Unclear how I can use Alexa Echo devices inside OpenHab

Setup, Configuration and Use Beginners
1

Hi;
I try to add Echo DOT devices (in my case a LED Lamp) into Openhab.
From Alexa the lamp is working.

I create a openhab cloud account, status online.
I also reach Amazon from Openhab (http://openhabianpi:8080/amazonechocontrol/account1)

But what are the next steps to do?
I find some hints, examples, but :frowning:

I create a a echo.things:

Bridge amazonechocontrol:account:account1 “Amazon Account” @ “Alexa” [amazonSite=“amazon.de”, email=“MY-MAILADRES”, password=“PASSWORD”, pollingIntervalInSeconds=60]
{
Thing echo echodotwz “Alexa (Wohnzimmer)” @ “Alexa” [serialNumber=“G090LFxxxxxxxxxS”]
}

And a echo.items:

Dimmer Dimmer_Diningroom
“Esstisch Lampe [%s]”

(GF_Diningroom)
{channel=“amazonechocontrol:echo:account1:echodotwz:brighness”}

And
I see the dimmer (slider) in my sitemap, but when moving the slider:

2020-11-20 14:51:38.953 [ome.event.ItemCommandEvent] - Item ‘Dimmer_Diningroom’ received command 46
2020-11-20 14:51:38.964 [nt.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Dimmer_Diningroom predicted to become NULL

Maybe I’m completely wrong with my doing 


I also add the Alexa Skill, but I think this is only needed if I will manage OH devices via voice / Echo-Dot

Has anyone a “simple” example were a Echo Lamp was used inside OpenHab ?

Thanks (now I need a break 
)
Martin

2

What is an “Echo lamp” ? An Echo dot has no socket to plug anything into. What sort of device is it that you are trying to control ? Or do you mean a Hue lamp connected to the Echo via Zigbee ? If that use the amazonechocontrol binding.

3

Hi,
sorry, with “Echo lamp” I mean a device “connected” to the Echo, controllable with the Alexa-App.
I have this lamp, is connected with Wifi, but no Tasmota!

I think it should be possible to control these “Alexa” devices within OH 
 but what is the correct instruction I have to follow?

Actuall I don’t see any device in OH cloud, maybe this is (one) of my problems? Must I see there the Echo and the lamp ?

ohcloud
ohcloud984×318 25.5 KB

4

You want to expose Alexa smart devices to OpenHab? You should use the amazonechocontrol binding. Follow the instructions there to enable smart devices in the binding and then link an item to the thing corresponding to the smart device (lamp in this case)

5

Yes
the binding “Amazon Echo Control Binding / binding-amazonechocontrol - 2.5.10” is already installed.

But maybe depends on my (bad) english understanding, sometimes I need a “simple” user example to see what to configure were 
 (in my case a dimmable (Alexa Echo -Lamp).

In the provided examples from https://www.openhab.org/addons/bindings/amazonechocontrol/
I see how to control the Echo (Volume, etc.), but I don’ t see (or find) how I can dim a Lamp (controlled by Echo/Alexa).

Also not sure where I can find the channel from the lamp, in the PaperUI under configuration=>Things=>Alexa I only see the channels from the player like volume, treble, title.
No lamp.

I think the channel I need to use should looks like:
{channel="amazonechocontrol:echo:account1:echo1:diningroom_lamp}

6

Pls refer this section: https://www.openhab.org/addons/bindings/amazonechocontrol/#smart-home-devices
You should go to things section in Paper UI and do a discovery of the devices so that you can see the devices reported by Alexa server. There you should see the lamp device. I have moved to OH3 so i can’t share any screenshots as those wont be relevant for OH2.x

7

Thx you and other for the help!

But what do you mean with “Alexa Server” ?
In the discovery from Alexa are parts from the Echo Dot as written before; like volume, player, treble, titel

But not the lamp.
Attache a screenshot from all Alexa Things in PaperUI

In the Inbix from PaperUI I only find “FlashBriefing”, I add and now under Configuration => Things this Flashbriefing is vissible.

alexa-things
alexa-things555×915 67.7 KB

8

Making up syntax “as you think” doesn’t help, reading the documentation of the USED version does!
On which version of the Amazone Echo Control are you?
Note that reading the documentation you can select your version in the top right corner of the page.
The discovery of Smarthome devices seems to be available only on the latest version and not on 2.5 ( acc.the docs).

9

Hi,
now I can control the Echo Dot (like volume).
But still not found or any idea how I can control the dimmable lamp (in Alexa the lamp is vissible and controllable).
And yes, it seems the discovery from these smarthome device is in 2.5 not available.
But how can I controll a smarthome device in 2.5 ?

I think I need the channel name, but where can I find it?
I check in the doku “How to get IDs”,
but there in Amazon there is nothing from the (joined) lamp visible, only thinks like alarm sounds, Apple_Music, Audible, 


==========================================================
Amazon Echo Control - Amazon Account - Channel Options - Alexa
Channel bluetoothMAC
No bluetooth devices paired

Channel amazonMusicPlayListId
No playlists found

Channel playAlarmSound
Name Value
Adrift ECHO:system_alerts_soothing_01
Clangy ECHO:system_alerts_atonal_02
Clarity ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_05
Countertop ECHO:system_alerts_repetitive_04
Focus ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_03
Glimmer ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_06
Nightstand ECHO:system_alerts_repetitive_01
Nimble ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_07
Orcas ECHO:system_alerts_soothing_05
Porchlight ECHO:system_alerts_atonal_03
Pulsar ECHO:system_alerts_rhythmic_02
Rainier ECHO:system_alerts_musical_02
Simple Alarm ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_01
Simple Timer ECHO:system_alerts_melodic_02
Squared Waves ECHO:system_alerts_alarming_03

Channel musicProviderId
Name Value
Amazon Music AMAZON_MUSIC
TuneIn TUNEIN
My Library CLOUDPLAYER

Capabilities
Name
ALEXA_PRESENCE
SALMON
SOUND_SETTINGS
POPTART
GOLDFISH
I_HEART_RADIO
AMAZON_MUSIC
EARCONS
APPLE_MUSIC
SUPPORTS_LOCALE
TAHOE_BYOD
DEREGISTER_DEVICE
CHANGE_NAME
MULTI_WAKEWORDS_SUPPORTED
REQUIRES_OOBE_FOR_SETUP
EQUALIZER_CONTROLLER_TREBLE
GADGETS
VOICE_TRAINING
DIALOG_INTERFACE_VERSION
PAIR_BT_SOURCE
DEEZER
EQUALIZER_CONTROLLER_MIDRANGE
UPDATE_WIFI
SET_LOCALE
SIRIUSXM
AUDIO_PLAYER
CUSTOM_ALARM_TONE
SUPPORTS_CONNECTED_HOME_ALL
TIMERS_ALARMS_NOTIFICATIONS_VOLUME
SUPPORTS_SOFTWARE_VERSION
DEREGISTER_FACTORY_RESET
FAR_FIELD_WAKE_WORD
PANDORA
DS_VOLUME_SETTING
MUSIC_SKILL
DREAM_TRAINING
MICROPHONE
TUNE_IN
EFDCARDS
SUPPORTS_LOCALE_SWITCH
SUPPORTS_CONNECTED_HOME
VOLUME_SETTING
TIMERS_AND_ALARMS
AUDIO_CONTROLS
LEMUR_ALPHA
AUDIBLE
TIDAL
PERSISTENT_CONNECTION
KINDLE_BOOKS
PAIR_BT_SINK
PAIR_REMOTE
EQUALIZER_CONTROLLER_BASS
REMINDERS
SUPPORT_CALENDAR_ALERT
GUARD_EARCON
SLEEP
ACTIVE_AFTER_FRO
FLASH_BRIEFING
ASCENDING_ALARM_VOLUME

10

If a feature is documented only for “latested” version and not fortheversion you are using that tellsme ME you can’t use that feature!
Even if you can control devices via an Echo device that doesn’t mean a binding which connects the Echo to openHAB would handover all such devices. As I read the two differing documentations the control of such “devices” is possible only with the latest version.
From an openHAB point of view it makes more sence to connect devices directly to openHAB, My 2 cents!

11

Hi,
OK, when this is not working, no problem.
I thought this is possible, also for older OPH versions 


Than I will try to open the lamp and flash with Tasmota, but my first attempt to open was unsuccessful (cant remove the transparent part 
)
Anyone experience with this lamp?

:wink:

12

Are you sure this one is compatible? (https://templates.blakadder.com/bulb.html).

13

No, I’m not shure 

I bought the lamp because I thought I can use the way with Alexa / Echo Dot and the lamp than inside OH (with Alaex integration) 

(and als direct with Alexa).

But as i understand now, not possible with OH25 


14

There is also the possibilty to Update to the lautet (snapshot) Version. oft openHAB.