Homeseer announcements (TTS) through Alexa. aka: You don't need IFTTT anymore.

[Timon]

No not yet. The ability to trigger speech from a device, whichs HS qualifies as, can but HS can’t do that yet.

[fuzzysb]

I must be missing or misunderstanding something. Are you saying it's already possible to have some event in HS that makes Alexa speak something? If so how do you do that?

If all you want is Alexa to speak phrases on Alexa devices from Homeseer events, then yes there is a way currently to do this (see the thread about Alexa TTS i created in this forum). However if you want a way to trigger Alexa routines from HS3 events then currently no.

[mulu]

Fuzzysb, you must be referring to this thread https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/ho...home-assistant It's a hack but a very much appreciated one. I just need to get it to work and I will try your suggestion about Firefox. At the end we need a solution like what SmartThings offers.

[drparker151]

In my move off of Vera I tested another hub with local processing. Their integration did not have the ability for routines to be triggered by hub devices either. You do realize that Amazon owns Ring?

[fuzzysb]

drparker151 there is a documented API to integrate any platform to be able to send motion and contact sensor data to Alexa so routines can be triggered.

However it requires changes to the current Alexa integration as essentially it no allows pushing of status to alexa from 3rd party platforms. the thing i don't know 100% is if this can be something that could be created in a plugin or does need HS to integrate by expanding their integration because of the myhs authentication.

however if you look at

https://developer.amazon.com/docs/sm...r-sensors.html

It intimates that it could be possible from a plugin, but i'm not 100% sure. and i dont have the time at the moment to investigate further, i suspect though that if it were provided in a plugin the third party plugin would have to host a publicly available endpoint to interface between HS3 and Alexa and allow the alexa discovery to discover devices.

[drparker151]

I guess my point is. That other hubs also have not cracked the code on how to get hub devices able to be triggers for Alexa Routines. With the number of people who would want it, I would expect to see it here and on other hubs. I would pay for it I'm not a coder so no clue to the level of effort required. However, since I've not seen it yet probably not trivial.

[MNB]

Has anyone contacted HS to get the latest re being able to be have Alexa to speak phrases on Alexa devices from Homeseer events and a way to trigger Alexa routines from HS3 events? I'm hoping someone from HomeSeer can update the community with what going on as it seems to be a useful feature. Mike

[Guest]

Any update on this? I too really need the ability to have selected HS3 devices, including virtual, to show up in the Alexa Routines "Devices" section. As others have mentioned above, this will be a powerful feature for enabling any HS3 sensor to trigger announcements via the Alexa network.

Any news on this feature becoming available for HS3 in the foreseeable future?

[randman]

Workaround is to put an Echo device next to the HomeSeer PC and use HomeSeer's speaker client to say "Alexa, announce <TTS>", so the Echo device will announce <TTS> and all other Echo devices in the house will get the announcement. Given how cheap Echo dot's are, it's a cheap workaround....

I actually have some HomePods and many more Echo's. I use AirplaySpeak to do TTS to my HomePods, and if I really want to announce something everywhere in the house, I tell AirplaySpeak to tell the HomePods to do "Alexa, announce <TTS>", so all Echos do the announcement. But if you don't have HomePod, the HomeSeer speaker client right next to an Echo will work fine.

[George]

Workaround is to put an Echo device next to the HomeSeer PC and use HomeSeer's speaker client to say "Alexa, announce <TTS>", so the Echo device will announce <TTS> and all other Echo devices in the house will get the announcement. Given how cheap Echo dot's are, it's a cheap workaround....

I actually have some HomePods and many more Echo's. I use AirplaySpeak to do TTS to my HomePods, and if I really want to announce something everywhere in the house, I tell AirplaySpeak to tell the HomePods to do "Alexa, announce <TTS>", so all Echos do the announcement. But if you don't have HomePod, the HomeSeer speaker client right next to an Echo will work fine.

Even cheaper than a dot. Just get an Echo Input and don't hook up it's speaker! You can run a small speaker right off the audio output jack on your sound card and lay it right on top of the Input so that even the command that HS is issuing isn't heard through the house.

https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Input-Br.../dp/B07BFRHZLB

[jon00]

Workaround is to put an Echo device next to the HomeSeer PC and use HomeSeer's speaker client to say "Alexa, announce <TTS>", so the Echo device will announce <TTS> and all other Echo devices in the house will get the announcement. Given how cheap Echo dot's are, it's a cheap workaround....

Here is my example: https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/ho...68#post1245668

[outbackrob]

Am I dreaming or was there at one time and Echo device that advertised a line-IN? I am thinking it was the Echo Plus. I can't find ANYTHING on the internet about it but I am SURE it at least initially had line-in capabilities. If there IS one that has Line-in and if Alexa listens to what is played through the speaker, then directing a client output into an Echo (plus) might work easily.... They are on sale today so I got all excited about trying this again. ….but I can't find anything about LINE-IN!

[George]

Here ya go, not exactly line in, but you won't be able to tell that it's not!

Google is your best friend!

https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/...n_to_the_echo/

Edit: the one referenced in the article seems to be out of stock at Amazon, but the following is the same one, but different brand.
https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bl.../dp/B01EHSX28M

[simplextech]

Nope - no line in. I just checked my Echo Plus.

[upstatemike]

On the Echo Plus Gen 2 the 3.5mm port can be configured as either line out or line in within the Alexa app. I think line out is the default.