MobiLinc Connect supports Amazon Echo!

[cvanhoose]

Hi newpicelwheelhouse,

 

Thanks for the vote. It's on our to-do list, but I don't have an ETA I can comment on.

 

Wes

 

Any update? Just ordered a handful of dots and determining between the Mobilinc Connect or ISY Portal integration. Its a shame that you do not open up the push notifications and associated camera notifications unless you purchase the subscription. I feel that should be included with the original purchase of the MobiLinc application.

[InsteonNut]

Hi cvanhoose,

 

I don't have an update I can comment on regarding the smarthome skill for the Echo.

 

Notifications need to be deeply integrated with MobiLinc, Apple, and our back-end service that hosts the ISY with our MobiLinc Connect portal. It's free to try for 30 days no commitment to check out. If it works for you we ask for a small fee of $29.99 per ISY per year to help us cover our server expenses.

 

Wes

[andyf0]

Wes,

 

I'm assuming that programs embedded inside folders are not a problem if you don't say the folder name? I just ordered a dot and am thinking about my implementation.

 

Maybe create separate programs with English names to run my programs, rather than change my naming convention for existing programs.

[InsteonNut]

Hi Andy,

 

Correct! Programs in a folder are not a problem.

 

I agree with your thinking on this. For separation and organization, it does make sense to create a separate program(s) with the proper English names for voice control rather then upset your current naming convention.

 

Wes

[andyf0]

Hi,

 

Got the Dot today and linked MobiLinc Connect to Alexa. I can turn on and off a device no problem but when I try to run a program Alexa can't find the program.

Checking the Alexa app she picked up on what I said perfectly "Alexa heard "alexa tell moby link to run bedtime".

 

I have a program called "bedtime". I've enabled it, disabled it, put it inside a folder, in the root and yet she still says "What program?". I refreshed devices each time I made a change. Am I doing something wrong? I'd like to get this working before I move on to IFTTT.

 

Alexa doesn't use caps in her recognition, if she heard "good night" should that match to a program called "Good Night"?

 

EDIT: Ah! Wes, your voice examples to run program are wrong.

 

You state: "Alexa, tell MobiLinc to run irrigation".

It should be: "Alexa, tell MobiLinc to run program irrigation".

[InsteonNut]

Hi Andy,

 

Hmmm, I just tested that here, and it works either way. You can include program in the phrase if you'd like. In fact, if you have lighting devices by the same name as the program, this might help. 

 

The Alexa vocab is limited. If there's a word or phrase that isn't working, please confirm and let me know so I can update the skill with the additional phrase/word that it's missing. Just to prove that it works, rename the program to "test", resync with Alexa, and say:

"Alexa, tell MobiLinc to run test" or "Alexa, tell MobiLinc to run program test"

 

Confirm that this works just to verify end to end that everything is working as it should. Then, try your more custom phrases. For those that don't work, please let me know so I can get these added for you.

 

Wes

[andyf0]

Wes,

 

Hmm! If I rename "Bedtime" to "Test" it works without the word "program". But I have three programs I wanted to use:

 

Bedtime

Good Night

Good Morning

 

From the app I see that Alexa recognizes my voice as

 

bedtime

good night

good morning

 

None of the programs run (keeps asking for What program?) unless I precede them with the word "program" in which case they run fine.

 

Turning individual devices on and off works great.

[InsteonNut]

Thanks Andy,

 

Just to confirm so I've got your scenario straight, your three prompts: Bedtime, Good Night, Good Morning all work if you preceded them with "program". Then Alexa is happy and is able to find the program and run it?

 

If that's true, then that's good and the baseline expected behavior. Dropping the "program" from the spoken invocation I can investigate on these three voice commands to see if that's possible. Just to confirm as well, you don't have any "Vocal" names with these three words?

 

Wes 

[andyf0]

Wes, That's exactly right. I tried renaming them.

 

"Start Night" - Was "Bedtime"

"Start Sleep" - Was "Good Night"

"Start Day" - Was "Good Morning"

 

Same thing. Needs the word "program" to execute the programs.

 

The only other spoken words on devices are "Master Bedroom Ceiling Fan" and "Master Bedroom Lights".

 

You can probably guess by now the "Dot" is in the Master Bedroom.

[andyf0]

Wes, does MobiLinc Connect have access to the custom status names defined in MobiLinc? It would be pretty cool for Alexa to report those instead of the standard ON or OFF etc.

 

I have an IOLINC sensor on the Garage Door and have made the spoken word for it "Garage Door". I have set the custom name for the sensor to be OPEN for OFF and CLOSED for ON. When I say "Alexa, ask MobiLinc for the status of the Garage Door" it would be nice if Alexa responded with OPEN or CLOSED instead of OFF or ON.

 

I've ordered a second Dot for the main living room so I will be using Alexa for a lot more stuff.

 

I don't know how this stuff works but I agree with others in that the need to use "Ask MobiLinc ....", "Tell MobiLinc ...." is a little tedious.

[InsteonNut]

Thanks Andy,

 

Alexa doesn't have access to the custom status names in MobiLinc. Currently that resides in your iOS/Android device's configuration for MobiLinc only. Agreed, that this would be a slick feature to add to Alexa. I've got it on my feature request list, but it's definitely not an easy item to add.

 

I would like to assume garage door status as well, but since that IO Linc and sensor can be installed in any configuration. ON doesn't always mean Closed or Open. It depends on the install and how it was setup. Here the custom status names would fix that if Alexa had access to your custom settings in MobiLinc.

 

Agreed about adding support for the smarthome skill. It's something I'm looking at. Keep in mind that the smart home skill is really limited (no programs and other limitations) which is why we opted to support the custom skill instead.

 

Wes

[heyfrank]

Hey everyone

 

Just picked up a DOT today, is the MobiLinc Connect and Echo able to announce when a program has changed status? Such as I have a magnet on my mailbox to tell me when it has opened and receive a email when the mail is here, as well as the lamp turns on.

 

Anyway to have the Echo announce when it happens as well?

[heyfrank]

Also, side topic, made my spoken for my appliancelinc "Christmas Tree", and a scene "Sexy Time"... Alexa cannot find either of them, and yes I've asked her to refresh my devices, and Mobilinc has done so... Any ideas?

[Teken]

Alexa can not re-actively announce spoken words. It doesn't matter if its the skill vs smarthome API. This two way announcement has been asked for quite awhile from the community. Perhaps 2017 will bring something to the public domain as my intent is to know what the energy levels are in my home. 

[heyfrank]

Alexa can not re-actively announce spoken words. It doesn't matter if its the skill vs smarthome API. This two way announcement has been asked for quite awhile from the community. Perhaps 2017 will bring something to the public domain as my intent is to know what the energy levels are in my home. 

Interesting so for now notifications cannot be done... but what about my issue with trying to turn on "Sexy Time" or "Christmas Tree"?

[Teken]

Interesting so for now notifications cannot be done... but what about my issue with trying to turn on "Sexy Time" or "Christmas Tree"?

 

First thing I would do is ensure the app recorded what you asked. Go into the app and tell me if it says exactly what your program spoken says.

 

If not then you probably need to say it differently or change the phrase because *accents / inflections* confuse her. I had a friend who came from Barbados and his thick accent was about 20% understood in his respective English. 

[InsteonNut]

Hi heyfrank,

 

For your mailbox, you can setup push notifications if you are running an iOS device and MobiLinc Connect. This works great to get real-time notifications right to your iOS devices: http://mobilinc.com/features/push/

 

For your phrases if these are program names, say "Alexa, tell MobiLinc to run program Christmas Tree". If these are device or scene names, first make sure that the names are set for the vocal field in the Admin Console: http://mobilinc.com/features/echo/ Once set, then do a refresh with Alexa and try again.

 

If you still have trouble, email me at support@mobilinc.com with screenshots of your Admin Console vocal name field for those phrases that aren't responding. It's likely I'll need to update the Alexa skill to recognize your words.

 

Wes

[InsteonNut]

Hi heyfrank,

 

I received your email and have submitted updates to the Alexa skill to fix Christmas Tree (I had a typo). "Christmas" should work as a device name right now. I also added "sexy time" which was really fun to test here.

 

It can take up to a week for Amazon to approve the updated skill. I'll ping back here once approved.

 

Wes

[InsteonNut]

Hi Folks,

 

We're looking for some feedback on a new Alexa feature in progress: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/20903-alexa-upgarde-in-progress-looking-for-feedback/

 

Wes