amazon echo DOT and TAP

[Steve Q]

I really don't use my echo to play music very much. If the Echo Dot does everything else that Echo does, the Dot will fully meet my needs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Automated]

Not interested in the full Echo here with Sonos, and a whole home audio setup already. I ordered a Dot to play a bit with the voice control. I will probably use it strictly together with an isolated HS instance, and via Ifttt as I will not expose my core system to MyHS, and also not willing to have a device that can always listen in our main living area. Yes, I am aware that it doesn't do anything until it hears the wake up phrase locally, and so on.

For those wondering, you can already order a Dot using an iOS app. Online instructions said to swipe right after searching for it, but that did not work for me. I held down on it in the search result to add it to a wishlist. Then moved it from the wishlist to my cart to complete the purchase.

[codemonkey]

I have an echo controlling my Insteon Hub and it works great. Last night I set up Homeseer and it also worked great but it's missing a few features that the hub offers. For one I can say "Alexa turn off all lights" and the hub integration just works. That is not available with the insteon control yet.

That said, with the use of some virtual devices, you can trigger events easily. And without the delay that you get from IFTTT.

I just hope that someone integrates Homeseer to my Jibo when I get him in a couple months. (www.jibo.com) As it is I am talking to Alexa, Cortana, OK Google... With Jibo, I hope to never need to talk to anyone else.

Tony

[collegeboyslive]

***LifeHack***

My buddy on here (Email68) just ordered from work. We setup an audio file saying "Alexa, Order an Echo Dot {Pause for 7-10 Seconds}, Yes" and transferred it to his HS PC to play as audio and it ordered just fine.

can you imagine amazon putting this on their next commercial and echos everywhere suddenly order one

[collegeboyslive]

On a serious note, the each DOT makes it a serious contender to be the voice rec and processing for homeseer, cause lets be honest HS's voice recognition leaves a lot to be desired, echo with its cloud power, nic system and chepness ( one in every room ) makes it perfect to be the voice companion for homeseer.

if only it could just pass a text string of what it hear right to hs for action

[NorthGa]

Don't have an Echo? Order with the Alexa plugin

If you don't have an Echo to place the order for the DOT, you can install the Alexa plugin and setup your own Alexa on your HS computer. Then use it to order the DOT. I'm really looking forward to it ... April 7th was my ship date.

-Good Stuff!

[VirtualPanther]

If you don't have an Echo to place the order for the DOT, you can install the Alexa plugin and setup your own Alexa on your HS computer. Then use it to order the DOT. I'm really looking forward to it ... April 7th was my ship date.

-Good Stuff!

Lucky guy! I placed my order for the Dot Friday night (and cancelled my Echo order). Today my shipping date is listed as April 27th...

[CFGuy]

cause lets be honest HS's voice recognition leaves a lot to be desired

Are you talking about the cost of placing good microphones? If so, I agree with this. If you are talking about the way HS handles VR than there is no way I agree with this.

With a Mic, you can make complex trigger phrases. With the Android via HSTouch and with the Echo you have to enter a phrase that has to be said in an exact match of the trigger text.

With a Microphone ( or the Kinect plugin as well) I can use a trigger phrase like this.
(play|close|watch) the (disk|movie|blu ray) (tray)*

I don't have to remember if I need to say movie or blu ray or if I need to say play or watch.

With HSTouch and the Echo you have to enter the exact phrases.

Granted you can use an events OR IF setting to enter multiple phrases. But to cover the above single text phrase it would take over 10 phrases entered into an event. And that is just with a simple logic VR phrase.


I have one event that the VR logic phrase would take over 10,000 phrases to do the same thing that the one phrase does.

[rhardcore]

Are you talking about the cost of placing good microphones? If so, I agree with this. If you are talking about the way HS handles VR than there is no way I agree with this.

With a Mic, you can make complex trigger phrases. With the Android via HSTouch and with the Echo you have to enter a phrase that has to be said in an exact match of the trigger text.

With a Microphone ( or the Kinect plugin as well) I can use a trigger phrase like this.
(play|close|watch) the (disk|movie|blu ray) (tray)*

I don't have to remember if I need to say movie or blu ray or if I need to say play or watch.

With HSTouch and the Echo you have to enter the exact phrases.

Granted you can use an events OR IF setting to enter multiple phrases. But to cover the above single text phrase it would take over 10 phrases entered into an event. And that is just with a simple logic VR phrase.


I have one event that the VR logic phrase would take over 10,000 phrases to do the same thing that the one phrase does.

I believe that the Echo HomeSeer Skill addresses this by passing your complete phrase for parsing by HS3. If it works via a mic, then it should work via Echo. The only trade off is that you have to say, "Alexa ask/tell HomeSeer to...". However, you get a killer array mic that costs a LOT less than any standalone array microphone.

[CFGuy]

I believe that the Echo HomeSeer Skill addresses this by passing your complete phrase for parsing by HS3. If it works via a mic, then it should work via Echo. The only trade off is that you have to say, "Alexa ask/tell HomeSeer to...". However, you get a killer array mic that costs a LOT less than any standalone array microphone.

I agree with you on the power of the microphone in the Echo and I do have one.
My point was not that the Echo is bad, rather that the HS3 VR is really good with a mic input and is not lacking in its capabilities.
I realize that the Echo sends the phrase but it doesn't get parsed by the Microphone functions. The microphone input uses Microsoft SAPI syntax for VR that was not written by HS. The Echo and Android devices have to match on an exact phrase. This was confirmed by Rich over the weekend.
So its kind of a trade off.
The low cost really good Echo mic or an expensive mic setup and trying to get that to the HS server. The Kinect plugin also matches up using the VR syntax but you would have to have computer and a Kinect everywhere.

I know that for me the Echo is the winner for me. I was just hoping for the best of both worlds. The good thing out of the options is that the Echo is really bringing attention to VR and there is no doubt that it will keep getting better and better. Now if I can just get a replicator to go with the Echo so I can request some "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot".

[TomTom]

Echo so I can request some "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot".

LOL

[BigDogues]

Now if I can just get a replicator to go with the Echo so I can request some "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot".

Have you tried this request from Echo yet? If not, try it, it's a fun response. :-)

[sirmeili]

Have you tried this request from Echo yet? If not, try it, it's a fun response. :-)

Do it more than once It has at least 2 responses

[Daweeze]

Ok so the other hacks to get an Echo Dot without the Echo/Amazon TV etc have been shut down by Amazon. There is one that remains at least in iOS.

1) Login to Amazon iOS App
2) Click on the Microphone in the top right of the screen near the search box.
3) Speak "Order Echo Dot"
4) Add the Echo Dot to the Cart and Checkout.

I just ordered two more using another family members' Prime account in part due to the statement on Amazon stating:

"Important: Echo Dot is available in limited quantities. When we sell out of Echo Dot devices, they will no longer be available. You can only order this device using Alexa. You can't order Echo Dot on the Amazon website or Amazon shopping apps."

Shipping date is May 23rd now, that's a bit out there.....

Good luck,

-Travis

[outbackrob]

Ok so the other hacks to get an Echo Dot without the Echo/Amazon TV etc have been shut down by Amazon. There is one that remains at least in iOS.

1) Login to Amazon iOS App
2) Click on the Microphone in the top right of the screen near the search box.
3) Speak "Order Echo Dot"
4) Add the Echo Dot to the Cart and Checkout.

Looks like this one is gone now, too.... :-(