Amazon Echo - Connected Home Feature!

[madcodger]

Hi all,

 

As others have noted, KeithL's excellent instructions (now thankfully in their own thread) would make an excellent sticky / wiki entry (Thanks again, Keith). This thread has been great, but even for someone that tries to check the forum every day or two, setting up Echo with ISY was starting to look like a chore. It might still be (I'm waiting for the weekend) but at least we now have a clear set of instructions NOT embedded inside a novel.

[KeithL]

Hi all,

 

As others have noted, KeithL's excellent instructions (now thankfully in their own thread) would make an excellent sticky / wiki entry (Thanks again, Keith). This thread has been great, but even for someone that tries to check the forum every day or two, setting up Echo with ISY was starting to look like a chore. It might still be (I'm waiting for the weekend) but at least we now have a clear set of instructions NOT embedded inside a novel.

 

 

Makes me a little nervous that I forgot something.  Madcodger I guess you can be the guinea pig.  Let me know what I need to change on the original post.  I'm sure it will be a work-in-progress..

 

-Keith

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Keith,

 

Thanks so very much. Your post is now a sticky.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[KeithL]

Hi Keith,

 

Thanks so very much. Your post is now a sticky.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

You are so welcome.  I hope it is a help.

 

Best regards,

Keith

[madcodger]

So, I followed this from memory and a little bit of the instruction that comes with the portal receipt. Up and running perfectly - including adding spoken phrases to maybe 25 devices - in under an hour. Had a contractor here doing some remodeling, who went home and ordered an Echo.

 

Very cool, very easy, fairly reliable for speech recognition. Instructions seem great.

 

Thanks, Keith!

[Kevin Connolly]

I just have one question.

I went to get the module. As I was at the pay screen I noticed a "shipping" option. I stopped at that screen. So the question is: Is this purely a software module or is it a hardware module? I've already expanded my system for Z-wave so if it's a hardware module through an expansion board than I'm SOL on that front. All the other documentation I've seen in threads would indicate that it's purely a software module.

[Xathros]

It's software only.  Nothing physical will be shipping.

 

-Xathros

[Kevin Connolly]

Thank You so much. I somewhat thought so. I just wanted to be 100% sure.

This will be really nice if they add Alexa voice remote functionality to their phone/Tablet apps. I'd be able to turn on the light while I'm driving home or do a Simon says to my wife if I get stuck in traffic.

[Scyto]

Are the devices surfaced in the ISY portal ECHO page just the ones for connected home or the ones for connected home and the skill?

 

What I am hoping is the skill can always see 100% of devices and the ones surfaced in the portal are the ones just for connected home.  (i did check the wiki and youtube video and this point wasn't clear to me).

[stusviews]

The connected home list is needed for both. Those in the portal list is for the portal only.

[KeithL]

Hi Keith,

 

Thanks so very much. Your post is now a sticky.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

When you get to the step in the portal when you are assigning Spoken Nodes and scenes,  it would be great as you assigned them they no longer appeared in the drop down menu or at least turned red after you have assigned them a spoken name. After about 40 or 50 I have to keep going back to see which I missed.  It might not be any easy fix, but it sure would be helpful.

 

-Keith

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Keith,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback. Let us check into it.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Kevin Connolly]

If I implement an IR solution for my TV and Dish Receiver will:

a) Will it work? Say utilizing Global Cache

If it will work will I have to say Alexa,... before everything? (that could get annoying) 

[jerlands]

If I implement an IR solution for my TV and Dish Receiver will:

a) Will it work? Say utilizing Global Cache

If it will work will I have to say Alexa,... before everything? (that could get annoying) 

 

"Alexa" is the wake up word for Echo.. if you don't wake Echo up it won't listen to the conversation.

 

 

Jon...

[jerlands]

If I implement an IR solution for my TV and Dish Receiver will:

a) Will it work? Say utilizing Global Cache

If it will work will I have to say Alexa,... before everything? (that could get annoying) 

 

With a Global Cache device you can create network resource that you can place in a program that can be called using Amazon Echo   Yes.

 

 

Jon...

[Bob P.]

I guess it was a bad idea to name my kids Alexa and Echo.

[jerlands]

I guess it was a bad idea to name my kids Alexa and Echo.

 

LOL...

 

 

Jon...

[barrygordon]

I have that solution working with a small caveat. I have an intermediate program that is always running on a 24/7 PC It handles the issue of sending the GC the correct timing strings.  In The ISY I have a network resource that basically sends this program, the name of the device. The little program does a few things so the actual TCP string sent is:
DOIR, <port number>, <Device ID>, <Function Name> or MACRO, <port Number>,<Macro Name>

where <port number> is the port number to use on the GC (I have a GC 100 which has 6 IR ports)

           <Device id> is the device Identifier; a 3 letter code such as STB for set top box or ISG for insignia TV and VIZ for Vizio TV, etc.
            <function name or command name> should be obvious. typical command names are Power On, Mute, Guide, etc., typical macro names are CNN, ABC, etc.

 

 

If anyone wants a copy of the little program I will clean it up (so it only does the IR stuff) document it and make it an install-able Windows package.

 

If there are any RPi programmers who deal with python or node.js and would like to collaborate with me on turning some of my code (mostly Visual Basic (VB 6) or VB.net into little self sufficient function for the RPi drop me an email eMail address is in my profile).  I will get to it sooner or later but probably latter. I'll supply the code, you port it, I'll test it, and we can then give it away.

[barrygordon]

jerlands,  

 

LOL.  Made me remember the Bill Cosby monologue where he described how his kids though their names were "Stupid" and "Jesus Christ" since that was how he addressed them most of the time.

[jerlands]

I have that solution working with a small caveat. I have an intermediate program that is always running on a 24/7 PC It handles the issue of sending the GC the correct timing strings.  In The ISY I have a network resource that basically sends this program, the name of the device. The little program does a few things so the actual TCP string sent is:

DOIR, <port number>, <Device ID>, <Function Name> or MACRO, <port Number>,<Macro Name>

where <port number> is the port number to use on the GC (I have a GC 100 which has 6 IR ports)

           <Device id> is the device Identifier; a 3 letter code such as STB for set top box or ISG for insignia TV and VIZ for Vizio TV, etc.

            <function name or command name> should be obvious. typical command names are Power On, Mute, Guide, etc., typical macro names are CNN, ABC, etc.

 

 

If anyone wants a copy of the little program I will clean it up (so it only does the IR stuff) document it and make it an install-able Windows package.

 

If there are any RPi programmers who deal with python or node.js and would like to collaborate with me on turning some of my code (mostly Visual Basic (VB 6) or VB.net into little self sufficient function for the RPi drop me an email eMail address is in my profile).  I will get to it sooner or later but probably latter. I'll supply the code, you port it, I'll test it, and we can then give it away.

 

 

Stuff like this should get pushed into the Wiki... I know many have issues with fluid control for Volume.  I'm not using IR but have looked at it for a couple apps.

 

 

Jon...

[barrygordon]

The real advantage of the intermediate app is that it completely obeys the GC protocol so it waits for the completion response prior to sending the next command.  This is very important in the case of a Macro. Naturally I have a companion program that makes the correct timing strings from an IRP file which is a verbal description of the IR protocol to be used.

[Kevin Connolly]

"Alexa" is the wake up word for Echo.. if you don't wake Echo up it won't listen to the conversation.

 

 

Jon...

Thanks.

I realize that you have to say Alexa initially but I wasn't sure what happens after that because, for example, if you use a skill like Eliza the channel stays open until you close it...which in the case of the ISY might be helpful

[jerlands]

The real advantage of the intermediate app is that it completely obeys the GC protocol so it waits for the completion response prior to sending the next command.  This is very important in the case of a Macro. Naturally I have a companion program that makes the correct timing strings from an IRP file which is a verbal description of the IR protocol to be used.

 

My assumption with Volume is that there's collision due to command timing issues so maybe this will help.

 

 

Jon...

[jerlands]

Thanks.

I realize that you have to say Alexa initially but I wasn't sure what happens after that because, for example, if you use a skill like Eliza the channel stays open until you close it...which in the case of the ISY might be helpful

 

With either the Izzy Skill or Connected Home Alexa closes after each instruction and you have to wake 'er up again to do anything.  I've never heard of the Eliza Skill and can't find it in a search.

 

 

Jon...

[barrygordon]

jon,

 

Eliza is in Alexa app under skills.  It is an implementation of the original Eliza program from MIT circa 1970's by J Wizenbaum, IIRC.  It mimics a particular type of Psycho-therapist