Hopper Echo integration

[wkomorow]

So I have integrated voice commands through Alexa/Echo into my AV system including the Hopper. So I can say, Alexa, turn on mute and the TV mutes, or Alexa turn channel thirteen on (or Alexa turn NBC on) and it changes the hopper to channel 13. Or, Alexa turn on pause or turn on resume (play) and the hopper pauses and resumes on voice command. But I have some questions/oddities that you might be able to help with.

The set up - Global Cache wi2ir (the person who set up the ad hoc networking on that devices -- needed for initial set up -- deserves a special place in purgatory), Homeseer Zee 2, Homeseer Echo API skill and Homeseer Global Cache plugin. Each channel/ command is set up as a virtual devices, which is discoverable in Echo's home automation skill. So when I say Alexa turn channel thirteen on - it switches on the virtual device, which triggers an event that send the ir command over to the hopper to change the channel. The virtual resets to off. Everything works great. I have alternate names in Alexa so I can say either channel thirteen or nbc . One trivial annoyance is that the virtual device needs to have the number spelled out in Homeseer - channel thirteen not channel 13. I discovered I only watch 16 channels live on a regular basis. Lots more I record from, but only watch 16 live.

A major BTW - Homeseer great job in creating a product that allows me to do all of this.

So here are issues/questions:


Annoyance, virtual devices send a change status that invokes an event. Mute is a toggle. There is no feedback between the TV and the state of the virtual device since it does not directly control the TV. So if I say turn on mute - it will send the mute toggle to the TV - mute it if there is sound, unmute it if it is muted. I would like more natural speech and say turn off mute. But that will not work because it ts a toggle. I can also create an alternate word in Alexa (which I have - sound) and say Alexa turn on the sound. It works, but any suggestions on virtual devices for those of you who program home automation systems?

Major annoyance, The sun hits my IR blaster between 4 and 7. I have tried to reposition it, but it is in the perfect blast position for all the devices. I will be installing emitters, so that is a cheap alternative - they are around $4. But a major UGGGH.

This was a major achievement for me. My entire house is either automated to uses voice control. When I get to the door, homeseer recognizes my phone and unlocks my door, my lights come on automatically depending on the darkness of the room. I tell my bedroom light to turn off at night and it turns off all the lights in the house, locks the doors and puts power strips into night mood. Being able to have a hands-off experience with the AV system brings me 1 step closer to Star trek computer automation.

[Steve Q]

Great setup, thanks for posting. It gave me some good ideas. I am using HS3 to control my home theater via HS touch on my iPhone. I never thought of using the echo! I also have issues with toggle commands but I have learned to live with them. One important thing I learned was that most TVs have a separate IR command for the power ON and OFF even though there is only one button on the remote. If I remember correctly it's called the "discrete code". Perhaps there is a MUTE discrete code?

Steve Q


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[wkomorow]

Thanks so much, I never thought of discrete codes, I will do some snooping.

It is amazing how well it is working. Playing a bit more this morning, I am coming to the conclusion that the network name is better than the channel as virtual devices a b c n b c h b o etc.

[mikee123]

I had the same problem with my lights, as there is no feedback. My solution was 2 virtual devices. One is set to on by default, so when I say Alexa turn lights off it turns them off, then switches the VS back to on. To turn the lights on I named the VS lounge lights. (I have other VS which are named differently to set the lighting to different scenes)

I didn't know you could define a alternative name for devices in Alexa, how do you do that ?

[wkomorow]

I had the same problem with my lights, as there is no feedback. My solution was 2 virtual devices. One is set to on by default, so when I say Alexa turn lights off it turns them off, then switches the VS back to on. To turn the lights on I named the VS lounge lights. (I have other VS which are named differently to set the lighting to different scenes)

I didn't know you could define a alternative name for devices in Alexa, how do you do that ?

Define a group of 1. So for example the virtual device is "channel thirteen", I create a group in Alexa called n b c and assign "channel thirteen" as its only member.

I also moved the echo closer so it could hear me better when the tv is on.
Volume is presenting an issue. alexa did not like turn on volume up or volume down - I can try turn on louder and turn on quieter, but I would prefer turn volume on - to make it louder, and turn volume off - to make it softer, and then repeat the command, but I can't make it work.

I have ordered a second global cache for a different room. I am so pleased with how well this is working. This is downright excited. I'd say I am 95% of where I eventually want to be. Except for the global cache initial network setup, this has been a piece of cake. (I did open a call with HS because the GC plug-in would not accept my registration, but I still have 29 days before the "trial" expires, so no big deal.)

Out of curiosity, has anyone else integrated Echo with their dish receiver or cable box?

[mikee123]

Ok I never thought about creating groups for different device names, good idea. I use my Echo to control my Sky box (I am UK based), but so far have only created commands for my favourite channels. I do this with Virtual Switches, which then trigger a HS3 event, which has the appropriate GC IR commands. I also have commands to turn on/off the TV, which also sets the TV to the right input for the Sky box. Also, when I say turn on BBC1, it checks if the TV is on (easy as its on a zwave module), if the TV is not on, it turns on the TV, waits a couple of seconds then turns the sat erceiver on etc. If the TV is on already, it just switches to the desired channel. Love it !

[wkomorow]

Ok I never thought about creating groups for different device names, good idea. I use my Echo to control my Sky box (I am UK based), but so far have only created commands for my favourite channels. I do this with Virtual Switches, which then trigger a HS3 event, which has the appropriate GC IR commands. I also have commands to turn on/off the TV, which also sets the TV to the right input for the Sky box. Also, when I say turn on BBC1, it checks if the TV is on (easy as its on a zwave module), if the TV is not on, it turns on the TV, waits a couple of seconds then turns the sat erceiver on etc. If the TV is on already, it just switches to the desired channel. Love it !

Very cool, though I am more of a BBC4 type of guy. I do the same thing with the TV it is on its own module.

[wkomorow]

(I did open a call with HS because the GC plug-in would not accept my registration, but I still have 29 days before the "trial" expires, so no big deal.)

Homeseer support has resolved the registration issue. Thanks so much. Their GC Pro plug-in is nothing short of amazing. GREAT JOB, GUYS!

My only real remaining issue is how to best deal with volume. I appreciate the suggestions to date, but I need to figure out is how to vary the sound by minute degrees - like up 2 or down 3 - easily.

Appreciate any suggestions. This has worked out so much better than I ever could have imagined and the response time from Alexa and the Zee is great.

ONE HAPPY CAMPER!

[wkomorow]

Here is a video of some of its features:

https://youtu.be/2Owp7QY8_Ws

[jhearty]

Volume is presenting an issue. alexa did not like turn on volume up or volume down - I can try turn on louder and turn on quieter, but I would prefer turn volume on - to make it louder, and turn volume off - to make it softer, and then repeat the command, but I can't make it work.

The API handles dim levels too, and those should work against an appropriately configured virtual device. I have not tried myself but chances are you can set things up to control volume with commands like "alexa, set the volume to 50 percent."

[wkomorow]

The problem unfortunately is that the command set sends an up or down command in degrees of one. So, volume up means one click on the volume up button. There is no where to tell it to go to a specific volume. Volume 10 would be 10 ticks up on volume, etc. I have been trying to connect my hopper to the echo's bluetooth audio. Then I think I can use the echo's native up and down commands, but to no avail.

[jhearty]

I'm sitting here by my counter light now, telling it "set the counter light to 50" and it goes directly to 50% brightness, "set the counter light to 25" and it goes directly to 25% brightness, etc. You should be able to do the same with a virtual device you then use to control the volume.

Edit: Tried a test building a virtual device and got it working OK. Alexa already has it's own device called Volume so I had to name the virtual device "television". See settings below. When I said "alexa, set the television to 50" it went directly to 50%. Same for any other value. I can also say "alexa, raise the television" and it increases 25 from whatever value it was before, and "alexa, lower the television" lowers it 25 from whatever it was. The only thing buggy was when it goes to 100 the status icon blanks out and the "lower" command doesn't work, but you can still set it back down with specific values.

[wkomorow]

Thank you that was great. I did a little variation on it. I set 50 as neutral and then use 60 to create an event for volume up 1, 70 volume up 2, 40 volume down 1, etc. I have the last command of each event event to reset to 50. Part of the problem is that I was using volume which is a native Alexa function, so I changed it to tv volume. I appreciate the time you took to help me fix this.

[jhearty]

Great to hear. I got past the bug noted earlier by changing the end of the range to 101. I also found that I can say "alexa, turn up the television" to raise it by 25 from whatever it was, and "turn down the television" to lower it by 25. That variation seems pretty natural sounding to speak for volume control.

[wkomorow]

I added to the virtual "tv volume" device off and on - and created events for tv volume off and tv volume on which toggle the mute function. The event resets volume to 50 which is neutral - no functions associated with it, Again thanks for pointing me in the right direction.