Release Candidate and Support: Amazon Echo Control Binding

Thanks Scott. Didn’t even think conceptually you could create an Alexa binding that only ran local. Figured everything had to run thru Amazon’s server if you talked to her.

Anyway, I am reading the Control document now. One thing that interested me is the ability to listen to the weather on Spotify. I have a family member obsessed with the weather. Probably make their day to ask Alexa to play the weather. To get me started on this binding, is there any guides on how to setup openhab integration to Alexa (which I’m sure I can figure out) with a Dot and a Sonos ONE. And ideally like to ask Sonos ONE to play the weather and have it happen. That said, how much is the binding doing here? When you ask Alexa to play the weather is it OpenHAB that is making this happen or Alexa? still struggling to understand the communication flow which is probably my biggest challenge right now.

Thanks.

JR

Hi, the currently released version is not recommended to use, because it has problems with channel updates and a memory / thread leak in the case of internet connection.
But the currently daily snapshot release of openHAB has an already fixed version, but daily snapshots are in general are not recommended for productive systems. So the best possibility is to install the current beta from the top most posting. Please deinstall first the binding, then the manual installation should not cause any troubles. Please read the instruction included in the top most posting for installation or search on google for more detailed instructions how you can do the manual installation.
Best, Michael

Hi Michi,

Thanks for your reply.

I have openHAB2 running on a raspberry PI 3b+. If I run the following I see I currently have v2.4.0 installed

openhab-cli console
bundle:list -s
260 │ Active │ 80 │ 2.4.0 │ org.openhab.binding.amazonechocontrol

This is confirmed by looking in openhab paperUI interface under “add-ons -> bindings ->Amazon Echo Control Binding 2.4.0

So if I remove all Alexa things and bindings ( not a problem because they are all in config files ) I can now click uninstall against this amazon echo control binding to remove it.

Once I have downloaded the recommended .jar file Beta 2.5 (5) then how do I actually “install” it ? Apologies but I’ve come from a windows background with little Linux experience.

Regards
Karl.

Place the jar file in /usr/share/openhab2/addons and restart OH.

After placing the jar file and restarting if you have permission issues then use sudo openhabian-config tool and select Apply Improvements then Fix Permissions and you should be good to go.

Hey thanks for that. I thought i’d need to run some update to import the file. Easy when you know how :slight_smile:

Will this new version appear in the “paperUI under add-ons -> bindings” or does the manual process hide it from that menu ?

Cheers.

Its will show in PaperUI under Configurations > Bindings along with the other bindings you have installed. It will not be in the Addons > Bindings list like regular bindings you click to install. If this make no sense, I’m not the best at explaining things, you will understand after you have it installed.:wink:

No problem, ill give it a go - thanks for your time.

Hi Michael,
just wondering if it may be possible to access the internal temperatur sensor of the echo plus. It can be displayed in the amazon alexa app.
Usually the echo is located somewhere central, so the temperature should be the overall room temperature. So you can safe money for getting an additional temp sensor. :wink:
Maybe this is an idea for an future release or you can provide an instruction how to add channels manually to the binding.
Thx

cheers Hannes

Reading out the value, should not be the problem. But the question is, if there is a notification if the temperature is changed. If not, than additional polling is required and this would be not nice. BTW, is it possible to show the temperature in the alexa web site, too? Or is it only available in the app? I

Best, Michael

btw, you can check if you have the new version if you open the binding webpage

http://<youropenhab>/amazonechocontrol

You should see the Beta hint on this page:

Hi,
unfortunately i cannot see the Temperature on the website.
Im not sure if there is a notification, but you can create a alexa scene or rule depending on this temperature. for example: “switch on ventilator, if temp raise over 26°C”. So i assume there is a notification, right?

Cheers

Is someone able to explain the relationship between OpenHAB and Alexa/Echo? What specifically does what? Every example out there, and there are not that many, references to add tags to your things in OpenHAB, and then install the OpenHAB Cloud Connector. Then go to your Alexa app and add the OpenHAB skill. WHich then will pull in all the items that are tagged. They then start telling Alexa to turn lights on and off and change this color and that color. I’m confused what is happening during those requests, who is executing those requests, and they never ask for any other bindings on the OpenHAB side so confused about that and where this binding for example comes in. Appreciate any clarification.

Thanks

JR

I think you are in the wrong topic . see here :

Summerguy, If that comment is for me, I don’t believe so unless you are suggesting this should be a separate topic. I’m trying to understand the openhab and Alexa integration, how it works, and since none of the tutorials require a specific binding other than the cloud connector, trying to understand what these bindings do.

Thanks.

JR

Yes that comment was for you :wink:

What you‘re talking about is the Alexa Skill for openHAB. It let‘s you expose items from oH to Alexa so you‘re able to control them with your Echo devices.

In this thread it‘s about controlling the Echo devices from openHAB.
You‘re able to send TextToSpeech, check the lastVoiceCommand or controll the music playback.

Kind regards
Michael

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All warnings are gone. Good work :+1:

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Ive just uninstalled the 2.4.0 binding and installed the org.openhab.binding.amazonechocontrol_2.5.0.Beta_05.jar as a replacement.

Everything seems fine, and the crazy stacktracing regarding Amazon URLs in openhab.log has stopped - Good work !!

BR,

Normann

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If I want to turn off the screens on my echo show and spot devices I can issue the command “Alexa, screen off”. Could this functionality be provided using the control binding ?

Is this function available in the alexa app, too?

Hi there,

This is a normal voice command I give to my show and spot devices to get them to switch the screens off. I cant find any specific action within the Alexa app that offers this as an option when building a routine. It just appears to be something that can be spoken. Perhaps the API you use exposes this functionality ?

Regards
Karl.