Amazon Echo (Alexa) tips and tricks? Suggestions for use and other smarthome hardware.

[+BudMan MVC]

So got myself a Amazon echodot to play with, price was good on cybermonday, etc.

 

###### off my son because he was going to get me that for xmas heheeh

 

Anyway.  So been playing with it for a few days.  Got it working with my nest, my harmony, some tp-link smartplugs I had gotten for my xmas lights, etc.  I can see many new purchases in the near future which is sure to tick off the wife   I want to be able to turn on and off all lights in the house not just the xmas tree and outside lights..  But at anywhere from 20 to 50$ a bulb don't think that is going to be a all in one type purchase.  I am pretty happy with the tp-link smartplugs I got the hs110.. So prob go with their bulbs.  I was thinking about the wall switches, but then you can not dim the lights.  So that might be future purchase for like the bathrooms where there are multiple low wattage bulbs, etc..

 

Does anywhere know of a smart power switch that is dimmable that works with Amazon Echo (Alexa)?  I can not seem to find any..  So doing say the bedroom lights in the ceiling fan going to cost more with 3 bulbs vs just 1 switch on the wall, etc.  And I can not seem to find any that are more than single pole - when you have a threeway setup, etc.

 

So in general who has the Amazon echo, who has fully tricked out their house with every possible thing.  I see lights next, then maybe front door lock, at some point the garage door.

 

Also there seems to be an endless listing of skills to add, any good suggestions?  Any tricks or tips on use of Alexa.  One thing figure out is while it worked with my Nest out of the box - it had limits, could not ask it what the tempature was or the humidity, etc.  But there was a skill that could do this, once I added the skill much easier to work with.  Other than having to call it "the thermostat" now

 

The networking side of it for me is no brainer ######.. I have it isolated with the rest of my iot stuff on its own vlan, and I log everything those devices do to the public net, etc.  But if anyone has any network/security questions be open to that discussion as well.

 

But while I had been putting in bits and pieces, nest, nest protect, harmony, power plugs, etc.  The addition of the Echo has tied it together and eager to discuss all the cool ###### that can be done.. Also with just Alexa itself - got it doing translations this morning which is pretty slick..  But having to enable the "translator for alexa" skill before it worked.. So what other skills are other using.. Seems odd that there are so many skills listed but many of them have like 1 review.. Mostly from the guy that wrote it

 

Any tips on getting it to work with changing channels on the harmony.  I have it moving between my TV and Roku really easy, but don't have it changing channels yet.  Part of the problem is hard to play around with when wife is watching TV.. So haven't had any real play time for that aspect yet.  Also would be great if you could get it call up your listing of what you have recorded on the dvr and then play something specific via voice commands.  But I do not think can do something like that yet until its directly tied in with the directv dvr with some sort of api.  I also see getting more for the other areas of the house...  Can see this is going to hit the pocket book   Like I didn't have enough tech to spend money on heheh.  Now have to buy internet connected light bulbs for heaven sake...

[+Fahim S. MVC]

i've not got an Echo (or Echo Dot) yet, but it is on the list as I expand the 'smartness' of my home.

 

I recently had a Hive (heating system designed in the UK, not too dissimilar to Nest) fitted.  I am also looking into smart lighting now but I don't fancy doing the whole smart bulb thing, as I still need to appease the wife who insists on working wall mounted light switches.

 

I have come across the Energenie Mi|Home products, which look really interesting and work with Alexa.

https://energenie4u.co.uk/mihome/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-Mi-Home/dp/B01M1GE8CF

 

I am not sure about the placement of the Echo Dot though, as it would be at the very front of my living room, which is about 17' away from my sofa.  Near it would be my TV and my home cinema speakers.  Would it still be able to hear me?

[fusi0n]

I've got the Echo and it's connected to my Logitech Harmony Hub to control my entertainment system, connected to my HVAC system, to my Phillps Hues to control lights, and connected to my WeMo switches, which are on sale at Best Buy and Amazon for just $29.99. 

[fusi0n]

On 12/6/2016 at 1:40 PM, BudMan said:

Snipped

 

On real tip I can give you, don't "pause" when talking to Alexa. This was hard for me to do, but was the reason why it wouldn't understand my commands. Just say "Alexa turn on the tv", don't pause after Alexa. 

[+BudMan MVC]

haven't had any issues with it hearing me as of yet, and and I do pause for a half sec and see the light come on when I call for her attention.

 

mine is on an end table in the living room.. covers the kitchen pretty good from there as well.  But prob need to get one in the bedroom after all the lights get switched out.  Really looking at this system.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01M3XJUAD/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=16DHDFCDCHI5U&coliid=I3COSAE5LGLD2O&psc=1

been reading good stuff about Caseta, yeah you have to use a hub.  But I think this will be better to change out the switches vs smart bulbs.  But there are few bulbs I might use because lamps with no switch on wall, etc.  But these dim, and can use the remote as like a 3way switch which I really need for the kitchen light setup, etc.

 

I just have some light fixtures that have multiple bulbs in them, and would be just to expensive to change out every bulb, and more complicated I think then just a switch.. I think the above sort of system will give me best of both..  Dim switches, and allow for voice control or remote control via app/internet/etc..

 

One thing I hear bad about the wemo smart plugs is they loose their settings when you unplug them.. with the tp-link hs110, I set it up in one room and then unplugged it and took it to the garage - plugged it in and away it went.

[+BudMan MVC]

Well just to update.. Got the caseta smarthub over xmas.. Was not a gift, but returned some stuff and used the money towards it.  WTF am I going to do with a $100 milk frother, wife though it did the crema I like on my coffee   She was trying I guess - hehe

 

That and a couple of dimmer switches.. I also picked up some smart bulbs from tplink.. Working great.. I can now control all the lights in my living room and porch via alexa.  Can set dim level. Pretty slick to be honest..

 

The caseta was a no brainer to setup, along with the switches..  I had some issues with the plate on the electric box being too small for 2 dimmer switches and had to get a newer plate.  The box was deep enough - just the cover plate was rounded on the corners too much the actual opening for 2 devices was too small for dimmer sized switches.  On newer plate corners of opening squared off, designed more for like gfci rated I think - cost a whole 1.20 something.. Used the 2 smart bulbs in the Floor and and End table lamp - and bobs your uncle...

 

So now just a matter of buying the switches and installing and soon every light in the house will be voice activated.. Wife will have a fit if buy all at once with 1 big hit to the budget so going to have to do it room at a time..  And going to have some issues with the ceiling fans.. Going to want to control fans via voice as well and doesn't look like the caseta line of switches make any sort of dimmer or control for fans.. So going to have to prob use different setup for that..  Any suggestions welcome.

 

I went for smart bulbs in the lamps because it was cheaper option than dimmer boxes for the plugs that are not tied to wall switches.  If lamps would of bee on same power plug then the caseta dimmer switch for plugs might of been more economical..

 

If anyone curious these are the bulbs I got.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HXM8XE2

[+Fahim S. MVC]

If anyone is interested in playing with Alexa without actually buying an echo, there is a virtual Echo device that you can play with at https://echosim.io/

 

I've been having a play, and developing some of my own skills.  As a developer ecosystem, it is very cool.

[+BudMan MVC]

If you need a tester for your skills your creating - just let me know.

 

My grand daughter had a blast playing with the animal game when she was over (6 years old).. She was amazed how it could figure out the animal she was thinking of, panda bear, zebra, etc..