I enabled Amazon Alexa Guard feature (not their paid plus version). This created a new Thing for each Echo device called "Alexa Guard on ". Each has 2 channels automatically loaded as type contact, one for glass break and one for smoke alarm. Quiet state is “OPEN”.
What I can’t find nor create is a channel for armState, which allows me to arm/disarm the capability. This is documented in the echo control binding as available.
Appreciate any guidance as to how to set this up. My workaround is for OH3 to issue a command to Alexa saying I’m home or away. I’d prefer to use armState.
Isn’t it this one which is listed in the amazon echo control binding doc ? Or is this something different ?
armState String R/W smartHomeDevice, smartHomeDeviceGroup State of your alarm guard. Options: ARMED_AWAY, ARMED_STAY, ARMED_NIGHT, DISARMED (groups are not able to show their state)
armState is implemented for devices that support the Alexa.SecurityPanelController interface. That is not the case here. The Alexa Guard implements the Alexa.AcousticEventSensor interface.
Stated: armState is implemented for devices that support the Alexa.SecurityPanelController interface. That is not the case here. The Alexa Guard implements the Alexa.AcousticEventSensor interface.
The docs show armState, glassBreakDetectionState and smokeAlarmDetectionState in the same table. The later 2 appear automatically as channels. I assumed they would all show up. Based on the 2 different interfaces you mentioned, how does one determine if they have the capability and how does one enable it?
You can’t enable or disable interfaces on devices. A device (e.g. an Echo or another device connected to Alexa) announce their capabilities by implementing “interfaces”. E.g. a light bulb implements Alexa.BrightnessController and Alexa.PowerController. The first provides a capability to change the brightness, the second one a capability to control the on/off state. If it’s a color temperature controllable bulb, it’ll implement Alexa.ColorTemperatureController, too. What interfaces are implemented is defined by the manufacturer of the device. The binding asks Amazon’s server what devices are connected and which interfaces they implement.
Not all interfaces are implemented and not all implemented interfaces are complete, e.g. the Alexa.AcousticEventSensor also has a property detectionMode which is what you need. The problem is that some properties are read-only (and some other are read-write, but the correct command format is unknown). A general rule is, that you can control, what you can also do with the app. I do not see an option to switch these detections on/off in the app, that’s why I didn’t implement it. The only way I can switch them on/off is by creating routines which listen to these events. If you know another way, please let me know and I’ll check again.
It seems this depends on the region you are in. I don‘t have that setting (in Germany). Can you log in to alexa.amazon.com and then send the output of alexa.amazon.com/api/phoenix via private mail? Do not upload the file to a public server, it might contain sensitive information like your customer id or your location.
Thanks J-N-K. You’ve been very helpful and responsive.
The Android Alexa app has the feature, not the web version. Web has no mention of Guard other than showing it’s enabled.
Got this working using a routine. The Alexa Android app allows me to set up a routine to set Guard-Away but not Guard-Home. Strange they left that out. I have to send a command in the routine which causes the device to speak a response. Annoying but workable for now.
Thanks for the help. Hope there’s a way to integrate armState in the future.
