If it’s not already on your list, a RESTful API for controlling Echo would be great. Things like volume, play/pause, or heck, just let us send a natural language string and have her parse it like she would if we had spoken it.
I want them to also do a dynamic output volume option, It’s annoying to have to dink with it when the background noise level is changing all the time.
Separate volumes for music and Alexa. I want the music at level 2-3,. I want her response, confirmation at level 4-5. If music is at nice unobtrusive background level you can’t hear her replica to commands.
+1 to separate volume levels for Alexa and music
@Mike_Maxwell, speaking of volume how about a volume schedule (since it has no idea what mode I’m in under ST) so she can talk louder during the day and quitter at night. A schedule would allow each echo owner to determine those times that fit their schedule.
I would prefer however for Alexa to know what mode I’m in under ST so that option would be best but at this point I’m thinking that is more ST than Alexa.
If you want to control a video doorbell from Amazon Echo, you can do that with the SkyBell HD via our new IFTTT Channel: https://ifttt.com/skybell.
You can have Alexa start and record live video at your front door, change the LED color or turn your indoor chime off so your baby or dogs don’t wake up when a visitor presses the button!
Good info… On my ifttt channel. That opens up other possibilities for ST too.
Here’s a cool webapp for running Alexa from almost any browser
http://sammachin.com/hacks-and-projects/alexa-in-the-browser/
I created a Virtual switch and it is working well in Smartthings. However, Echo will not add the switch during discovery. Is there anything I need to do to get Echo to recognize the Virtual switch?
You have to authorize the new switch for Alexa. Under your SmartApps tab (Rooms, Things, SmartApps when on the four block tab at the bottom) in the mobile app will be one called Alexa Access. Press into it and you should be able to select your new switch to add it to the list of devices authorized for Alexa to control.
Scott, thanks.I should have known that. I missed that step.
Done the same thing myself two different times!
Funny things is, I already have over 20 devices controlled by Alexa, so I have done this before. But this is the first time I am adding Virtual switches, so I thought I missed something. I now have the FAQ posted near the Echo.
Hey everyone, newbie here…i did my best to go through as much of this thread and also searching the forums but would like to ask a quick question on this forum since people know what’s up here.
I have the echo, new ST hub, and GE Link Bulbs. I scored the bulbs yesterday on a good deal so I bought them all up, later realizing that I should probably go the switch route since there is no way in hell i’ll convince my wife and kid to keep the light switch on at all times! Nonetheless if I get the smart switch, will Echo be able to control the dimming of that switch by voice command? Or is that only if you connect the GE Link Bulbs directly to Echo?
Also I’m probably going to, but I should return the smart bulbs and get dumb dimmable led’s and run it off a zwave smart switch right?
Sorry if this is a stupid question…Many Thanks in Advance
Cheers!
its really personal preferences …
I prefer the switches with bulbs as they work even when the hub is offline…
I use smart lights only where I want hue or in one case bedroom lamp and bedroom light where I cannot get to the switch behind the 70" tv mounting.
in the cases where iut is not a lamp I use cooper 9542aw switchs as they work without a load (they are not connected directly to the lights) and the lights are wired on permanently … and then I use smartapps etc.
others put screw on covers over the switches…
Hi! This is just some friendly advice from someone who started the same way you are…
Since you already have the bulbs, keep them, for now. Do not throw away the boxes or the receipts. Mark on your calendar the last day of the return period.
Now, use this time as a probation period and see if your family embraces the home automation as much as you will. Also use this period to see where you will use dimmable bulbs. The living room is a big probability, the garage, probably not.
Now, just before the return period expires decide where you want to keep the bulbs and where you don’t. Either return the unused ones them or put them in a different place. The bathroom is great for dimmers once you realize how bright they are at 2am.
Then put in switches where you don’t want dimmers.
Also, during the probation period invite the in laws over and see how it goes.
Thank you!
For instance in the kitchen with 6 can flood lights, if i put in a dimmamble smart swich, would Echo be able to dim those lights as well using ‘dumb’ dimmable leds?
Yes, echo can dim the lights via a smart dimmer or via the bulbs themselves.
I have 5 ge link bulbs in my kitchen. I was going to replace them with dimmable dumb bulbs and a smart switch, but my wife said no.
She likes being able to control the bulbs individually our as a group. For example, the coffee light, she can turn just that one on and have it dim. She doesn’t like a lot of light before she had her coffee.
Can it do it both ways if I have the GE Links and the Smart Switch? Or is that when my kitchen blows up?
Don’t use a dimmer control switch (smart or dumb) that controls the load to smart dimmable bulbs or the dimmer switch may burn out. You can use a smart dimmer control switch that is not on the same circuit and have the smart bulbs follow it. So it just depends on the exact set up