Using Mobilinc with ISY to send custom Alexa voice announcements

[leecast]

Hi Folks! I had tried VoiceMonkey for this in the past and had some success, but was not wild about having to connect to yet another Alexa skill and they are now charging for the text-to-speech level of service. 

Today I found that I could get Alexa to speak custom messages based on the basic states of devices in ISY. It is amazingly simple and seems to work pretty well so far. No cryptic stings to send or anything beyond using menus in ISY Admin Console and the Alexa app, which in my case is on iOS.

Here is an example:

1. In ISY admin console, I pick a device. Let's say a TriggerLinc v.43 sensor I have on my mailbox door. I go into the Notes for it, and set the Location and Spoken to be Mailbox Sensor. When I do this, Mobilinc has it immediately discovered as a new Alexa device.

 

2. I next go into the Alexa app for iOS, Routines, add a routine called Mailbox Announcement, set When This Happens > Smart Home > Mailbox Sensor> Open, and Add action > Alexa Says > Customized > Your Mailbox has just opened. > Choose Device > (whatever Echo should voice the announcement) > Save.

 

Thats's it. Really simple. No sending strings, passwords, etc. Just simple, high-level settings letting conditions yield automatically-spoke notifications to Alexa. Unlike the NotifyMe skill, this one just speaks without you having to ask what the notification is. Am I late to the party and everyone else already knew this? Perhaps it works with the ISY Optimized for Smart Home skill as well?

 

Cheers!

Dr. Lee

Edited June 16, 2022 by leecast

[oberkc]

I don’t know whether you are late to the party, but this is how I have done echo voice announcements.

[brians]

You don't require MobiLinc to get Alexa to talk. What it MobiLinc does is auto-creates spokens using the field in ISY AC.

In order for Alexa to use routines, it has to be a Motion or Contact Sensor (not sure if any others work).

You can also add like an ISY state variable from the portal, pick motion or contact sensor, and put in some random spoken (which isn't really used because we want Alexa to talk to us), and then Alexa app will see that new device and then you can place into a routine. Using variables you can then trigger Alexa to talk whenever you want.

However, does MobiLinc X work with UDI Portal or do you have to get rid of that and use MobiLinc exclusively? I have not paid attention to it since they came out with MobiLinc X... I had purchased their regular and HD versions along with plugins in the past, but their high subscription turned me off... I think they have a direct connection version now but still not really interested.