Amazon Echo Club - Page 327

OtinG · 02-11-2023, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I am having a new problem with my Echo (3rd gen?). It is connected with bluetooth to my macbook, but it plays very soft volume. When Alexa speaks, it is SO LOUD. I have reset it (unplugged), disconnected and connected the bluetooth connection, turned off bluetooth on my Mac, but it won't play at a normal volume from my Mac without blasting me with any Alexa chatter ("Playing from Marti's Macbook Air" and other nonsense). If I can't resolve this issue I should buy another bluetooth speaker (not an Amazon Echo/Alexa). The speaker on my Mac is not great, but it is better than the PCs I had in the past.

I bought an Echo Studio a year or two ago and tried hooking it up various ways to my Fire TV Cube as well as my ATV 4K. It was very inconsistent and wouldn't stay connected, especially via BT. I gave up and returned it and bought a good Sony soundbar instead. Amazon seems to have issues with getting BT to work well with some devices. If it was me, I would buy a decent speaker with a 3.5mm input and plug it into the MacBook Air’s 3.5mm audio port. That is what I did with my MacBook Air M1 and it works flawlessly.

mlewis78 · 02-11-2023, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I am having a new problem with my Echo (3rd gen?). It is connected with bluetooth to my macbook, but it plays very soft volume. When Alexa speaks, it is SO LOUD. I have reset it (unplugged), disconnected and connected the bluetooth connection, turned off bluetooth on my Mac, but it won't play at a normal volume from my Mac without blasting me with any Alexa chatter ("Playing from Marti's Macbook Air" and other nonsense). If I can't resolve this issue I should buy another bluetooth speaker (not an Amazon Echo/Alexa). The speaker on my Mac is not great, but it is better than the PCs I had in the past.

I think I've fixed the problem for now. This is the third time I've done something in Mac settings and it finally took so that I can listen to Macbook videos and music through the Echo. I don't know why it went awry, but there was a recent Mac update that changed the way settings look and work. It used to be called system preferences.

OtinG · 02-11-2023, 11:44 AM

Yep, Apple changed from the traditional System Preferences format to a new format that is a total POS. It is difficult to find things now. We were conditioned by 20 years of the old system and the muscle memory of using it, then they made these stupid sweeping changes and screwed us over. They should have made the iPadOS look more like macOS rather than the other way around.

mlewis78 · 02-12-2023, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtinG

Yep, Apple changed from the traditional System Preferences format to a new format that is a total POS. It is difficult to find things now. We were conditioned by 20 years of the old system and the muscle memory of using it, then they made these stupid sweeping changes and screwed us over. They should have made the iPadOS look more like macOS rather than the other way around.

Agree.

I was so disgusted with Amazon Prime Music's shuffle where it plays things I didn't ask for, so I have been using free Spotify. When I'm out I find that even they are a mess and shuffle things and won't play an album straight through. Wasn't it enough that there are commercials?

ApK · 02-21-2023, 10:49 AM

Guys, please help me out. I'm hesitant to call Amazon CS for any Alexa related issue anymore, because it's been such a long and often fruitless ordeal trying to get anywhere with them recently. So I'm hoping someone here has some ideas.

I have an Alexa group call "living room."
I have an Echo dot called "living room" assigned to that group.
I have light group, set up through my Habitat hub, which appears to Alexa as a light device called "living room" set up as a light device assigned to the same group.

IOW: I have a light called 'living room' and a Dot called "living room" in an Alexa group called "living room."

For many months, if I said, anywhere in my house to any of my Alexa devices, including the kitchen: "Alexa, turn on (or off) living room," she would correctly operate the living room light.

But for the past few weeks, if I say the same thing in several rooms, including the kitchen, she says "Living room doesn't support that." If a say it to the living room Dot, it works as it always has. If I say it to certain other devices, it works, but Alexa makes a different confirmation tone that I have never heard before recently.
All the devices are registered to the same account and in the same profile.

My first thought was that some recent cost-cutting change in the Alex group broke something that is causing confusing with the the same-named group, light and device.

BUT, I have the EXACT same set up in the kitchen: Hubitat light group device called 'kitchen,' Dot called 'kitchen,' in an Alexa group called 'kitchen,' all configured the same way as the living room, and that room behaves exactly as I expect it to, exactly as it has for years, from any device in the house.

Any ideas?

CRussel · 02-21-2023, 01:44 PM

I went through this with similar scenario -- a device (ultimately a light) called "living room" and a Dot called "living room". Both were part of a group called "Main Floor". When I said "living room off/on", it did what it was supposed to. But when I said "Main Floor off" (to get that and two other sets of lights in that group), it complained about it. What I ultimately did was to rename the Dot in the living room to "living room dot", so that there was no conflict of names. I haven't had a complaint since.

ApK · 02-21-2023, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I went through this with similar scenario -- a device (ultimately a light) called "living room" and a Dot called "living room". Both were part of a group called "Main Floor". When I said "living room off/on", it did what it was supposed to. But when I said "Main Floor off" (to get that and two other sets of lights in that group), it complained about it. What I ultimately did was to rename the Dot in the living room to "living room dot", so that there was no conflict of names. I haven't had a complaint since.

Sounds like a reasonable thing to try, though it doesn't explain why it worked until recently, nor why kitchen works with the same setup.

Thanks!

ApK

CRussel · 02-21-2023, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Sounds like a reasonable thing to try, though it doesn't explain why it worked until recently, nor why kitchen works with the same setup.
ApK

Seriously?? You expect Alexa to actually behave rationally??? If you're patient, one of two things will happen -- either the living room will fix itself, or the kitchen will go wonky too. Best to just bypass all that.

OtinG · 02-22-2023, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I went through this with similar scenario -- a device (ultimately a light) called "living room" and a Dot called "living room". Both were part of a group called "Main Floor". When I said "living room off/on", it did what it was supposed to. But when I said "Main Floor off" (to get that and two other sets of lights in that group), it complained about it. What I ultimately did was to rename the Dot in the living room to "living room dot", so that there was no conflict of names. I haven't had a complaint since.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Sounds like a reasonable thing to try, though it doesn't explain why it worked until recently, nor why kitchen works with the same setup.

Thanks!

ApK

I've had the same kinds of issues when names are too similar for Alexa's IQ of 52!

I too started naming my devices [Group Name]+[Device Name]. For example, Living Room Echo Pro 2. That seems to work better, but with every FW update you never know how it will work.

CRussel · 02-22-2023, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtinG

I've had the same kinds of issues when names are too similar for Alexa's IQ of 52!

I too started naming my devices [Group Name]+[Device Name]. For example, Living Room Echo Pro 2. That seems to work better, but with every FW update you never know how it will work.

Yup. And you never know when you'll get a firmware update. You just know it will break something! I swear it gets stupider over time!

OtinG · 02-23-2023, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yup. And you never know when you'll get a firmware update. You just know it will break something! I swear it gets stupider over time!

Whenever I see the spinning blue ring of light I feel like Sheridan Cooper on the Big Bang, "Oh what fresh hell is this!"

FWIW, Siri is just as screwed up if not more, certainly buggier, and even dumber. My HomePod mini suddenly activated last night for no apparent reason and started playing a song I've never requested nor even heard of.

OtinG · 03-05-2023, 06:18 PM

I just saw this in a Youtube video, not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but here is the scoop on the return of the Kindle Assistive Reader to the Alexa app. Apparently it returned with a recent FW update.

On your device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) open the Alexa app.
Select to go to the Play page and scroll down to see the Kindle Library section.
It might prompt you to turn on the Kindle Assistive Reader feature. If not, go to More —> Settings —> Accessibility —> Kindle Assistive Reader and toggle it on.

Once turned on in any Alexa app on one of your devices it will be enabled on all the devices with the same Alexa account. Now return to the Play page and scroll down to see the Kindle Library section and select a book. You will get a screen asking on which device to play the Kindle Assistive Reader. There is an option for Everywhere. It seems to work, but I haven’t tested it extensively.

ETA: Okay it is bit kluge on pausing until you get the feel for it, but it does work well so for. I’ve tested it on my Echo Plus and iPhone 13 Pro Max so far, and it sounds good!

OtinG · 03-05-2023, 06:27 PM

Here is the Youtube video I watched.

issybird · 03-09-2023, 02:32 PM

Why does she hear "Window Imagery" when I say "Market Basket"?

John F · 04-01-2023, 07:41 AM

I recently changed my internet provider (to Frontier) and they "give" you a eero router. Reading up on it, I learned that the new Echos can work as wifi extenders when used with eero routers. There are some caveats, but it has possibilities.

And I as an aside, I was pleasantly surprised as to how easy it was to change routers if I want to. When I was looking at the router settings, it listed 26 devices connected. It would have been a pain/tedious to go through and change all the wifi settings on the devices.

03-05-2023, 06:18 PM	#4902
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,906 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	Kindle Assistive Reader returns to the Alexa app I just saw this in a Youtube video, not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but here is the scoop on the return of the Kindle Assistive Reader to the Alexa app. Apparently it returned with a recent FW update. On your device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) open the Alexa app. Select to go to the Play page and scroll down to see the Kindle Library section. It might prompt you to turn on the Kindle Assistive Reader feature. If not, go to More —> Settings —> Accessibility —> Kindle Assistive Reader and toggle it on. Once turned on in any Alexa app on one of your devices it will be enabled on all the devices with the same Alexa account. Now return to the Play page and scroll down to see the Kindle Library section and select a book. You will get a screen asking on which device to play the Kindle Assistive Reader. There is an option for Everywhere. It seems to work, but I haven’t tested it extensively. ETA: Okay it is bit kluge on pausing until you get the feel for it, but it does work well so for. I’ve tested it on my Echo Plus and iPhone 13 Pro Max so far, and it sounds good! Last edited by OtinG; 03-05-2023 at 06:22 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Amazon Echo	tubemonkey	Audiobook Hardware & Software	71	09-19-2016 04:33 PM
Amazon announces: Echo	xendula	News	780	11-10-2015 01:26 PM
New Sub-Forum for Amazon Echo	tubemonkey	Feedback	4	12-31-2014 07:54 AM
Amazon Gold Box Deal April 26: Book Club Favorites $1.99	JoHunt	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	04-26-2014 05:32 AM
Amazon joins the E Ink club with Amazon Kindle	Alexander Turcic	Amazon Kindle	8	09-13-2006 11:33 AM

02-11-2023, 11:44 AM	#4893
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,906 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	Yep, Apple changed from the traditional System Preferences format to a new format that is a total POS. It is difficult to find things now. We were conditioned by 20 years of the old system and the muscle memory of using it, then they made these stupid sweeping changes and screwed us over. They should have made the iPadOS look more like macOS rather than the other way around.

02-21-2023, 10:49 AM	#4895
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,321 Karma: 67930154 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	Guys, please help me out. I'm hesitant to call Amazon CS for any Alexa related issue anymore, because it's been such a long and often fruitless ordeal trying to get anywhere with them recently. So I'm hoping someone here has some ideas. I have an Alexa group call "living room." I have an Echo dot called "living room" assigned to that group. I have light group, set up through my Habitat hub, which appears to Alexa as a light device called "living room" set up as a light device assigned to the same group. IOW: I have a light called 'living room' and a Dot called "living room" in an Alexa group called "living room." For many months, if I said, anywhere in my house to any of my Alexa devices, including the kitchen: "Alexa, turn on (or off) living room," she would correctly operate the living room light. But for the past few weeks, if I say the same thing in several rooms, including the kitchen, she says "Living room doesn't support that." If a say it to the living room Dot, it works as it always has. If I say it to certain other devices, it works, but Alexa makes a different confirmation tone that I have never heard before recently. All the devices are registered to the same account and in the same profile. My first thought was that some recent cost-cutting change in the Alex group broke something that is causing confusing with the the same-named group, light and device. BUT, I have the EXACT same set up in the kitchen: Hubitat light group device called 'kitchen,' Dot called 'kitchen,' in an Alexa group called 'kitchen,' all configured the same way as the living room, and that room behaves exactly as I expect it to, exactly as it has for years, from any device in the house. Any ideas?

02-21-2023, 01:44 PM	#4896
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,163 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	I went through this with similar scenario -- a device (ultimately a light) called "living room" and a Dot called "living room". Both were part of a group called "Main Floor". When I said "living room off/on", it did what it was supposed to. But when I said "Main Floor off" (to get that and two other sets of lights in that group), it complained about it. What I ultimately did was to rename the Dot in the living room to "living room dot", so that there was no conflict of names. I haven't had a complaint since.

03-05-2023, 06:27 PM	#4903
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,906 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	Here is the Youtube video I watched.

03-09-2023, 02:32 PM	#4904
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,292 Karma: 222544794 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	Why does she hear "Window Imagery" when I say "Market Basket"?

04-01-2023, 07:41 AM	#4905
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,215 Karma: 64074939 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD	I recently changed my internet provider (to Frontier) and they "give" you a eero router. Reading up on it, I learned that the new Echos can work as wifi extenders when used with eero routers. There are some caveats, but it has possibilities. And I as an aside, I was pleasantly surprised as to how easy it was to change routers if I want to. When I was looking at the router settings, it listed 26 devices connected. It would have been a pain/tedious to go through and change all the wifi settings on the devices.

Advert

Advert