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Amazon Echo - Connected Home Feature!


Michel Kohanim

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The program has to set the device, not call a scene.

That may be why my fanlinc programs are not working... I wonder why this is? Can I set the device and call a scene (so the kpl gets updated)? More experiments to do tonight...

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Yes, programs work. The program has to set the device, not call a scene.

 

I setup a "Wake up" program that Sets a Scene to on (to ramp up some lamps), waits 4 minutes, then sets another scene to Fast On (turns on a radio).

 

It works fine with Alexa!

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I set the up Echo yesterday and everything seemed to work great, last night I noticed some programs were not running, this morning I did some troubleshooting and I seem to have an issue with my PLM... I opened the admin console and it was in safe mode, recommended checking PLM connections and rebooting, I did that and no improvement.  Is this just unfortunate coincidence that there is now a problem with the PLM or is it possible something else is going on?

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How many spoken would you see appropriate for a given device? Would 3 be enough?

 

Benoit

 

I would like this feature too.  We could probably get away with three per device but can you make it so you could just add as many spoken names to the devices as needed?  Right now it says one spoken name already exists but could it just add it if you say "yea I know".  :)

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Amazing! just linked my ISY using this and it discovered everything. I then went in and removed a few items that I did not want to control with the portal link, and edited the spoken word. Did a few tests and it worked great ..

 

I'm using 4.4.2.

 

Thanks UD for a great connection! I can send back my insteon HUB now!

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I set the up Echo yesterday and everything seemed to work great, last night I noticed some programs were not running, this morning I did some troubleshooting and I seem to have an issue with my PLM... I opened the admin console and it was in safe mode, recommended checking PLM connections and rebooting, I did that and no improvement.  Is this just unfortunate coincidence that there is now a problem with the PLM or is it possible something else is going on?

 

You should probably post this under "Questions and Answers" but there is a correct order to power cycling PLM.   Unplug power from PLM and ISY.  Wait 30 seconds then power up PLM.  After PLM initializes apply power to ISY.  Safe Mode indicates ISY can't communicate with PLM so other cause might be connection (remove and reinsert both ends or replace cable.)  Also, you should show a green light on PLM.  If this fails very likely so has PLM...

 

 

Jon...

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In the "My Profile" page of the ISY portal underneath the line that says "Amazon account linked to" there is an empty text box. What do I put in this box? I think this is the only thing I have left to do to get everything activated and linked so I can start using the Echo with my ISY system. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I spent approximately 14 hours yesterday trying to get this all figured out. Help!

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In the "My Profile" page of the ISY portal underneath the line that says "Amazon account linked to" there is an empty text box. What do I put in this box? I think this is the only thing I have left to do to get everything activated and linked so I can start using the Echo with my ISY system. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I spent approximately 14 hours yesterday trying to get this all figured out. Help!

 

There should be a link below that box to link to your amazon account.  Click that link and provide the requested details, the box will get filled in with your Amazon id.

 

-Xathros

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Connected Home really helps out using similar and long device names e.g., "family room fan" vs. "family room fan light" but I've noticed in my Alexa app (alexa.amazon.com) using Connected Home the commands aren't logged as they are when using the Skill.  This isn't a problem so much as a curiosity right now and I'm wondering why this is?

 

 

 

Jon...

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I setup a "Wake up" program that Sets a Scene to on (to ramp up some lamps), waits 4 minutes, then sets another scene to Fast On (turns on a radio).

 

It works fine with Alexa!

The quote (posts #74 and #77) was in relation to the FanLinc only!

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I set the up Echo yesterday and everything seemed to work great, last night I noticed some programs were not running, this morning I did some troubleshooting and I seem to have an issue with my PLM... I opened the admin console and it was in safe mode, recommended checking PLM connections and rebooting, I did that and no improvement.  Is this just unfortunate coincidence that there is now a problem with the PLM or is it possible something else is going on?

 

Which PLM version and how old is it?

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Connected Home really helps out using similar and long device names e.g., "family room fan" vs. "family room fan light" but I've noticed in my Alexa app (alexa.amazon.com) using Connected Home the commands aren't logged as they are when using the Skill.  This isn't a problem so much as a curiosity right now and I'm wondering why this is?

 

 

 

Jon...

 

I've noticed this too, and it is not specific to the ISY.

 

If by design, it is a very strange choice by amazon not to log the connected home requests, unless they assumed people just wouldn't have issues with them.  But I've run into times when I've tried to use a skill, but Echo interpreted it as connected home and nothing was logged, so there is no way to know what happened.

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I've noticed this too, and it is not specific to the ISY.

 

If by design, it is a very strange choice by amazon not to log the connected home requests, unless they assumed people just wouldn't have issues with them.  But I've run into times when I've tried to use a skill, but Echo interpreted it as connected home and nothing was logged, so there is no way to know what happened.

 

I can see my connected home requests logged under Settings / History in my Alexa app.  Is this not there for you?

 

-Xathros

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As I stated in a prior post:

 

Re Fan lincs.  In the emulator I would set up programs for all my fans with the following names (using my office fan as an example). All my fans are controlled by fanlincs

 

Friendly Name                  Say to Alexa

Office Fan Low                 Turn on office fan low

Office Fan Medium           Turn on office fan medium

Office Fan High                 Turn on office fan high 

Office Fan Faster              Turn on office fan faster

Office Fan Slower             Turn on office fan slower

Office Fan                         Turn off office fan

 

All of the above work as expected in the ISY connected Home. I have similar entries for the fans in the Guest bedroom ("Guest fan"), the Master bedroom ("Master Fan") and the Lanai ("Lanai Fan").

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I do have one question, Do you know if it will be possible to have programs execute by saying "Alexa run (program spoken name)"? and have it execute the "If" portion of the program? I know this has not been fully tested yet but was wondering if any thought had been given to the trigger words for programs?

I couldn't agree with this post more! I have programs named "Christmas tree on" and "Christmas tree off". It would be awkward to have to try to say "Christmas tree on, on"...

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I can see my connected home requests logged under Settings / History in my Alexa app.  Is this not there for you?

 

-Xathros

 

Well yeah, after you show me!  :)

 

I still don't understand why it isn't put on the home page with non connected home requests.

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I couldn't agree with this post more! I have programs named "Christmas tree on" and "Christmas tree off". It would be awkward to have to try to say "Christmas tree on, on"...

 

This would require Amazon to add "Run" to the connected home interface.  I'd be surprised if it happens.

 

In the mean time, I am pretty happy using IFTTT:  "Alexa,  Trigger Christmas Tree Off" (or whatever you want after "Trigger").  It is a hassle to setup and maintain in IFTTT, but "Trigger" works much better for me than "Tell ISY to...."

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I couldn't agree with this post more! I have programs named "Christmas tree on" and "Christmas tree off". It would be awkward to have to try to say "Christmas tree on, on"...

 

Take advantage of Else statements. If the program is labeled "Christmas tree," then "turn Christmas tree on" and "turn Christmas tree off" would work because On runs Then and Off runs Else.

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Which PLM version and how old is it?

 

 

You should probably post this under "Questions and Answers" but there is a correct order to power cycling PLM.   Unplug power from PLM and ISY.  Wait 30 seconds then power up PLM.  After PLM initializes apply power to ISY.  Safe Mode indicates ISY can't communicate with PLM so other cause might be connection (remove and reinsert both ends or replace cable.)  Also, you should show a green light on PLM.  If this fails very likely so has PLM...

 

 

Jon...

I think my PLM is kaput. Green light does not stay on.  It is V1.B 1305 just under 3 years old.  Just odd that it happened the same day I was setting up the Echo.

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There should be a link below that box to link to your amazon account.  Click that link and provide the requested details, the box will get filled in with your Amazon id.

 

-Xathros

 

When I click on the link and enter my email address and password I get a white screen without anything on it.

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