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Amazon Echo / Alexa app
#61
Hi

The day has finally come true. New Alexa app is available with brand new skill API  v3.0
Amazon just certified our new skills and you can start playing with new options.
Quite a lot has change as Amazon did quite a lot of new functionality.  We fallowed one to one with the implementation as Amazon described.  You will see new terminology which might not sound right but this is as Amazon described it.
Now we have quite a lot of new skills with more advanced control:
Power State - this is equivalent of Switch(New name by Amazon)
Color - You can control RGB object via color commands https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Scene - Scenes created in Alexa app will be discovered by Alexa under scene tab. They are created with Amazon description with active and deactivate. This is why it is still bit object. https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Power Level, Percentage, Brightness - All 3 are nearly the same to control 1 byte object. Amazon try to define devices by its function and this is the reason for all 3 options
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Lock - As before to control your door. Ask 'Alexa is my door locked?'  
Color temperature in Kelvin - To control temperature of light.  https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Thermostat: This is bit more complex. Amazon try to integrate several different DIY thermostats and here is why we have all those different options where in fact we need just one.
Thermostat target setpoint - use to control your temperature
Thermostat mode- will change thermostat mode
Thermostat lower/upper setpoint - no real use as there are no voice commands for it.
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/smarth...vices.html

Have fun!
BR
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#62
(15.02.2018, 10:55)Daniel. Wrote: Hi

The day has finally come true. New Alexa app is available with brand new skill API  v3.0
Amazon just certified our new skills and you can start playing with new options.
Quite a lot has change as Amazon did quite a lot of new functionality.  We fallowed one to one with the implementation as Amazon described.  You will see new terminology which might not sound right but this is as Amazon described it.
Now we have quite a lot of new skills with more advanced control:
Power State - this is equivalent of Switch(New name by Amazon)
Color - You can control RGB object via color commands https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Scene - Scenes created in Alexa app will be discovered by Alexa under scene tab. They are created with Amazon description with active and deactivate. This is why it is still bit object. https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Power Level, Percentage, Brightness - All 3 are nearly the same to control 1 byte object. Amazon try to define devices by its function and this is the reason for all 3 options
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Lock - As before to control your door. Ask 'Alexa is my door locked?'  
Color temperature in Kelvin - To control temperature of light.  https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Thermostat: This is bit more complex. Amazon try to integrate several different DIY thermostats and here is why we have all those different options where in fact we need just one.
Thermostat target setpoint - use to control your temperature
Thermostat mode- will change thermostat mode
Thermostat lower/upper setpoint - no real use as there are no voice commands for it.
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/smarth...vices.html

Have fun!
BR
Hi Daniel,
Good news. What is the business behind Alexa app : Integrator side and Customer side. Today, there are a lot of apps, devices, etc... What is the strategy to attract customer with this app ? Cost ? benefit from both side ? Apart from voice command, what make this app attractive amont existing control and command solutions ?

Best regards,
Chouaibou.
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#63
Hi
Interesting question. This app is answer to customer voice. Alexa is not available everywhere but once you use it you want to do everything with it. Alexa is the best voice interface ever made. The most attractive thing is that you don't have to touch or hold anything via your hand. Just say command and it is happening. The difference with other voice solutions is that it actually works very well. You have to try it to understand what I mean. Echo dot is very cheap, to use it just as a light switch is worth the price Smile
BR
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#64
(15.02.2018, 16:42)Daniel. Wrote: Hi
Interesting question. This app is answer to customer voice. Alexa is not available everywhere but once you use it you want to do everything with it. Alexa is the best voice interface ever made. The most attractive thing is that you don't have to touch or hold anything via your hand. Just say command and it is happening. The difference with other voice solutions is that it actually works very well. You have to try it to understand what I mean. Echo dot is very cheap, to use it just as a light switch is worth the price Smile
BR

Hi Daniel,
Many thanks for your reply.

BR
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#65
Thank you Daniel for this update and the effort you put in it! Once you go Voice control, you never go back!

The lm app was updated normally, and I did a new sync, but I get no different response (i.e. setting the temperature still not working). I did noticed that the Alexa skill (the one in the actual amazon Alexa iOS app) has not been updated ever. Is it maybe that I am using the wrong logic machine skill? There are actually two of them (see also the attached image one with a space between the logic and the machine and another without) and there are some differences in their description too (i.e.supported languages). Should I change skill?

Thanks!

Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
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#66
Hi
The correct one is the one with space 'Logic Machine' We asked amazon to hide the other one but as everything it takes time for them. Make sure that you updated app in LM. Re-syncing account also may be needed.
BR

I just tried thermostat and it works fine. Set it like that

Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
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#67
After changing to the correct skill (I was using the inactive one) the temperature set point is now working but the status feedback still is not working to any of the devices, even though the skills have been set up correctly to use the corresponding status addresses in the lm app Alexa app.

So the lights can be still turned on and off ok, but I am getting a “there is a problem” grey bar regarding the light status (see attachment). Do you have working statuses in your Alexa?

Some other feedback: 
- from inside iOS Alexa app, you can change the type for a device (by taping edit) to either a “switch” (default) or a “light”, maybe this could be a selection in the lm Alexa app configuration.
- the rollers are now not working for some reason (have been auto converted to have a “power state” and a “percentage” skill), are you still able to control rollers like this?

Thank you for the excellent work!

Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
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#68
Hello Daniel!
Great News!

I had read the documentation but i did not see nothing about get status by voice??

Is it not possible? For example: Alexa, What's the status of kitchen lamp?

Another aspect is about rolls.. Will be possible to control rolls by saying: Alexa, up kitchen roll. Alexa, down kitchen roll or something like that??

Thanks Daniel.

Great job!
Reply
#69
(19.02.2018, 11:54)adiaz Wrote: Hello Daniel!
Great News!

I had read the documentation but i did not see nothing about get status by voice??

Is it not possible? For example: Alexa, What's the status of kitchen lamp?

Another aspect is about rolls.. Will be possible to control rolls by saying: Alexa, up kitchen roll. Alexa, down kitchen roll or something like that??

Thanks Daniel.

Great job!
Hi Adiaz,

Regarding the status, this was not possible with the previous capabilities that amazon had expose to smart home skill creators, but the new lm skill and lm app updates from Daniel are based on the whole new set of capabilities supported by amazon, so in theory, we can now have the objects status information passed back to Alexa, this isn’t seem to work right now, I believe that Daniel is currently working on this (you can see that I have asked him the same thing two replies above).

Regarding the rollers, you can control them normally by voice as long as you set them up like a dimming light (on/off and percentage). For:
- closing the roller you say “Alexa, turn on roller x” 
- opening the roller you say “Alexa, turn off roller x”
- setting the roller to 10% shade you say “Alexa, set roller x to 10%”
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#70
Hi All
I'm off this week and will look on to it next week. The status feedback is implemented as specified by Amazon. In did there is some issue with it but we are not the only ones who had this problem as same questions were raised on amazon developer forum. One status which for sure work is on 'Lock' You can ask: Alexa is my front door locked?' she will check and answer.
Regarding rollers: We work only with what Amazon created. Up to now there are no commands for binds/rollers. The reason probably is that they target DIY market and I haven't seen such DIY device yet.
BR
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#71
Hi All ,

Alexa should arrive in France (and French) April 14
Very, very good Big Grin Big Grin 

Jean-Marc.
Jean-Marc
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#72
(22.02.2018, 09:33)Daniel. Wrote: Hi All
I'm off this week and will look on to it next week.  The status feedback is implemented as specified by Amazon. In did there is some issue with it but we are not the only ones who had this problem as same questions were raised on amazon developer forum.  One status which for sure work is on 'Lock' You can ask: Alexa is my front door locked?' she will check and answer.

Hi Daniel,

Any news or update on this? Amazon Alexa ios app have undergone some extended updates lately.
I was also wondering, if you saw in their new API any signs of the possibility to use also Alexa for timer related on/off commands, like "Alexa, turn off AC in 1 hour", or "turn on desk light for 10 minutes"...
I think it shouldn't be difficult to do this as timers are already supported (i.e. for waking up etc).
BR
T.
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#73
Hi
Regarding the status. We checked our implementation and it is exactly as Amazon is requesting but result is as now.

No There is no command like that on Alexa. Some work around could be group which activate a script with such functionality.
BR
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#74
(15.02.2018, 10:55)Daniel. Wrote: Hi

The day has finally come true. New Alexa app is available with brand new skill API  v3.0
Amazon just certified our new skills and you can start playing with new options.
Quite a lot has change as Amazon did quite a lot of new functionality.  We fallowed one to one with the implementation as Amazon described.  You will see new terminology which might not sound right but this is as Amazon described it.
Now we have quite a lot of new skills with more advanced control:
Power State - this is equivalent of Switch(New name by Amazon)
Color - You can control RGB object via color commands https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Scene - Scenes created in Alexa app will be discovered by Alexa under scene tab. They are created with Amazon description with active and deactivate. This is why it is still bit object. https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Power Level, Percentage, Brightness - All 3 are nearly the same to control 1 byte object. Amazon try to define devices by its function and this is the reason for all 3 options
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Lock - As before to control your door. Ask 'Alexa is my door locked?'  
Color temperature in Kelvin - To control temperature of light.  https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device...oller.html
Thermostat: This is bit more complex. Amazon try to integrate several different DIY thermostats and here is why we have all those different options where in fact we need just one.
Thermostat target setpoint - use to control your temperature
Thermostat mode- will change thermostat mode
Thermostat lower/upper setpoint - no real use as there are no voice commands for it.
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/smarth...vices.html

Have fun!
BR

Hi Daniel,
Please do you have informations on local features of Alexa ? For example, is it possible to have control of the installation in case of the internet outage ? In others words, what is possible to do with Amazon Echo / Alexa app without internet.

B.R,
Chouaibou.
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#75
Hi,

It's a cloud service, without internet you can't use it..

BR,

Erwin
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#76
Hi
No you can't with LM. Alexa don't work without Internet so even there would be such option it won't help.
Our voice control via our starter android and iOS app works locally without need for Internet.
BR
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#77
(30.03.2018, 13:54)Daniel. Wrote: Hi
No you can't with LM. Alexa don't work without Internet so even there would be such option it won't help.
Our voice control via our starter android and iOS app works locally without need for Internet.
BR

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your repply. 

B.R,
Chouaibou.
Reply
#78
Hi,

A couple of days ago, Alexa has stop communicating with the Openrb skill cloud server, so I get “this light isn’t responding” to any of my commands.
Has anyone else such problems?
Reply
#79
Hi
Is it still happening? We had issues with the cloud but now all should be OK.
BR
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#80
I can confirm that today is working again, thanks Daniel.
Any news on the status feedback implementation?
BR
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