Amazon Echo

[RizzoTheRat]

Am I right in thinking the "Drop In" intercom feature can now be used between Echo's on different accounts?

I've currently got one in my work flat and my wife's just bought one for home. She's on Prime with my account associated with hers. It looks like we should be able to use them as an intercom several hundred of miles apart.

[ecsrobin]

RizzoTheRat said:

Am I right in thinking the "Drop In" intercom feature can now be used between Echo's on different accounts?

I've currently got one in my work flat and my wife's just bought one for home. She's on Prime with my account associated with hers. It looks like we should be able to use them as an intercom several hundred of miles apart.

Yes should work fine as you authorise accounts. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display....

[RizzoTheRat]

Cool, hopefully I can authorise both myself and scare the crap out of her one evening :-D

[Watchman]

tenohfive said:

I'm waiting for the day that my Fire TV Stick and Dot can talk to one another. I don't use the voice control of the Fire TV remote as it's not as good as the Echo at recognising what I'm saying (1 mic vs 4 maybe), and because it's usually quicker to use the buttons - the FireTV just isn't that clever. 'Open Netflix,' will work, but, 'Open Netflix and play Suits,' won't. Nor will opening Netflix then saying, 'Play Suits,' - it'll open up the Amazon store page for Suits (the programme at least.) It doesn't have that context based awareness.

When a) it's smarter, and b) I can use other Echo products to control the FireTV Stick then it'll be a good day.

And all that aside, the FireTV Stick was worth every penny when I picked it up (Prime Day I think.) If you've got a smart TV it may not be a huge step up, but as an alternative to using a Tivo box or an HTPC it's quick and efficient.

I have one SMART TV with the Amazon app installed. There’s no voice recognition... we’ll, there’s no mic in the telly.

I also have a slightly older TV - one that predates the SMART crop available now. It did have some apps originally but over the years, as manufacturers have stopped supporting the pre-SMART TVs, the apps have been withdrawn. It’s that one I’d like a Fire stick for. I have 3x Dots already that provide control for lights, heating and Sonos. I want a Fire stick for the TV primarily but I’m hoping it can also offer similar control to the Dots.

[ecsrobin]

So the dot and tp link plug arrived today.

The dot was plug and play having already got the new 2nd gen Echo a few weeks ago. Now I’m getting full coverage around my place between the 2 devices.

I do feel like the dot is better at hearing me though, I also tried drop in and that’s really good although for the poster attempting to scare his wife it rings 3 times then connects and stays green.

The other very impressive feature for me was the multiroom audio, I setup both speakers as “Home” said play music over Home and both start playing.

Onto the plug, very simple to setup and now saying “Alexa TV on” and my tv and associated items on the extension lead turn on, simple but very effective. I also have a routine for “time for bed” and the living room lights (hue) turn off, TV turns off and then the hall and bedroom lights switch on.


The problem I have now is I want more things to control with Alexa but have run out of ideas other than fitting Hive.

[tenohfive]

ecsrobin said:

So the dot and tp link plug arrived today.

The dot was plug and play having already got the new 2nd gen Echo a few weeks ago. Now I’m getting full coverage around my place between the 2 devices.

I do feel like the dot is better at hearing me though, I also tried drop in and that’s really good although for the poster attempting to scare his wife it rings 3 times then connects and stays green.

The other very impressive feature for me was the multiroom audio, I setup both speakers as “Home” said play music over Home and both start playing.

Onto the plug, very simple to setup and now saying “Alexa TV on” and my tv and associated items on the extension lead turn on, simple but very effective. I also have a routine for “time for bed” and the living room lights (hue) turn off, TV turns off and then the hall and bedroom lights switch on.


The problem I have now is I want more things to control with Alexa but have run out of ideas other than fitting Hive.

You could look at the SmartThings setup or similar and introduce motion/door sensors. Landing light on a motion sensor for going to the toilet or possible intruders, presence sensor on your car set to put a smart kettle on (assuming the smart kettles work with Zigbee etc.) The routines, IFTTT type stuff. I'm sure there's a way to get IFTTT to turn the lights on at a set time based upon calendar events (shift pattern) but it's a question of how involved you want to go.
Or look at the home security side alternatively - doorbell cameras, door and window sensors etc.

This is all a solution looking for a problem. But toys are fun. And occasionally it's the simple things that add up.

[ecsrobin]

I like toys and this is certainly fun! As I have an Apple TV with HomeKit it’s already prepped that from 30min before sunset and onwards the first person to arrive it switches on the hall and living room light for 3minutes.

I like IFTTT but it seems I need the app always open for things to work? I have it so when I add to Alexas list it adds it to my reminders on the iPhone. Great for shopping lists.

[RizzoTheRat]

ecsrobin said:

I also tried drop in and that’s really good although for the poster attempting to scare his wife it rings 3 times then connects and stays green.

The other very impressive feature for me was the multiroom audio, I setup both speakers as “Home” said play music over Home and both start playing.

Hmm, so in theory I could use the multi room audio to start hers randomly playing music from a couple of hundred miles away?

It appears Prime no longer means next day delivery though so hers won't arrive until tomorrow.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 16th November 20:29

[tenohfive]

RizzoTheRat said:

ecsrobin said:

I also tried drop in and that’s really good although for the poster attempting to scare his wife it rings 3 times then connects and stays green.

The other very impressive feature for me was the multiroom audio, I setup both speakers as “Home” said play music over Home and both start playing.

Hmm, so in theory I could use the multi room audio to start hers randomly playing music from a couple of hundred miles away?

It appears Prime no longer means next day delivery though so hers won't arrive until tomorrow.

I thought that (about Prime) - I was annoyed that I wasn't getting something I ordered next day. So in a huff, I went off, cancelled the order - and ordered it on Prime Now. I had it 2 hours later for the same cost instead.

The thing I like most about drop in is that for a conversation with the wife and kids 4 mics make for an infinitely better call than a mobile on loudspeaker. I can see the appeal of using them like an intercom at some point, but for now that's all I really use it for.

[durbster]

RizzoTheRat said:

Hmm, so in theory I could use the multi room audio to start hers randomly playing music from a couple of hundred miles away?

Spotify Connect does this. I was walking home from the pub late one night and thought I'd listen to some tunes on my phone. I pressed play on Spotify and wondered why I couldn't hear anything, then suddenly realised it was still set to play on our bedroom speaker.



The wife was not happy about being woken by a sudden blast of drum and bass at 2am.

Anyway, back on topic it looks like Google are matching the Echo price drops. You can pick up a Google Home Mini for £34.
https://store.google.com/gb/product/google_home_mi...

[bristolracer]

durbster said:

Anyway, back on topic it looks like Google are matching the Echo price drops. You can pick up a Google Home Mini for £34.
https://store.google.com/gb/product/google_home_mi...

Just ordered one
Seems if you use google services,mail calendar etc it will be a lot more use than Echo

[Mosman]

durbster said:

RizzoTheRat said:

Hmm, so in theory I could use the multi room audio to start hers randomly playing music from a couple of hundred miles away?

Spotify Connect does this. I was walking home from the pub late one night and thought I'd listen to some tunes on my phone. I pressed play on Spotify and wondered why I couldn't hear anything, then suddenly realised it was still set to play on our bedroom speaker.



The wife was not happy about being woken by a sudden blast of drum and bass at 2am.

Anyway, back on topic it looks like Google are matching the Echo price drops. You can pick up a Google Home Mini for £34.
https://store.google.com/gb/product/google_home_mi...

This what led to me upgrading to Spotify family, driving along in the car suddenly my music would change to whatever my Daughter was playing via her Echo at home. So now everyone in the family (including one dedicated for the Echos) has a separate account. Another £5 a month of course for the convenience.

[RizzoTheRat]

I was thinking of switching from amazon music to Spotify as people reckon it's a lot better for playlists, you're making a good case fire sticking with Amazon though.

[Mosman]

RizzoTheRat said:

I was thinking of switching from amazon music to Spotify as people reckon it's a lot better for playlists, you're making a good case fire sticking with Amazon though.

Not sure what the effect of using the same Amazon Music account in several places at once is? Certainly you can't ask Alexa to play a playlist from Spotify - which is a shame as I do prefer Spotify.

Another consideration is that multi room music does not work with Spotify - probably some licencing issue there.

[durbster]

Mosman said:

Not sure what the effect of using the same Amazon Music account in several places at once is? Certainly you can't ask Alexa to play a playlist from Spotify - which is a shame as I do prefer Spotify.

Another consideration is that multi room music does not work with Spotify - probably some licencing issue there.

Are you sure? If I got an Echo I'd want to use it for Spotify.

This suggests the Echo supports Spotify Connect (and therefore multi-room) here:
https://support.spotify.com/us/listen_everywhere/o...

[ecsrobin]

So the Mrs has gone from not really getting the echo to insisting on always saying “Alexa thankyou” after commands

[ajprice]

ecsrobin said:

So the Mrs has gone from not really getting the echo to insisting on always saying “Alexa thankyou” after commands

And it replies "you're welcome", or "no sweat", or "any time"...?

[Blown2CV]

has anyone who has bought one of these found it to be useful over time, or is it really just a gimmick for showing off to visitors?

[stewies_minion]

Just got one for the kitchen.

Can see me using it every day. Bluetooth connected to an 8 year old Bose SoundDock using an a bluetooth adapter.

Alexa - play Radio 4

Sold

[Blown2CV]

i could understand it for usage scenarios where you need to interact with the 'computer' as a cumbersome dialogue, where voice might work better... but if all you want to to is put the radio on a single station or start playing an pre-existing playlist... i don't understand what voice control really gives you.