New Dot

[giomania]

No need to cancel. In fact, there is no code or anything you need for the $10.  Anyone who already owns a dot, and buys one before the release date, gets $10 store credit automatically.  Nothing you need to do. 

 

 

Here is what it said in the email:  As a customer who purchased the previous–generation Echo Dot, you can get a $10 Alexa Shopping credit when you order the All-New Echo Dot using Alexa Shopping. Order today through October 20 and a $10 Alexa Shopping credit will be applied to your account within one week after your new Echo Dot has shipped. 

[giomania]

???  I have 4 echos now, all on one account.  They work fine controlling my lights and answering questions about the status of my ISY devices and variables.  But then, I run my own Hue emulator and wrote my own Alexa skills.  So I do not use the portal.  I like having the extra control over the Echo and the ability to tailor things a bit more.  

 

Nevermind:  If you read the posts on the previous page, I was confused on how this worked.  Or one could say I was "misled" by the Wiki. 

[IVB]

The price point is awesome, but I wonder if they improved the sound quality at all. I have 1 Dot and 4 Echoes. Had a 2nd dot but its just so damn tinny it hurts my ears, so I gave it away. IMO the echoes sound a lot less battlestar-galatica'esque.

 

Sure, the Echo is far bigger, and has no audio output, but I have in-ceiling speakers and a Sonos Connect hooked into them so I just have it start a Spotify playlist on those. I have the one dot velcro'ed onto the wall like the other posters, about 9" from the corner, works fine. 

 

I am happy more people will be getting these, using it to startup HA stuff has gotten us seriously lazy. I barely use a phone UI anymore, I just ask Alexa and she responds with the answer. 

[stusviews]

According to the Wiki, you do need a another Portal account, but it is a sub-account:

 

·         Have your echos tied to 2 different amazon accounts.

• Create a secondary account on the original prime account using a different email address and password to log into amazon.  You must deregister the new echo from the primary account and then set it up on your secondary amazon account.

·         In the ISY Portal:

·         Create a sub-account

·         Add your ISY to this sub-account, and approve access to it in the admin console.

·         Create a user profile in this sub-account for the second echo

·         Link this user profile with your second echo's amazon account.  This is where the Wiki instructions were not clear (at least to me).  You must be logged into the sub-account when you link the second Echo device.

·         To edit spokens for your second echo, switch to your sub-account first

·         To edit spokens for your first echo, switch to your root account first

 

Once again...Argh!  

 

Hmm. I wonder how I managed four sub-accounts with one portal account. The fact is only one portal account is required for up to five accounts.

[stusviews]

Here is what it said in the email:  As a customer who purchased the previous–generation Echo Dot, you can get a $10 Alexa Shopping credit when you order the All-New Echo Dot using Alexa Shopping. Order today through October 20 and a $10 Alexa Shopping credit will be applied to your account within one week after your new Echo Dot has shipped. 

 

The fine print indicates that the $10 is available for only one (1) Dot and the maximum benefit you may receive from this offer is $10.00. So, ordering the DOT6PACK or DOT12PACK still gets you only $10.00.

[stusviews]

Just got this:

If you have relatives or friends in the UK, Amazon Echo and Echo Dot are also available for them now on pre-order. "We going global Ma!"

[TheFallenAngel]

The price point is awesome, but I wonder if they improved the sound quality at all. I have 1 Dot and 4 Echoes. Had a 2nd dot but its just so damn tinny it hurts my ears, so I gave it away. IMO the echoes sound a lot less battlestar-galatica'esque.

 

Sure, the Echo is far bigger, and has no audio output, but I have in-ceiling speakers and a Sonos Connect hooked into them so I just have it start a Spotify playlist on those. I have the one dot velcro'ed onto the wall like the other posters, about 9" from the corner, works fine.

 

I am happy more people will be getting these, using it to startup HA stuff has gotten us seriously lazy. I barely use a phone UI anymore, I just ask Alexa and she responds with the answer.

The purpose of the Dots are NOT to be speakers, they don't need to sound amazing. Their purpose is to stream everything to what you have connected to them wirelessly or with cable.

 

Cheers,

Alex

[IVB]

The purpose of the Dots are NOT to be speakers, they don't need to sound amazing. Their purpose is to stream everything to what you have connected to them wirelessly or with cable.

 

Cheers,

Alex

I'm not looking for amazing, I'm looking for" not awful and I can hear her from across the room ". Less than 2 minutes ago my wife asked the dot to do something, and the lack of any type of bass meant she struggled to hear it from 8 feet away despite volume at 60%. The echoes, with a better speaker, don't need to be cranked as loud to hear. In our opinion anyway.

[Teken]

I know this is added cost but a wireless speaker with better low end bass would help. Keeping in mind the first thing to go when people get older is the loss of high frequency aural reception. ☹️

 

 

=========================

 

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

[TheFallenAngel]

I know this is added cost but a wireless speaker with better low end bass would help. Keeping in mind the first thing to go when people get older is the loss of high frequency aural reception. ☹️

 

 

=========================

 

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

That's available too and it's call Amazon Echo.

 

Cheers,

Alex

[Teken]

True, assuming you spent lots of money on a wireless speaker a person might be better off with a echo to start with.

 

For me the Dot will be used as designed and intended. That is giving me the ability to integrate it with old school A/V hardware. Secondary use case is having the ability to mount it to the ceiling or random place given its smaller height.

 

As an aside looking at the link offered by Stu. Does anyone think that ceiling mount could still be used with the new Gen 2 Dot?

 

As the newer model is not as tall compared to the Gen 1.

 

 

=========================

 

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

[giomania]

True, assuming you spent lots of money on a wireless speaker a person might be better off with a echo to start with.

 

For me the Dot will be used as designed and intended. That is giving me the ability to integrate it with old school A/V hardware. Secondary use case is having the ability to mount it to the ceiling or random place given its smaller height.

 

As an aside looking at the link offered by Stu. Does anyone think that ceiling mount could still be used with the new Gen 2 Dot?

 

As the newer model is not as tall compared to the Gen 1.

 

 

=========================

 

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

The mount for the echo dot that I purchased on Etsy (the designer girls) will still work because the diameter has not changed from the old to the new versions . I learned about this "Etsy" mount in this forum.

 

Thinking hard about getting a six pack, but I think Amazon made this move because the Google home product will probably launch at the October 4th hardware event.

 

It remains to be seen what Google home will offer as far as integration with the ISY, and how much it will cost.

 

 

Mark

 

 

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Edited September 15, 2016 by giomania

[kgividen]

Well I ordered the six pack and got one free. It really would be nice to just use one account and be able to say lights on in each room. I have three Echos and now six dots.

 

Now I need to work on a good AV control now either with global cache or insteon/ir or something.

 

 

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[giomania]

Must...resist...temptation!!!!

 

 

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[Teken]

Just got this:

If you have relatives or friends in the UK, Amazon Echo and Echo Dot are also available for them now on pre-order. "We going global Ma!"

 

Is there a link and does it say *Canada* is part of this roll out?!?! Nothing pisses me off more than to see Canada treated like a 3rd world country given we are literally next door and do the most commerce of any nation.

[Teken]

Must...resist...temptation!!!!

 

 

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Do it . .  Do it . . . Do it . . . Do it . . . Do it . . . Break down and just do it! LOL

[IVB]

Giomania once his partner (wife/husband/whatever) finds out he ordered 6 Dots by opening the UPS package before he gets home

 

 

[Teken]

LOL . . .

[TheFallenAngel]

Is there a link and does it say *Canada* is part of this roll out?!?! Nothing pisses me off more than to see Canada treated like a 3rd world country given we are literally next door and do the most commerce of any nation.

Nope - nothing on Canada which is pathetic of Amazon considering they are doing Germany!

 

Cheers,

Alex

[giomania]

Giomania once his partner (wife/husband/whatever) finds out he ordered 6 Dots by opening the UPS package before he gets home

 

 

Too funny. Here will be my defense: But...Sweetie...Teken used a Jedi mind trick and made me order them!

 

 

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[giomania]

I currently have four accounts with one portal. The limit is five. Each account has its own set of commands. That way I can ask for the light (or fan or anything else) to be turned on without specifying the room if I am in that particular room.

 

In other words, if I'm in the living room, then the living room light turns on when I simply say, "turn on the light." Similarly, the bedroom light turns on with the same command when I'm in the bedroom. If I'm not in the specific room, then I do need to specify which light I want turned on.

How many Amazon accounts you have?

 

The wiki indicates you need separate Amazon accounts, so I just wanted to clarify with an actual use case.

 

From the Wiki instructions for using multiple Echo's smart home: "Have your Echo's tied to two different Amazon accounts"

 

Thanks.

 

Mark

 

 

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Edited September 16, 2016 by giomania

[giomania]

Mark,

I have 1 Echo and 2 Dots. Right now all 3 area under the same Amazon Prime account (so all 3 can pay Amazon Prime music), and all 3 are under the same Portal account.

 

The only time you would need different Amazon accounts is if you have household members, who would like to use their own calendar shipping and to do lists etc. This is not related to the number of Echo and Dots you have, you could switch the accounts in one device or on many..

 

The only time you'll need different Portal accounts is when you want each echo/dot device to have separate sets of spokens and/or devices/scenes/programs controlled. For example you have one Dot in Bedroom and one in your Office. And instead of "turn on bedroom light" or "turn on office fan" in each room you can just say "turn on lights"..

 

Cheers,

Alex

This post is relevant to my question above.

 

Mark

 

 

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[stusviews]

How many Amazon accounts you have?

 

The wiki indicates you need separate Amazon accounts, so I just wanted to clarify with an actual use case.

 

From the Wiki instructions for using multiple Echo's smart home: "Have your Echo's tied to two different Amazon accounts"

 

Thanks.

 

Mark

 

 

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I have four Amazon accounts, three of which I use only with the portal and any Echos and/or Dots associated with that account.

 

My main account  controls the living and nearby rooms. I have a separate account for the dining room which abuts the kitchen and leads to the courtyard where our garages are, so lots of control from there. One side of the kitchen leads to my computer room. That's the third account..

 

And we have a bedroom account. Some devices, scenes and programs are controlled from more than one room, as needed.

 

The living room has one Echo. A new Dot will be added. The dining room has an Echo. The computer room and kitchen each have a Dot. The bedroom has both an Echo and a Dot.

[giomania]

Giomania once his partner (wife/husband/whatever) finds out he ordered 6 Dots by opening the UPS package before he gets home

 

 

Pre-ordered a Six-pack of white last night; estimated arrival is 10/25, so the pre-order numbers must be substantial.

 

It would be nice to mix and match colors in the pack; 4 black, 2 white.

 

After all, the order can always be cancelled before it ships (yeah, right).

 

Mark

 

 

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[giomania]

I have four Amazon accounts, three of which I use only with the portal and any Echos and/or Dots associated with that account.

 

My main account controls the living and nearby rooms. I have a separate account for the dining room which abuts the kitchen and leads to the courtyard where our garages are, so lots of control from there. One side of the kitchen leads to my computer room. That's the third account..

 

And we have a bedroom account. Some devices, scenes and programs are controlled from more than one room, as needed.

 

The living room has one Echo. A new Dot will be added. The dining room has an Echo. The computer room and kitchen each have a Dot. The bedroom has both an Echo and a Dot.

Thanks for sharing the details. As I said I currently have identical voice commands on both Echo accounts.

 

The only area where I run into problems is when rooms have identical scenes (i.e. room 1 dim, room 2 dim) in the various rooms.

 

I need to play around with the syntax and voice prompt to see if I can reduce the instances where Alexa says: "I have several devices with that name, which one do you want?"

 

My preference would be to have one account for everything if I can manage to make the voice commands work reliably, given my specific set up. I even created a word document with all the various voice commands to train all the household members, myself included!

 

Mark

 

 

 

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