Echo or Dot for best ST integration?

Devices & Integrations
1

Does it matter which version of the Echo you get as far as integration with ST? We currently don’t have either and was thinking about getting one, but I wanted to make sure if we went with just a single Dot, we would not be messing out on anything.

Thanks.

2

Exact same functionality as far as ST goes. Better speaker in the big Echo, then again the Dot has an audio out connector and BT out that the big Echo doesn’t. But otherwise they provide the same functions.

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3

Get the dot. The speaker in the echo is not worth the 130 premium. Plus you get you get Bluetooth and an audio out if you want better sound.

I have two dots and getting at least one more.

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4

Get the Dot because one is never enough… :wink:

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5

And for the cost of one Echo, you can get almost three Dots.

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6

You’re better off buying a dot (or multiple dots) and a wired or bluetooth speaker than getting the original Echo. The Echo has no means of getting audio out other than the built-in speaker, but both devices will enable control of your ST lights, switches, and routines*. I have 3 echo dots placed around my house, and they do a pretty good job of responding with only the closest device.

  • Note: As a security measure, any routine that locks or unlocks a door, or opens/closes a garage door cannot be controlled from an Alexa-enabled device. This can be inconvenient, but it also stops an intruder from yelling through your window to unlock the door and disarm the system.
7

Thanks everyone. The speaker in the full Echo does not interest me anyway and we would never be using it to play music. So as long as you can hear and understand Alexa from the Dot, that seems the way to go.

8

I have had a lot of trouble getting the dot to recognize what I am saying, enough so that I ended up switching to Google Home devices and relegating my dot to the garage. I was close to buying the dot 6 pack when it was on sale late last year, but couldn’t convince myself that it was worth it. Although the listening hardware is supposed to be identical between the dot and the full size echo, I have heard anecdotal experiences from members here that the full size echo is better at understanding things people say. Food for thought…

9

Hmm,

I find the Dot to have a better mic in it. We have 5 Dots and an Echo and sometimes we will be closer to the Echo and one of the dots will pick up.

Notice I said 5 Dots…

All of them sux at hearing me clearly but you can easily use the Group Function to have a switch or multiple switches named to something better suited for your voice.

Example:

SmartThings:Den Light
Alexa:Den Light; Denlight; Denlights; Family Room Light; Familyroom Light; Familyroom Lights; Mutherf#$#king Lights

Well, you get it.

Have fun!

10

I found Alexa did not like the word ‘vestibule’. Had to rename that light ‘landing’.