Kitz Forum

Computers & Hardware => Other Technologies & Hardware => Topic started by: phi2008 on October 24, 2017, 10:46:38 PM

Title: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: phi2008 on October 24, 2017, 10:46:38 PM
People having been raving about these but I just put it down to a fad, like hula hoops ... then I got a Dot, I was completely wrong. The voice recognition is very slick and accurate, and the mic picks up normal voice volume at long range- you don't have to shout. I'm currently using it(the Dot) as a glorified  WiFi radio and podcast player - though I have other uses for it in the future. Very impressive little devices.  :)
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: burakkucat on October 24, 2017, 11:12:34 PM
I can appreciate the enthusiasm people have over those types of devices but the cautious side of me would never allow a microphone to be connected to an Internet based utility.  :-X
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on October 24, 2017, 11:33:35 PM
I can appreciate the enthusiasm people have over those types of devices but the cautious side of me would never allow a microphone to be connected to an Internet based utility.  :-X

Mixed feelings.   Mine’s an Apple household and I do use Apple’s Siri, but all my devices have traditionally configured such that a deliberate button push is needed, before Siri starts listening.

Exception is the watch, which simply responds to “Hey, Siri” anytime my arm is raised.  I have enabled that because it makes the watch 1000% more useful.  But it also means that the watch, the one device that is always nearby, potentially catches large amounts of snippets from all my conversations and sends them to Apple.   Good job I have no  secrets, but it still makes me nervy.    :D
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: burakkucat on October 24, 2017, 11:39:06 PM
Just wondering if Uncle Sam's "No Such Agency" has a cavernous bunker, in the centre of a no mans' land, with direct, one-way, multi-fibre optic links from Apple and Google . . .  :o
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: phi2008 on October 24, 2017, 11:57:10 PM
I can appreciate the enthusiasm people have over those types of devices but the cautious side of me would never allow a microphone to be connected to an Internet based utility.  :-X

Could be right about the mic, I was just sitting in the living room at one end of the house and the door was open, said(at normal speaking volume) "Alexa play Radio 4" and it heard me and started - it was 16 metres away, down a hallway, in my bedroom. Pretty sensitive mic.
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: tubaman on October 25, 2017, 09:14:15 AM
I'm with burakkucat on this one.  The thought of an open, internet connected, mic permanently listening to every word said simply horrifies me.
And as for Uncle Sam's lot - well, they do have previous form!  :no:
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on October 25, 2017, 09:53:31 AM
A question, out of my idle curiosity, how sensitive is Alexa to false triggers?

In over two years, I’ve had maybe half a dozen false triggers on my Apple Watch, where it picks up some background noise that it thinks is somebody saying “hey Siri” co-incident with me raising my arm.    It then listens to what follows, trying to find a meaningful command, meaning the subsequent soundtrack is all uploaded.  It does tap me on the wrist to let me know it is listening.

Most often, “Hey Siri” has been falsely detected when there is background conversations (babble) going on, it has happened on public transport, and when watching TV.   But on one occasion last week I was alone in the house, emptying the dishwasher.  No radio or TV, no voices, somehow it constructed a “Hey Siri” from the clatter of saucepans.   :D
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: phi2008 on October 25, 2017, 11:29:14 AM
I can't answer that as a new user, I'm keeping "Alexa" as the trigger and not switching to "Echo" or "computer" - which I suppose would be more likely to cause problems.
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on October 25, 2017, 02:09:10 PM
One of many mischievous thoughts that sometimes enter my head...

If I were a script writer for some popular TV show, what fun it would be to include the phrases “OK Google”, “Alexa” and “Hey Siri” in actors lines as often as possible.   ::)
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: phi2008 on October 25, 2017, 03:05:43 PM
One of many mischievous thoughts that sometimes enter my head...

If I were a script writer for some popular TV show, what fun it would be to include the phrases “OK Google”, “Alexa” and “Hey Siri” in actors lines as often as possible.   ::)

I watch some online tech broadcasts and for some time now(months?) the presenters won't say those triggers because of complaints from viewers.
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: Ronski on October 25, 2017, 03:39:12 PM
One of many mischievous thoughts that sometimes enter my head...

If I were a script writer for some popular TV show, what fun it would be to include the phrases “OK Google”, “Alexa” and “Hey Siri” in actors lines as often as possible.   ::)

I'm sure recently there was an advert that triggered one of them.
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: j0hn on October 25, 2017, 05:33:34 PM
One of many mischievous thoughts that sometimes enter my head...

If I were a script writer for some popular TV show, what fun it would be to include the phrases “OK Google”, “Alexa” and “Hey Siri” in actors lines as often as possible.   ::)
Reminded me of a recent South Park episode. While searching YouTube for a clip I came across this...

It's South Park, so volume down if you're at work..
https://youtu.be/Yf0WJQfGQoY
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: kitz on October 26, 2017, 12:05:38 AM
A question, out of my idle curiosity, how sensitive is Alexa to false triggers?

I've had a few.  I was puzzled at first why it would suddenly start giving me a news brief or why stir cereals had been added to my shopping list.  Found the culprit which were TV ads... for the Echo!  ::)
It's also woken me once by playing relaxation techniques.  The TV was on so that was possibility, but there was no voice request in the app.


This is a copy of something I posted on my wall about 6 weeks ago after it first started doing randoms

Quote
No you did not do what I wanted Alexa! For the past week or so random things have been happening with my Echo, that I couldn't quite understand.
About 5 mins ago, the echo in the PC room started playing music by itself. The TV was on in another room and it suddenly dawned on me what was happening. After opening the app to check the most recent commands, sure enough there were a couple that definitely weren't from me.
It's hearing (Chan5) TV ads from some distance away in another room and obeying them. I've no idea what 'stir cereals' are that it added to my shopping list.
Must watch the ad to see what it is actually saying - but it will probably explain several of the oddnesses that have occurred recently.
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: kitz on October 26, 2017, 12:30:58 AM
I can appreciate the enthusiasm people have over those types of devices but the cautious side of me would never allow a microphone to be connected to an Internet based utility.  :-X

I had mixed feelings at first, but its made my life so much easier.  Particularly on bad days when I find it hard to type or hold a pen.  I now talk to it all the time. 
Set alarms. Reminders to do things.  Ask it random or general questions.  Weather, shopping lists, appointments, bin day, ask it the date when checking items in the fridge.  It was supposed to be a music player, but now its the other things that are used so much more often.   
More importantly... a few months ago I had a fall and couldn't get up from the kitchen floor.  It took me nrly 1.5 hrs of screaming and swearing to get to the phone to call someone as I couldn't reach the landline and had left my mobile upstairs charging.   There is now an app (skill) and I have a designated person to call in an emergency.
   
Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on October 26, 2017, 09:36:35 AM
Sorry to hear of these issues, Kitz.   :(

I do agree that assistants can be immensely useful.  Examples of perfect interactions, from recent memory include...

“Remind me to put the bins out at 7am”.   I normally attend to that chore the previous evening, but had forgotten on that occasion.

“How long will it take to drive here from Portsmouth?”  I was sitting at the computer and a friend had just called to say he was about to set off to visit me.  Siri gave an assurance that current traffic was light, and an ETA that proved pretty accurate.

“Text <a name> saying my train gets in at 17:03”.




Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: kitz on October 26, 2017, 12:46:07 PM
Quote
I do agree that assistants can be immensely useful.

Indeed.  There's lot of skills that I haven't yet explored and they are bringing out more each day.   The text and emergency calls are fairly new ones for the echo.  I got my first Echo when they were half price on Prime day, since then I've purchased a Dot which is in the PC room but I'm still discovering new things each day what it can do.   It hasn't leant how to feed the cats yet :D :D
 
Having seen my friends new set up with LightwaveRF, that is so on my wish list.  I already use it with a TP-Link smart plug, but I wouldn't mind at least one of the light switches - definitely the entrance hall.  The hall landing would also be useful but since the upstairs landing is on a 4 gang and would need to be 2 way, I'd need to investigate further on that.   Probably cheaper for that one to get a TP-link smart bulb with screw/bayonet adaptor, so Im waiting to see what Amazon do on Black Friday.

My bro was over yesterday to chauffeur me somewhere and he was showing me what he has set up with his Echo, which controls his lighting and heating.  There's an extra app that he has on his phone and it detects when he is on his way home and will automatically switch the heating on so the house is at desired temperature when he gets to his house.  He said it was a doddle to install and has offered to do mine if and when I do buy.

Title: Re: Amazon Echo ...
Post by: Ronski on December 26, 2017, 05:10:28 PM
I purchased a couple of 1 gang dimmers and a link plus for our through lounge dining room, unfortunately it seems that the Lightwave dimmer can't handle the 10 x 7w led bulbs I have, the first switch stopped working after 20 minutes, the next lasted just over a week. Lightwave support were very good replying on Christmas Eve, but apart from reducing the number of bulbs, changing them (different wattage or make) or trying the Gen 2 switch there wasn't much else they could do. I'm rather disappointed that there is no overload protection built in and they just stop working, luckily I can return them.   

I was able to get the Echo controlling the lights and it worked well, one thing to bare in mind is they do need to be dimmable bulbs.

I also spent a while this morning trying to upload some of my music to Amazon, reading various Amazon help files but being unable to find the option to upload. Turns out they removed the option on the 18th December.

http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-music-no-longer-allows-customers-to-upload-their-own-songs/

In the above article they mention a skill named My Media, and this seems to work very well - but you do need a PC or Mac that's on for it to work, not a problem for me as I have a server on 24/7.

https://mymediaalexa.com/#

It doe's cost but it's very cheap at $5 for the year for a basic version, and it does have a 7 day trial.

On another note our Alexa stopped working yesterday (turns out Amazon was having problems), anyway we put the CD player on, and then I overheard my wife asking Alexa to turn the volume down  :lol: