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    #61
    Issue has been resolved, it should be ok now.

    Originally posted by Dan-O View Post
    It's been down for the day for me too.
    "Sorry, I'm having trouble accessing your Homeseer home automation skill right now."
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      #62
      Thanks for the update.
      Alexa is working again. The Alexa VR is so much more reliable than any other native version I have tried with HS.
      Dan-O
      HomeSeer contributor since summer 1999, yes 1999!

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        #63
        So with the HS skill do I need one of the plug ins? Or can I interface with my HS3 system and my echo just using the skill?


        Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
        HS3 , Zwave, HometrollerS6, ELK M1G Ultra; mcs sprinklers; WGL800; BLRF; BLNetCallerID; BLSpeech

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          #64
          Just the skill.

          Originally posted by gfs View Post
          So with the HS skill do I need one of the plug ins? Or can I interface with my HS3 system and my echo just using the skill?


          Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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            #65
            Any way to shorten "Tell HomeSeer to"???? This doesn't have a high WAF.

            Tell HS kitchen lights off???

            Something simple without a mouthful.

            Thanks,
            Chris

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              #66
              The command is dictated by Amazon, all skills have to start with "tell SKILL to". I wish there was a better way also, I hate having to say that. Note you can also say "Ask HomeSeer to".

              There is a HA control SDK where you can just say "tun on the lights", but its very limited with what you can say. We are in direct talks with Amazon and are voicing our concerns, they seem receptive so far, so hopefully we will get some changes.

              Originally posted by Dr_Crash View Post
              Any way to shorten "Tell HomeSeer to"???? This doesn't have a high WAF.

              Tell HS kitchen lights off???

              Something simple without a mouthful.

              Thanks,
              Chris
              💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

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                #67
                The only way to get a nice short command right now is to use the HA Bridge software which emulates Phillips Hue devices to integrate directly with Amazon's Connected Home features. With that you can say just "Alexa, Turn on..." without the "tell skill name to" part. You can use both the skill and the bridge at the same time so you can turn on and off lights with short commands, and work other devices and events using the skill.

                See my thread here for a link to the latest HA Bridge that I'm using, and my script page that can automatically configure your devices in the HA bridge software (otherwise you need to manually enter device names and on and off URLs for each one to get the bridge configured). The script also contains an Alexa Skill, but it's separate from the HA Bridge configurator, so you don't need to use that if you already have the official HS skill up and working.

                One note on my script, for some reason the HS Global Cache plugin breaks my script. I hope to work around that issue soon, but until I figure it out GC users can only run the configuraiton script if they remove the plug in completely first. Fortunately the parts that conflict with the GC plugin are things you only need to run once for setup.

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                  #68
                  Originally posted by rjh View Post
                  The command is dictated by Amazon, all skills have to start with "tell SKILL to". I wish there was a better way also, I hate having to say that. Note you can also say "Ask HomeSeer to".

                  There is a HA control SDK where you can just say "tun on the lights", but its very limited with what you can say. We are in direct talks with Amazon and are voicing our concerns, they seem receptive so far, so hopefully we will get some changes.
                  Whoo-hoo! That's great to hear.

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                    #69
                    My suggestion to them was the ability to set a default skill.

                    That way, for that skill only, you wouldn't need 'Tell something to'.

                    I think that would be a good compromise for people that use a skill other than ours for much of their echo interaction.
                    Wade

                    "I know nothing... nothing!"

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                      #70
                      I am a bit confused and that might be due to my inexperience with billion dollar company home automation solutions. Why would I need to send anything to a cloud to begin with? Why do I need to use a name like Cortana, Siri, Alexa etc at all? Why can't I just use Spud's Kinect plugin and call it a day? I can use any digitized voice for talkback, if I feel that I need my digital assistant to tell me they did something that I can see happened before they would finish telling me they did. But do I really need to hear all that "overhead noise" every time I want to turn on a light switch?

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN1udYNffI

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                        #71
                        Originally posted by DD1 View Post
                        I am a bit confused and that might be due to my inexperience with billion dollar company home automation solutions. Why would I need to send anything to a cloud to begin with? Why do I need to use a name like Cortana, Siri, Alexa etc at all? Why can't I just use Spud's Kinect plugin and call it a day? I can use any digitized voice for talkback, if I feel that I need my digital assistant to tell me they did something that I can see happened before they would finish telling me they did. But do I really need to hear all that "overhead noise" every time I want to turn on a light switch?

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN1udYNffI
                        This thread is about the HomeSeer Echo skill If you wish to use that, you'll need to follow the syntax and procedure. If you don't want to do that, there are plenty of other options with HomeSeer.
                        💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

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                          #72
                          Originally posted by DD1 View Post
                          I am a bit confused and that might be due to my inexperience with billion dollar company home automation solutions. Why would I need to send anything to a cloud to begin with? Why do I need to use a name like Cortana, Siri, Alexa etc at all? Why can't I just use Spud's Kinect plugin and call it a day? I can use any digitized voice for talkback, if I feel that I need my digital assistant to tell me they did something that I can see happened before they would finish telling me they did. But do I really need to hear all that "overhead noise" every time I want to turn on a light switch?

                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN1udYNffI
                          You can use whatever you want. Where you see complexity I see elegance. I like the simplicity of the Echo and Homeseer skill. It took me less time to set that up than to read the first page of the thread on the plugin.

                          And if all you want to do is turn on a light switch, the lowest "overhead noise" option is to just walk over and turn the light on yourself.

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                            #73
                            Originally posted by macromark View Post
                            This thread is about the HomeSeer Echo skill If you wish to use that, you'll need to follow the syntax and procedure. If you don't want to do that, there are plenty of other options with HomeSeer.

                            Well you have a valid point... this is an Alexa thread but whether in presidential rallies or HA interface forums, you will always have someone who doesn't see eye to eye with the candidate on the stage.

                            More importantly though, regardless of chosen user interface, I will need to make sure no one can get in the front or back door uninvited. I have been lax in that area.

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                              #74
                              Originally posted by csmith View Post

                              And if all you want to do is turn on a light switch, the lowest "overhead noise" option is to just walk over and turn the light on yourself.
                              Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of home automation? A visual and tactical oxymoron?

                              By "overhead noise", I was talking about the audio responses from the digital assistants.

                              Comment


                                #75
                                Will the Amazon Echo work with HomeSeer without an internet connection? If so, I will buy one for the lab bench and give it a spin. It may prove to be another tool to add to the tool bucket. Never can have enough tools.

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