# Get number from Alexa

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [15 March 2020 15:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138 "2020-03-15T15:30:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dbrownpu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e7dd6/32.png) [@dbrownpu](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dbrownpu)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2020 15:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/1 "2020-03-15T15:30:24Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2020 17:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/2 "2020-03-15T17:09:10Z")

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

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**Author:** ![dbrownpu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e7dd6/32.png) [@dbrownpu](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dbrownpu)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2020 17:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/3 "2020-03-15T17:32:56Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2020 19:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/4 "2020-03-15T19:55:50Z")

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Not directly ☹

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)

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**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [16 March 2020 08:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/5 "2020-03-16T08:45:32Z")

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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.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [16 March 2020 11:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/6 "2020-03-16T11:04:01Z")

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> [@E1cid](#):
>
> Go to amazon set up a blueprint skill question and answer.

That looks very interesting - will have to check it out 🙂

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**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 09:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/7 "2020-03-18T09:07:52Z")

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> [@E1cid](#):
>
> Add a question for each channel. "channel one" and answer ok.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/3/5/359e073d3f0f6e486d23953a16a3fd9c221acda6.png)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/f/b/fbe021afc8912c499213df531ddb735a902ec017.png)

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 🙂

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**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 09:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/8 "2020-03-18T09:21:54Z")

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have you enabled the skill in the alexa app?

Under your skills

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 10:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/9 "2020-03-18T10:01:41Z")

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> [@E1cid](#):
>
> have you enabled the skill in the alexa app?

I hadn't 🙂

So one step forward 🙂

"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

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**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 10:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/10 "2020-03-18T10:06:07Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 10:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/11 "2020-03-18T10:13:17Z")

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> [@E1cid](#):
>
> You may need to try other words.

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?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 11:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/12 "2020-03-18T11:08:04Z")

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 17:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/13 "2020-03-18T17:37:11Z")

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 18:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/14 "2020-03-18T18:45:36Z")

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🙂  
That sorted it - I was creating the skill on [blueprints.amazon.com](http://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 🙂

Thanks for persevering with your help 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2020 19:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/15 "2020-03-18T19:07:25Z")

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chucksteele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@chucksteele](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/chucksteele)\
**Post date:** [21 March 2020 23:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/16 "2020-03-21T23:45:04Z")

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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)

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [20 May 2020 23:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/get-number-from-alexa/23138/17 "2020-05-20T23:52:49Z")

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