Would you care to share what sort of grammar scheme you use for calling Alexa?  For example:

 

Alexa, turn stairs off

Alexa turn upstairs lights off

Alexa turn on upstairs lights

 

You will notice the verb can come before or after the device/scene/program.  I've noticed certain phrases are often in conflict  with each other.  One thing I have done is to add overlapping phrases, such as "sleepy time" and "sleepy time"  to execute my "pre-bedtime" scene.

 

All in all, I'm very impressed with the portal.  This is what home automation needs.

Alexa, upstairs on

 

I'm Gary Funk and I approved this message.

I always found

• Alexa Turn on upstairs lights.

to be most successful and less asking "what device?" or "I found several devices with that name"

 

 

• Alexa. Turn upstairs lights on.

is harder to parse with a split verb.

I am sure "turn" is a useless word that is just tossed so Gary's method may improve that syntax some too.

We just find it unnatural to use but you can get familiar with anything, after some practice.

Talking to Alexa is not natural.

 

Gary Funk

Merry Christmas

I concur with Larry - I also find that "turn on/off xxx yyy" works better and more consistently than *turn xxx yyy on/off".

 

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