Amazon Echo - anyone have one?

steve45 · 10 Nov 2017 at 19:53

Anyone else having issues with command inaccuracy?
only been happening in the last couple of weeks, but it seems to be getting the command snooze and news confused, highly irritating when you want 9 more minutes... its defence understanding my jockenese when i've just been rudely awakened cant be easy but it has been fine for months only last couple of weeks this has been an issue.

chris020 · 12 Nov 2017 at 10:38

FL630 said:
Anyone here gone from the Echo Dot to Google Home Mini? I'm considering a switch, just seeing if others have.

I've posted similar in the Google Home thread, but this is a bit more active.

You can load Google onto the echo, instructions on youtube

Street · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:09

I've just found out that there is finally proper Plex support to play locally stored music through the device instead of just controlling another Plex device. Bit of a game changer for me as some of my Joggler units are failing and it means I can replace them and still listen to my own music.

pepp77 · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:31

Street said:
I've just found out that there is finally proper Plex support to play locally stored music through the device instead of just controlling another Plex device. Bit of a game changer for me as some of my Joggler units are failing and it means I can replace them and still listen to my own music.

I would be interested to know more on this, as I have my music linked to plex.

robj20 · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:39

Just got an echo, "Alexa set the Livingroom to 20" and up goes the heating. Just works, brilliant. Get some hue bulbs soon.

Street · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:42

pepp77 said:
I would be interested to know more on this, as I have my music linked to plex.

Update from November 14th..
https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/1557363/#Comment_1557363

https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/2...rver-be-played-through-the-alexa-echo-speaker

It was the one thing putting me off from replacing a couple of my old devices as although they are becoming temperamental, I could play my own library through them.

Street · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:46

robj20 said:
Just got an echo, "Alexa set the Livingroom to 20" and up goes the heating. Just works, brilliant. Get some hue bulbs soon.

Is that with a Nest? I really want to get one of those to pair with it, especially as the stat in my living room is rubbish!

robj20 · 17 Nov 2017 at 15:49

Street said:
Is that with a Nest? I really want to get one of those to pair with it, especially as the stat in my living room is rubbish!

No evohome, can ask Alexa to set the temperature in each room, or run quick actions such as set a day off, so it uses Saturdays schedule sorting the week. Can say good night alexa and if turns the down stairs radiators off and turns the bedroom ones on ahead of the schedule. I'm very impressed.

pepp77 · 17 Nov 2017 at 16:41

Street said:
Update from November 14th..
https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/1557363/#Comment_1557363

https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/2...rver-be-played-through-the-alexa-echo-speaker

It was the one thing putting me off from replacing a couple of my old devices as although they are becoming temperamental, I could play my own library through them.

Thanks, but I must be doing something wrong - I had my Alexa set up to control my Plex Player on my Roku - so I could already say play xxx and it would on the Roku. I did nothing else except say "Alexa, ask Plex to play music", she replied a few things one of which was that she had set my default server to the name of the my Plex server. So then I asked her to ask plex to play music again and she said okay but nothing happened (the app shows alexa heard what I asked).

Incase the old setup was causing an issue I delinked and then relinked the plex skill on my alexa, and tried setting everything again, it set the correct server, but still won't play anything through itself.

Street · 17 Nov 2017 at 17:05

I've not tried it since the update, I'll have to have a play tonight. I've got the Dot in the living room hooked up to a Plex client and that one has always worked OK, but through my TV. I'll try the one upstairs as that is just a Dot on it's own so I've never been able to play through it and have the music come out of the Dot.

Scottland · 17 Nov 2017 at 17:42

A new Logitech Harmony skill has been rolled out in the UK now - means you can say "Alexa turn the telly on" etc.

I got one of the newer 2nd gen speakers yesterday, I was initially quite disappointed with how it sounds - but in the kitchen it's not too bad actually.

mid_gen · 17 Nov 2017 at 18:55

Anyone looking at Hue bulbs....I'd highly recommend the Innr ones instead, just good, works with the Hue app etc.

I initially got smart bulbs to use with Alexa but it's far more convenient to use sensors. Is it dark and there's someone in the room? Set this scene...done.

LabR@t · 17 Nov 2017 at 20:25

Which GU10 Alexa bulbs? Do you need the hub

photoshop · 17 Nov 2017 at 21:07

mid_gen said:
Anyone looking at Hue bulbs....I'd highly recommend the Innr ones instead, just good, works with the Hue app etc.

I initially got smart bulbs to use with Alexa but it's far more convenient to use sensors. Is it dark and there's someone in the room? Set this scene...done.

Does the Philips sensor work with non Philips hue bulbs? Or other brands which are hue compatible?

mid_gen · 17 Nov 2017 at 21:46

photoshop said:
Does the Philips sensor work with non Philips hue bulbs? Or other brands which are hue compatible?

Not an expert, but as I understand it Hue uses an open standard (Zigbee?).

I have a couple of Echo Dots. One Hue Hub. One Hue motion sensor. 2x Hue E27 white bulbs and 2x Innr E27 RGB.

All works together fine. Going to replace the 4 GU10s with the Innr white bulbs next month, 99 EUR for the pack of temperature adjustable ones.

I was pretty gobsmacked tbh that some modern consumer electronics actually adhered to open standards and didn't lock out other brands....thankfully my B&W A7 now has an Echo in it and I've ditched all the proprietary airplay crap.

pepp77 · 17 Nov 2017 at 21:55

Scottland said:
A new Logitech Harmony skill has been rolled out in the UK now - means you can say "Alexa turn the telly on" etc.

This one I have got working, I had the old "Alexa ask harmony to turn on Sky" one working, but now "Alexa, turn on Sky" is much easier

Street · 18 Nov 2017 at 00:39

pepp77 said:
Thanks, but I must be doing something wrong - I had my Alexa set up to control my Plex Player on my Roku - so I could already say play xxx and it would on the Roku. I did nothing else except say "Alexa, ask Plex to play music", she replied a few things one of which was that she had set my default server to the name of the my Plex server. So then I asked her to ask plex to play music again and she said okay but nothing happened (the app shows alexa heard what I asked).

Incase the old setup was causing an issue I delinked and then relinked the plex skill on my alexa, and tried setting everything again, it set the correct server, but still won't play anything through itself.

Just gave it a test on mine and it worked first time, played a few of my albums directly through the Dot!

HungryHippos · 18 Nov 2017 at 00:47

Got my new echo today, do I need to add the "hue skill" to control my bulbs properly? I am only looking to control my lounge lights/scenes. The echo application on has picked up on all my bulbs, but none of my scenes are present at the moment.

pepp77 · 18 Nov 2017 at 07:13

Street said:
Just gave it a test on mine and it worked first time, played a few of my albums directly through the Dot!

Cheers, looks like I'll have to have another play at some point

mid_gen · 18 Nov 2017 at 08:07

HungryHippos said:
Got my new echo today, do I need to add the "hue skill" to control my bulbs properly? I am only looking to control my lounge lights/scenes. The echo application on has picked up on all my bulbs, but none of my scenes are present at the moment.

You need the skill installed to use scenes. Frankly, I found it much easier to use IFTTT.