Why sub accounts for multiple echos?

[intellihome]

Just wondering why the procedure in the Wiki says we need to setup a second Amazon account and then add a sub account to ISY portal when adding additional Echos. I added a second echo dot and inadvertently activated it on my primary amazon account. I just gave it a different wake up name. Now either dot works my isy/insteon automation perfectly. No sub account in the portal, no new list of spoken commands. Am I missing something?

[G W]

Just wondering why the procedure in the Wiki says we need to setup a second Amazon account and then add a sub account to ISY portal when adding additional Echos. I added a second echo dot and inadvertently activated it on my primary amazon account. I just gave it a different wake up name. Now either dot works my isy/insteon automation perfectly. No sub account in the portal, no new list of spoken commands. Am I missing something?

Because you can't tell Alexa, "lights on" and the lights come on in the room you are currently in.

 

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

[stusviews]

Although you can give the Echos different names, without multiple account they all control the same devices. Multiple accounts allows you to have different devices in each account which, as Gary indicated, permits you to say, Alexa, turn on the light," and have it turn on the light in only the room you're in.

[G W]

Otherwise Alexa would drive Captain Picard crazy.

 

I'm Gary Funk and I approved this message.

[stusviews]

Otherwise Alexa would drive Captain Picard crazy.

 

Light me up, Scotty

[intellihome]

Thanks for the responses. If there are no other reasons then I find it much simpler to just leave the one account and the one set of spokens for every device. I have 45 devices linked. All the devices have simple names, ie. greatroom main, greatroom recessed, greatroom doormer, kitchen main, kitchen recessed, garage door a, garage door b, etc

 

Even though an echo dot in the garage will never be used to command a bedroom light off, it doesn't hurt to have the ability? If you never issue the command no harm no foul.

My plan is to have four echo's total. One each in the garage, kitchen, greatroom and master bedroom. The one in the garage will never interfere with a house echos. The three in the house, I'll use the three wake commands to separate them.

 

So in the end all four echos will maintain the ability to control all 45 devices yet I only have to maintain one set of spokens in the portal.

 

Can you think of any other scenario where there could be a negative benefit to running this way?

Edited December 9, 2016 by intellihome

[Sachelis]

Just wondering why the procedure in the Wiki says we need to setup a second Amazon account and then add a sub account to ISY portal when adding additional Echos. I added a second echo dot and inadvertently activated it on my primary amazon account. I just gave it a different wake up name. Now either dot works my isy/insteon automation perfectly. No sub account in the portal, no new list of spoken commands. Am I missing something?

 

So do you wake up Alexa using different names with different Echos? Or can you say, "Alexa, turn on the kitchen light" to any Echo?

 

I'm in a similar situation. I want to have three Dots and maintain a one set of spoken commands (i.e., I would rather say, "turn on the living room light" or "turn on the bedroom light" than maintain three lists of spoken commands).

[intellihome]

Although you can give the Echos different names, without multiple account they all control the same devices. Multiple accounts allows you to have different devices in each account which, as Gary indicated, permits you to say, Alexa, turn on the light," and have it turn on the light in only the room you're in.

 

Of course even with multiple accounts if two echos heard your command  "Alexa, turn on the light" , then a light would come on in each room (if you in fact had common commands like turn on the light). 

 

I do see how you could dedicate a specific echo to only one room's devices but i still don't see the real advantage to it. In most cases, you have more then one light in a room anyway so regardless if you have dedicated echo you would need to use a prefix. ie Alexa;  "turn on bedroom main" or "turn on bedroom closet". 

 

Thanks for any insight, I'm definitely not arguing the point, I just feel there may be something more I'm missing. I've had my ISY and insteon setup for a very long time and the Amazon echo tied in is amazing. I just set it up and I'm trying to learn to use it as efficiently as possible.

[G W]

Because guests, children, friends don't know what you named each device.

 

And it's just not natural to name things.

 

When your in your bedroom, do you ask one to "turn on the light" or to "turn on the bedroom light?"

 

I'm Gary Funk and I approved this message.

[intellihome]

So do you wake up Alexa using different names with different Echos? Or can you say, "Alexa, turn on the kitchen light" to any Echo?

 

I'm in a similar situation. I want to have three Dots and maintain a one set of spoken commands (i.e., I would rather say, "turn on the living room light" or "turn on the bedroom light" than maintain three lists of spoken commands).

 

Yes, currently I have two echos setup. One in the Greatroom (Alexa) and one in the master bedroom (Echo). I'll get my other echos today, I'll set the third up in the kitchen (Amazon) and the forth in the garage (Alexa). The one in the garage is too far away and isolated from the other "Alexa" in the Greatroom so I don't have to worry about that wake command being the same.

 

I call my lights and appliances out like you mentioned ""turn on the living room light" or "turn on the bedroom light".

I'd rather add a simple prefix to my spokens and have all of my echos have a full inventory of devices.

An example might be if I were in Bed and realized I left a garage door open or the basement light on I could close the door or turn out the light from the bedroom.

I would not want to realize..."oh, I can't control that device from this echo, I'll have to add it". Why not just have them all capable of every device.

 

The other concern I have with multiple amazon accounts is I only have one Prime account. At some point will my other accounts have less capability? Will you have to pay for an Amazon Alexa account if you're not prime? Will you get slower bandwidth? What if you order something from Amazon via a non Prime account echo, now you pay shipping? You need bogus email addresses for additional Amazon accounts ? I have Amazon music unlimited (trial). Will that work on all the echos?...probably not, it's a paid service tied to a specific account. Who knows what else...

 

As it is, I have one Prime Amazon account, one ISY Portal account and 4 echos that can control any device and I only maintain one Amazon account, one ISY portal and one set of spokens.

 

The Amazon is brand new to me (going on my third day). Good luck with your system. 

[intellihome]

Because guests, children, friends don't know what you named each device.

 

And it's just not natural to name things.

 

When your in your bedroom, do you ask one to "turn on the light" or to "turn on the bedroom light?"

 

I'm Gary Funk and I approved this message.

 

Actually...if I'm talking to my wife...Turn on the light, If talking to Alexa...Turn on the Bedroom main light.

 I get your point but still can't justify it (my personal preference).  All my switches still work by pressing a switch on the wall. That takes care of guests, children and friends. Flipping a switch on the wall is way more natural for someone unfamiliar with my home. In your scenario, they would still need to know you need to say "Alexa" to turn on the light. I suppose if most of your rooms only have one light source, I could understand.

 

Up until I tried it the way I have it setup, I did not know there was an option. I was going to follow the instructions on the wiki, I opened another account on amazon with my wife's email but when I went to setup the 2nd echo I used my phone app which inadvertently auto logged into my original amazon account. Then I realized the 2nd echo was working perfectly But how could this be.. I had not even setup a ISY portal sub account or linked my ISY, and approved in admin console or typed in new set of spokens etc etc.

[G W]

I'm don't want to change your mind. I'm just answering your question.

 

The reason it works is because Amazon didn't plan on anyone using multiple devices for home countrol.

 

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

Edited December 9, 2016 by GaryFunk

[intellihome]

I'm don't want to change your mind. I'm just answering your question.

 

The reason it works is because Amazon didn't plan on anyone using multiple devices for home countrol.

 

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

Thanks Gary, I appreciate your replies. 

I'm just making sure I learn the advantages and disadvantages of setting them up.

Something tells me we're in for a ride with the way it works today and the way it's going to work tomorrow and the next day. Being cloud based, changes and upgrades can happen overnight. Hopefully they're always in our favor. 

[Sachelis]

I put one Dot upstairs and one on the main floor. Both use the same Amazon account and the same spoken names. The Dots are far enough apart that the two Dots can't hear the same command at the same time, so I didn't need to use different wakeup names. I only setup Alexa today so I may change my mind, but this strategy works well for me.

[G W]

I have several installed and I don't have a problem with more than one listening to me. I also don't live in a cave-like house where sound carries house wide.

 

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

[stusviews]

All Echos can have the same wake word. Only one will respond. But, I prefer multiple accounts. I like telling the Echo to turn on the light or fan in the room I'm in without having to specify the room name. Spouse likes it too, that matters

[larryllix]

I put one Dot upstairs and one on the main floor. Both use the same Amazon account and the same spoken names. The Dots are far enough apart that the two Dots can't hear the same command at the same time, so I didn't need to use different wakeup names. I only setup Alexa today so I may change my mind, but this strategy works well for me.

Like Stu said above,

 

You call Alexa....and all that hear you, wake up and light up.

 

Then all but one goes dark again, when they decide between themselves who hears you the best.

 

You can set some individual personality for each also, as I found out this morning. Whe asked the time it told me the time for PDT, not EDT. On inspection, turns out the default address in Cali. was still installed.

 

All on the same account.

Edited December 9, 2016 by larryllix

[stusviews]

Another reason for multiple accounts (see post #5): http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/20554-alexa-302-device-limit/

[intellihome]

I have several installed and I don't have a problem with more than one listening to me. I also don't live in a cave-like house where sound carries house wide.

 

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

 

Interesting, I did not know the echos can differentiate which one is closer. I do recall now, I read something about that on the forum. I wonder if that only works with separate accounts or if it would work with multiple echos on the same account like I have it setup?

 

Unfortunately my house is a little "cave like". Cathedral ceilings and a very open floor plan. At first I found it impressive that I could speak loudly in the bedroom and the echo in the greatroom could hear me. Then I realized I don't want to shout so that's when I went with multiple.   

 

I do like asking the echo to play music via Amazon's unlimited music subscription. Have you guys gave any thought to that? I wonder if you can share the subscription across the other echo accounts? Being their all on the same LAN and Wi-Fi. 

[larryllix]

Interesting, I did not know the echos can differentiate which one is closer. I do recall now, I read something about that on the forum. I wonder if that only works with separate accounts or if it would work with multiple echos on the same account like I have it setup?

 

Unfortunately my house is a little "cave like". Cathedral ceilings and a very open floor plan. At first I found it impressive that I could speak loudly in the bedroom and the echo in the greatroom could hear me. Then I realized I don't want to shout so that's when I went with multiple.   

 

I do like asking the echo to play music via Amazon's unlimited music subscription. Have you guys gave any thought to that? I wonder if you can share the subscription across the other echo accounts? Being their all on the same LAN and Wi-Fi.

 

See post #17

[intellihome]

All Echos can have the same wake word. Only one will respond. But, I prefer multiple accounts. I like telling the Echo to turn on the light or fan in the room I'm in without having to specify the room name. Spouse likes it too, that matters

 

Agreed in regards to the spouse. I've had automation for about 20 years. Started with X10 then over to Insteon. The wife never really liked it even though I had it running "almost" perfect. Then comes a device fail ($40 to $80 bucks each), then a PLM etc. The house sleep button can work 99 times but the one out of a hundred it doesn't execute I hear the sigh.

However since I added the echo's she's really liking it. Gotta have the spouse approval to be truly happy.

[larryllix]

Agreed in regards to the spouse. I've had automation for about 20 years. Started with X10 then over to Insteon. The wife never really liked it even though I had it running "almost" perfect. Then comes a device fail ($40 to $80 bucks each), then a PLM etc. The house sleep button can work 99 times but the one out of a hundred it doesn't execute I hear the sigh.

However since I added the echo's she's really liking it. Gotta have the spouse approval to be truly happy.

You're so getting lucky.

[intellihome]

See post #17

?? yep -  read it earlier -

See Post #19

[stusviews]

Interesting, I did not know the echos can differentiate which one is closer. I do recall now, I read something about that on the forum. I wonder if that only works with separate accounts or if it would work with multiple echos on the same account like I have it setup?

 

The purpose of only one responding is for when they're all on the same account. If you have more than one account and the Echos are within earshot, both will respond separately--unless they have different wake words.

[larryllix]

?? yep -  read it earlier -

See Post #19

I did, and you still asked this, so I assumed you missed my post.

 

"I wonder if that only works with separate accounts or if it would work with multiple echos on the same account like I have it setup?"

 

Crosstalk!

Edited December 9, 2016 by larryllix