Get number from Alexa

General
1

I'm trying to get numbers from Alexa to set things like my TV channel and Stereo volume using an IR Blaster. The only way I've found so far is to set up a "thermostat" called "channel" using the node-red-contrib-alexa-home-skill module. This works great to a point where I can say "Alexa, channel 25" and it changes the channel. The problem is that it's designed to send all data to Node-Red in celsius so once you go over 42 it assumes you're speaking in farenheit and it converts it back to celsius so you can never get a number over 42 into Node-Red.

Any help would be appreciated.

2

I pretend my devices are light switches and use the brightness level when I need numeric values

3

I thought about that but I'm assuming that will limit you to 100 (100%). Would like to be able to select channels over 100.

4

Not directly :frowning:

You "could" select a colour first and use that as a prefix

Alexa - change thing to colour Brown (Brown = 1 in resistor colour codes, red = 2 etc)

Alexa - change thing to 25% (to select channel 125)

5

Heres an alexa hack

Install node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2.
Go to amazon set up a blueprint skill question and answer.
Add a question for each channel. "channel one" and answer ok.
Then in alexa remote2 you can listen for the spoken words using event node, the spoken words should be msg.payload.description.summury.

The blueprint is so alexa does not respond i don't know that one.

1 Like
6

That looks very interesting - will have to check it out :slight_smile:

7

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Tried this but Alexa just gives a message "couldn't find an Alexa Skill for that"

I get the spoken words in the .summary and I could use it to send IR codes but I don't think other family members would find it friendly enough :slight_smile:

8

have you enabled the skill in the alexa app?

Under your skills

1 Like
9

I hadn't :slight_smile:

So one step forward :slight_smile:

"I couldn't find any enabled video skills..........."

Tried a few other words and phrases but still no luck

What country are you in? I'm in the UK

10

I'm in Uk to. I don't use this hack for tv channels, But where i do use it it works for me. Alexa does have some word that are speciial like open,close, turn on, etc. Channel may be a word alexa associates with video skills, You may need to try other words.

11

I've tried a variety of words and phrases but none of them work - can you give me one of your phrases that works and I'll try that?

12

Do it with routines if blueprint is not working for you.

13

With blue print make sure you use
https://blueprints.amazon.co.uk/skills

1 Like
14

:slight_smile:
That sorted it - I was creating the skill on blueprints.amazon.com - it was showing up on my Alexa app but obviously not integrating properly

Just went back to using "channel one" and it worked 1st time :slight_smile:

Thanks for persevering with your help :slight_smile:

15

Cool. Now you can make any amazon skill you wish. Enjoy!

1 Like
16

Have you tried a Range Node? I have a Russound MCA flow that takes the incoming (status) -10 to +10 value, converts it to 0-100 range (display), then converts it back to -10 to +10 (command)

17

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