Amazon Echo FAQ

mrcheez · 06-10-2016 10:21am

I'm holding onto my preorders for now and will review whether or not to proceed closer to the date when they will be taking cash from my revolut card (I'll top up the card once they try to drawdown funds, not before). Interested to see first if ppl here manage to get workarounds for some of the issues.

degsie · 06-10-2016 10:28am

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm holding onto my preorders for now and will review whether or not to proceed closer to the date when they will be taking cash from my revolut card (I'll top up the card once they try to drawdown funds, not before). Interested to see first if ppl here manage to get workarounds for some of the issues.

As the Echo was intended for the UK/US/German markets only, users here will be forever fighting to get all the benefits that those users will get out of the box. I for one will be using it for Prime music, Audible, TuneIn and general interaction. So far my experience has been positive.

adox · 06-10-2016 11:20am

The Dot seems a no brainer at the price.
€60 isnt too much of an outlay and you can see what it is capable of on youtube or on this thread.

BobbyT28 · 06-10-2016 11:27am

The only reson I got the Echo was that it was €99 for prime memebers and I had a £50 voucher on Amazon, so it wokred out at £49. I think if I was to pay the current price (£149) I would be pretty let down.

I think the DOT is a fantastic offer. Paired with a Decent Bluetooth speaker, It's a no brainer.

I think when IFTTT gets intergrated you will see a little mopre funtionality.

MaceFace · 06-10-2016 12:25pm

For those that have a UK registered Echo, you should look at whether you see value in resetting to a US account (I assume you can). I use IFTTT to control Nest and Hamony Hub so can control heating and TV etc. through triggers.

It seems the UK Echo suffers the same as the US version - finding Irish radio stations. I've mentioned previously on this and related threads that since I got my Echo 6 months ago, I have given up on radio as it is just too troublesome, particularly if you have a Spotify account.

I still think £149 is a great price for a wireless always available speaker. Sure, you can get better sounding speakers, but nothing beats walking into a room and using your voice to turn on the music.

For those interested, I have my Echo plugged into Electric Ireland smart plugs and it is reporting that last month, the Echo used 84c of electricity. This would be using Spotify every day.

cichlid child · 06-10-2016 12:51pm

MaceFace wrote: »

For those that have a UK registered Echo, you should look at whether you see value in resetting to a US account (I assume you can). I use IFTTT to control Nest and Hamony Hub so can control heating and TV etc. through triggers.

It seems the UK Echo suffers the same as the US version - finding Irish radio stations. I've mentioned previously on this and related threads that since I got my Echo 6 months ago, I have given up on radio as it is just too troublesome, particularly if you have a Spotify account.

I still think £149 is a great price for a wireless always available speaker. Sure, you can get better sounding speakers, but nothing beats walking into a room and using your voice to turn on the music.

For those interested, I have my Echo plugged into Electric Ireland smart plugs and it is reporting that last month, the Echo used 84c of electricity. This would be using Spotify every day.

Can I ask what system are you controlling your tv with. Does it change the channels etc.

BobbyT28 · 06-10-2016 1:10pm

cichlid child wrote: »

Can I ask what system are you controlling your tv with. Does it change the channels etc.

I take it you de-register echo on the amazon.co uk site and register on amazon.com

also,

Do you need to setup echo again fromn the app by going to alex.amazon.com

Yeah would be really interested in finding out how your controlling your TV?

BobbyT28

Vico1612 · 06-10-2016 1:12pm

I was looking at TV control yesterday and anymote app now has Alexia integration ... Sadly not available in the UK Skill list so mailed Amazon and got the boilerplate answer ' We'll pass feedback on to Dev Team '

degsie · 06-10-2016 1:13pm

Alexa commands.... might be a useful reference.

https://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/the-complete-list-of-alexa-commands/

bk · 06-10-2016 2:01pm

MaceFace wrote: »

For those that have a UK registered Echo, you should look at whether you see value in resetting to a US account (I assume you can). I use IFTTT to control Nest and Hamony Hub so can control heating and TV etc. through triggers.

The UK Echo supports Harmony Hub [1] and Nest via the Yonomi app. In fact people who have used both say Yonomi is much more reliable [2]

[1] It is basic control, turn on/off harmony activities. You can't play/pause/mute/volume up/down. But that is the same with IFTTT. We need to wait for official Harmony Hub support from Logitech for these extra features.

[2] IFTTT support would still be welcome for other things like adding todo items to other todo apps, etc.

MaceFace · 06-10-2016 2:18pm

cichlid child wrote: »

Can I ask what system are you controlling your tv with. Does it change the channels etc.

I bought a Harmony Elite from a Bargain Alert recently and it has the Harmony Hub in the package. On the Harmony Hub, you can create a bunch of activities, such as "Saorview" or "FreeSat" or "Netflix, or "TV Off". You can integrate Harmony and Alexa through IFTTT (where supported) so you could say "Alexa, trigger TV off". This would turn off the TV within about 5-10 seconds.
I believe you can set up an activity such as "UPC Channel 402" and set a trigger in IFTTT so you could say something like "Alexa, trigger Sky Sports".
However, because it uses IFTTT, it needs to go remote and thus results in a delay of a number of seconds. I don't think it is that useful in most cases such as channel up, or flicking around. Just takes too long.
It is good when you want to switch off the TV at dinner time without having to shout at the kids to turn it off and come out.

paulbok · 06-10-2016 3:06pm

BeanFlicker wrote: »

Hey what's the general consensus on the echo/dot? Worth the cash, or a novelty item?

Have that dot preordered but unsure weather to go for the Google home and get it from the US

Also, what's the best way to use Amazon prime/music etc with the echo/dot? Are we limited being in Ireland to use most of the services?

Cheers

If you don't need a good speaker, and are just looking for voice controls then the dot is great value at £50 (€57)with the exchange rate in our favour at the moment.

However of is really lacking in existing features most of us expected to be available here, setting your location, local time and IFTTT support to name a few.
Genuine Irish access to Prime services will drive usage here but will that ever happen?

But these will come in time, and as a poster above said, Google home won't be available here for some time and by the time it does, Amazon should have more strings to its bow.

Cabaal · 06-10-2016 3:19pm

paulbok wrote: »

local time

Local time works fine for me,
It seems to be an issue for some alright, some of which got echo's from the usa to begin with

bk · 06-10-2016 3:27pm

MaceFace wrote: »

I bought a Harmony Elite from a Bargain Alert recently and it has the Harmony Hub in the package. On the Harmony Hub, you can create a bunch of activities, such as "Saorview" or "FreeSat" or "Netflix, or "TV Off". You can integrate Harmony and Alexa through IFTTT (where supported) so you could say "Alexa, trigger TV off". This would turn off the TV within about 5-10 seconds.

You can do all of that on a UK Echo using the Yonomi app and it works better (faster and more reliable) then IFTTT.

MaceFace wrote: »

I believe you can set up an activity such as "UPC Channel 402" and set a trigger in IFTTT so you could say something like "Alexa, trigger Sky Sports".
However, because it uses IFTTT, it needs to go remote and thus results in a delay of a number of seconds. I don't think it is that useful in most cases such as channel up, or flicking around. Just takes too long.

You call also do that with Yonomi, but it requires creating a separate Harmony activity for each individual channel. Might be worth it for just one or two channels that you use all the time, but definitely not worth it to do all channels.

paulbok wrote: »

However of is really lacking in existing features most of us expected to be available here, setting your location, local time and IFTTT support to name a few.
Genuine Irish access to Prime services will drive usage here but will that ever happen?

But that isn't true. I think people have been taking the complaints out of context. The majority of functionality works just fine in Ireland. I'd say 90% works the same as the UK, just the last 10% doesn't work for now. But on the whole it works great.

Here is what works very well in Ireland:
- Spotify Premium works great
- Amazon Prime Music works great
- Understanding Irish accents works great
- Playing music from bluetooth devices works great
- Asking it general questions (e.g. "how tall is Tom Crusie" type questions).
- Adding items to todo and shopping lists
- Adding items to calendar and asking about appointments
- Playing audio books
- Playing news reports
- Setting local time and asking it (yes working fine for me).
- Setting timers and alarms
- Controlling Philips Hue lights
- Controlling smart thermostats (Netatmo)

Here is what works somewhat ok, but not quiet perfect, in Ireland:
- Having to add "in Dublin", "in Cork" when asking the weather, two extra words, hardly end of the world!
- Tunein radio controlled by voice is poor. But you can still select the radio station using the app and then control the rest by voice, again not perfect, but hardly end of the world!
- Commuting time works in Dublin, but seemingly not for the rest of the country.
- Logitech Harmony has basic control via Yonomi. Same as the UK and US, we have to wait for official support from Harmony to do more.

What doesn't work in Ireland:
- IFTTT, but then neither does it work in the UK, but coming soon.

And... that is pretty much it!

As you can see, the list of what works extremely well is WAY bigger then list of not working or partly working things and I'm sure most of these will be fixed in a few weeks.

NakedDex · 06-10-2016 3:32pm

Is it weird that one of the main reasons I don't really care about the launch of Google Home as a competitor to Echo is that I don't have to say smegging "Ok Google" every time I want something? As a keyword, it's a nasty set of syllables to get out naturally. I used that system when I rigged my last car for handsfree operation through a phone, and while the range of potential ability was great, it's recognition of it's own keyword within 2 ft of the mic was abhorrent. Saying "Alexa" or "Echo" seems a lot more natural.

paulbok · 06-10-2016 3:40pm

Cabaal wrote: »

Local time works fine for me,
It seems to be an issue for some alright, some of which got echo's from the usa to begin with

Got mine from the UK store but having read through dome of the above, I'd guess it's liked your my. Com account. Will contact them to change.

cichlid child · 06-10-2016 3:45pm

bk wrote: »

You can do all of that on a UK Echo using the Yonomi app and it works better (faster and more reliable) then IFTTT.

You call also do that with Yonomi, but it requires creating a separate Harmony activity for each individual channel. Might be worth it for just one or two channels that you use all the time, but definitely not worth it to do all channels.

But that isn't true. I think people have been taking the complaints out of context. The majority of functionality works just fine in Ireland. I'd say 90% works the same as the UK, just the last 10% doesn't work for now. But on the whole it works great.

Here is what works very well in Ireland:
- Spotify Premium works great
- Amazon Prime Music works great
- Understanding Irish accents works great
- Playing music from bluetooth devices works great
- Asking it general questions (e.g. "how tall is Tom Crusie" type questions).
- Adding items to todo and shopping lists
- Adding items to calendar and asking about appointments
- Playing audio books
- Playing news reports
- Setting local time and asking it (yes working fine for me).
- Setting timers and alarms
- Controlling Philips Hue lights
- Controlling smart thermostats (Netatmo)

Here is what works somewhat ok, but not quiet perfect, in Ireland:
- Having to add "in Dublin", "in Cork" when asking the weather, two extra words, hardly end of the world!
- Tunein radio controlled by voice is poor. But you can still select the radio station using the app and then control the rest by voice, again not perfect, but hardly end of the world!
- Commuting time works in Dublin, but seemingly not for the rest of the country.
- Logitech Harmony has basic control via Yonomi. Same as the UK and US, we have to wait for official support from Harmony to do more.

What doesn't work in Ireland:
- IFTTT, but then neither does it work in the UK, but coming soon.

And... that is pretty much it!

As you can see, the list of what works extremely well is WAY bigger then list of not working or partly working things and I'm sure most of these will be fixed in a few weeks.

Excellent Post BK just what I was looking for.
Coming soon.
Alexa ask BK can I do.......................

Arbie · 06-10-2016 3:45pm

paulbok wrote: »

Got mine from the UK store but having read through dome of the above, I'd guess it's liked your my. Com account. Will contact them to change.

I got mine from USA, use a .com account and it gives local time. Worth trying the change though.

richardw001 · 06-10-2016 4:29pm

cichlid child wrote: »

Excellent Post BK just what I was looking for.
Coming soon.
Alexa ask BK can I do.......................

Just to add:
WeMo Plugs work out of the box (are detected by it and controllable)

WeMo LightBulbs and WeMo Link work using Yonomi - if you add that skill

https://www.yonomi.co/

(Actually Yonomi seems to be a decent enough alternative to IFTT - however have only being playing with it a day or so)

jobless · 06-10-2016 4:57pm

so has anyone got Tune In to work even mildly? ...

I set my location to a dublin address it doesnt work (finding Irish stations)
I had more success with the UK address set...

Does anyone have their location as Ireland and tune in working?

donegal. · 06-10-2016 5:00pm

jobless wrote: »

so has anyone got Tune In to work even mildly? ...

I set my location to a dublin address it doesnt work (finding Irish stations)
I had more success with the UK address set...

Does anyone have their location as Ireland and tune in working?

i have got rte1 and 2fm only a couple of times but todayfm always works.

Thor · 06-10-2016 5:01pm

I've seen a few people posting aabout issues with tune in but I have had no problems with it so far.

degsie · 06-10-2016 5:05pm

Thor wrote: »

I've seen a few people posting aabout issues with tune in but I have had no problems with it so far.

Can you try and get Newstalk or RTE Radio 1 working? How are you saying this to Alexa?

jobless · 06-10-2016 5:06pm

Thor wrote: »

I've seen a few people posting aabout issues with tune in but I have had no problems with it so far.

yeah its weird...

set my address to O connell street dublin.... cant find tune in...

set it to parcel motel address in north with Post Code 'BT36 4' and works for the stations i had just tried with Irish address... oh well

Thor · 06-10-2016 5:11pm

Actually. May have spoken too soon.

I switched my amazon echo to UK after I noticed it was still using US. Did this last night.

It worked perfectly when I was using it as a US account but still had my address set to my Irish one in the settings.

Very odd.

Utah · 07-10-2016 8:04am

I can get today fm to work

ajd1969 · 07-10-2016 11:11am

Anybody else having problems getting the time set properly? My time is one hour out - even though a Dublin address has been accepted as the location.

KenFitz · 07-10-2016 11:59am

I've been having great fun trying to get Irish radio stations to work, my address is now set to Parcel Motel in the north.

About 30% of the time "Alexa Ireland newstalk on TuneIn Radio" will work. Once I've got it set next time just ask for TuneIn radio and Alexa the clever girl will re-open last listened to radio station :-)

paulbok · 07-10-2016 4:36pm

KenFitz wrote: »

I've been having great fun trying to get Irish radio stations to work, my address is now set to Parcel Motel in the north.

About 30% of the time "Alexa Ireland newstalk on TuneIn Radio" will work. Once I've got it set next time just ask for TuneIn radio and Alexa the clever girl will re-open last listened to radio station :-)

"Alexa resume" will work as well

v10 · 07-10-2016 5:06pm

Just got my new echo delivered yesterday from amazon uk. Even though it was ordered through a UK Amazon account it was setup for US.

It worked fine in US configuration (except time, weather etc) and then when I switched to a Dublin address (wouldn't accept anything outside Dublin) I found it couldn't find pretty much any TuneIn stations and 90% of the time just said TuneIn wasn't reachable right now or something along those lines.

Anyway changed address to Northern Irish address and now works fine again, finds all stations I listen to no problem, i.e. Today FM, FM104, 2FM etc.

All I say is "Alexa Play FM104 radio" .. no need to mention TuneIn.

While I'm here .. Is there any skills worth installing as an Irish user ?

Amazon Echo FAQ

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