Alexa not that simple . . .

[larryllix]

2 hours ago, sanders2222 said:

What about programs? I added a program to the portal that is called by my remote control & it's labeled a scene for Alexa.  The program dims lights to specified levels for movie watching.  However when I use the spoken "watch movie" Alexa responds "I can't find any video skills that supports that."  Can you trigger programs with the Alexa?

I didn't think the ISY Portal or Alexa understands the verb  "Watch".  I just use 'Turn On' and 'Turn off' for everything.

"Turn on louder" works OK but "turn on softer" sounds a little weird.

[nathagt]

I didn't think the ISY Portal or Alexa understands the verb  "Watch".  I just use 'Turn On' and 'Turn off' for everything.
"Turn on louder" works OK but "turn on softer" sounds a little weird.

This is in the context of a routine where you can define any phrase as a trigger.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[sanders2222]

17 hours ago, nathagt said:

The routine can be activated by you saying "Alexa, watch movie" or anything else you want to define as the trigger.

Routines appear to be a powerful tool & I'm just getting started.  "Alexa, Watch Movie" and "Alexa, Arm Away" commands run my programs as you suggested!  Thanks for that tip. Better than saying "Alexa, Arm Away On"  I think.

Now I should be able to create a routine that replaces my Tuesday reminder "Please take storage up driveway" (by my ELK  w/ limited vocabulary) with Alexa stating "Please take the recycle bins up road".  But first I will have to upgrade my ELK for Win10 so I can delete the notification. Not looking much forward to that.

[nathagt]

Routines are definitely one of the best things about Alexa integration. You might also be interested in exposing variables in the portal as motion/contact sensors with Alexa. These "sensors" can also be used to trigger events. Perhaps a welcome home message when a door is opened or a reminder when the garage door has been left open for more than 30 minutes. Possibilities are endless. 

[sanders2222]

10 minutes ago, nathagt said:

Routines are definitely one of the best things about Alexa integration. You might also be interested in exposing variables in the portal as motion/contact sensors with Alexa. These "sensors" can also be used to trigger events. Perhaps a welcome home message when a door is opened or a reminder when the garage door has been left open for more than 30 minutes. Possibilities are endless. 

Good ideas, I forgot my Elk produces the garage door open reminder. I need to to put some thought into how the welcome home could work.  I would need some sort of timer when Elk is disarmed so the announcement doesn't occur every time someone comes through the door. 

I have an older whole home audio system.  So with blue tooth and using routines, I should be able to send the announcements through all our home speakers, not just the the little Elk speaker.

From my limited experience with Google Home, I did not know about "routines". A pretty powerful tool.

[larryllix]

2 hours ago, sanders2222 said:

Good ideas, I forgot my Elk produces the garage door open reminder. I need to to put some thought into how the welcome home could work.  I would need some sort of timer when Elk is disarmed so the announcement doesn't occur every time someone comes through the door. 

I have an older whole home audio system.  So with blue tooth and using routines, I should be able to send the announcements through all our home speakers, not just the the little Elk speaker.

From my limited experience with Google Home, I did not know about "routines". A pretty powerful tool.

"Routines" are an Alexa app item. I am not sure whether GH allows anything like that to connect to their "proprietary" system.

I try to keep all my smarts inside ISY and use ISY Portal to convert variable values to Motion Sensor contacts that Alexa Routines can understand as triggers.
ISY Portal uses a value of a stat variable to become an On and Off in it's conversion table. This could be handy for one variable that has many possible values and therefore many output phrases. The vocal outputs are sent to a user selected units, including the one that heard the vocal trigger (not ISY related)