Please simple TTS / Voice alerts with Smartthings

For a long time I have been hoping the ‘Anything but’ Smartthings would get smart and allow Voice notifications. Why Smartthings still does not have this as standard when you set an Amazon Echo up I have no idea, other than Samsung is letting all of us down big time.

So since I have a few devices that supposedly can be used for notifications I though I would try to set them up: I have tried this with Amazon Echo, Aeotek Doorbell using a multitude of approaches like LANnouncer (instructions vary drastically from options available,) BigTalker is said to only be used with a lower version that I cannot find, and even then it wants to playback through my Siren or Doorbell neither of which work.

So does anyone know of a SIMPLE approach to get TTS or MP3 notifications working with a BT Speaker, Echo, or Doorbell? I tried a Sonos but that was flaky as hell. Oh and I do not want to use Core as that is ridiculous if we have to go to those lengths to do it. Note that I know how to do IDE, Handlers and all, and I have a pretty large system (about 80 devices) so I have some idea of what I am doing.

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Ageeed on Sonos flakiness, but it’s not up to Samsung to open up Alexa to do TTS, but rather Amazon. You cannot blame Samsung for that one.

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So you want to use a ST app that would connect to another app the works with another company, but don’t want to use an app (CoRE) that connects to ST to accomplish what you are asking? If you have over 80 devices and feel intimidated by CoRE I can on assume your 80 devices are bulbs. It’s really not that hard to use. There is no simple solution to what you are wanting to do but there are plenty of solutions posted on here that do work.

I have a lot more than just bulbs.

I like systems that are minimal and streamlined, and unfortunately Core is anything but that. The VLC system works fine with the Alexa voice smart app, but even that is a crazy ad-hoc system. In my opinion the best solution is if someone created a direct Z-wave TTS system that could be connected to any speaker, because in time all that could be made to work local too.

I find a pretty rock solid solution is to use LANnouncer along with an app called BigTalker (or CoRE for those inclined). LANnouncer utilizes an Android device running OS 5.1 or better. It uses the onboard TTS for it’s sounds.

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I second this approach. It works well for me and I ended up setting up android devices in every room with announcements. Now that Google Home Helper is out I can get the house to react to my voice commands to it. This is probably the best approach you can do because of the flexibility CoRE gives you.

What issues are you having with the aeon doorbell? I’ve been using mine for all my mp3 notifications and it works great.

[quote=“Aricsdaddy, post:1, topic:66807”]
So does anyone know of a SIMPLE approach to get TTS or MP3 notifications working with a BT Speaker, Echo, or Doorbell?[/quote]

In SHM, all you have to do with the doorbell is select the it as an audio device, choose Custom Message and specify the track number.

In Core you can use the play track command to play a specific track number.

Recommended device handler

The other responses are probably better, but I just wanted to point out that the Aeon Labs Aeotec Doorbell should be a relatively simple solution to play mp3 notifications.

Give this app a shot. A new version is about to be released that specifically supports alerts like door opening, garage door open, and things like that.

Let me know if there is a specific device you want to use and I’ll see what I can do.

This app is specific to Amazon Alexa, for now. It does a lot.

Just a quick question: With EchoSistant, do notifications on the Echo happen with no user interaction with the Echo?

I thought the limiter with the Alexa / Echo was that you had to do something with it before you go messages…have you folks hacked around that? If so, you are amazing! Hoping that is the case!

Thanks!