Alexa Much Slower than Google

[SteveSBE]

Over the past month or two our Alexa devices do not respond to voice commands as quickly as Google Home. I only execute programs using Alexa and Google devices.   Google usually completes a command within 5 seconds. Alexa always takes at least 10 to 20 seconds and often does not complete a command.  They both run on the same wireless Google WiFi network. Why would this be?

 

[asbril]

Not my experience. I have both Alexa and GH. Though I generally prefer GH,  in the case of my curtains, with Alexa they open almost instantaneously.

[SteveSBE]

I just noticed that I have both the Mobilinc skill and the ISY Optimized for Smart Home V3 skill enabled. I recently switched from Mobilinc to the ISY portal.  I just disabled the Mobilinc skill and will see if that helps. 

 

[sjenkins]

I do not use GH, just Alexa & while sometimes the voice recognition can be frustrating, once it understands execution is maximum 5s and usually quicker. I use the portal V3 and have north of 50 commands linked to my isy. 

[larryllix]

I have been finding Alexa very intermittent and sometime failing lately. Then hours later it works quickly and perfectly.

I had a weird one yesterday with my Alexas. Neither of the two in my bedroom would answer but they indicated they heard the wake word each time by circularizing the LED ring.  I figured maybe they just took a firmware upgrade so I waited a few minutes. I tried again and one was fully functional again.

A minute later the other Alexa box answered every question I had asked, along with times... "at 8:12 the temperature was xxx , at 8:13 the temperature was xxx, at 8:15 the temperature was xxx, the weather in XXXXX is xxxxxx,  I don't understand, I cannot perform that", and a few more. The Alexa box had cached the last 8 questions that failed, and then gave them all back to me, back to back, once it recovered!

[SteveSBE]

Although time will tell, Alexa seemed to work better after disabling the Mobilinc skill.  

I subsequently also removed and re-added all of my ISY smarthome scenes (really programs) using the Alexa app. 

sjenkens: I use both but most often Alexa. However I find GH is much more reliable but also more verbose with an annoying response every time I issue a smarthome command. 

larryllix: I also have weird issues similar to those you describe.  I find they come and go...

In any case these issues make me wish that I could purchase an in-house device with which I could trigger my smarthome voice controlled apps that would be easy to set up. +95% of my use of GH and Alexa is for this purpose. Does such a thing exist?  

I'll give another update about my slow Alexa in a week or so.

Steve

[LFMc]

4 hours ago, SteveSBE said:

Although time will tell, Alexa seemed to work better after disabling the Mobilinc skill.  

I subsequently also removed and re-added all of my ISY smarthome scenes (really programs) using the Alexa app. 

sjenkens: I use both but most often Alexa. However I find GH is much more reliable but also more verbose with an annoying response every time I issue a smarthome command. 

larryllix: I also have weird issues similar to those you describe.  I find they come and go...

In any case these issues make me wish that I could purchase an in-house device with which I could trigger my smarthome voice controlled apps that would be easy to set up. +95% of my use of GH and Alexa is for this purpose. Does such a thing exist?  

I'll give another update about my slow Alexa in a week or so.

Steve

I have also noticed for several months that my Echo mini is very, very slow to respond particularly during early evening hours.  I do not have much of anything loaded, including Mobilinc. I have a GH right next to it and it is always several times faster. My wife and I joke that "she" doesn't like being so close to GH. Or she is being moody again, even though I do not like personification of inanimate objects. ?

Then there are all the false triggers on Echo.  Long ago we changed the wake up name from Alexa to Computer because of that, but it didn't help much. The fact that you don't have but 2 or 3 names to choose from is ridiculous. It is constantly babbling in the back ground until we yell "CANCEL". 

[larryllix]

4 hours ago, LFMc said:

I have also noticed for several months that my Echo mini is very, very slow to respond particularly during early evening hours.  I do not have much of anything loaded, including Mobilinc. I have a GH right next to it and it is always several times faster. My wife and I joke that "she" doesn't like being so close to GH. Or she is being moody again, even though I do not like personification of inanimate objects. ?

Then there are all the false triggers on Echo.  Long ago we changed the wake up name from Alexa to Computer because of that, but it didn't help much. The fact that you don't have but 2 or 3 names to choose from is ridiculous. It is constantly babbling in the back ground until we yell "CANCEL". 

Room placement is very important for Alexa to hear properly. Against walls is very bad and corners are even worse. The instructions advise you against these.

I have the Alexa feature disabled in my ecobee4 thermostat. Being against the wall it was mostly useless, however the TV would trigger it with useless things constantly ever night. I have also noticed standing right in front of an amazon speaker doesn't work well and the one at the other end of my house will usually respond instead the one I am standing in front of.