fasttimes Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 Are there plans on adding Google Home to the portal? If so, I'd love to be a beta tester I'm not too enamored with Alexa. Speech recognition is poor compared to Google and she's too damned chatty when there's an error. I searched, but the forum's search feature isn't returning anything relevant because of so many "Google" hits. Quote
Michel Kohanim Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 Hi fasttimes, Yes. Google's current APIs (Actions) are very much like Alexa without the Smart Home Skill. So, you would have to say something like "ok google, tell izzy to xxx". The Direct Actions is not available to everyone so we had to request for it and have not heard back. With kind regards, Michel Quote
rccoleman Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 (edited) For now, you can make an IFTTT recipe that uses Google Assistant to listen for a phrase and the Maker channel to issue a web request using the IFTTT action in the ISY portal. It's more complicated than setting up Alexa, but also seems to allow more freedom in what you can say. This method also doesn't require 'tell izzy'. Edited February 6, 2017 by rccoleman Quote
fasttimes Posted February 6, 2017 Author Posted February 6, 2017 Hi fasttimes,Yes. Google's current APIs (Actions) are very much like Alexa without the Smart Home Skill. So, you would have to say something like "ok google, tell izzy to xxx". The Direct Actions is not available to everyone so we had to request for it and have not heard back.With kind regards,Michel Where did you ask? I've had experience with requesting stuff from Google before and I'd be happy to see if I could help facilitate you getting access sooner. If they haven't responded in over a week, they won't. Quote
Michel Kohanim Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 Here you go: https://assistant.google.com/developer/eap/ With kind regards, Michel Quote
jtara92101 Posted February 9, 2017 Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) So, my neighbor gave me a Google Home device. His dad gave it to him for Christmas, but he's too paranoid to hook it up. Just unboxed and set-up, so no real experience yet. I have to say, am impressed with a few things: 1. It's actually un-tacky and even attractive, and fairly unobtrusive. 2. Amazing sound quality for a little box. Impressive bass and impressive stereo separation. 3. The voice mic is plenty sensitive and voice recognition seems very accurate. (Better than Siri on iOS, which drives me batty!) I have the device in my living room, and it can "hear" me "loud and clear" from my adjoining office. One thing that is immediately obvious, though - and this goes for all such devices - I would like to have the sound be routed to my home AV receiver. Only problem is, home AV receivers are going to have to catch-up now, though. While I could use a ChromeCast Audio device to connect, there is a feature lacking (I think - have to dig through my thick Denon manual...). They need to start adding a "cut-through" input that will override regardless of current source. Sure, I could perhaps set something up to switch sources back and forth, but that's just too clunky and not fast enough. (Maybe newer receivers have this? I have a several-years-old AVR3311). Of course, anything (in the future, I suppose) that will have ChromeCast Audio built-in would I presume have a cut-through feature. This is going to be "interesting", as I am an iOS/macOS household otherwise. There are some deficiencies. It doesn't know how to make an Old Fashioned. Fortunately, I have that committed to memory. It sure as heck isn't going to know how to make an Aviation. (It doesn't.) It does, however know how to make Osso Buco, and helpfully drops the written recipe in the Google Home app. It seems to have an anti-alcohol bias, which is something I would more expect of iOS. Edited February 9, 2017 by jtara92101 Quote
stusviews Posted February 9, 2017 Posted February 9, 2017 Only problem is, home AV receivers are going to have to catch-up now, though. I can route sound from my iOS, Android and Ech devices to my vintage McIntosh C28 preamp from the 70's. They need to start adding a "cut-through" input that will override regardless of current source. Who needs to do that? What's a "cut-through?" Quote
jtara92101 Posted February 9, 2017 Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) I can route sound from my iOS, Android and Ech devices to my vintage McIntosh C28 preamp from the 70's. Who needs to do that? What's a "cut-through?" What if you are playing a record on your quad system at the time? And now you want to turn on the lights in the kitchen, because you want to make Jiffy Pop? So, you say "OK, Google! Turn on the kitchen lights! And, oh, what is the weather going to be like tomorrow?" Google answers, through your preamp (or some thingie in front of it) and you hear the weather recited on you quad system, and your Steely Dan record is automatically muted or attenuated for the duration of the answer. Once you hear the weather, the record is un-muted, and you return to your Big Black Cow. That - or the functional equivalent - is what i mean by "cut-through". A specific source (a home assistant appliance, in this case) can "cut through" whatever is now playing, without having to actually switch sources. Like an integrated navigation system in a car would override any other audio source for the duration of an announcement. So... it would be handy if home AV receivers would have an audio input (or inputs) that can "cut through" in the manner described above, as it would be very handy for "home assistant" type devices. Edited February 9, 2017 by jtara92101 Quote
Javi Posted February 9, 2017 Posted February 9, 2017 So... it would be handy if home AV receivers would have an audio input (or inputs) that can "cut through" in the manner described above, as it would be very handy for "home assistant" type devices. I have noticed that my receivers do this if the front aux input is connected, then return to the previous source when disconnected, but I'm not sure how we would do this automatically. Quote
jtara92101 Posted February 9, 2017 Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) Thanks, Javi, I will explore the front aux connector. But I'd imagine it just has a mechanical switch that is activated when the plug is pressed in. I found out how to make a drink. You have to ask Tender. Still getting used to the idea of asking different services. For food recipes, though you don't ask through a service. I actually like that each service has a different voice, unlike Alexa. I don't like that they (at least Tender) will bug you until you dismiss them. Tender wanted to offer more cocktail recipes. (I used "thank you, Tender, goodbye!" There is a history list of all interactions and you can play back your voice. I guess this is in the interest of full transparency so that you know just what the device has recorded. I'd like to think that once you erase the list, it is truly erased. OMG I asked "Hey, Google, can I change your trigger word?" It gave me instructions for changing ALEXAs trigger word on Echo! Google needs to get themselves moved higher in the search results! Edited February 9, 2017 by jtara92101 Quote
stusviews Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 I'd never interrupt Steely Dan to make popcorn. Not even Boz Skaggs or Fleetwood Mac and especially not the Doobie Brothers Quote
Scottmichaelj Posted February 10, 2017 Posted February 10, 2017 I'd never interrupt Steely Dan to make popcorn. Not even Boz Skaggs or Fleetwood Mac and especially not the Doobie Brothers Its time for "Stu'wies Sexy Party"! https://youtu.be/dCUXjdlaJII Quote
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