Amazon Echo FAQ

adox · 20-10-2016 04:33PM

Mines in Parcel Motel depot in Dublin.
Should be in my locker and ready for collection tomorrow.

bk · 20-10-2016 06:05PM

Yeah, I'm sure it is possible.

But now you are talking about buying:

- A lrf hub for £90
- A smartthings hub for £100
- Some sort of PC or raspberry pi running 24/7 *

Sounds like it is getting costly quickly and I'm not sure how reliable it would be given all those moving parts.

Really lightwave need to work on more direct support for services like IFTTT, yonomi and Echo if they want to be taken seriously and charge the prices they are.

* BTW I might do something like this myself anyway if Logitech don't hurry up and release full official Harmony support for Echo. Someone has full Harmony support working with Echo by running a HomeAutomation server on a raspberry pi. I'm sure I could get it to work on my mac mini that I use as a 24/7 plex server. But having to also buy a lwr hub AND a smartthings hub quickly makes it not worth it **

** Famous last words, I'm sure I'll be weak and end up buying all this eventually!!!!

Stoner · 20-10-2016 10:01PM

bk wrote:

Really lightwave need to work on more direct support for services like IFTTT, yonomi and Echo if they want to be taken seriously and charge the prices they are.

I agree , but their IFTTT support is decent there's four channels, I only use two of them.

But I have the nest smoke detector turning off the heating and a Ring intercom turing on a security light

Anyway it's gone beyond this thread alright

torrevieja · 20-10-2016 10:30PM

mrcheez wrote: »

3.5mm

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004G3ZTU8/

Go for 3m ones so that the Dot is far enough from your speaker that it can hear you over the music

Were do u plug the lead into in stereo player is it the headphone socket ?

jay0109 · 20-10-2016 11:12PM

Newbie to this and just started reading up on it today.

I have a question to ask about getting international radio stations i.e. BBC Radio 5 live. When there's a Premier League game on, can you hear it here in Ireland or because of broadcasting rights is it blocked?

Also, is it easy to access stations from across the world....just say the name and it plays?
I've seen some discussions on reddit etc where people are saying that BBc radio stations for example have dropped off and they cannot get them any longer.

Thanks

torrevieja · 20-10-2016 11:44PM

Whats the best bluetooth speakers for dot

degsie · 20-10-2016 11:54PM

torrevieja wrote: »

Were do u plug the lead into in stereo player is it the headphone socket ?

Are you for real or do you just not get technology?

cichlid child · 20-10-2016 11:59PM

torrevieja wrote: »

Were do u plug the lead into in stereo player is it the headphone socket ?

You have to plug it into speakers not a stereo player unless you have an AUX IN on your stereo.

torrevieja · 21-10-2016 12:01AM

degsie wrote: »

Are you for real or do you just not get technology?

Hi dogsie, im actually just asking a question here is that not allowed sorry about that :eek:

torrevieja · 21-10-2016 12:03AM

cichlid child wrote: »

You have to plug it into speakers not a stereo player unless you have an AUX in on your stereo.

thanks Cichlid

my speakers are the old ones were you put the bare cables into the speaker one red one black

bk · 21-10-2016 12:04AM

My Dot has arrived

Cool, seems to be working exactly the same as my Echo for now. I'm actually surprised at the audio quality for voice response straight from the Dot. Much clearer then I was expecting. Music is only ok, can be loud enough, but definitely lacks base. It is going to be plugged into my lovely Audio Engine 5 powered speakers anyway, but far too late too hook those puppies up now, would wake the whole building!

jay0109 wrote: »

I have a question to ask about getting international radio stations i.e. BBC Radio 5 live. When there's a Premier League game on, can you hear it here in Ireland or because of broadcasting rights is it blocked?

Also, is it easy to access stations from across the world....just say the name and it plays?

I just tried BBC Radio 5 Live and it worked fine. Also there are a massive number of stations from all around the world on Tunein. Like probably the majority of the radio stations in the world!

Only thing to bear in mind. TuneIn works poorly for finding stations using voice. Much easier to just select the radio station with the Alexa app on the phone app and then it will start playing straight away on the Echo. From there you can then control the rest via voice.

If you listen to the same station every day, then you can just say "Alexa, resume tunein" and it will play your regular station.

cichlid child · 21-10-2016 12:05AM

@torrevieja -No they wont do.

Stoner · 21-10-2016 12:07AM

torrevieja wrote:

Were do u plug the lead into in stereo player is it the headphone socket ?

You'd be better with the 3.5 to phono leads for a big stereo. that stereo would have different red and white auxiliary inputd that could be switched, it might have a headphone connection but that's an output you wouldn't use it.

If it's a standalone speaker it will either have the red/ white inputs as aux in, or it will have the same 3.5mm connection but it will be marked as Aux input then you'd use 3.5 to 3.5 mm cable,

Stoner · 21-10-2016 12:07AM

bk wrote:

My Dot has arrived

Mine too mad stuff

Stoner · 21-10-2016 12:09AM

torrevieja wrote:

my speakers are the old ones were you put the bare cables into the speaker one red one black

In this case you need the stereo that they plug into. It should have an audio input at the back. You'd need a. 3.5mm to phono lead. Deals and pound shops have them

actuallylike · 21-10-2016 12:13AM

Mine arrived yesterday (live in London), but I'm not home until Saturday ðŸ˜ . Looking forward to trying it out.

torrevieja · 21-10-2016 12:23AM

Stoner wrote: »

You'd be better with the 3.5 to phono leads for a big stereo. that stereo would have different red and white auxiliary inputd that could be switched, it might have a headphone connection but that's an output you wouldn't use it.

If it's a standalone speaker it will either have the red/ white inputs as aux in, or it will have the same 3.5mm connection but it will be marked as Aux input then you'd use 3.5 to 3.5 mm cable,

This is it :

http://www.taodepot.com/item/40767101025

Stoner · 21-10-2016 04:15AM

torrevieja wrote:

This is it :

Below where the speakers connection in at the back , that black strip of connectors in the middle.
There are two white and two red connectors

One is the aux red/white audio input
The other is the red/white audio output

It's labeled

Connect the red and white ends of the phono 3.5 cable to the red and white input connection. Put the 3.5mm connection into the Echo dot.
A cable like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LM2Y2U4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZHycyb3B6NW4A

There will be a selection switch on the front of the stereo to switch it from CD to tape to tuner to Aux. Set it to Aux

degsie · 21-10-2016 06:55AM

torrevieja wrote: »

Hi dogsie, im actually just asking a question here is that not allowed sorry about that :eek:

Apologies. Thought you were trolling for a second.

Zascar · 21-10-2016 08:26AM

torrevieja wrote: »

Whats the best bluetooth speakers for dot

Literally any one wiill work so depends on your budget. The best value one around is the Anker: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Wireless-Bluetooth-Radiators-Subwoofers/dp/B0109TWZ54/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477034686&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=anker+bluetooth+speaker&psc=1
- there is a cheaper version but I have this and its pretty much as good as the Bose equivalent which is €200

adox · 21-10-2016 08:48AM

Picked my Dotup this morning from Parcel Motel. Won't get it out of the box until this evening.
Will leave it as a standalone at first j til I decide what way to hook it up as I have three different options

mik_da_man · 21-10-2016 10:43AM

Mine was delivered to PM today, might have it tomorrow..
Looking forward to setting it up

mrcheez · 21-10-2016 10:51AM

I cancelled mine and then re-ordered with the £7 discount linked elsewhere in Bargain Alerts.. arriving on Monday which suits me fine as I won't get to use it till then. Every bargain counts

degsie · 21-10-2016 12:28PM

Got my dot today. Looking forward to see how it compares to the echo.

cichlid child · 21-10-2016 12:56PM

degsie wrote: »

Got my dot today. Looking forward to see how it compares to the echo.

Degsie can you keep us informed as I have the Echo but thinking of getting the Dot for my son for Christmas.

Zascar · 21-10-2016 01:28PM

degsie wrote: »

Got my dot today. Looking forward to see how it compares to the echo.

Aren't they exactly the same bar the speaker?

bk · 21-10-2016 03:10PM

Zascar wrote: »

Aren't they exactly the same bar the speaker?

As far as I can tell so far, yes.

degsie · 21-10-2016 03:18PM

Zascar wrote: »

Aren't they exactly the same bar the speaker?

Volume control is different, top ring on echo, buttons on dot. Also power adapter is different. Other than that pretty much the same functionality.

mrcheez · 21-10-2016 03:48PM

degsie wrote: »

Volume control is different, top ring on echo, buttons on dot. Also power adapter is different. Other than that pretty much the same functionality.

I read somewhere that the next gen Echo is going to follow the same design as the 2nd gen Echo Dot (i.e. buttons instead of top ring, and the same sort of finish on the plastic.. plus the improved voice-sensing etc)

v10 · 21-10-2016 07:15PM

I got the Echo a couple of weeks ago and the Dot today, I'm finding the Dot not nearly as responsive to the wake word as the Echo !

Anyone else with both experiencing the same ?

Amazon Echo FAQ

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