Voice controlled IR Blasters

[andrew77]

Hi guys,

I'm new to Alexa but I've got all my Insteon lighting and scenes etc running great.

My question is if I can control my home theatre stuff with voice commands.

All my A/V gear is in a media closet downstairs. I have two Harmony Remotes (one for upstairs, one for downstairs) that that I point at IR receivers that send the signal to a 

IR connecting block. This in turn is connected to many IR blasters that trigger my apple TVs, blu ray, receivers, etc. and turn on specific activities like Watch Apple TV or Watch Blu ray.

Is there any way with the gear I have to make this voice activated through the Echo Dot?

(Or if I buy a little more gear?)

Drew

[paulbates]

Hey Andrew

If you have harmony you can integrate it directly with Alexa via its skill.  Jimbo also has a v5 harmony node server.

Both of those use network connectivity to the harmony... no ir required. I use both of those... the harmony skill switches things on/off, controls volume and sets things up”Alexa turn on amazon video”. Jimbos harmony nodeserver can do that as well, but it was less work with the Alexa skill as it already has the spokens built in... no need to write ISY programs for that. Jimbos nodeserver informs the ISY what the harmony is doing so lights, blinds etc can be controlled. Also jimbos nodeserver can control anything the remote does: hdmi inputs, etc. ideally that would all be done with harmony app programming, but if you needed to, you could.

Also the portal allows Alexa av control but I’ve not used that, hopefully someone who has can discuss that.

Paul

[andrew77]

Hi Paul,

I just have the Harmony Touch and the Harmony Ultimate One, not the hub.

Don't I need the hub to make this work?

Drew

[markv58]

47 minutes ago, andrew77 said:

Don't I need the hub to make this work?

Yes

 

[andrew77]

I've been reading up on the Hub and it only seems to have two IR inputs in the back.

I have two IR connecting blocks with four or five IR blasters each.

All the gear is in one room except the projector downstairs and the TV upstairs.

How would I hook this all up to the Hub?

(I want to be sure I can do this before I buy more gear. Sometimes these upgrades lead to three or four different purchases before the project works ?)

Drew

[carealtor]

Maybe this helps.

As you noted, there are 2 blaster outputs on the hub.  There is also a blaster in the hub itself, so that is 3 blasters total.  There is also the option to use the IR in the remote itself if you have line of sight, so that's 4 options.  Some devices can be set up to use IP instead, so you don't even need IR.

[andrew77]

This may be a stupid question but could I then just plug each IR connecting block in to the back of the Hub and just leave the hub in the closet as well?

So that when I say "Play Apple TV Downstairs" it would blast IR to the blocks, in turn blasting the IR bugs on the gear?

Drew

[carealtor]

I believe that should work fine, assuming there is good RF connection between the remote and the hub.

[firstone]

You can plug output of hub into input of another IR system. You will need to use 2.5mm connector for the hub side. I've used it in that way but I don't know if it will work with every IR system.

[andrew77]

51 minutes ago, carealtor said:

I believe that should work fine, assuming there is good RF connection between the remote and the hub.

When I get the Hub will I still need the remotes? Won't I just give Alexa voice commands to start up the gear?

 

42 minutes ago, firstone said:

You can plug output of hub into input of another IR system. You will need to use 2.5mm connector for the hub side. I've used it in that way but I don't know if it will work with every IR system.

Are the 2.5 mm plugs stereo looking plugs or mono looking plugs?

(I realize I'm not using them for audio but the IR stuff only has one black band on the plugs)

I imagine I can get some connectors at any electronic supply store.

Drew

[firstone]

5 minutes ago, andrew77 said:

When I get the Hub will I still need the remotes? Won't I just give Alexa voice commands to start up the gear?

 

Are the 2.5 mm plugs stereo looking plugs or mono looking plugs?

(I realize I'm not using them for audio but the IR stuff only has one black band on the plugs)

I imagine I can get some connectors at any electronic supply store.

Drew

I think it's mono but you can probably just take stereo as well and splice it together. 

As far as you needing remote, if you only using hub with Alexa, then technically you don't need a remote. 

With that in mind, I kind of gave up on alexa controlling AV equipment. A lot of the time it doesn't react or reacts incorrectly because of the sound of tv program. So for basic stuff like play/pause/volume it's just a lot easier to press remote button then scream the command at Alexa, sometimes several times.

[carealtor]

2.5 mm mono for sure.

[andrew77]

34 minutes ago, carealtor said:

2.5 mm mono for sure.

Excellent, I'll start to look around

[andrew77]

On 3/5/2019 at 1:00 PM, firstone said:

With that in mind, I kind of gave up on alexa controlling AV equipment. A lot of the time it doesn't react or reacts incorrectly because of the sound of tv program. So for basic stuff like play/pause/volume it's just a lot easier to press remote button then scream the command at Alexa, sometimes several times.

I really like the Apple TV 4 Siri remote for a lot of that stuff. I'm just wanting to voice activate the gear on and off mainly. And to switch between Harmony activities.

Volume etc I'm okay with.

Did it work fine for that stuff?

[firstone]

I didn't have issue with Alexa control. I've had issues with Alexa not being responsive while there's something loud playing. Not really related to ISY, harmony or anything else but Alexa itself. 

[andrew77]

Hi guys,

Just got the Hub set up.

I have it sitting in front of the gear and it triggered everything. But it also triggered the other Apple tv4 and the other receiver even though they weren't in the Harmony Activity.

Thoughts?

Also,

I'm wondering if I have to direct wire it through the 2.5mm mini mono jacks in the back of the hub to the connecting blocks (I have one for upstairs and one for down.

Heres the diagram of the blocks. I assume I'll hook Ground to sleeve and tip to IR IN as I don't think I need to send 12V into the back of the hub.

Again, thoughts before I undertake the wiring?

 

Drew

[andrew77]

My bad. I had the "Control TV and Receivers" selected on one of the APPLE tvs.

Still, any thoughts on if thats the way to wire the hub to the connecting blocks?

Drew

[Javi]

I have sent IR signals to a xantech connecting block (12v) with an iTach (9v) and USB UIRT (5v) the wiring will be the same.  As long as the cable run from the source to the connecting block is not too far (depends on souce, but usually no greater than 50 feet) then only connect IR IN and GND.  If the source is too far or lacks sufficient power for the cable run add a powered xantech CB12 (or other powered connecting block) close to the source, the CB12 can be powered from the cable run between it and a powered connecting block.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Javi

[andrew77]

Hi Javi,

this is good news. Thank you for the post. 

When you say the wiring will be the same you are confirming I hook the ground to ground and the other wire to IR IN? 

As far as length goes the wires from the back of the Hub will be less than three feet easily. 

Drew 

[Javi]

11 minutes ago, andrew77 said:

Hi Javi,

this is good news. Thank you for the post. 

When you say the wiring will be the same you are confirming I hook the ground to ground and the other wire to IR IN? 

Yes

[Javi]

Note that this is not always standard so if it doesn't work reverse ground and ir

[andrew77]

Just a check in. I have pretty much everything running perfectly thanks to everyone that posted here. 

Thank you.

I have found that when I ask Alexa to brighten a scene she says "____ doesn't support that".

Is this because she can't alter a scene made in the ISY?

If so, is there a way around that?

I'd like to be able to activate a scene and then tell her to brighten it or dim it.

 

Drew

[andrew77]

Hi guys,

Just giving a little nudge asking if anyone knows why I can't brighten/dim some scenes and if theres a workaround.

 

Drew

[larryllix]

27 minutes ago, andrew77 said:

Hi guys,

Just giving a little nudge asking if anyone knows why I can't brighten/dim some scenes and if theres a workaround.

 

Drew

Can you press a preset on your car radio and get a station just above the preset? Insteon scenes are presets and almost unlimited. Create a new bunch  that are dimmer or brighter than the one you want to modify.

I use a single state variable with a bank of programs in an obscure folder each with two lines.
If $sVariable is 1
Then Set scene LowLights On

If $sVariable is 2
Then set scene DimLights On

etc..etc..

Never install an else section in any of the programs.

Create on Off level scene also $sVariable = 0
Add one to the variable and the lights go on brighter.
Use Integer variables as constants to remember the names of the levels. Preset and Init  them to any value you like.
If $sVariable is $cLEVEL.DIM
Then set scene DimLights On.

Usage
 set $sVariable = $cLEVEL.DIM
Voila! the lights respond with whatever scene you like. 
Later when you add non_Insteon and non_Zwave lighting the programs can add devices to them with changing your main logic programs.
 

Edited March 19, 2019 by larryllix

[Hurting2Ride]

Very possible I'm being dense.  I like the idea of the "presets" so you can use similar or the same logic for any scene, but what's the full spoken you use to dim/brighten a scene?