Voice controlled IR Blasters

[larryllix]

6 hours ago, Hurting2Ride said:

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?

I don't dim or brighten a scene. If I did modify the scene, and then turn it on, it would take many seconds to get a lighting response and I would reprogrmming the eproms in the switchLinc dimmers every time.. In my Gathering Room I use individual commands like...
Alexa Turn On TV lights
Alexa. Turn On Reading lights
OK Google. Turn on movie lights
OK Google. Turn on Easter lights
Alexa. Turn on bright lights
Alexa. Turn on dim lights
OK google. Turn off gathering room lights

These are all programs that operate banks of lights. The Insteon lights are in scenes and the non-Insteon are NRs. Some were Hues (just removed them) and others to a RPi that can operate them (RGBWW) almost simultaneously

However, I do use relative commands for A/V volume as the receiver supports it.
Alexa. Turn On louder
Alexa. Turn on softer
 

[Javi]

On 3/15/2019 at 9:15 AM, andrew77 said:

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

I don't use an Echo anymore and rolled my own voice commands for the Google Home so the following is just from memories a few years old.

I think you need Groups and not Scenes. If I remember correctly you can set up groups of devices in the Alexa app.

[andrew77]

Hi Javi 

thats exactly what I was thinking earlier this week. 

I haven’t used Groups yet but I will pick away at it this weekend. 

Drew

EDIT:

while drinking coffee and screwing around in the Alexa app... mission accomplished. 

Open Alexa app on iphone

Add Group

select all lights you want in aforementioned Group

Done

 

[andrew77]

I have Harmony Hub activity (Turn on Apple TV Downstairs, Turn on Blu ray Downstairs, etc.)

And I have corresponding ISY scenes that I trigger with a remote or voice command.

Can I 'link' the two to be able to say,

"Alexa, let's watch a movie" and have it trigger the appropriate harmony hub activity and the matching ISY scene?

 

Drew

[Hurting2Ride]

9 hours ago, andrew77 said:

while drinking coffee and screwing around in the Alexa app... mission accomplished. 

That's great!  I have a feeling Javi was referring to Insteon groups but either way glad he brought them up.  I hadn't considered them in this case but now it's bouncing around in my brain different ways both Alexa & Insteon groups could be used for this.  

It sounds like Alexa is issuing the individual commands to each device.  Do they appear to turn on or off in sequence rather than simultaneously? or can you see individual commands in the event log?

[andrew77]

Hi Hurting2Ride

The three kitchen lights (I've grouped them in Alexa iPhone app as Kitchen) turn on and off at the same time.

The ramp rates are a little different for each of the lights but I assume that's due to my settings for each and the fact that some are LED and others are still tungsten.

 

If anyone thinks of a way to link the two scenes (Alexa and Insteon) that would make this even better. I don't even know where to start.

I would love to sit down and say, Alexa Play a Movie and have the lights go to the 'watch movie' setting as well as have the theatre equipment turn on at the same time.

Drew

[larryllix]

I let ISY control everything and use no other skill inside Alexa or Google Home apps. That way I can order things to look the best. Longer ramping for the first devices and turning on the ones most prevalent to your eye all helps. I find the Insteon controls overhead pot lights are best coming on first. Then the cabinet lights and other fluff can come on later once I can see. They don't get noticed because most of them are behind your back as you enter the room.

Turning things off is usually done the opposite sequence for best effect. For off sequences I usually install a Repeat 2 times loop in the program. I have  few stubborn WiFi bulbs that miss every so often.

[Javi]

There are currently many limitations with regards to trigger words, device names, action words and chaining for both the Echo and Google Home.  I developed and use an Android app which intercepts voice commands to correct some of these limitations.  So I have very little recent experience with the Echo.  Also the Harmony has limitations for direct ISY integration.

Anyway,

Have you tried making a program in the ISY which triggers the desired Scene then assigning the program in the portal as A/V and grouping them with the Harmony Actions (or whatever they call them) in the Alexa App? Although this may not support your action word "watch".

Look  back to paulbates comment for direct Harmony ISY integration.

If direct a node server is not for you try IFTTT.  IFTTT has Harmony integration and can trigger your ISY via the Portal from Web Hooks.  Also I think an ISY network resource may be able to trigger and IFTTT recipe.  This may preserve your desired phrase with the action word "watch".

 

There are many other options....which most likely outnumber minutes in a day ?

[andrew77]

On 3/5/2019 at 6:16 AM, paulbates said:

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

Hi Paul,

Javi pointed me back to your post here. I have everything running fine but I mentioned I'd like to be able to walk into the theatre room and say "Alexa, let's watch a movie" and have the appropriate theatre A/V gear turn on to the right settings and have the lights set to the right scene for watching or pausing a movie (Movie Pause would have the same scene just brighten a bit)

Although I've learned quite a bit since getting the Echo Dot I'm not sure what you mean by Jimbos Nodeserver although I think what you are able to do is exactly what I'd like to accomplish.

Hi Javi,

Quote

Have you tried making a program in the ISY which triggers the desired Scene then assigning the program in the portal as A/V and grouping them with the Harmony Actions (or whatever they call them) in the Alexa App? Although this may not support your action word "watch".

I'm not sure what you mean by 'assigning the program in the portal as A/V? I looked around the ISY Portal and I don't see anything like that. Am I looking in the wrong spot?

Drew

[paulbates]

1 hour ago, andrew77 said:

Hi Paul,

Javi pointed me back to your post here. I have everything running fine but I mentioned I'd like to be able to walk into the theatre room and say "Alexa, let's watch a movie" and have the appropriate theatre A/V gear turn on to the right settings and have the lights set to the right scene for watching or pausing a movie (Movie Pause would have the same scene just brighten a bit)

Although I've learned quite a bit since getting the Echo Dot I'm not sure what you mean by Jimbos Nodeserver although I think what you are able to do is exactly what I'd like to accomplish.

Hi Javi,

I'm not sure what you mean by 'assigning the program in the portal as A/V? I looked around the ISY Portal and I don't see anything like that. Am I looking in the wrong spot?

Drew

If you have ISY v5 firmware, you can use the Polyglot harmony v5 nodeserver. Look under the polyglot section of the forum. While you can control the harmony with the nodeserver, that’s typically easier with Alexa.

The reason to use both is that Alexa can easily control the harmony to get equipment in the right state easily with voice commands: "Alexa watch tv".. The ISY can then see that things changed via the harmony polyglot nodeserver, and with ISY programs you can control lights etc in response to the harmony states changing

Edit: For the portal- I haven't used this though

 

Paul

[andrew77]

I have version 4.7.3 but its not telling me there's an upgrade.

(I don't think I'm qualified for that haha)

I read the updates to 5.0.13D and 5.0.14 Would you suggest upgrading to 5.0.13D and then upgrading to 5.0.14?

I just don't want to screw up my set up and be worse off.

Drew

 

[paulbates]

I've been on 5 for a few years on my main/only ISY. You can upgrade directly to 5.0.14 I think. I'm on 5.013, in that I don't necessarily upgrade every time if there's nothing in it for me. If I was going from 4.x, I would say go direct to 5.0.14

The V5 releases are stable, but there is a bit of a learning curve to get the first nodeserver running. You have to set up a nodeserver host as well to run nodeservers like polyglot on. For most people, this is buying and installing a raspberry pi computer.  

 

V5 is the way ISY is moving, so this would be a good time to change. Since you want something that's a function of V5, harmony,  this is a valid reason. 

1. Upgrade to 5.0.14 - make sure what you have already is working the same (make a backup of your current setup before upgrading)
2. Give it some time to get comfortable
3. Get a pi and get it setup and running
4. Give it some time to get used to the pi
5. Install polyglot (from here on, you're ready to install multiple nodeservers, the first 4 steps were 1 time)
6. Install the harmony server 

Paul

[Javi]

7 hours ago, andrew77 said:

 Hi Javi,

I'm not sure what you mean by 'assigning the program in the portal as A/V? I looked around the ISY Portal and I don't see anything like that. Am I looking in the wrong spot?

Drew

Portal>Select Tool>Connectivity>
Amazon Echo>Add>A/V (in the list next to "Add")

I am assuming the Alexa app lets you group similar types and assume Harmony is also of type A/V. Although it looks like "watch" is not a supported action, so "turn on" would have to be used.

If my assumptions about Alexa groups are not correct IFTTT or Stringify would be the an option which will not require additional hardware or software upgrades. Although your phrase may have to change to "Alexa trigger"... "movie time".

[andrew77]

Hi Javi

This idea sounds great 

but when I go to A/V the portal tells me Network resources are not available and State variables are not available. 

I’m assuming I’ll need to upgrade to 5.xx?

Drew

[Javi]

I have not updated to 5.xx, and they are available.  Are programs available?   Also I purchased the Network Module many years ago this may be a requirement for the Portal. Maybe ask about A/V availability in the part of the forum dedicated to the portal as my experience is limited.

[andrew77]

34 minutes ago, Javi said:

I have not updated to 5.xx, and they are available.  Are programs available?   Also I purchased the Network Module many years ago this may be a requirement for the Portal. Maybe ask about A/V availability in the part of the forum dedicated to the portal as my experience is limited.

Programs are available. 

I’ll go to the other part of the forum and ask. 

Thanks. 

Drew

EDIT: SUCCESS! I went to the Alexa app and made a Routine combining the instead movie scene and the Tuern On Apple TV Downstairs scene, picked the phrase "Movie Time' and voila. 

One step closer. Now I have to get it to be able to say "Turn on netflix downstairs" and have it select and open the netflix app in Apple TV.

Drew 

[andrew77]

So...

Controlling Apple TV once its on seems to be easily handled by the harmony app. 

Except for an issue where the Harmony clicks two directions to the right when I select one direction right I think I've pretty much got it.

I hope my muddled posts help someone else if their trying to do the same thing.

Drew