Best TTS Speaker

Devices & Integrations
1

Hi all,
I am currently using google homes but the integration to send SmartThings notifications TTS to the speaker seems quite buggy. I am looking for other options, ideally wifi speakers that can be grouped that are relatively inexpensive. The main purpose of these is to play notifications from Smartthings to confirm mode changes verbally. Which speakers are you all using? Any recommendations or any word on when Google is going to open up the Home’s for TTS or some sort of reasonable workaround? Everything I’ve seen has seemed very convoluted and messy

Chris

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2

I have tried many… but right now I like the fabriq speaker best. I had some trouble setting it up initially but it has been solid for months now. It is very compact but more than loud enough for a TTT speaker.

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3

I have 4 Fabriq speakers now and I can echo the sentiments that the first week was a bit frustrating where the speakers seemed to drop off the WiFi or experience other problems that would require a reboot. There has been at least 1 firmware update since I got mine.

But it’s been a few months since I have rebooted and they seem to be very reliable. I mostly listen to NPR, but as a cheap man’s Sonos, the synchronized playback for music is good for the price too and it plays my TTS event notifications about 98 percent of the time. (issues with the arrival sensing for ST could be contributing?)

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4

I use LANnouncer on an Android 5.1 device along with an smartapp called Bigtalker or CoRE. I find this combination does an excellent job of audible notifications from SmartThings. You can hook up the Android device to external speakers for better sound.

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5

So it basically plays notifications through the Android device itself, and then if you connect aux or bluetooth or other audio to it it would by extension play through that?

6

Yes, that is correct. It does a very good job of it too. It uses the builtin TTS in the Android device. You can also send chimes and sirens as well through BigTalker. BigTalker also has variables so you can have it say “The front door is open” depending on what notifications that you want to hear.

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7

I am just learning to do this. Is it possible to do this through android tv. Vs an android phone? Like an nvidia shield? I think it has Bluetooth connectivity as well?
The issue is I don’t have an android device.

Thanks much

8

Unfortunately, according to google play store, LANnouncer is not compatible with the Invidia shield TV. You might try to sideload it and see if it works. You can download the apk here
http://www.keybounce.com

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9

can you make the amazon echo or the google home to say every push notification from smartthings?

i think is better to take one of these to have both a speaker and an assistant too…

10

For now, neither smart speaker allows push notifications from a third-party that’s why you need something like LANnouncer on an Android device.

11

i mean you can send as player and speaker not read every notification… just to hear the message…
otherise only fabriq or sonos?

12

You can connect to the smart speakers via Bluetooth from your Android device and have them speak notifications that way. Other than that, you can use Sonos, Fabrique, or other DNLA capable speakers.