Control4 announces Amazon Echo integration

[Cyknight]

1 minute ago, jfh said:

So, can C4 run Alexa on 2.8?

 

what do you do in Compiser once the skill is enabled?

Unsure - I would expect it requiring 2.9, but can't claim specific knowledge.

[drro]

 

6 minutes ago, Shardik said:

You can change the call name I think there are 2 other options one being Amazon

Really would like to use "Jarvis" or "Robot Butler," but I see your point.

[drro]

Running Alexa skill on two 2.8.x systems.

[Shardik]

Just now, drro said:

 

Really would like to use "Jarvis" or "Robot Butler," but I see your point.

Haha or computer

[Cyknight]

1 minute ago, chesterwilson said:

I'm curious as to why they didn't integrate Prime music into the OS.  Would seem like a natural fit for Alexa to play seamlessly.

I'm sure they'd like to - but Alexa and Prime will be their own licensing streams. It may indicate something for the future if there is some form of working cooperation, but one does not dictate the other.

 

In general, I'm certain Control4 would love to have every single streaming service available natively (well assuming they are stable ones at least) - THAT isn't the issue though...

[jfh]

11 minutes ago, jfh said:

So, can C4 run Alexa on 2.8?

 

what do you do in Compiser once the skill is enabled?

https://www.control4.com/stashes/alexa-help

https://control4.wistia.com/medias/1dhfe187ny

[drro]

5 minutes ago, jfh said:

So, can C4 run Alexa on 2.8?

 

what do you do in Compiser once the skill is enabled?

Alexa will discover devices and scenes.  Need to create new scenes in Composer if you want it to do the fun stuff, like select a source, etc.

[Bsmall423]

14 minutes ago, Gene said:

Can you have her voice go over the speakers if you hook the 3.5mm audio to your audio matrix?

 

Yes, I use 3.5mm to Cat6 adapters, then Cat6 to RCA to audio matrix. This provides full room integration and audio priority rights when talking.

[jfh]

5 minutes ago, drro said:

Alexa will discover devices and scenes.  Need to create new scenes in Composer if you want it to do the fun stuff, like select a source, etc.

 

is select a source something new in 2.9?

[msgreenf]

13 minutes ago, jfh said:

So, can C4 run Alexa on 2.8?

 

what do you do in Compiser once the skill is enabled?

It doesn't appear to work with 2.8.

 

You just program normal scenes composer and then go back and have Alexa app discover them.

[thegreatheed]

Just now, msgreenf said:

It doesn't appear to work with 2.8.

 

You just program normal scenes composer and then go back and have Alexa app discover them.

It works with OS 2.8.2 and above.

 

[Bsmall423]

21 minutes ago, drro said:

Beware. Multiple Alexa's in close proximity will hear your commands, and all respond. I have one in my kitchen and one in my living room, about 40 feet apart.  Alexa responds to most commands I give, from both rooms, in stereo ;).

This is fixed with Gen 2...

 

The new ESP (Echo Spatial Perception) feature will help you with that. Only the echo device closest to you will respond. ESP is being released with the new Dot and will also be pushed to existing devices with a new update.

[jfh]

Enabled the skill.  Alexa knows my C4 stuff on 2.8.2

[msgreenf]

https://www.control4.com/stashes/alexa-help

Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk

[Gene]

34 minutes ago, Bsmall423 said:

Yes, I use 3.5mm to Cat6 adapters, then Cat6 to RCA to audio matrix. This provides full room integration and audio priority rights when talking.

So these are not 'powered' - they are just adapters like from monoprice or amazon?  Do you program in composer which rooms it goes on etc...given open concept?

[klaue2]

25 minutes ago, Gene said:

So these are not 'powered' - they are just adapters like from monoprice or amazon?  Do you program in composer which rooms it goes on etc...given open concept?

These are what I have been using around the house. Not the cheapest, but they work really easily. 

[Gene]

1 minute ago, klaue2 said:

These are what I have been using around the house. Not the cheapest, but they work really easily. 

Thanks!  Thats cheap! $11.00 !!!  I didn't know if you could then control what rooms Alex's talks back to (i.e. if your have Alexa or the dot in the kitchen/great room area, I would want it to only come over the speakers in the kitchen area not whole house of 26 sets of speakers!).

[Bsmall423]

8 minutes ago, Gene said:

Thanks!  Thats cheap! $11.00 !!!  I didn't know if you could then control what rooms Alex's talks back to (i.e. if your have Alexa or the dot in the kitchen/great room area, I would want it to only come over the speakers in the kitchen area not whole house of 26 sets of speakers!).

I use the exact same ones, they work great! I purchased some blue LEDs that I am going to try to integrate into the programming so that when I say "Alexa, ______" the blue LEDs turn on like on the DOT. This will provide visual feedback in the room that I am talking in. 

If you use these adapters, only the room you are speaking in (pending how you have your audio setup) would then play the alexa audio over that rooms speakers. If you have 4 speakers in a zone, it would go over that full zone. 

With gen 2 and the echo selection, you dont have to worry about any other dots picking up your voice, only the closest one will pick it up. You still get full house control, just not audio in the other rooms.

[alanchow]

Please find below a link to customer information for Control4's Alexa/Echo integration.

http://www.control4.com/o/alexa

[klaue2]

17 minutes ago, Gene said:

Thanks!  Thats cheap! $11.00 !!!  I didn't know if you could then control what rooms Alex's talks back to (i.e. if your have Alexa or the dot in the kitchen/great room area, I would want it to only come over the speakers in the kitchen area not whole house of 26 sets of speakers!).

If you have the C4 Audio matrix - you can program it to switch sources when it detects input from a source, e.g. switch the room over to the Dot when it speaks and switch back to the existing source when it is done. 

[jfh]

Does the C4 matrix switch fast enough to hear the Alexa output?

[drro]

@chopedogg88, you're safe for now.  Now that I've had a chance to play with the Alexa Skill a bit, I see that it's very limited compared to Ari's driver. For now, the Alexa Skill works only with lights, lighting scenes and thermostats.  With Ari's driver, you can create a trigger phrase, and then program against it freely.  It's good to have both!

 

[jfh]

1 minute ago, drro said:

@chopedogg88, you're safe for now.  Now that I've had a chance to play with the Alexa Skill a bit, I see that it's very limited compared to Ari's driver. For now, the Alexa Skill works only with lights, lighting scenes and thermostats.  With Ari's driver, you can create a trigger phrase, and then program against it freely.  It's good to have both!

 

I created another thread to talk about the two co-existing.  I've found at least one problem.  I definitely want to use both for now.

[derickson1472]

I'm really excited about this

I ordered 6 dots but wondering if I should have ordered any with speakers?  Once someone tries the dot to that rooms speakers, can you let us know if that works well or if there is a long delay?

[Gene]

15 minutes ago, alanchow said:

Please find below a link to customer information for Control4's Alexa/Echo integration.

http://www.control4.com/o/alexa

Although the video and docs look cool, they forgot and totally missed the fact that Control4 customers that have an audio matrix would want Alexa's basic output via the 3.5mm audio jack (not so complicated) to go through their audio matrix and select such rooms via the integration.  Similar to how you can play an announcement and choose the rooms and volume its played in.  IF something is integrated, you should integrate it with YOUR own equipment, not just the bells and whistles.  The integration is a start but as always, they miss the mark.