Amazon Echo - Connected Home Feature!

[smileyw]

Hi all, I installed everything and got it working today.  It has no issue at all with the lights, but I can't get the Echo to discover the Thermostats.  I have them in the portal, but they don't discover?  I am using the Insteon Smarthome branded Thermostats if that matters.

 

EDIT:  I see others saying this doesn't work, but it seems like it was meant to, is this just a beta thing?  It even gives this as an example in the skill?

Edited January 20, 2016 by smileyw

[stusviews]

Hi all, I installed everything and got it working today.  It has no issue at all with the lights, but I can't get the Echo to discover the Thermostats.  I have them in the portal, but they don't discover?  I am using the Insteon Smarthome branded Thermostats if that matters.

 

EDIT:  I see others saying this doesn't work, but it seems like it was meant to, is this just a beta thing?  It even gives this as an example in the skill?

 

See post #181.

[Maxhawk]

The instructions to get Alexa integrated to the ISY worked first try.  The Alexa commands to turn devices on and off and adjust brightness of lamps is working. However with scenes, I'm only able to turn them off. I have 4 lamps in my family room that are in a scene called "family normal". In Mobilinc as well as the ISY admin page, all my scenes can be either ON or OFF.

 

In ISY Portal, I've attached the name "family lights" to the scene family normal. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights off", the lights turn off. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights on", nothing happens. If the lights are already on and I tell Alexa to turn them on, the echo turns them off. 

 

I've read countless times that people have got their scenes working. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[barrygordon]

The preferred phrases for Alea are :

 

Alexa Turn on the <spoken name>   and Alex Turn Off The <spoken name>

 

I have had general success with Alexa Shut Off the <spoken name>

 

The word "the" seems to be taken as noise and it works without it.

 

I suspect that your problem may be in the phrasing with the command at the end as in "Alexa turn <spoken name> off

[stusviews]

In ISY Portal, I've attached the name "family lights" to the scene family normal. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights off", the lights turn off. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights on", nothing happens. If the lights are already on and I tell Alexa to turn them on, the echo turns them off.

 

That's very strange. Like some other posters, I've had both success and failure with "light." Try "family normal" as a <spoken_name>.

 

BTW, after re-trying "light" for a few devices a few times, it took. Now "light" works every time.

[joemac]

The instructions to get Alexa integrated to the ISY worked first try.  The Alexa commands to turn devices on and off and adjust brightness of lamps is working. However with scenes, I'm only able to turn them off. I have 4 lamps in my family room that are in a scene called "family normal". In Mobilinc as well as the ISY admin page, all my scenes can be either ON or OFF.

 

In ISY Portal, I've attached the name "family lights" to the scene family normal. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights off", the lights turn off. If I tell Alexa "turn family lights on", nothing happens. If the lights are already on and I tell Alexa to turn them on, the echo turns them off. 

 

I've read countless times that people have got their scenes working. Am I doing something wrong?

 

I've left "lights" off of the spoken names, for example I assigned the spoken name "kitchen" to a scene.  It works for me using several combinations of spoken commands to Alexa.  I can say "Alexa turn on kitchen" or "Alexa turn on kitchen lights" and both work even though "lights" is not included in the spoken name field . Off commands work as expected too.

[Deane Johnson]

I've left "lights" off of the spoken names, for example I assigned the spoken name "kitchen" to a scene.  It works for me using several combinations of spoken commands to Alexa.  I can say "Alexa turn on kitchen" or "Alexa turn on kitchen lights" and both work even though "lights" is not included in the spoken name field . Off commands work as expected too.

 

I'm also finding I don't need the word "turn" and if using a percentage, don't need the words "turn on".  If I just say "Alexa, kitchen on" they respond, or "kitchen 100%".

Edited January 21, 2016 by Deane Johnson

[Jamison_IO]

ordering one today!

[ScottAvery]

If you are up for some leg work, the following outlines how I have it working by controlling a device and all my keypads get updated correctly.

 

1) Create your scene as normal with the "master" device as the controller. (LIving Room Lights)

2) Create another scene, all everything but the "master" device as responders to this scene (include your keypad buttons unless it is the controller). (Fix - Living Room Lights)

3) Create a program.

    a. If Status 'Master Device' is not on, Then Set Scene 'Fix - Living Room Lights' On

   b. Else Set Scene 'Fix - Living room Lights' Off

 

Do this triple combo for every device you want to have "dimmable" and control with multiple isteon devices.

 

What it does:

 

Assuming everything is off, Echo will send Isy the command to turn on a light. Isy will send the command to the device. The device will respond and the Isy program will see the device is not off, and thus will run the program. The program will then turn "On" the fix scene, which will set the "status" of all the other normal responders. You can then go to one of those other "responders" and turn the light off, which since it is part of the original scene, will control the master and things will work.

 

I currently use this for 12 things and will probably expand it out as I go along.  It is sad there isn't a scene level dim option, nor is there any facilities in Isy to "fake it" like I did the with this trilogy of configuration.

 

Disclaimer. This process might have been mentioned before. I am not certain if I am original in my configuration here. Also, there may be some functionality, such as the brightness of the secondary keypad linc buttons or something, I dunno. It works for me.

I appreciate that you have taken the time to post an approach for this synching issue.  Do any of your scenes have multiple lighting devices or are they all single dimmers/relays with multiple controllers?  With multiples in the scene, does one light come on then the others come on after the Fix is activated?  Or might you use something less obvious as the echo target and then activate lights together?

[bgrubb1]

Great integration, great product

Is there a Approximate ETA on a next update that may include multiple spokens for a command ??

I have a lot of my system still runing on an emulator since the family sometimes says light, sometimes lights

weeks, months etc would work

..Barry

[50-50]

Great integration, great product

Is there a Approximate ETA on a next update that may include multiple spokens for a command ??

I have a lot of my system still runing on an emulator since the family sometimes says light, sometimes lights

weeks, months etc would work

..Barry

 

Maybe a little sloppy, but can you control the device with two identical programs with different names (Then/Else), for one program add the spoken name "X light" and the other "X lights" in portal?

[jerlands]

Maybe a little sloppy, but can you control the device with two identical programs with different names (Then/Else), for one program add the spoken name "X light" and the other "X lights" in portal?

 

I think you can do it in one program called X-light...   "X-Light(s) On" <-- triggering then,   "X-Light(s) Off" <-- triggering else

 

 

Jon...

Edited January 22, 2016 by jerlands

[imagamejunky]

Great integration, great product

Is there a Approximate ETA on a next update that may include multiple spokens for a command ??

I have a lot of my system still runing on an emulator since the family sometimes says light, sometimes lights

weeks, months etc would work

..Barry

You don't need to wait for an update.  Just name your device without the use of light or lights in the spoken field.  This is what I'm doing and it works perfectly. When people tell alexa to turn on a device she will ignore the words "light" and "lights" and successfully control the device without any problem.

 

Here's an example that works perfectly for my family.

I have a device (kitchen lightswitch) with a spoken name of "kitchen".

I can say "alexa turn on kitchen"

OR "..turn on kitchen light"

OR "..turn on kitchen lights"

 

Alexa will hear the word "the" and ignore it also in the above scenarios.

 

 

Junky

[stusviews]

I think you can do it in one program called X-light...   "X-Light On" <-- triggering then "X-Light Off" <-- triggering else

 

 

Jon...

 

That's OK for on and off, but that won't allow the choice of saying "X light on" or "X lights on" for the same lights. Two identical scenes or programs are required for that.

 

Edit: you can't use the same controller for two scenes. You can for two programs with different names. Or one scene and one program.

Edited January 22, 2016 by stusviews

[stusviews]

You don't need to wait for an update.  Just name your device without the use of light or lights in the spoken field.  This is what I'm doing and it works perfectly. When people tell alexa to turn on a device she will ignore the words "light" and "lights" and successfully control the device without any problem.

 

Here's an example that works perfectly for my family.

I have a device (kitchen lightswitch) with a spoken name of "kitchen".

I can say "alexa turn on kitchen"

OR "..turn on kitchen light"

OR "..turn on kitchen lights"

 

Alexa will hear the word "the" and ignore it also in the above scenarios.

 

 

Junky

 

Unless you have more than one device that begins with the word "kitchen." I have bunches of living room devices. If I just use "living room," then Alexa will ask which on. Then I need to specify which. In that case "light" works, "lights" doesn't. Or I can use "light" for the scene (can't adjust brightness) and "lights" for the device (can adjust brightness).

[imagamejunky]

Unless you have more than one device that begins with the word "kitchen." I have bunches of living room devices. If I just use "living room," then Alexa will ask which on. Then I need to specify which. In that case "light" works, "lights" doesn't. Or I can use "light" for the scene (can't adjust brightness) and "lights" for the device (can adjust brightness).

I do actually.

I have the main kitchen lights with the spoken name "kitchen" and also lights above my kitchen table with the spoken name "kitchen table"

I can say kitchen lights and kitchen table lights and alexa understands without error. If I just say turn on kitchen then she correctly turns on the main lights and doesn't ask which one.

I only have those 2 though.

Junky

[Maxhawk]

That's very strange. Like some other posters, I've had both success and failure with "light." Try "family normal" as a <spoken_name>.

 

BTW, after re-trying "light" for a few devices a few times, it took. Now "light" works every time.

 

I changed "family lights" to "family" and now it works. I guess the lesson here is to always use one word spoken names.

 

Thanks to everyone who responded .

[Jashanahan]

Received the new PLM. Just set up the connected home. Amazing!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jerlands]

That's OK for on and off, but that won't allow the choice of saying "X light on" or "X lights on" for the same lights. Two identical scenes or programs are required for that.

 

Calling programs I've found I can use either the phrase light or lights but if I use it directly with a device it requires the spoken phrase to match e.g., kitchen sink lights won't work if the spoken phrase is kitchen sink light.

 

 

Jon...

[rusgrafx]

Worked great for me too!

Initial discovery added all of my 100+ devices.   I removed them all and added back only selected scenes and a couple of devices. All work fast and smooth.

 

Much better experience than the skill - it was very painful as I have multiple devices with similar names, but different suffixes - ex: Bar Light (master), Bar Light (slave), Bar Light (scene), so Alexa couldn't figure out which one to use.

 

Benoit, Michel and the UDI team - great job! Thanks a lot!

[madcodger]

Thanks, Bruce. Got it. Now to get through the blizzard and piles of work, and start playing with the Echo.

[madcodger]

Devices can be easily dimmed or brightened. "Alexa, dim/brighten the <spoken_name>" or "Alexa, set the <spoken_name> to xx%." But the brightness of scenes cannot be adjusted. So, in rooms that I want the adjustment, I gave different spoken names to each the scene and the device, for example, dining room light (scene) and dining room ceiling (device)

Very helpful to know, and something I think should be addressed (fixed). I'll need to play around with that a bit, as several scenes do get brightened / dimmed often.

[DannyFresh]

I do actually.

I have the main kitchen lights with the spoken name "kitchen" and also lights above my kitchen table with the spoken name "kitchen table"

I can say kitchen lights and kitchen table lights and alexa understands without error. If I just say turn on kitchen then she correctly turns on the main lights and doesn't ask which one.

I only have those 2 though.

Junky

 

I also have 3 sets of lights in the kitchen. "Kitchen Table" "Kitchen Counter" and "Kitchen Island". I also have a scene called "Kitchen". If i tell Alexa to turn on each one with its given name, she abides and only turns on that given light. If I say "Turn on kitchen" she turns on all three lights.

 

It seems as if many of us are have different results in the same situations, weird. I would think the problems would be more uniformed, but that is not at all the case.

 

This scenario works exactly the same with my "family room" setup, Three sets of lights, three separate device names. When "Alexa turn on family room" is stated she turns on all three.

 

When I ask my wife or children to turn on the lights they never seem to come on. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MWareman]

Did you group the lights in Alexa's settings? If so, that would explain the group activation.

[DannyFresh]

No groups at all. When I state just the room name, she seems to defer to the "scene".

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited January 22, 2016 by DannyFresh