Amazon Echo

[Tycho]

ross-co said:

Is there anyone on here using there Echo/dot with the lightwave RF switches? If so how is it working? quite fancy this over HUE etc due to the amount of lights as well as the types of fitting in some rooms.

I am and it works pretty well. The only thing I don't like is that the plugs don't report status as communication is one way. I'd like to be able to see the status of the socket. I only have the sockets but am planning on doing the light switches themselves soon due to us having 10 halogen bulbs in the ceiling which Hue don't provide and even if they did it would cost a fortune.

[ross-co]

Tycho said:

I am and it works pretty well. The only thing I don't like is that the plugs don't report status as communication is one way. I'd like to be able to see the status of the socket. I only have the sockets but am planning on doing the light switches themselves soon due to us having 10 halogen bulbs in the ceiling which Hue don't provide and even if they did it would cost a fortune.

Tycho that's my issue kitchen is 15 GU10 led bulbs so doing this with HUE gets expensive quickly and we cant support under unit or above unit lights, likewise other rooms in the house just don't work with the HUE model.

I see what you mean about one way communication and how it could be frustrating more so for sockets i would thing, as lights are really just going to be an on/off command as you enter room sort of thing.

If you don' mind me asking what do you have running on your sockets? i did contemplate the sockets but i cant think what i would readily want to turn on and off with voice control, or maybe more specifically what devices would benefit from it.

[Tycho]

ross-co said:

Tycho that's my issue kitchen is 15 GU10 led bulbs so doing this with HUE gets expensive quickly and we cant support under unit or above unit lights, likewise other rooms in the house just don't work with the HUE model.

I see what you mean about one way communication and how it could be frustrating more so for sockets i would thing, as lights are really just going to be an on/off command as you enter room sort of thing.

If you don' mind me asking what do you have running on your sockets? i did contemplate the sockets but i cant think what i would readily want to turn on and off with voice control, or maybe more specifically what devices would benefit from it.

I have table lights plugged into the sockets, my bedside light is on one and my coffee machine is as well. You can group the lights into collections such as "sitting room" so one command does them all. Mainly used for when we are watching a movie or if I want a coffee when in bed, I'll just say "Alexa, turn on the coffee machine" and then go and get a shower. When I get downstairs my coffee is waiting.

[ross-co]

Tycho said:

I have table lights plugged into the sockets, my bedside light is on one and my coffee machine is as well. You can group the lights into collections such as "sitting room" so one command does them all. Mainly used for when we are watching a movie or if I want a coffee when in bed, I'll just say "Alexa, turn on the coffee machine" and then go and get a shower. When I get downstairs my coffee is waiting.

Tycho some simple uses that i have over looked the table lamps/ floor standing ones wouldn't be a bad thing, with the sockets if it is a double gang socket i presume you get individual control it is something that seems so obvious but i haven't seen it actually stated in black and white as such.

I am now planning sockets for plenty rooms in the house.

[Tycho]

ross-co said:

Tycho some simple uses that i have over looked the table lamps/ floor standing ones wouldn't be a bad thing, with the sockets if it is a double gang socket i presume you get individual control it is something that seems so obvious but i haven't seen it actually stated in black and white as such.

I am now planning sockets for plenty rooms in the house.

The lightwave kit I have is the pass through sockets with the remote control so no double gang sockets.

I have these:
https://www.lightwaverf.com/products/plugin-switch...

Not these:
https://www.lightwaverf.com/products/plugin-switch...

Although if was redoing the house then I'd probably go for the sockets themselves.

[ross-co]

Tycho said:

The lightwave kit I have is the pass through sockets with the remote control so no double gang sockets.

I have these:
https://www.lightwaverf.com/products/plugin-switch...

Not these:
https://www.lightwaverf.com/products/plugin-switch...

Although if was redoing the house then I'd probably go for the sockets themselves.

no problems, I guess i might just order one when i get home and order the light switches, have a play with it and see.

cheers

[dmsims]

I found those Lightwave plugin sockets incredibly picky about working with LED bulbs

For GU10's take a look Milight - sensible pricing - unlike the rip off that is Hue

[ross-co]

dmsims said:

I found those Lightwave plugin sockets incredibly picky about working with LED bulbs

For GU10's take a look Milight - sensible pricing - unlike the rip off that is Hue

Agree regarding Hue, however not sure milight is for me, i work away a lot of the time so everything in the house has to be simple, or as simple as possible (granted i could leave it with normal switches but where is the fun in that), milights integration with the echo is more involved and just another step to go wrong.

I guess wanting voice control is also a factor i feel if i have to have my phone or tablet on my to enable the light generally it would be quicker to just flick the switch.

Still food for thought.

[Richyboy]

I noticed the drop in function in the options menu. Anyone know how you use it?

[Zoon]

Richyboy said:

I noticed the drop in function in the options menu. Anyone know how you use it?

Not sure, I've been trying to get it to work.

[768]

Richyboy said:

I noticed the drop in function in the options menu. Anyone know how you use it?

Sort of.

I had it working. My account was associated with amazon.com. I tried adding my wife's account to a household, but as hers was associated with amazon.co.uk it wouldn't do it. I sent a support request in and they associated my account with .co.uk.

Now I have the options menu item but drop in doesn't work and there's no sign of contacts or conversations. I've lost the middle tab:



If you go to https://amazon.co.uk/mycd then settings you can see which domain your account is associated with, maybe you can change it by frigging the address but I couldn't. Someone on Twitter pointed out to Amazon that they have the drop in menu in their Alexa app options and Amazon came back to say they'd reported a bug to get it removed - no response as to if/when the feature will come to the UK.

[bristolracer]

I loaded a skill for radio paradise.
Using this on an echo dot connected to an amplifier in the kitchen.

Switched on the amp yesterday after not using it for a week and radio paradise was still playing without me asking it to start!

So no big issue really ,but if you do not have unlimited broadband you could have gone bust without knowing it!

[Badvok]

My friend has a house full of Hue and to be honest it wouldn't work in our house. Having to leave the physical switch in a constant on I would find my wife would have turned a light off using a wall switch thus disabling the Hue bulb from working.

I believe the answer lies with automation at the switch not the bulb. I have looked at LightwaveRF but I think I'll hold out until January next year when Den launch (I hope!)

https://getden.co.uk

Actually physical switches plus loads more than LightwaveRF offer.

[Cotty]

This just popped up on updates, going to give it a go at the weekend

Relive summers of the past with a playlist of classic summer songs from the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Pharrell Williams, The Beach Boys and more. Just ask:“Alexa, play the Summer Holiday playlist”

[gadgetmac]

Just installed the Trackr skill and it works very smoothly.

"Alexa, ask trackr to find my phone" or "Alexa, ask Trackr to ring my phone".

I'd barely finished the sentence and my mobile was ringing!

If your phone isn't on it'll tell you where it was last located. It'll even ring your phone if its in silent mode. Works a treat for me.

[Mikeyjae]

I have had a look online and apparently you can now pair the Echo with Bluetooth speakers. Has anybody done this and have any recommendations? I want to be able to use Alexa outside in my garden via Bluetooth. Is the Tap the best option for this?

My Echo is in my living room next my back garden so would need about a 10 meter range.

[paolow]

Mikeyjae said:

I have had a look online and apparently you can now pair the Echo with Bluetooth speakers. Has anybody done this and have any recommendations? I want to be able to use Alexa outside in my garden via Bluetooth. Is the Tap the best option for this?

My Echo is in my living room next my back garden so would need about a 10 meter range.

How did you do this? Id be interested as previous attempts with my 'dot have not worked...

[ooo000ooo]

paolow said:

How did you do this? Id be interested as previous attempts with my 'dot have not worked...

I have my dot paired with my heos 1. Haven't tried it for range.

[Alpinestars]

Mikeyjae said:

I have had a look online and apparently you can now pair the Echo with Bluetooth speakers. Has anybody done this and have any recommendations? I want to be able to use Alexa outside in my garden via Bluetooth. Is the Tap the best option for this?

My Echo is in my living room next my back garden so would need about a 10 meter range.

I've got my hooked up to a Bluetooth speaker. Both are indoors, in the same room, c20m apart.

[tenohfive]

People using Dot's with BT speakers - any issues with it crashing? I stopped using mine with my Anker BT speaker for that reason. Hoping they've fixed it in the meantime.