Using Echo Dots as sound sources

[RussellB]

Hi all,

I hooked up an Amazon Echo Dot called 'Kitchen' to the Audio Matrix Switch as an input, and added programming such that when output was detected it switched the room to the Echo Dot as the source.  That way anyone could say "Alexa, play 'Ed Sheeran' in 'Kitchen'" and it would start to play on the Kitchen's speakers.  The problem I started to see was that if no output was coming out of the 'Kitchen' Echo Dot it would switch the room on and set it as the audio device.  So basically the room would always be 'on'.  When I added the programming so that when it doesn't detect any audio to turn the Kitchen off I watched as the Kitchen flipped between 'Kitchen Dot' and off without any audio playing.  I also disabled notifications on the Kitchen Echo Dot.  At this point I've abandoned the idea because it was too flaky.

Has anyone else gotten this to work?  Or even wanted this to work?  I'm somewhat obsessed with Voice Commanding the house.

RussellB

[msgreenf]

mute the mic on the echo dot and see if that helps?

[RussellB]

Forgot to mention that was my default configuration of the Dot.  I muted the mike input and disabled all notifications so it wouldn't make a 'noise'.  I was wondering if it was possible that the cable connecting the Dot to the Audio Matrix might be picking up some interference.  A long shot.

[Jeff W]

It is possible the cable is carrying EMI if it's too close to electrical wires inside the walls/joists etc etc.  The system could be detecting that and turning it on, it's definitely within the realm of possibilities.  

We've installed Echo Dots in the audio/video racks before then connected them to the AMS'.  We would install a second device in the desired room, this way the in-room device can be used for voice control.  To play music you'd say say "Play xxxxxxxxxxxx on the 'party dot' (or whatever you want to name the rack Echo Dot.  You need to setup the devices in the Alex App to do this but it may be an option to try.

This method still required you to manually turn on the audio either by touch screen, app, keypads etc etc. But you could do additional programming with Voice Scenes and/or Alexa routines.

Something to try if you're still interested in complete voice control.  

 

[LollerAgent]

This may be helpful:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3yzu7v48ov3smw/Integrating Alexa’s Audio into a Control4 Audio System.pdf?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR0lktVYP_LrGnyjHQzlx3sp69W2Ym9nfDd38422qgShicpZF3YGfZw4Tv8

[RussellB]

11 hours ago, LollerAgent said:

This may be helpful:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3yzu7v48ov3smw/Integrating Alexa’s Audio into a Control4 Audio System.pdf?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR0lktVYP_LrGnyjHQzlx3sp69W2Ym9nfDd38422qgShicpZF3YGfZw4Tv8

That's somewhat similar to how I set it up.  I'm going to get some shielded cables and give it another try. 

[RussellB]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:00 AM, RussellB said:

That's somewhat similar to how I set it up.  I'm going to get some shielded cables and give it another try. 

I should have noted that I modified the programming to check to see if the the 'Stops Sensing Audio' event is triggered for the Kitchen Echo Dot and if the Kitchen Echo Dot is the selected Audio Source in the kitchen THEN turn off the room.

[RussellB]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:00 AM, RussellB said:

That's somewhat similar to how I set it up.  I'm going to get some shielded cables and give it another try. 

Swapping out previous cables for shielded cables fixed the issue!

Does anyone want a write-up on this?  My approach doesn't require any voice programming at all.  For example, by naming the Echo Dot 'Kitchen' via the Alexa App,  I can tell Alexa 'Alexa, play Ed Sheeran on Kitchen'  So Ed Sheeran starts playing on the Kitchen Echo Dot attached to the Audio Matrix port which then triggers the programming to select the Echo Dot in the Kitchen as the source.

[LollerAgent]

On 12/28/2021 at 3:23 PM, RussellB said:

Swapping out previous cables for shielded cables fixed the issue!

Does anyone want a write-up on this?  My approach doesn't require any voice programming at all.  For example, by naming the Echo Dot 'Kitchen' via the Alexa App,  I can tell Alexa 'Alexa, play Ed Sheeran on Kitchen'  So Ed Sheeran starts playing on the Kitchen Echo Dot attached to the Audio Matrix port which then triggers the programming to select the Echo Dot in the Kitchen as the source.

Sure - a write-up would be nice.

[RussellB]

Need some debugging... please check the word document attached.

Setting up Alexa Echo Dots as sound sources to be voice controlled in a room.docx

[didiasku]

15 hours ago, RussellB said:

Need some debugging... please check the word document attached.

Setting up Alexa Echo Dots as sound sources to be voice controlled in a room.docx 14.78 kB · 3 downloads

Nicely done!  How is the volume control working?  When I started my project, it was a bit of a chore to get it so that the dot (in the kitchen for example) would reply using her native speaker for every day things.  Regarding volume, I also had issues with the volume level being adjusted on the dot output vs c4 room volume.

 

I have something similar but only using 1 echo dot (actually amazon input) in the rack.  I then use the webhooks driver in combination with virtualbuttons and some programming so that I can get the audio in any room of the house.  My only complaint with my system is that I need to voice commands to get where I want in each room.  "Turn on kitchen speakers"

"play Ed Sheeran on 'whatever you call the amazon device on the rack' "

But I like only taking up 1 spot on my audio matrix vs 1 per room.  

[RussellB]

1 hour ago, didiasku said:

Nicely done!  How is the volume control working?  When I started my project, it was a bit of a chore to get it so that the dot (in the kitchen for example) would reply using her native speaker for every day things.  Regarding volume, I also had issues with the volume level being adjusted on the dot output vs c4 room volume.

 

I have something similar but only using 1 echo dot (actually amazon input) in the rack.  I then use the webhooks driver in combination with virtualbuttons and some programming so that I can get the audio in any room of the house.  My only complaint with my system is that I need to voice commands to get where I want in each room.  "Turn on kitchen speakers"

"play Ed Sheeran on 'whatever you call the amazon device on the rack' "

But I like only taking up 1 spot on my audio matrix vs 1 per room.  

I maxed out the volume on the Dot and control the volume via the audio mixer.  I wanted a Dot per room because I wanted people to be able to listen to different things across the rooms.  I have three, Kitchen, Living Room & Master Bedroom.