Amazon Echo - Connected Home Feature!

[Mastermog2]

I still can't get the ISY to show up in the Connected Home section since the error occurred

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Mastermog2,

 

I am so very sorry to hear. Can you please send your error log to support@universal-devices.com?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Mastermog2]

Hi Michel,

 

Sure, but which error log are you referring to?

 

Thanks

Mack

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Mack,

 

ISY's error log.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Scyto,

 

Yes as long as ISY is not connected to the portal. If it is, then try Discover Devices.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Mastermog2]

Hi Michel,

 

I'm all set     I really appreciate your help and how quickly you responded.   I know you folks hear this a lot but it is great when an excellent device/product is backed up by outstanding support.

 

Thanks

Mack

[stusviews]

The current performance is not as fast as my Downey-Atlanta supercharged (DASC) BMW, but W W, I'm impressed. Thanks, Benoit.

[philtor]

Working much faster for me. Great work!

[KeithL]

Wow, much faster.  Great job. 

[dywicked]

Likewise, significantly faster - easily 2-3x!

 

-David

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello all,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback and so very glad that it's working faster for everyone.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[barrygordon]

My only issue is with How Amazon implemented the connected Home. If you wish to give several commands to Alexa in a row, then the delay before the OK is a RPITA.

 

If Amazon could close out the session by default a lot quicker and eliminate the "OK" perhaps multiple commands would not be such a PITA.  

 

The performance for a single command from end of speech to action taking place is quite good, almost perfect.  In my house it is less than 2 Seconds, and often less than 1.

[gduprey]

My only issue is with How Amazon implemented the connected Home. If you wish to give several commands to Alexa in a row, then the delay before the OK is a RPITA.

 

Granted that slows things down.  But if you find there is some common sequence of commands you are trying to issue, you can stick them in an ISY program and add that.  The Connected home stuff works really well with programs and I've encapsulated nearly all my connected home commands in a program, even if it's just one line, so I can expand or extend the command.

 

Just a thought.  If you are issuing different commands in a row though, obviously this won't be of any use.

[barrygordon]

Yes, I am using different sequences of commands at different times so a scene or a fixed program does me no good. 

[rebirth24]

Still getting this error:

 

"The ISY skill is not linked to your portal user profile. Please go to your echo app, enable the ISY skill, and link the skill with this user profile."

 

Even though everything is linked and even have some devices that are showing in my user profile. Thoughts?

[jerlands]

Still getting this error:

 

"The ISY skill is not linked to your portal user profile. Please go to your echo app, enable the ISY skill, and link the skill with this user profile."

 

Even though everything is linked and even have some devices that are showing in my user profile. Thoughts?

 

Sounds like you need to login to http://alexa.amazon.comscroll down to "Skills" and search for Universal Devices then Enable.

 

 

Jon...

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi rebirth24,

 

You do need to close all your browsers (they keep a cached cookie from Amazon) and then redo:

Login to the Echo app

Click on this link

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ENrgStar]

I am constantly blown away by you and your team, and now, by Amazon as well. You've been able to so quickly get this rolled out, and involved all of us in the experience and allowed us to help along the way. Keep up the consistently great work.

[accd]

I realize this isn't directly related to Echo, but how long did it take you to enter all your commands for a remote into a WF2IR, transfer those commands to network resources, make the applicable programs, and than tag them through the portal so that you could use them with the Echo?

This response is way late, but I'll respond anyway.  I don't use all of the IR commands, only the frequently used and more practical commands, like Pause, Play, Record etc.. Others on this form have done the heavy lifting  (thanks again for those that came before me)  and I just imported the Tivo IR commands and use an Insteon IR Transmitter for the actual TV (just need on off etc.) .  I then imported the Sonos information from the forum and modified IP address as needed.  The Tivo and TV are super simple, the Sonos took a bit of fiddling, but not too much time.  Programs only took about 5-10 minutes as they are straight forward.  The hardest part was modifying and a trial and error process for the Echo naming convention.

[barrygordon]

I have just finished an interesting application for the ISY.  It is in two parts, one part IR_Gen runs on a Windows machine and builds the correct timing files for a Global Cache unit. The input is the protocol information for the device in a notation known as .irp, or the pronto hex codes for the device. It also has the capability to build Macros from the various timing files that have been constructed. The second part, IR_Proxy runs on a Raspberry Pi and acts as a proxy between the ISY (or any other device that can issue raw TCP commands), and any number of Global cache IR units you have on the LAN. IR_Proxy uses the timing and macros files produced by IR_Gen.  IR proxy accepts a simple English language text string to Identify the Global Cache unit, the port on that unit, the device file containing the IR timing information and the specific command from that file to be transmitted. 

 

As an example lets say I have a Scientific Atlanta set top box I have chosen to name STB as a device on a Global Cache unit named 'House'  connected on IR port 2.  Then the ISY can send the TCP string "House 2,STB,Guide" to turn on the guide.  The string "Macro, House,2,NBC" will send the NBC macro out on port 2 of the House Global Device changing to that station. 

 

I am just starting the documentation phase for the system and should be done this week.  I am interested to know how many ISY users would be interested in a copy of this system. Installation on a RPi is not difficult but not trivial either.  I will try to supply enough information for a non-linux soul to be successful.  

[ccclapp]

I have just finished an interesting application for the ISY.  It is in two parts, ...

 

Barry, this sounds very interesting. Im wondering, though, what is the advantage to this over setting up all the commands you need/want on the isy and triggering as needed.

 

Also, what are you using to invoke commands, ie remote, keypad etc?

 

Finally do you feel the overall system and 2 pc's (pc/rpi) is stable enough for long term unattended (semi attended) use

 

Thanks

[barrygordon]

I have a large library of all my IR controlled devices plus many I do not own. Using the IRgen program it is just drag and drop to build the necessary timing files for a Global Cache. Building these files (called irp files) is not hard but you do need the protocol details of the remote unit that generates the IR.  This information is available on the web for many files. IRgen will also accept Pronto Hex format and generate the Global Cache timing files.  It includes a full test capability to any GC unit it can reach, and the ability to generate macros.

 

I find it much easier to type in something like "DOIR House,1,STB,Select" then "sendir,<connection code>,<frequency>,<repeat>,<offset>,<on 1>,<off 1>,<on 2>,<off 2> . . .  

 

I have excellent reliability on all the PC's in my home.  I have started using "headless" Raspberry Pi's (no keyboard, no mouse, just power and internet connections) for things I need 24/7 and have been having perfect up-times.  They just do not go down. I am doing all my RPi work in Node.js using Visual Studio 2015 on a Win 10 machine for development and test. I am confident that the IR_Proxy on a RPi will run 24/7 with no issues once all of the "bugs" are out. It is very stable now and I have tested it fairly heavily. 

 

On my Win development system I run WINSCP and tiny VNC to deal with the RPi's and have no issues doing anything I need to from the comfort of my home office.

 

I am currently triggering commands via Echo.

 

Hope that answers your questions.

[ccclapp]

Impressive!

Thanks!

Sure, I would be interested in the files/scripts when your're ready.

My needs don't sound nearly as robust as yours, but your tool(s) will likely be very helpful along the journey...

Also, I am running a RPi for IsyHelper and OpenVPN, and have now deployed the GC for reliable smooth volume control via KP (vs multi repeats via ISY).

 

One thing you say gets my attention further:  You say you are doing macros via GC.  Is that something special your server/client IR setup does, or is this something a mortal can do with GC and ISY (without flooding the GC or ISY with lots of back to back commands, which it sounds like you avoid by somehow doing macros in GC??

 

Thanks 

[barrygordon]

The IR_Proxy handles the Macros. To properly do Macros (a sequence of sent commands) with the Global Cache you need to use the feedback that the Global Cache supplies when an IR command has been fully sent to the end component. This provides the minimum pacing between commands in a a macro sequence.  The ISY at the current time cannot do that so you need to somehow introduce delays which are either too long or a best guess.  The IR_Proxy sends a command to the GC and then waits for the response before it picks up the next command in the queue. The Macro design also allow for inserting additional timing (delay) between commands if needed by the end component. 

 

Hope that helps.

[ccclapp]

The IR_Proxy handles the Macros. To properly do Macros (a sequence of sent commands) with the Global Cache you need to use the feedback that the Global Cache supplies when an IR command has been fully sent to the end component. This provides the minimum pacing between commands in a a macro sequence.  The ISY at the current time cannot do that so you need to somehow introduce delays which are either too long or a best guess.  The IR_Proxy sends a command to the GC and then waits for the response before it picks up the next command in the queue. The Macro design also allow for inserting additional timing (delay) between commands if needed by the end component. 

 

Hope that helps.

 

very nice