Echo Dot into EA-5 for voice control of music

[OceanDad]

We have a client who wants to use an Echo Show in their kitchen to control music in that room.  Kitchen is fed by an Episode 8 zone amp, and has ceiling speakers.  That Episode amp lives in the rack, alongside an EA-5.  Client prefers to use Spotify if possible.

I was going to use the Show to call some scenes/favorites through programming, but..

Would it be better/possible to put an Echo Dot in the rack, and feed that into an audio input on the EA-5 ?  Could I then group the Show and the Dot together within the Alexa app, and use the Show to command the Dot to play any track/artist etc through the EA-5 ?

Challenges/pitfalls ?

[Jeff W]

As an experiment I setup two Echo's in my personal house.  I setup one Echo in the kitchen and then installed an echo dot in the audio/video rack.  Using the Alexa app, I named the Echo Dot in the AV rack as "The Party Dot".  I wired the 1/8th stereo connector from the Echo Dot into one of the AMS inputs.  

When I want to use Alexa for Music, I just have to say "Alexa play alternative music on The Party Dot".  

The Echo in the kitchen then replies, "Ok playing a station you might like, Alternative Music on Amazon Music".

You can use the Alexa app to do the same thing.  If you install the Alexa Widget on iOS, you don't need to open the Alexa App.

I don't use Spotify so I can't comment on that, but setting up the Alexa's mentioned above works pretty good.  I've created some pretty funny voice scenes that are a hit during parties.  You can program Alexa to say sentences from the dot in the AV then play songs immediately after.  You can get pretty creative with the routines.  

[tekki70]

yes you can do exactly what you want, connect the dot to the ea5 analog in. you will have to do some setup in alexa so music will be played by the dot, then setup scenes in control4 and play music from the dot depending on the scene you setup.i have several dots around the house run back to my matrix with audio baluns so it can be done in those rooms as well, but again setup amazon alexa app first

 

[DAVIDN]

9 hours ago, Jeff W said:

As an experiment I setup two Echo's in my personal house.  I setup one Echo in the kitchen and then installed an echo dot in the audio/video rack.  Using the Alexa app, I named the Echo Dot in the AV rack as "The Party Dot".  I wired the 1/8th stereo connector from the Echo Dot into one of the AMS inputs.  

When I want to use Alexa for Music, I just have to say "Alexa play alternative music on The Party Dot".  

The Echo in the kitchen then replies, "Ok playing a station you might like, Alternative Music on Amazon Music".

You can use the Alexa app to do the same thing.  If you install the Alexa Widget on iOS, you don't need to open the Alexa App.

I don't use Spotify so I can't comment on that, but setting up the Alexa's mentioned above works pretty good.  I've created some pretty funny voice scenes that are a hit during parties.  You can program Alexa to say sentences from the dot in the AV then play songs immediately after.  You can get pretty creative with the routines.  

I did the same thing in the master bed/bath.  Additionally, in the Amazon app, you can set the local dot in the room to ALWAYS play audio out of the dot in the A/V rack so you don't have to add the "on the Party Dot" line to your command.  Create a room in Alexa called "Kitchen" and add both Dots.  Under Speakers, select the Dot in the A/V rack as the only speaker and all audio will go through the dot in the A/V rack...

I have my EA5 to leave the MDX16 on the A/V rack dot input fulltime except when I use the C4 keypad/TS/remote to play audio in the room.  When the EA5 commanded audio is turned off, it reverts the MDX to the dot input.  

 

[Jeff W]

5 minutes ago, DAVIDN said:

I did the same thing in the master bed/bath.  Additionally, in the Amazon app, you can set the local dot in the room to ALWAYS play audio out of the dot in the A/V rack so you don't have to add the "on the Party Dot" line to your command.  Create a room in Alexa called "Kitchen" and add both Dots.  Under Speakers, select the Dot in the A/V rack as the only speaker and all audio will go through the dot in the A/V rack...

I have my EA5 to leave the MDX16 on the A/V rack dot input fulltime except when I use the C4 keypad/TS/remote to play audio in the room.  When the ES5 commanded audio is turned off, it reverts the MDX to the dot input.  

 

Nice tip David! 

[OceanDad]

In my client example, there is no audio matrix - just an 8 zone Episode amp.  I originally thought I would add the 'Rack Dot' to an EA-5 input, but I guess that's not correct.  It should simply be connected to the Kitchen Zone input on the Episode amp, correct ?

Then just configure as per David's example.

IF they like it so much that they want to do the same in other rooms, then use another pair of Dots - one in the room, the other to a Zone input, configured as a room group in Alexa as above.

[msgreenf]

agree but you can also use an Echo Input in the rack instead of a dot - you don't need a "full dot" ..looks like they may have discontinued them.  I have one to sell (used) if you would like to try that.

[OceanDad]

Thanks Mitch - we have Dots laying around, so will try first.  Echo Input definitely neater (and no speaker to cause confusion).  

This is definitely the way to go for this client - no need to use Spotify Connect, which they don't like.