Security on Amazon Echo/ISY

[blackpr]

Apologies if this is a duplicate topic -- I actually did look to see if it had been addressed.

 

It's become apparent to me that ISY portal won't allow Echo to discover secured devices.  Specifically, I'm trying to get alexa to work with a GD00Z garage door controller.  

 

While I understand the reason for this, in my particular application the security is not required and Echo integration is.

 

I came across documentation which allowed it via a program with the commands of "off" and "on", which is hardly intuitive, "open" and "close" would obviously be preferred.  I also came across instructions to do it with a skill, which did NOT work -- Alexa responded with "Unable to turn on lock".

 

Where specifically is this decision being made?  Is it an ISY function to not share that device?  Is it the ISY portal?  Is it the Echo Portal deciding not to retrieve such a device?

 

Is there any way to disable this security "feature?"  

 

-Ray

Edited November 29, 2016 by blackpr

[stusviews]

Using Open and Close with programs is supposed to work, but I found those commands problematic. I can use Open and Close with my GDO programs (I/O Lincs), but not with programs that control window coverings. Have you tried a program for you GDO?

[blackpr]

Using Open and Close with programs is supposed to work, but I found those commands problematic. I can use Open and Close with my GDO programs (I/O Lincs), but not with programs that control window coverings. Have you tried a program for you GDO?

 

Yeah, I get the "I'm not quite sure how to help you with that."

[MWareman]

I think that the 'lock' spoken may be blacklisted in Alexa.... Don't know for sure though...

[blackpr]

Yeah, MWareman -- I kept trying to do a discover and it kept not showing up.  No error, no nothing.  Just simply didn't work.  I'm guessing type "lock" is not allowed.

 

If it's amazon that's the culprit then I can take it to them, but either way, it should be configurable.  Make it opt-in with a big fat warning for those who might not understand the implications.  But it should be up to the end user how and where they use their supported devices.

 

</gripe>

[stusviews]

I have locks that are not named "lock." I can add them to the portal, but Alexa won't discover them.

[blackpr]

I have locks that are not named "lock." I can add them to the portal, but Alexa won't discover them.

 

If they're z-wave they have a device-category of "lock".   Look in your ISY portal under your Echo config and look at the category column.  I'm GUESSING that's how it determines it.

[stusviews]

I just tried using a program that has the word "lock" in its name. (The spoken does no include "lock.") No problem controlling the lock.

[blackpr]

I managed to re-add the program from scratch, went through the entire process again and am able to use a program to control the garage door.   This is fine, but the "ask izzy" part of the skill is annoying.  I'd rather just ask Alexa than ask Alexa to ask her friends daughters sisters cousin to do something for me. 

[stusviews]

You don't need to invoke IZZY if you just want to run THEN or ELSE.

[andyf0]

You can lock a door directly by asking Izzy to "Lock the front door" for example. No program needed. I just added the lock with a spoken work to the portal, no discovery needed either, presumably because I'm using the skill and not Connected Home".

Edited December 5, 2016 by andyf0

[stusviews]

Which lock did you add?

[andyf0]

It was a Schlage BE469, also an FE599. You can also ask Izzy the status of the "front door" and she will answer Locked or Unlocked.

Edited December 6, 2016 by andyf0

[stusviews]

No success. I have both A Schlage BE469 and an FE599. I added both to the portal, gave them each a different spoken. But neither were discovered.

[andyf0]

Alexa only discovers devices she can use in Smarthome. So, no, she doesn't discover the locks. However, if you have the ISY skill enabled in addition to the ISY Optimized for Smart Home V2 (in the Alexa app go into Skills and search for ISY) , you can say "Alexa, ask Izzy to lock the <front door>.

 

The ISY Skill and ISY Optimized for Smart Home V2 are two separate entities. To use the skill you have to say "ask Izzy .................". To use Smarthome you can command Alexa without the "ask Izzy" but Smarthome pretty much only uses ON and OFF and BRIGHTEN and DIM commands, the skill has a much more extensive vocabulary.

Edited December 6, 2016 by andyf0

[stusviews]

I already had the IZZY skill installed. I didn't think about asking IZZY to do something that didn't appear in the list, but it worked. Thanks