread: --URL::beded9b7f083040842ab3f92be035542--

[ahwman]

This still doesn't make sense though.  From my understanding there is no way for the Echo and ISY to talk directly to each other.  You are left with one of three options:

 

1) Use an emulator as a bridge running on another device in your network acting like something the Echo can talk directly to

 

2) use IFTTT, in which case I don't think you'd need to use different dim level approach

 

3) use the (hopefully approved soon) ISY skill for the Echo routing commands through ISY Portal, which again I don't think would need this different dim level approach

 

The Hue emulator from BWS is a simple Java app, so you can run it on just about anything you may already have running 24x7 like a Pi, linux box, windows box, Mac, random NAS, etc.  And as I previously mentioned you can fire off as many as you need, one per every 40 or so devices or scenes you want to control.

 

Maybe I'm missing a forth approach where this would help.

I have already spent many hours trying to get the emulator working on a Windows 7 virtual machine without success. So I'm assuming my only other option is to use the ISY portal unless there is a way to directly tie IFTTT between the Echo and ISY.

 

The reason I am using this method (LampLinc tied to multiple scenes) is to get around having to use the soon to be released ISY skill as it creates much less natural language when launching programs since the skill must be involved in order to do so. It's the difference between speaking "Alexa, ask Izzy to run family room tv on" vs "Alexa, turn on family room tv" using my method... I hope that makes sense...

 

Chuck

[Scottmichaelj]

I have already spent many hours trying to get the emulator working on a Windows 7 virtual machine without success. So I'm assuming my only other option is to use the ISY portal unless there is a way to directly tie IFTTT between the Echo and ISY.

Yes there is now, thats what I am saying. Alexa now allows commands passed through to the other channels on IFTTT. So you add the maker channel with the URL to your ISY. MWareman already got his working!

[apnar]

You do understand you can turn on and off your lights via a browser and URL right? I am trying to figure out how to run programs through a URL now and get the correct formatting. All you do is add the Alexa channel then, make a verbal command, add a then to the maker channel and put the url to the program or light you want to trigger and run. If I am wrong please correct me.

 

I found this thread that talks about how to use REST to run a program via a url browser but it doesn't make sense to me.

 

http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/15934-can-i-run-a-program-based-on-receiving-a-network-message-using-networking-module/?hl=%2Brun+%2Bprogram+%2Bvia+%2Burl#entry137185]http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/15934-can-i-run-a-program-based-on-receiving-a-network-message-using-networking-module/?hl=%2Brun+%2Bprogram+%2Bvia+%2Burl#entry137185

 

If anything I thought it would be something like: http: //external-ip.com/ username:password@ISY-IP /rest/programs/program-number/run - not sure what this means or does from the thread: --URL::beded9b7f083040842ab3f92be035542--

 

Yes, I'm aware you can do things on the ISY via URL (or shall we say REST API calls).  The issue is on the Echo side and how you get it to listen for a word and call the correct URL.  What you're suggesting seems to be exactly number 2 I listed, using IFTTT to map echo commands to URL calls.

[ahwman]

Yes there is now, thats what I am saying. Alexa now allows commands passed through to the other channels on IFTTT. So you add the maker channel with the URL to your ISY. MWareman already got his working!

Are their security concerns to consider using this method as it appears that the ISY username and password are sent in plain text via the URL. I'm hoping I'm wrong about this...

[Scottmichaelj]

Are their security concerns to consider using this method as it appears that the ISY username and password are sent in plain text via the URL. I'm hoping I'm wrong about this...

Some maybe but I really am not concerned. Plus there is a possibility this may not be an issue with the portal down the road so... All depends on what your comfortable with I guess. Do I care if someone hacks my lights and can turn them on and off? Not really. Plus whats the likelihood anyway? I am a nobody.

[apnar]

I have already spent many hours trying to get the emulator working on a Windows 7 virtual machine without success. So I'm assuming my only other option is to use the ISY portal unless there is a way to directly tie IFTTT between the Echo and ISY.

 

The reason I am using this method (LampLinc tied to multiple scenes) is to get around having to use the soon to be released ISY skill as it creates much less natural language when launching programs since the skill must be involved in order to do so. It's the difference between speaking "Alexa, ask Izzy to run family room tv on" vs "Alexa, turn on family room tv" using my method... I hope that makes sense...

 

Chuck

 

Assuming you can get the Emulator to start and don't have a firewall running, all the rest of the stuff with properly formatting URLs and getting device IDs and such is wonderfully handled by barrygordon's great little configuration app.  Were you having issues getting it running or configured?

[ahwman]

Assuming you can get the Emulator to start and don't have a firewall running, all the rest of the stuff with properly formatting URLs and getting device IDs and such is wonderfully handled by barrygordon's great little configuration app.  Were you having issues getting it running or configured?

Every time I tried to run the configuration app, I got a 404 error if memory serves me correctly. It never did pull down my ISY devices, etc. My firewall is disabled on the Windows VM.

[apnar]

Every time I tried to run the configuration app, I got a 404 error if memory serves me correctly. It never did pull down my ISY devices, etc. My firewall is disabled on the Windows VM.

 

If you're interested in trying to work through the issue, it sounds like an problem with your AWS_config.ini file.  In particular the "Location", "ISY userid", or "ISY Password" setting in the "[uDI ISY994]" section. 

[stusviews]

Some maybe but I really am not concerned. Plus there is a possibility this may not be an issue with the portal down the road so... All depends on what your comfortable with I guess. Do I care if someone hacks my lights and can turn them on and off? Not really. Plus whats the likelihood anyway? I am a nobody.

 

Youthful hackers are not interested in nor do they have the skill to hack into "somebody." They spend their time learning how to hack into anyone's system. If they can get in at all, being mischievous is a benefit. Albeit, the likelihood of someone hitting any particular system is small, but thew odds of being hit are equally distributed depending on the precautions you take.

[MWareman]

 

 

Are their security concerns to consider using this method as it appears that the ISY username and password are sent in plain text via the URL. I'm hoping I'm wrong about this...

If you have no trusted SSL on your ISY then yes, its a security issue.

Even with a trusted SSL certificate on ISY, you are still trusting your ISY password to a third party. Two workarounds:

 

1) use a proxy script behind SSL, and the proxy script calls the ISY internally with the username and password. This is what I am doing (currently).

 

2) if you use ISYPortal, setup a secondary (non admin) user and use that credential against ISY portal in the Maker channel. I've not tested this - I suspect there will be 'interesting' escaping needed...

 

Both of these need a trusted certificate. Trusted to IFTTT - that means a paid, real certificate. Not a self-signed one.

 

Eventually, this will get easier with ISYportal (on good authority!). Until then, I advise the first option (a script proxy).

[Scottmichaelj]

Youthful hackers are not interested in nor do they have the skill to hack into "somebody." They spend their time learning how to hack into anyone's system. If they can get in at all, being mischievous is a benefit. Albeit, the likelihood of someone hitting any particular system is small, but thew odds of being hit are equally distributed depending on the precautions you take.

Then when my lights keep turning off Ill change my password lol. I think MWaremans php script on his own server then going in add additional security. He is too busy playing with the new skill to answer my post and tell us how he does this and why its secure.

 

Edit: He beat me to the post!

[stusviews]

Then when my lights keep turning off Ill change my password lol. I think MWaremans php script on his own server then going in add additional security. He is too busy playing with the new skill to answer my post and tell us how he does this and why its secure.

 

If a youngster hacks into your network, they're probably more interested in wiping out or having even more fun and altering programs in succinct ways, a skill developed that even allowed the hack to occur. Or formatting your hard drive. Security is yours alone to decide about.

[MWareman]

FYI - the .php I'm using at at this post: http://forum.universal-devices.com/index.php?/topic/17278-Amazon-Echo-added-IFTTT&do=findComment&comment=154349

 

Having trouble keeping all the ISY/Echo/IFTTT threads straight...

 

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

[ahwman]

If you're interested in trying to work through the issue, it sounds like an problem with your AWS_config.ini file.  In particular the "Location", "ISY userid", or "ISY Password" setting in the "[uDI ISY994]" section.

 

I'd love to get it working since it would save me the aditional cost of purchasing the portal. Is there a well written step by step to follow? I did some research on the error I was getting and it seemed to indicate a port conflict and that's where I threw in the towel...

 

Also, does the emulator allow you to set up custom names for programs, devices and scenes?

 

Thanks for your help,

Chuck

[ahwman]

With all of the options out there, is there currently a way to truly customize voice tags for Echo? Example: "Alexa, skip commercials" vs. "Alexa, turn on skip commercials"? I guess what I'm asking is if Echo can only take action on "On/Off/Dim" commands or can it also take action on custom scripted commands? At the end of the day, I'd like to be able to use natural language for my HA tasks other than just lighting.

[ahwman]

I was watching a few YouTube videos today which utilize Echo skills to tie into HA like the ISY portal will eventually do. That said, there were huge delays sometimes as much as 15 seconds between issuing a command and the execution of it. I certainly hope we don't see these kinds of delays with the ISY portal & Echo integration. Any thoughts?

[mwester]

With all of the options out there, is there currently a way to truly customize voice tags for Echo? Example: "Alexa, skip commercials" vs. "Alexa, turn on skip commercials"? I guess what I'm asking is if Echo can only take action on "On/Off/Dim" commands or can it also take action on custom scripted commands? At the end of the day, I'd like to be able to use natural language for my HA tasks other than just lighting.

 

As I understand it, in order to add your own custom command structure (i.e. something that does not fit into the existing phrases and commands that Alexa understands), you need to write your own "skill" - which is a significant programming effort (Java coding), and requires that you have a server up and running to run the skill software code.  So, the answer is that yes, indeed with enough effort you could make alexa understand any custom commands -- but in reality, there are very few Echo owners that are capable and even fewer who will be willing to do so!

[ahwman]

Thanks for the explanation. It sure would be nice if we could craft custom commands as that would eleiivate the issue with using unatural language, i.e. "Turn on window blinds". Oh well, maybe in the future...

[Scottmichaelj]

Thanks for the explanation. It sure would be nice if we could craft custom commands as that would eleiivate the issue with using unatural language, i.e. "Turn on window blinds". Oh well, maybe in the future...

Well you sort of can. The emulator lets you do that but only on/off commands. IFTTT will now let you use any command but you must say "Alexia trigger..." Nothing is perfect but overall it still huge.

[ahwman]

Three questions:

 

Does IFTTT require the ISY portal?

If not, how does IFTTT communicate with the ISY?

Is there a lot of latency executing commands?

 

Thanks so much,

Chuck