Can smart speakers function as audio monitors.....

[IanA2]

I've been searching for something that will allow my wife and I to talk whilst she's in the kitchen. The only thing that seems to do the job is a wifi camera with microphone and speaker, but that seems a bit creepy. What would be good would be something like google home hub so that we could talk without interrupting what she's doing, but I don't think any of the smart speakers/hubs have that function. I don't know a lot about them.

Does anyone know of a solution? We did think of walkie talkies but she'd have to stop whatever she was doing and probably wash floured hands!!

Before anyone says, just walk to the kitchen, one, I'm disabled and two it's a fair way away.

[s2sol]

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

[ChrisMCoupe]

Providing you're both on wifi, why not just have a data call or even a video call via whatsapp etc?

[IanA2]

s2sol said:

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

Excellent, many thanks, off to explore Amazon.

[paulrockliffe]

Google Home lets you Broadcast messages to other devices, or all of them, but I don't know if/how you can get a two-way conversation going. You could use Google Home to make a call to a mobile as a starting point.

It would be a great feature though, would be really handy to be able to connect our loft room with the kitchen for example. If they were being clever they could use the microphones to detect presence and allow the connection to track you around the house.

[IanA2]

IanA2 said:

s2sol said:

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

Excellent, many thanks, off to explore Amazon.

Will all the echo things work? I'm looking at the "Show" for which she'd probably find other uses in the kitchen, but I'd prefer something like the "Dot". Any idea if that combination would work or where I might find out? Thanks again.

[robbieduncan]

IanA2 said:

Will all the echo things work? I'm looking at the "Show" for which she'd probably find other uses in the kitchen, but I'd prefer something like the "Dot". Any idea if that combination would work or where I might find out? Thanks again.

I believe any echo can talk to any other echo

[paulrockliffe]

I did a Google of the Google, because surely this should be a thing. Anyway over a year ago Google said they were going to turn Broadcast into Intercom. They claimed that the Homes with the screens would have a 'reply' button soon. Typical Google rubbish, something else a bit more shiny came along so they did that instead.

I can't decide if I'd rather they did this or I'd prefer them to fix the Google Maps 'time to leave' feature that broke 5 years ago that's still on their fix log.

They are pretty infuriating to say the least!

I tested the Broadcast function, it's pretty neat, but I'm not sure why if I use my phone it records my voice, but if I talk to another Google Home it converts my message into Google Speak and says something similar to what I actually said. Eg Dinner's ready becomes, "Dinner time, come and get it." Strange.

In summary - Might still be best to run some wires....

[anonymous-user]

IanA2 said:

IanA2 said:

s2sol said:

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

Excellent, many thanks, off to explore Amazon.

Will all the echo things work? I'm looking at the "Show" for which she'd probably find other uses in the kitchen, but I'd prefer something like the "Dot". Any idea if that combination would work or where I might find out? Thanks again.

Yes - they Dot does it all. You can "drop in" with an echo - i.e. "Alexa, drop in on Kitchen Echo" - it'll then initiate a handfree two way chat. This also works over the internet with people who have Echos/Dots whatevers" that have authorised it with you.

Or you can broadcast to all Echos.

[IanA2]

RogerDodger said:

IanA2 said:

IanA2 said:

s2sol said:

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

Excellent, many thanks, off to explore Amazon.

Will all the echo things work? I'm looking at the "Show" for which she'd probably find other uses in the kitchen, but I'd prefer something like the "Dot". Any idea if that combination would work or where I might find out? Thanks again.

Yes, just discovered that and am watching a vid on it.......

Thanks everyone, problem resolved.


Yes - they Dot does it all. You can "drop in" with an echo - i.e. "Alexa, drop in on Kitchen Echo" - it'll then initiate a handfree two way chat. This also works over the internet with people who have Echos/Dots whatevers" that have authorised it with you.

Or you can broadcast to all Echos.

[IanA2]

IanA2 said:

RogerDodger said:

IanA2 said:

IanA2 said:

s2sol said:

Amazon echo allows this, providing you buy two echos.

Excellent, many thanks, off to explore Amazon.

Will all the echo things work? I'm looking at the "Show" for which she'd probably find other uses in the kitchen, but I'd prefer something like the "Dot". Any idea if that combination would work or where I might find out? Thanks again.

Yes, just discovered that and am watching a vid on it.......

Thanks everyone, problem resolved.


Yes - they Dot does it all. You can "drop in" with an echo - i.e. "Alexa, drop in on Kitchen Echo" - it'll then initiate a handfree two way chat. This also works over the internet with people who have Echos/Dots whatevers" that have authorised it with you.

Or you can broadcast to all Echos.

Update, Echo does the job, Echo does the job :-)