ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I just read that the Amazon Echo is now available in the U.K. I've been using this device with its Alexa voice control daily. It integrates beautifully with the BLGW to enable voice control triggers of my B&O audio and video and home automation such as lights, thermostat, and even making coffee. This is all done via IFTTT.
A feature of the Echo that I HAVE NOT yet utilized is how it can send music to bluetooth speakers. From what I understand, there should be a way to be able to use voice control to send music from services available on the Echo (such as Spotify, Tune In, and Pandora) to a bluetooth speaker. This could be great to use with speakers such as the BeoPlay A1 and A2 and the BeoLit 15. This feature would not require a BLGW. Has anyone tried this?
The Echo is wonderful. We got ours recently on Amazon's Prime Days event and have really enjoyed using it. We feel she pays for herself in how convenient it is to speak out multiple timers while cooking in the kitchen, not to mention Hue integration.
Sal: The Echo is wonderful. We got ours recently on Amazon's Prime Days event and have really enjoyed using it. We feel she pays for herself in how convenient it is to speak out multiple timers while cooking in the kitchen, not to mention Hue integration.
Indeed. I love using the hands-free timer, too. It's also become very natural to tell Alexa to add groceries to the shopping list.
My morning wake-up routine consists of two commands. When my dog comes up to nudge me in the morning, I'll say "Alexa, what time is it." Then, I say "Alexa, trigger morning." The morning command turns on the lights, turns on the tv to the morning news station, and begins brewing coffee. All of this while I'm in bed and with my eyes still closed!
The possibilities with a BLGW and IFTTT are enormous. Still, I would like to start using the Echo to directly stream music to my BeoPlay bluetooth speakers. I can already use Siri for voice control to select music to send to the speakers. However, I like the idea of not needing to use my iPhone or Apple Watch. Alexa is always on and always listening.
I do find it humorous when I'm watching the series "Outlander" on TV. There is a character named "Alex" on the show. Whenever someone on the show mentions his name, Alexa always pipes in "I don't know what you want me to do" because she thought she was being asked to execute a command.
beojeff:I say "Alexa, trigger morning." The morning command turns on the lights, turns on the tv to the morning news station, and begins brewing coffee. All of this while I'm in bed and with my eyes still closed!
Is the above done with your gateway linked up with ALEXA? I'm wondering if I can have trigger commands like that without owning a BL/MLGW. What I'd like to know is the command "Trigger" and the keyword "morning" is that through IFTT and ancillary linked devices?
Sal: beojeff:I say "Alexa, trigger morning." The morning command turns on the lights, turns on the tv to the morning news station, and begins brewing coffee. All of this while I'm in bed and with my eyes still closed! Is the above done with your gateway linked up with ALEXA? I'm wondering if I can have trigger commands like that without owning a BL/MLGW. What I'd like to know is the command "Trigger" and the keyword "morning" is that through IFTT and ancillary linked devices?
You could indeed set up an IFTTT recipe directly between the Echo and your Hue lights without a BLGW. The BLGW is just such a tidy way to keep everything organized together. Still, you can do this without the BLGW. You just go to the IFTTT website and start creating recipes between the Echo and Hue. The command "trigger" is what is used to act on an IFTTT recipe. The word after "trigger" is whatever word or words that you want to use to label that recipe.
I like using the BLGW because it's so easy to create macros using multiple systems. For example, you can create one macro to create Hue lights, Nest thermostat, B&O audio/video, and RadioRa 2 lights and power outlets. With the BLGW, you can use a BLGW macro as what you want a command to act upon in a recipe.
I've tried playing around with pairing BeoPlay bluetooth speakers but without success. It seems that you can only send music TO a bluetooth device from an Echo device with the Echo Dot. The full size Echo, however, does not support sending music out to bluetooth speakers.
I tried pairing a BeoPlay A2 to my Echo Dot. The Echo Dot could not find the A2. If anyone else has success with this. Please advise.
I was finally able to get the Echo Dot to find the BeoPlay A2 using bluetooth, but no sound was sent to the A2. I ultimately gave up trying to use bluetooth and connected the two together by cable. Now, I can give a voice command to play any artist, album, or playlist from Spotify and it plays on the A2.
Not sure that the advantages of this and similar devices outweighs the disadvantages.
Do you really want an always on listening device in your home? Sounds too much like Big Brother to me!
Graham
beojeff:You could indeed set up an IFTTT recipe directly between the Echo and your Hue lights without a BLGW. The BLGW is just such a tidy way to keep everything organized together. Still, you can do this without the BLGW. You just go to the IFTTT website and start creating recipes between the Echo and Hue. The command "trigger" is what is used to act on an IFTTT recipe. The word after "trigger" is whatever word or words that you want to use to label that recipe. I like using the BLGW because it's so easy to create macros using multiple systems. For example, you can create one macro to create Hue lights, Nest thermostat, B&O audio/video, and RadioRa 2 lights and power outlets. With the BLGW, you can use a BLGW macro as what you want a command to act upon in a recipe.
Update:
Today I turned on my BeoPlay 2 and it instantly connected to the Amazon Echo to stream music wirelessly via bluetooth from Spotify via the Echo to the BeoPlay A2.
vikinger: Not sure that the advantages of this and similar devices outweighs the disadvantages. Do you really want an always on listening device in your home? Sounds too much like Big Brother to me! Graham
There was a fascinating documentary last week on the U.S. series "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman" about this very issue. It explored the diminishing privacy due to technology. He spent a bit of time discussing a study that was done with a household in Norway (I believe. Or perhaps it was Finland.). The family went a year constantly observed by cameras in their home (expect for the bathrooms). After a time, the anxiety diminished and the family began accepting the situation. Still, I see your point and wonder want the future will have for us in terms of privacy.
You beat me to it...I've been involved with computer security, regular security, and carry too much low level paranoia about such things to ever let a device in my home that listens constantly and connects to outboard servers, as does Siri, to process your commands. Sorry, nope, nada, not gonna do it dot com.
I think the NSA and such should have to work a little harder to get to where they know every single thing about everyone.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Just to add to this, a while ago I saw the most ironic picture I've perhaps ever seen, a picture of a house in the UK with a sign on it saying George Orwell lived here, with several CCTV cameras all over the street.
There's a great Echo review here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RJVDJIP1OE8?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl
I've been playing with the pairing of the Echo Dot with the BeoPlay A2 and really like it! It was very cool to be in the kitchen cooking and to be able to say "Alexa, play some reggae music from Spotify." All totally hands-free. You could be very specify to play a particular artist, album, song, genre, or playlist. This could be the voice-controlled evolution of control interface that I've been expecting.
I think this thing appeals to every Trekkie out there: Computer, Earl Gray tea, hot.
Jeff:I think this thing appeals to every Trekkie out there: Computer, Earl Gray tea, hot. Jeff Beovirus victim, it's gotten to be too much to list!
beojeff: Jeff: I think this thing appeals to every Trekkie out there: Computer, Earl Gray tea, hot. Jeff Beovirus victim, it's gotten to be too much to list! I recently read that Majel Barrett recorded enough words before she died to use for a complete a.i. response system.
Jeff: I think this thing appeals to every Trekkie out there: Computer, Earl Gray tea, hot. Jeff Beovirus victim, it's gotten to be too much to list!
Beovirus victim, it's gotten to be too much to list!
I recently read that Majel Barrett recorded enough words before she died to use for a complete a.i. response system.
I read that too, but if I get a talking AI I want it to sound like HAL, just so I don't get too comfortable with it!
I also remember her saying, about the original role as Nurse Chapel, that when she heard she was supposed to be in love with Spock, she envisioned this big romantic role, until she read further that Vulcans only come in heat every 7 years!
Alexa, please write a comment on Beoworld to this post.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Millemissen: Alexa, please write a comment on Beoworld to this post. MM
Correct me if I'm mistaken, but in the UK ISP's are now required by law to keep a record of all your internet and telecom activities for a minimum of one year. Does this mean that Amazon also keeps a Cloud record of everything said in your household and picked up by the Echo?
Does it mean, for example, that some unscupulous official might just try checking out the conversations that have taken place in a doctor's or attorney's study with one of his clients?
They say, that it is constantly listening for the expression 'Alexa' in order to initiate the mics inside.
If you say 'Alexa' often, it might record your conversation - but then it probably would interfere, asking what you want/mean.