SimpleC4 Alexa skill gives you more intuitive voice control of your C4 system, for free

[videostorm]

Do you like the idea of voice control, but find that you and your family members can never remember the proper commands to get Alexa to do what you want?

Or maybe you just don't want to have to pay for the 4sight license to have Alexa support?

Either way, the new SimpleC4 Alexa skill from Video Storm might make you love your Alexas again.

With SimpleC4, your commands are simple:
"Alexa, set Watch to Cable"
"Alexa, set Listen to Pandora"
"Alexa, turn off tv" 
"Alexa, turn on lights"

Your AV gear (in the room you are in) is always refered to as "TV", your lights as "Lights".  The "Watch" and "Listen" commands are just like on your C4 remote.  Super easy to remember.
More details at https://splash-tiles.com/help/alexa_c4.php

Best of all, everything above is completely FREE.  Seriously.  You don't even need a 4sight subscription.  We do have paid options if you love the service and intend to use it extensively (we certainly appreciate the support).

To get started, create a new account at https://splash-tiles.com and then install our NetPlay Cloud driver (http://www.video-storm.com/downloads/npcloud.c4z).

Service tiers (if just using SimpleC4, there are no control pages so no banner ads):
Free:  completely FREE.   Control pages have banner ads and you need to login to verify you are human once a month
Verified:  $79 one time fee.  Control pages have banner ads, but no periodic verification required.
Pro: $75 / year.  No ads, no verification.
 

[KWD]

Looking forward to giving it a go. Looks like the NetPlay Cloud verification emails are not getting sent out. 

[videostorm]

16 minutes ago, KWD said:

Looking forward to giving it a go. Looks like the NetPlay Cloud verification emails are not getting sent out. 

Check your spam folder.  If still no go then submit a ticket with the email you are using and we will verify it.

https://netplay.freshdesk.com/support/home

[KWD]

50 minutes ago, videostorm said:

Check your spam folder.  If still no go then submit a ticket with the email you are using and we will verify it.

https://netplay.freshdesk.com/support/home

Not in spam, submitted a ticket. 

[drmark12pa]

So if I have an Alexa in every room, that Alexa will catch my commands for that room specifically and know the room I'm trying to control?

[videostorm]

23 hours ago, KWD said:

Not in spam, submitted a ticket. 

Did you get the response on your ticket?  If not you might have a general issue with receiving mail.

[videostorm]

22 minutes ago, drmark12pa said:

So if I have an Alexa in every room, that Alexa will catch my commands for that room specifically and know the room I'm trying to control?

Yes, that is how it works.  You do have to go into the Alexa app and create "groups" for each room.  That way Alexa knows which hardware is in the same room as each Alexa device.  

Quote

1. All of your Control4 Rooms will now be Smart Home devices in Alexa. You will have 2 devices for each room, one a TV device and the other a LIGHT device.
2. Now use the Alexa app to create "Groups" for each room in your house. In the Alexa app, under devices select add/create group. Then just follow the steps. Every room should have an Alexa device, and also your 2 Control4 devices for that room.

 

[KWD]

2 hours ago, videostorm said:

Did you get the response on your ticket?  If not you might have a general issue with receiving mail.

I did, wasn't much help. Definitely on your side, I can hit the reset password button and instantly get an email. Of course I can's reset it since it was never verified. 

[videostorm]

25 minutes ago, KWD said:

I did, wasn't much help. Definitely on your side, I can hit the reset password button and instantly get an email. Of course I can's reset it since it was never verified. 

Please respond to the ticket so they can get the issue resolved.  I believe they needed to know which email of the two you used is the correct one.

[KWD]

1 hour ago, videostorm said:

Please respond to the ticket so they can get the issue resolved.  I believe they needed to know which email of the two you used is the correct one.

Almost got it fixed...

[KWD]

On 10/29/2019 at 5:34 PM, videostorm said:

Please respond to the ticket so they can get the issue resolved.  I believe they needed to know which email of the two you used is the correct one.

Still broken. Verification email doesn't work. 

[videostorm]

20 minutes ago, KWD said:

Still broken. Verification email doesn't work. 

Strange, it shows working in our logs.  When I test it I always get the mail.  It looks like you are using the yahoo address.  We can manually verify that for you.

Anyone else having the same issue?

[KWD]

1 minute ago, videostorm said:

Strange, it shows working in our logs.  When I test it I always get the mail.  It looks like you are using the yahoo address.  We can manually verify that for you.

Anyone else having the same issue?

Yes the yahoo. I get the email, when I click the link it says the link is expired. 

[Jayaredoubleu]

I have a question on how this driver works.

Currently with Alexa (integrated with Sonos), I can say in any individual room "Play Top Hits on Pandora", and it will start playing.   Where this command doesn't work is integration with C4, because it doesn't know how to integrate with my audio matrix for source and switching.   

In your example, you can use "Set Listen to Pandora" - but how do you actually select a Pandora station? (either in a favorites list or new station)

My current set up is a C4 Audio Matrix switch and Triad 8 zone amp.   My audio sources are currently playing through Autonomic Mirage MMS-5A media server.

So....How would I (in my kitchen for example), be able to say "Play Top Hits on Pandora" and have that command work?    (Which using the navigator, I would have to hit "kitchen", then "listen", then "Pandora", then "top hits")

[videostorm]

58 minutes ago, KWD said:

Yes the yahoo. I get the email, when I click the link it says the link is expired. 

Ok, thanks for the specific issue.  Try it again, it should be fixed now.

[videostorm]

1 hour ago, Jayaredoubleu said:

I have a question on how this driver works.

Currently with Alexa (integrated with Sonos), I can say in any individual room "Play Top Hits on Pandora", and it will start playing.   Where this command doesn't work is integration with C4, because it doesn't know how to integrate with my audio matrix for source and switching.   

In your example, you can use "Set Listen to Pandora" - but how do you actually select a Pandora station? (either in a favorites list or new station)

My current set up is a C4 Audio Matrix switch and Triad 8 zone amp.   My audio sources are currently playing through Autonomic Mirage MMS-5A media server.

So....How would I (in my kitchen for example), be able to say "Play Top Hits on Pandora" and have that command work?    (Which using the navigator, I would have to hit "kitchen", then "listen", then "Pandora", then "top hits")

There are many ways to do this using macros and then "turn on macro_name".  You might also be able to set default channels/stations for audio sources in C4.

However, the best way in my opinion is with two voice commands:

     "Set Listen to Pandora"            (tells c4 to select pandora source)

      "Play X on Pandora"          (tells Alexa that you are streaming audio, and enables that voice interface for control)

                      then you have all the normal alexa voice commands available for audio

      when you are done, then "turn off tv" would do execute the "Room OFF" c4 command.    You could also just tell Alexa to "stop, shut up, be quiet, etc" and that would also stop your audio (C4 zone would remain selecting pandora source though).

          

[KWD]

1 hour ago, videostorm said:

Ok, thanks for the specific issue.  Try it again, it should be fixed now.

That fixed it. Now the NetPlay Cloud Status stays "offline"

Have the token in, account is linked...no dice. 

[Jayaredoubleu]

49 minutes ago, videostorm said:

There are many ways to do this using macros and then "turn on macro_name".  You might also be able to set default channels/stations for audio sources in C4.

However, the best way in my opinion is with two voice commands:

     "Set Listen to Pandora"            (tells c4 to select pandora source)

      "Play X on Pandora"          (tells Alexa that you are streaming audio, and enables that voice interface for control)

                      then you have all the normal alexa voice commands available for audio

      when you are done, then "turn off tv" would do execute the "Room OFF" c4 command.    You could also just tell Alexa to "stop, shut up, be quiet, etc" and that would also stop your audio (C4 zone would remain selecting pandora source though).

          

Thanks!   I think the Macro idea wouldn't work, because you need to have pre-defined the stations you want to listen to.   

My current use of Pandora through Alexa is to ask Alexa to play stations (If I don't have them, she creates them).    Would you proposed scenario work with non-defined stations?  My guess is that would only work if there were an Echo connected to the audio matrix as a source, not through my Autonomic Mirage.  Right? 

How does your driver help with this?

[videostorm]

47 minutes ago, Jayaredoubleu said:

Thanks!   I think the Macro idea wouldn't work, because you need to have pre-defined the stations you want to listen to.   

My current use of Pandora through Alexa is to ask Alexa to play stations (If I don't have them, she creates them).    Would you proposed scenario work with non-defined stations?  My guess is that would only work if there were an Echo connected to the audio matrix as a source, not through my Autonomic Mirage.  Right? 

How does your driver help with this?

I was assuming your Autonomic Mirage had Alexa support.  If so, what I described would work.

The "Set Listen to Pandora" command maps to our SimpleC4 skill and controls C4 source selection

The "Play X on Pandora" command maps to the audio player skill and controls what that source plays

[JAJUTI]

On 11/1/2019 at 5:46 PM, videostorm said:

There are many ways to do this using macros and then "turn on macro_name".  You might also be able to set default channels/stations for audio sources in C4.

However, the best way in my opinion is with two voice commands:

     "Set Listen to Pandora"            (tells c4 to select pandora source)

       "Play X on Pandora"          (tells Alexa that you are streaming audio, and enables that voice interface for control)

                      then you have all the normal alexa voice commands available for audio

      when you are done, then "turn off tv" would do execute the "Room OFF" c4 command.    You could also just tell Alexa to "stop, shut up, be quiet, etc" and that would also stop your audio (C4 zone would remain selecting pandora source though).

          

Hi,

 

If I understand you correctly this could solve the problem of C4 audio zones showing as TVs by Alexa and therefore not able to stream music? For now the only workaround I know is to have a dedicated alexa device in the server rack (lets call it Zone) connected to c4 amp and then create voice scene that would turn this particular zone on and set is as destination (so for example turn on bedroom) and then use the command "alexa, play "smth" on the zone". Rack alexa would then stream the music to the c4 amp which would play it in the bedroom.

 

With your drivers the need for that separate alexa is eliminated since you would group every audio zone to the right room and Alexa would now which zone to select? 

[videostorm]

8 hours ago, JAJUTI said:

Hi,

 

If I understand you correctly this could solve the problem of C4 audio zones showing as TVs by Alexa and therefore not able to stream music? For now the only workaround I know is to have a dedicated alexa device in the server rack (lets call it Zone) connected to c4 amp and then create voice scene that would turn this particular zone on and set is as destination (so for example turn on bedroom) and then use the command "alexa, play "smth" on the zone". Rack alexa would then stream the music to the c4 amp which would play it in the bedroom.

 

With your drivers the need for that separate alexa is eliminated since you would group every audio zone to the right room and Alexa would now which zone to select? 

I use an Alexa in each room for voice control.  In some rooms that don't have centralized audio, that alexa also provides music.  For the centralized zone, I use a single Fire stick in the rack. 

For centralized zones, I use "Set listen to fire stick"  and then "play Imagine Dragons on Pandora on Fire stick".      (need to include "on fire stick" so Alexa knows not to play on THIS alexa)

Decentralized zones is just "play Imagine Dragons on Pandora"     (plays on local alexa device using it's speaker)

Our driver & skill gives you the "Set watch to source"  and "Set listen to source"  commands.  Easy to use for people familiar with C4 remotes, since the source names are the same as what they see on the remote when they push those same buttons.

[Aayush Arya]

If I were to use this driver, and I was using the Alexa in the master bedroom, would I be able to say "turn on the pendant" and "turn on the ceiling light" to turn on those specific lights, instead of a single "turn on the light" command that turns on all the lights in the room at once?

 

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[videostorm]

12 hours ago, Aayush Arya said:

If I were to use this driver, and I was using the Alexa in the master bedroom, would I be able to say "turn on the pendant" and "turn on the ceiling light" to turn on those specific lights, instead of a single "turn on the light" command that turns on all the lights in the room at once?

 

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

 

Our SimpleC4 skill will give you the command:

   "Turn on the lights" or "Turn on lights"  and it will control all the lights defined for that room.

The specific light commands you mentioned you can already do with the official C4 skill.  You can use both at the same time if you want to.

[JAJUTI]

On 12/31/2019 at 4:59 PM, videostorm said:

I use an Alexa in each room for voice control.  In some rooms that don't have centralized audio, that alexa also provides music.  For the centralized zone, I use a single Fire stick in the rack. 

For centralized zones, I use "Set listen to fire stick"  and then "play Imagine Dragons on Pandora on Fire stick".      (need to include "on fire stick" so Alexa knows not to play on THIS alexa)

Decentralized zones is just "play Imagine Dragons on Pandora"     (plays on local alexa device using it's speaker)

Our driver & skill gives you the "Set watch to source"  and "Set listen to source"  commands.  Easy to use for people familiar with C4 remotes, since the source names are the same as what they see on the remote when they push those same buttons.

Oh, ok, that doesn't solve my problems then:/

 

The problem I have is that Alexa cant recognize and therefore control C4 matrix amp (audio zones are detected as a TV) so I can't say, for example, "Alexa, play music in the bedroom" and Alexa will command C4 to play it. 

[videostorm]

1 hour ago, JAJUTI said:

Oh, ok, that doesn't solve my problems then:/

 

The problem I have is that Alexa cant recognize and therefore control C4 matrix amp (audio zones are detected as a TV) so I can't say, for example, "Alexa, play music in the bedroom" and Alexa will command C4 to play it. 

Both the c4 skill and our SimpleC4 skill can control the C4 matrix amp.

What you CAN'T do is give SINGLE command to your Control4 equipment AND Alexa music service.  This is because C4 itself cannot control Alexa / Amazon music.  You control C4 with one command, and Alexa / Amazon music with another.  

You might be able to create an Alexa scene (in the Alexa app) to do both with one command.