[DEPRECATED] EchoSistant Version 4.0 ~ Evolved

EchoSistant is all about location of your things in your home… if you only have one t-stat I might call it ‘here’ … Alexa, tell home is too cold in ‘here’ ( not a tested phrase, it may require fine tuning - feedback needed)

If you have two, like I do, upstairs/downstairs work well… Alexa tell home is too cold upstairs/downstairs…

If tou have more than 2, than name them based on the room…bedroom/dining room, etc

is this what you were asking?

Glad you enjoy it! Let us know how to make it better. What needs fine tuning…what phrases don’t work consistently. The more feedback we get, the better EchoSistant will work for everyone

Yes, I like the here idea.

Hopefully saying “it’s too cold in here” would turn on my thermostat.

I’ll give that a try, thanks

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Let me know how it goes…And don’t forget to update your LIST OF DEVICES custom slot, after renaming or adding a new device…

Ok… i’m must be missing it. I’m trying to figure out the difference between EchoSistant and Ask Alexa ? I’ve set up and been using Ask Alexa for awhile, are there things that I get w/ EchoSistant that I don’t get Ask Alexa?

I’m really having a hard time understanding the different use cases between the two.

Well the main difference is that Ask Alexa doesn’t have the option for free text messaging (yet)…Other than that…the bottom line is… that just as Ask Alexa was to AskHome, (a friendlier way of interacting with Alexa), EchoSistant is friendlier than Ask Alexa; there are no macros to build and no standard phrases to learn how to speak to Alexa.

Check this thread for some good points…

Thanks… I’ll read that thread. I’m thinking of setting up EchoSistant, but i don’t want to maintain 2 custom alexa skills, it is a lot of effort. I might set up it and try the free text messaging, and see how well that works.

I was there was a video of that, and what it can and can’t do.

It can send a message to a Sonos right? But it can’t trigger a different Echo to play the message, you would have ask the other Echo if there are messages correct?

I would really like 2 way intercoms with Echos, it would be nice.

Yes a video is coming… I’ve been crazy busy… I promise it’s on the way

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Yes, one way Echo to Sonos instant (or let’s say as instant as the two clouds permit Amazon & SmarThings)

Yes, Echo to Echo via play back

We all are waiting for Amazon to enable 2 way Echo to Echo, but none of us have an ETA for when that happens…

And that is the main reason we have redesigned EchoSistant with v4. It is a hassle to maintain one skill, as it is. But we were very concerned of duplicating efforts, so our goal was, if we cannot make an Ask Alexa feature friendlier, we won’t be supporting it. It is unfortunate to have two apps essentially doing the same thing, but as a long time Ask Alexa supporter, I really wanted a more natural way of speaking to Alexa.

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Ok, i’m looking at it, and the Main Intent is installed and working, very wordy. i was able to turn of conversations and extra responses with that setting because who wants an assistant that is always answer 2 additional questions just to turn off a light.

The documentation about creating profiles - “I want to.” doesn’t match the app version that i’m using. I get 2 options w/ Message & Control profile and notification profile which i’ not sure which to use.

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I am in work on updating the pictures in the documentation… The app has grown so fast that I’ve not been able to keep up.

Though, the version four UI is fairly user friendly.

The setup of the profiles is still the same, as far as the install.

Just ask if you get stuck. We usually answer within minutes.

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I think there are various parts of each of these APPs that function and feel very differently from an end user perspective. Remember there are A LOT of “lighting” apps or notification APPs out there, one could argue why - mostly we turn lights on / off or maybe dim; or want some message delivered… but to the end user they like the way a certain app “feels” or functions for them specifically. That is the entire reason we have an “open” community. I don’t think we want to “limit” development or have healthy competition turn to in fighting. I am constantly “trying” all sorts of new community dev apps and DTH’s. I will and credit @MichaelS with the first roll out of a robust ST / Alexa integration to make Alexa highly functional for the community in a big way. I think because a developer continue’s to explore, improve, and expand this is not a shot at another dev. personally but only a drive to contribute more. Do always remember these codes are put out to the public in good faith, we should be thankful we have all these resources and those who carry on - and FREELY contribute. Keep Calm and Code on !

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Yeah, i’m working on the Profile setup now, and i’m going to try that for messaging.

The messaging and control profile is for the echo to speaker communication and for control of your home. This one is required along with the parent app.

The Notifications profile is for getting alerts of actions… Like the door opening or someone arriving.
This one is optional.

The Security is for… Well security… It allows for integration with locks and keypads and multiple users.

We broke the app into multiple pieces to ensure future updates have minimal impact on the user configuration.

It also makes it very easy to make updates and add features. If we add a feature to the security and you do not use it, then you may not require the update… It would be your choice.

Hmm… I was able to get the Profile Skill setup, but in my Lambda Response, i’m getting this…

“response”: {
“outputSpeech”: {
“type”: “PlainText”,
“text”: “”
},
“card”: {
“content”: “”,
“title”: “EchoSistant Free Text”,
“type”: “Simple”
},
“shouldEndSession”: true
},
“sessionAttributes”: {}
}

I must have my profile not setup correctly in the EchoSistant smart app ?

I could not say it any better!

Hmm it looks like it was able to work finally after a few trys. It appears to be working, so that is good. Not sure what happened.

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How would i set up Echo To Echo play back?

Well, that’s great! If you have problems please post seabirds of the live logs for the profile you are invoking… Then we can get you going in no time at all.

That is unfortunately not possible at this time. We are going Amazon eventually allows it, but there is no word on that ever actually happening.

Let me rephrase this… Talking to one echo and having it automatically play back on another echo is not possible.

But, for those users that do not want to have connected speakers but have multiple echoes and dots, you can do this.

If you have an echo in the living room and a dot in the kitchen, you do this…

Create a profile called living room. Select a light in the living room to flash when that profile is executed. You say, Alexa, tell the living room to record a message, (insert message).

The light in the living room flashes to tell a person in there that there is a message. That person then says, Alexa, play message, and your message plays. They repeat the process to respond.

There are a couple of ways to accomplish this, but that is the simplest.

So, yes, room to room communication is possible without speakers, and your configuration is just as simple as if you did have speakers.

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