How to use Alexa AV to control receiver volume?

[landolfi]

This is a basic question but I can't find anything specific in any of the forums: I don't understand why the Alexa integration supports state variable as well as network resource for volume control, and I'm not clear on how a state variable would work with volume except maybe to set an absolute volume. I already have network resources sending power commands to my Denon receiver, but I'm not clear how the variable setup for the Alexa volume control integration would work, either in the state variable or in a network resource, and I don't want to blow my speakers experimenting. Can anyone provide an implementation example?

[lilyoyo1]

34 minutes ago, landolfi said:

This is a basic question but I can't find anything specific in any of the forums: I don't understand why the Alexa integration supports state variable as well as network resource for volume control, and I'm not clear on how a state variable would work with volume except maybe to set an absolute volume. I already have network resources sending power commands to my Denon receiver, but I'm not clear how the variable setup for the Alexa volume control integration would work, either in the state variable or in a network resource, and I don't want to blow my speakers experimenting. Can anyone provide an implementation example?

I googled your question and came across this post in the results. 

I dont use my system in that manner so I cant help you past that. 

Edited January 13, 2023 by lilyoyo1

[landolfi]

Thanks, I used the forum search and didn't see that one. Based on that discussion, it sounds like the best/easiest way is to just create a network resource that specifies an absolute volume level. I thought maybe the state variable would enable me to store the current volume level and then have a network resource to decrease that by (for example) 5 db. But what is confusing to me is how to use a state variable to change volume up or down and why I would want to.

[david-4]

I have a Marantz receiver. I believe the commands are the same for a Denon. This is how I have my volume control set up.

I have multiple ways to adjust my volume. One way is to just increase the volume with a voice command, or to decrease volume with a voice command. another way I can adjust the volume is to specify a specific value. All of these are done through the I SY portal to send network resource (NR) commands to my Marantz.

to send a specific volume value I have set up a number of variables,

Integer variables:

State variables:

 

If the state variable Vol.Trigger changes, I first test to make sure it is a value within acceptable range (Min and Max fixed variable settings). Then I copy the Trigger value to the Current Vol value Int Variable and reset the Trigger back to zero before proceeding. Finally I send the Current Vol value to the Marantz by inserting it int a NR command.

 

Network Resource command to tell Marantz to set vol to the value in the specified variable {var.1.12}. (1 is the variable type - integer, 12 is the variable number).

 

My Alexa voice command is "Set Marantz Volume to 55" and the volume changes to that or any other number I use.

I wrote this a num,ber of years ago so I hope I haven't missed anything. I hope this helps.

 

 

[landolfi]

Thank very much, exactly what I needed!

[landolfi]

On 1/13/2023 at 1:18 PM, david-4 said:

I have a Marantz receiver. I believe the commands are the same for a Denon. This is how I have my volume control set up.

I have multiple ways to adjust my volume. One way is to just increase the volume with a voice command, or to decrease volume with a voice command. another way I can adjust the volume is to specify a specific value. All of these are done through the I SY portal to send network resource (NR) commands to my Marantz.

to send a specific volume value I have set up a number of variables,

Integer variables:

State variables:

 

If the state variable Vol.Trigger changes, I first test to make sure it is a value within acceptable range (Min and Max fixed variable settings). Then I copy the Trigger value to the Current Vol value Int Variable and reset the Trigger back to zero before proceeding. Finally I send the Current Vol value to the Marantz by inserting it int a NR command.

 

Network Resource command to tell Marantz to set vol to the value in the specified variable {var.1.12}. (1 is the variable type - integer, 12 is the variable number).

 

My Alexa voice command is "Set Marantz Volume to 55" and the volume changes to that or any other number I use.

I wrote this a num,ber of years ago so I hope I haven't missed anything. I hope this helps.

 

 

One question on this: I might be overlooking it, but where is the value of Vol.Adjustment coming from?

Edited January 16, 2023 by landolfi

[david-4]

On 1/14/2023 at 2:25 PM, landolfi said:

One question on this: I might be overlooking it, but where is the value of Vol.Adjustment coming from?

This is the logic:
You speak a requested volume level to your Alexa. For example you say "set Marantz volume to 56" as per the ISP portal. See the first screen shot in my previous post. The ISP portal will set the state variable Vol.TRIGGER to 56 within your ISY.

When a state value changes the ISY program Vol.SetValue will run:
If the state variable Vol.TRIGGER value is greater than zero (indicating it has a newly requested volume setting change) and the new value is between the previously set minimum and maximum acceptable values then copy the new Vol.TRIGGER value to the integer variable Vol.Current and reset the Vol.TRIGGER state variable value to 0 in order to be ready to detect a future change.
lastly, run the network resource Vol.ADJUST which will send the required requested new volume setting to the Marantz receiver. The Vol.Adjust network resource sends the intiger variable Vol.Current value as {var.1.12} embedded in it. The Marantz IP command MV$ is means Main or Zone 1 Volume value.

I have a spreadsheet from Denon/Marantz of every IP control value for many of their receivers it you need any particular command.

 

I hope this helps clarify.

[landolfi]

Thanks again! The difficulty I had was understanding how to link the state change with a program, which you explain well above. What I didn't understand was that the link from variable to program is simply referring to the variable in a program (if state.variable >0), which gets evaluated any time the variable changes. I got it working and your min and max value integer variable constants gave me a way to ensure the speakers don't get overdriven.

I find that because of wide variations in FLACs ripped from CD, I use the absolute volume setting much more than relative volume changes. Now I just need to remember to use Alexa to make all the changes to volume and not the Jriver app.

I also noticed in my case it makes a difference what Alexa spokens are used to call the amp: For instance, for some reason I find Alexa hears "amp volume up" more readily than "Denon volume up". Often she'll take the command as a request to hear the definition of "Denon".

[david-4]

I find Alexa very Quirky. Sometimes she understands and sometimes she just starts talking without being initialized. I also find that my different generations of echo dots aren't always in sync with one another. I'm wondering if google products are more consistent. It might be time to change from Amazon to Google.

[larryllix]

52 minutes ago, david-4 said:

I find Alexa very Quirky. Sometimes she understands and sometimes she just starts talking without being initialized. I also find that my different generations of echo dots aren't always in sync with one another. I'm wondering if google products are more consistent. It might be time to change from Amazon to Google.

I have about four GH units sitting in boxes as google always attempts to use AI (equivalent to guessing) for the HA. When I would say Hey Google. Turn on red lights, she would make an assumption that everything in the list with Red in the name is what I wanted.

Likewise, if I said turn on bedroom lights, she would send out commands to my ISY to turn on Red Bedroom Lights, Blue Bedroom Lights, White Bedroom Lights, Purple Bedroom Lights, Green Bedroom Lights, Orange Bedroom Lights, Yellow Bedroom Lights, Christmas Bedroom Lights, New Years Bedroom Lights, Easter Bedroom Lights, Canada Day Bedroom Lights, and a few more. Poor ISY got flooded with commands and could not cache them all while my bedroom lights flashed different colours. That is just one example of their applied AI attempts at stupidity. All those names contain the word Bedroom.

I don't know if GH is still making their AI assumptions but it doesn't belong in vocal commanded home control. I don't need my coffee pot turned on when I close my blinds or turn on my TV. I don't need to manually check what happened every time I use a vocal command. It is easier to just walk over and turn the knob.

For some time Alexa was starting the same nonsense but it seems to have subsided again.

Positioning of the Alexa devices is very important. I find a wedge under my 8" Show make all the difference in the world for it hearing but Alexa always will ask. "Did you mean....?" GH would just make an assumption and turn on the fire extinguisher to flood the house with foam because it was the closest spelling to something in it's assumption dictionary. It was dangerous.

[david-4]

24 minutes ago, larryllix said:

I have about four GH units sitting in boxes as google always attempts to use AI (equivalent to guessing) for the HA. When I would say Hey Google. Turn on red lights, she would make an assumption that everything in the list with Red in the name is what I wanted.

Likewise, if I said turn on bedroom lights, she would send out commands to my ISY to turn on Red Bedroom Lights, Blue Bedroom Lights, White Bedroom Lights, Purple Bedroom Lights, Green Bedroom Lights, Orange Bedroom Lights, Yellow Bedroom Lights, Christmas Bedroom Lights, New Years Bedroom Lights, Easter Bedroom Lights, Canada Day Bedroom Lights, and a few more. Poor ISY got flooded with commands and could not cache them all while my bedroom lights flashed different colours. That is just one example of their applied AI attempts at stupidity. All those names contain the word Bedroom.

I don't know if GH is still making their AI assumptions but it doesn't belong in vocal commanded home control. I don't need my coffee pot turned on when I close my blinds or turn on my TV. I don't need to manually check what happened every time I use a vocal command. It is easier to just walk over and turn the knob.

For some time Alexa was starting the same nonsense but it seems to have subsided again.

Positioning of the Alexa devices is very important. I find a wedge under my 8" Show make all the difference in the world for it hearing but Alexa always will ask. "Did you mean....?" GH would just make an assumption and turn on the fire extinguisher to flood the house with foam because it was the closest spelling to something in it's assumption dictionary. It was dangerous.

This is why we need a local voice Recognition server. I don't wanna rely on the Internet connection to hold my home. I also don't want to build my system around a third party like Amazon or Google that keep changing things. Once I have it working, I wanted to stay that way Unless I decide for some reason to up grade.

[larryllix]

This is why we need a local voice Recognition server. I don't wanna rely on the Internet connection to hold my home. I also don't want to build my system around a third party like Amazon or Google that keep changing things. Once I have it working, I wanted to stay that way Unless I decide for some reason to up grade.

Totally agreed but until somebody releases a 40 GB cpu that can do it, it isn't likely to happen. Then there is the constant vocabulary adjustments that need to take place and the Engrish language constantly evolves.

Big project. let me know how it goes with your team of readers training the beast.

:)

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[RPerrault]

homeseer

 

[lilyoyo1]

21 minutes ago, RPerrault said:

homeseer

 

Thats a far cry from the cloud based solutions. Very limited, must be specific with your words, and much less capable.

[RPerrault]

my comment was to say this

homeseer has had some form of voice control for a long time 

in response to the comment on local based voice control and what hardware might be necessary to drive it

 

[david-4]

13 minutes ago, RPerrault said:

my comment was to say this

homeseer has had some form of voice control for a long time 

in response to the comment on local based voice control and what hardware might be necessary to drive it

 

I believe Home Assistant has a small team working on it also.

[david-4]

15 hours ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Thats a far cry from the cloud based solutions. Very limited, must be specific with your words, and much less capable.

True, but my vocal home control commands do not need the full capability that an online "Assistant" tries to provide. I'm comfortable continuing to go to Google or Amazon echo devices to make generalize inquiries, but I'd rather not have my home control devices reliant on the Internet.

[MrBill]

48 minutes ago, david-4 said:

I believe Home Assistant has a small team working on it also.

more than a small team... 2023's focus for the entire year is voice control.  https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2022/12/20/year-of-voice/

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/with-voice-assistants-in-trouble-home-assistant-starts-a-local-alternative/

[larryllix]

more than a small team... 2023's focus for the entire year is voice control.  https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2022/12/20/year-of-voice/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/with-voice-assistants-in-trouble-home-assistant-starts-a-local-alternative/

With that many people behind it, one has to wonder that they just manually respond to our questions. The seasoned typists could just enter the memorized macro sequence 'F6' for common answers.



Anybody know when the new comedy TV series 'Best Alexa Questions' starts on Prime TV?



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