Computer Related > Alexa? What should I go for Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Zero Replies: 46

 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
Thinking about home automation and voice / music

Who has taken the jump, and which should I go for - Amazon Echo or Google Home.?

 Alexa? What should I go for - smokie
I've had Home since last Xmas. I use it mainly to control a few lights and that's about it. I have bought a load pf WiFi switches and plug-through adapters but tbh haven't really bothered to work out yet where to use them. I did pout one on the kettle so it can be started when we are nearly home but I nearly always forget to set it up before we go out, and the small handful of occasions when I've remembered, I then forget to switch it on anyway.

For me it's just a novelty at the moment, but it's when the lights drift offline (which they do from time to time) and you have to actually get up off your seat and switch on a light manually like olden times you realise why you made the huge investment :-)

As far as the technology goes, for me Google seems to do the trick. though each has it's advantages. I do lose connectivity once in a while which is a bit annoying but that is the WiFi around my house rather than the devices attaching to it.

You can also use services over it like Spotify but you need a subscription which I don't want. And eventually I will get to doing some playing around with integration with IFTTT and/or MacDroid.

 Alexa? What should I go for - sherlock47
Not sure the merits of the 'voice input' devices - I have played briefly with Cortana but the interface with other applications was a bit flaky about 12 months ago. It may have improved by now.

For keyboard input/ android App control of devices I have used (and still do ) use Energenie which as a UK business supplies product which is well made and probably merits its CE markings. It also offers a seemingly solid software and control interface. I have used their tech support a couple of times and it is good to talk to intelligent, interested techs. However the products come at a price! The light switches have been rock solid. Possibly a little behind the game with product facility launch buit the support makes up for that.


SONOFF devices which can be sourced UK or China appear better than much Chinese tatt but not sure if the CE marking means a lot? The triple light switches I have , have performed well over a 6 month period but there are 1 or 2 tricks about installing them. Big user base and plenty of net support, but forget manufacturer support. They can also be flashed to support other home control standards.


The best thing with all devices is the use of IFTTT - if you can think of it somebody has already done the hardwork! It also allows you to mix manufacturers kit and provide a common interface.


Will be interested to find what you do choose and how you exploit it
 Alexa? What should I go for - sherlock47
I thought this all seemed too familiar! I just found a previous thread.

At least I seem consistent :)

www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?f=6&t=25826
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
>> I thought this all seemed too familiar! I just found a previous thread.
>>
>> At least I seem consistent :)
>>
>> www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?f=6&t=25826

I am approaching it from a slightly different, wider direction, Home automation is secondary function after music*, communicating with the car, and "whats the weather like tomorrow" type queries.

*Therefore sound quality is a major factor, and I am looking into Sonos type devices.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
I use Alexa mostly for music, weather, shopping lists and some home automation. Within those limits it's quite good. It's enhanced by IFTTT stuff.

The lists are the most useful for me, as I have a very bad memory. Say "add" and the item name as you come across it in the week. When off shopping say "what's on my list" and an IFTTT widget emails it to you. Look at email in shop.

I have it connected to Spotify,but it's not perfect. Sometimes it will just say "resuming Spotify" and play whatever you were last playing, no matter what you say to it.

I have it turning on/off table lights and electric fires with very little investment or hassle. £12 Weconn plugs work for me.

Finally, I improved the sound of the cheapest Dot enormously, as happens to live by my AV amp. Two quid cable and turn on amp if I want music rather than "tell me a joke" type stuff.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
Are her jokes any good?

e.g.?
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
They're brilliant if you are six. Otherwise of the handful of times I've tried it, I remember once thinking it wasn't bad. But I don't remember the actual joke.

She also sings to you if you ask. One of her songs a week or two ago was pretty good.

I just remembered we use it to watch tv. Say "watch (film title) on plex" or Netflix or whatever and it finds it, as it talks to the Amazon Fire stick I have. That's quite funky and saves loads of menus and button pressing.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 10 Oct 18 at 09:21
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero

>> She also sings to you if you ask.


Google home it is then
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase

>>
>> Google home it is then
>>

I'm afraid that also responds to "hey Google, sing a song".

 Alexa? What should I go for - VxFan
>> Are her jokes any good?

3bfy.tw/KHvQ
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
I do wish you wouldn't do that.
 Alexa? What should I go for - sooty123
>> I do wish you wouldn't do that.
>>

Why?
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
I am old enough and brave enough to open a link on my own, unsupervised, without a childish preamble.
 Alexa? What should I go for - sooty123
There's nothing stopping opening that link, unsupervised.
 Alexa? What should I go for - VxFan
>> I do wish you wouldn't do that.

Why not. Would you rather have had me type out a load of jokes, instead of obtaining the thoughts of others who've already asked Alexa?
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
>> >> I do wish you wouldn't do that.
>>
>> Why not. Would you rather have had me type out a load of jokes, instead
>> of obtaining the thoughts of others who've already asked Alexa?
>>

I don't understand why you don't simply post a link to whatever, rather than a link which explains how to put a query into Google search.

Perhaps, like this:-

tinyurl.com/y8uqr2bj
 Alexa? What should I go for - VxFan
Because oh wise one, that is only one link. The one I posted gave you several links. It wasn't primarily to show you how to use Google. It was the simplest way of giving you multiple choices.

No pleasing some people.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 10 Oct 18 at 16:34
 Alexa? What should I go for - devonite
One of our friends got one of these things last week, last night he was showing it to us, now I don't know whether it was im, the Aexa or the signal, but to me, he spent more time trying to re-phrase his requests till it understood him, than it would have done to do it himself! Me i just ask my Alexa to make a cup of tea and she goes to the kitchen and does it! - can your Alexa do that? ;-)
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
Ok, after a blast up the M25/M40 (looking out for caravans). and a return trip to JLP High Wycombe, I now have the latest Amazon Echo Plus 2nd gen.

I have it linked to my BMW and can do all the BMW connected stuff from my armchair, Spotify is linked, will get some smart devices in the home next, starting with a light switch or two

Sound quality is very good (Ok its no Sonos 1), and voice recognition is spookily good from almost any location within earshot. Ok its a bit dumb but I dont need to have a chat about Brexit with it.


All in all, jolly good toy
 Alexa? What should I go for - R.P.
We have an Amazon Echo plus, linked to the Amazon Music Prime. We use it to listen to music (obs) and mainly as a radio receiver mode. The heating is linked to it but it's also linked to our mobiles and it's just as easy to get up and turn the thermostat thing. The app may get more use in the coming winter when we're on the way home from somewhere and want to warm house. The Echo is linked to the Netatmo weather station and we use it for local weather forecasting. I love the feature that allows me to listen to the Archers on demand - ideal when making sandwiches for work in the late evening. Not really used it to turn lights and sockets on and off etc. As Zero, it's linked to the BMW Connected Drive system.

We had our Dutch couple friends, they were mightily impressed by it and bought one locally to take home as the service isn't available in the Netherlands they had to link to Amazon in Germany to get it to work.

Life enhancing ? It may be I suppose - we also have a Brennan linked to built in speakers in the kitchen, no doubt the Echo is more flexible, dunno if we'll expand it much more.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Arctophile
Following a three way coincidence (this thread, a chat with a friend who has an Amazon Echo and some research into Raspberry Pi projects) I decided to see if I could build an Alexa device with my Raspberry Pi.

I followed the tutorial on Amazon’s developer web site and, after a few hiccups I finally got it to work. It answers questions and tells jokes as the genuine article does. She seems to have a sense of humour when responding to some inputs.

She even answered correctly my standard awkward question: “What is the square root of minus one?”.

However, I don’t think it can operate lights etc. without further work plus further hardware in addition to a wifi enabled lamp.

Also Alexa says that “Spotify is not supported on this device”.

I’m still researching what it can do.

Of course the cost of a Raspberry Pi plus ancillaries is more than a basic Amazon Echo but it has exercised my brain for a few hours. :-)
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
Before I bought an Echo Dot I thought I'd try that too. I used a Pi and an old PlayStation Eye as the microphone. Got it working much as you describe before deciding the real thing was worth buying. My own home brew couldn't talk to Spotify or the Nest to control heating, both of which I now use a lot.

The plus side is that now being registered with Amazon as a skills developer, I get constant invites to California for conferences.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
Surprisingly the thing that impresses me the most is the microphones. Their ability to accurately hear the key word, the commands that follow, from almost anywhere in the house is incredible.

Having played with voice recognition for decades, and knowing the AI of the thing (and the service behind it) is zero, I am wowed by the engineering. The sound quality for its size is amazing too. Smart speakers have really galloped on a shed load.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
Me too. Not two minutes ago Mrs C asked Alexa to turn on the electric fire.

"Correct" phrase is

Alexa, turn on the fire.

Mrs C said

Alexa switch on, no I mean turn, please, the fire, um, on, please, sorry. Oh.

It worked it out.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
I have been living under a stone for several years.

Apart from buying the Amazon Echo thingy. What else do I need so that Alexa can turn my fire on? As I haven't got a fire, can I get her to turn the central heating up/down? What do I need to make this work?

Please use short simple words.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
If you want it to turn on the fire you haven't got, buy an electric fire and a wifi plug.

If you want it to control your heating, buy the bits needed to control your heating, like Nest or Hive or similar.
 Alexa? What should I go for - smokie
I've no idea what power a fire would take but do just check the WiFi plug isn't getting too warm. I got a SONOS one which failed pretty quickly (replaced under warranty) but on opening it up the wire to the socket had come away from it's rightful place. None of the joints looked that good and I'd be cautious about pumping too much power through it continuously.

Maybe it was a once off as general their stuff seems OK, at a fraction the cost of similar.
 Alexa? What should I go for - No FM2R
>> Apart from buying the Amazon Echo thingy. What else do I need so that Alexa
>> can turn my fire on? As I haven't got a fire, can I get her
>> to turn the central heating up/down? What do I need to make this work?
>>

Two different levels of complexity;

1) Turn on and off

This is pretty simply. You just need a WiFi enabled power plug and/or socket. There are a million. The following link is for jus one type. Not recommended, just the first one in the list for your information.

www.amazon.co.uk/Compatible-Anywhere-Required-Countdown-Function/dp/B07B7HMKND/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539962384&sr=8-3&keywords=wifi+power+plug

All that happens is the App on your phone (lots of different ones, useful when you're mils from home) or the voice controlled device (e.g. Alexa, useful when in the house) simply issue a command on your WiFi to that device to switch on or off.


2) Actually controlling things like boilers and central heating

Obviously more complicated to both set up and use. Requires a more complex interface which is still WiFi accessed and controlled by an App on your Phone or a device such as Alexa.

For example;

www.amazon.co.uk/Hive-Heating-Thermostat-Professional-Installation/dp/B011B3J6B8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1539962650&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=alexa+room+thermostat&psc=1


>> Please use short simple words.

I did my best.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 5 Sep 19 at 10:14
 Alexa? What should I go for - smokie
If you are looking at home automation it's worth always making sure you have a manual backup for what you are trying to do. E.g. I was going to put WiFi switches up in the ceiling behind the rose of some lights.

Having recently had connectivity problems, I realised that there may well be no manual way of putting the lights on if the WiFi failed. I will be trying it out sometime to see.

(I have LIFX bulbs on 4 lights (2 ceiling and 2 table lamps) but I am thinking of lights with multiple bulbs which would be expensive to deck out with WiFi bulbs at £45 a pop, or whatever they would be)
 Alexa? What should I go for - Duncan
>> Please use short simple words.
>>
>> I did my best.

Thank you.

Yes they were in the main, reasonably short, reasonably simple words.

However, I think that, given the time, trouble, and expense that would be involved in converting to one of the new fangled systems, I will stick to the old-fashioned method of getting up from the sofa when I want to adjust the CH.
 Alexa? What should I go for - R.P.
Two very odd experiences with Alexa. Got up in the early hours of the morning - I could hear Alexa nattering in the kitchen (where she's based)...as I walked in she shut up....couple of days later I was taking my boots off at the back door...happened to glance through the kitchen window and the blue lights were on and both dogs were on their hind legs, front legs on the worktop next to her...weird...
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
I know someone who found their African Grey parrot having a conversation with their Alexa. It hasn't ordered anything yet.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Bobby
I like my gadgets as much as anyone else but gee I can still stand up and flick a light switch on as I walk into a room or flick a kettle switch with water in it!

Have been to a few friends for dinner and drinks who have Alexa and they inevitably end with folk shouting across the room "alexa play this, Alexa play that !

Does my man-breasts in so it does!
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
It's a bit feeble, but mine controls some things that don't have switches. You just turn them on at the mains point. The mains sockets are tucked away behind the tv and there are a gazillion wires. Very hard to get to, so Alexa solves that.

I suppose there might be a similar use case for people who can't physically get down to sockets so easily, or perhaps even walk to the light switch across the room.
 Alexa? What should I go for - smokie
They are hard to justify but that doesn't stop them being handy, or even a bit of fun.

I've got my lounge lights coming on automatically 10 minutes before sunset each day now. And when I anyone wants to use the printer, which is in my upstairs office, from their device elsewhere they can just ask Google to turn it on instead of running upstairs to do it. Of course, it doesn't yet deliver the printed pages to them in their seats. (I am striving to achieve a paperless home but it's hard work, even though my lot aren't as dinosaur-ish as some here!! :-) )

I can't think I have any other useful use for it but that alone has to be worth the few hundred quid in anyone's book doesn't it?
Last edited by: smokie on Sun 21 Oct 18 at 13:21
 Alexa? What should I go for - R.P.
We get a lot of pleasure from it, music wise. Shopping list function is great. Very useful.House is too small to fiddle around with remote powered lights etc. Heating can be controlled by phone, which is arguably more convenient. Went to a show the other night ( Rich Hall) when we got to the car the evening had turned notably colder. Quick flick of the Nest app and by the time we got home an hour or so later house was nice and warm.

Another useful feature of Alexa is its ability to replay radio programmes via the BBC "skill", especially the Archers - beats iplayer as the sound quality is so much better.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
Yes, I do the turn on the heating on the way home thing too, but I use a geofencing app to talk to the Nest.

So it turns the heating off (well, reduces the temperature actually) as we leave the village, and turns it back on at about ten miles away on our return. Thus we never have to remember anything, nor is the heating on full blast when we're not home because I've forgotten.

Which works for us.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Sun 21 Oct 18 at 17:35
 Alexa? What should I go for - No FM2R
>>So it turns the heating off (well, reduces the temperature actually) as we leave the village, and turns it back on at about ten miles away on our return.

That is very cool, I shall think about that.

However, what happens if just one of you leaves the village?
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase

>> However, what happens if just one of you leaves the village?

App is on my phone.

Both go out, works as described.

One stays behind, then it's likely that other person will walk past the Nest. Its "farsight" sensor sees a person and turns back on. I believe it knows the difference between a person and a random shadow or a pet.

Nest is in main room so at worst if other person gets cold they either walk there or just ask Alexa to set the temperature they want. Or possibly I've remembered and disabled the app or set the temperature back whilst out of the house.

Another option is "guest mode" and then the Nest will just stay on as per whatever its schedule is.

Finally, if you have no geofence app, the Nest will "realise" nobody is home and turn off, if you want. But it takes ages to work out you're "away" sometimes (can be an hour or two), so the app just forces the issue really.

If you have a regular routine, as we did when both working, you just have a fixed schedule. Easy. But our pattern is no longer predictable.

I also appreciate the way the Nest learns how long the house takes to warm up. So it can turn on "preheating" at different times on different days according to various things, including weather reports of outside temperature, to be at the tenperature you want at the time you want.
 Alexa? What should I go for - No FM2R
>>but gee I can still stand up and flick a light switch on as I walk into a room

Do you have a remote control for your TV? Why? Surely you can still get up and walk to the television to change channel?

How about remote open/close on your car? Surely you can still turn a key in the lock? And presumably you don't have electric windows because you are still capable of winding up a window?
 Alexa? What should I go for - sooty123
Isn't the light switch a bit different, don't you have to go into that room anyway?

Apologies if I've missed something.
 Alexa? What should I go for - R.P.
It depends on the size of your house I suppose Sooty. No point here. But the previous properties I've lived in would have benefited in more interfaces.
 Alexa? What should I go for - R.P.
Oddly, just used a "Zap" branded remote switch thingy to fire up the two lamps in the living room. They pre-date Alexa moving in, to power these by Alexa we'd have to have another in here - that would be going too far. Considered getting one for the bedroom. but neither of us needs alarms any more !
 Alexa? What should I go for - No FM2R
>>neither of us needs alarms any more !

Ultimate luxury achieved.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Crankcase
>> Isn't the light switch a bit different, don't you have to go into that room
>> anyway?

Not if you're away and want to flick various lights on to simulate someone being at home. Ditto tv, radio,whatever.
 Alexa? What should I go for - Zero
So, living with Alexa for a while, and Aviva having sent me a £10 Amazon voucher for cancelling my house insurance with them, I thought it was time to extend her capabilities. To that end we introduced a Fire 4k TV stick.

Alexa said "I see a fire TV stick", and then sulked. Denied she had ever had any skills, claimed she had never been introduced to TV stick, and refused to talk to it. Worse she dropped Spotify, and refused to believe there was a premium account, and refused to accept there was an amazon prime account.

The instructions said it should all be handled with a few verbal commands. There were verbals ok, I shouted, raged and abused Alexa roundly at the end.


It was all resolved by multiple resets of fire TV and echo back to factory defaults, and putting stuff back into both and reintroducing them in a certain order I can now no longer remember.
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