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How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong

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Offline xFlip

How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« on: April 12, 2017, 11:16:38 am »
Alexa used to always understand my command to "play BBC world service radio" (I may sometimes add "on TuneIn") but now Alexa repeatedly gets it very wrong.

Is there somewhere I can go to delete Alexa's interpretation of what I say?  I notice I can "remove a card" but I would have to go back many weeks to find all the times Alexa got it wrong.

How do I sort his out?

strayfish

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2017, 11:59:22 am »
There seems to have been a change somewhere recently. I used to have to say 'Play BBC Radio Five', then I didn't have to use 'Play', now 'Play' has become essential again, and this morning the Echo (but not the two Dots) didn't recognise the station at all until I gave it its full title of 'BBC Radio Five Live'. The Echo's also been responding today to whole strings of random bits of speech from an audio book played on my PC some distance away, so I'd say something's happened in the software department! Meanwhile, 'BBC Radio 6' it liked so maybe it's a music fan :)

mike27oct

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2017, 01:34:51 pm »
I have found the less I say, the better.  When using call letters:  If I say, "play station KNKX" it plays that tunein (or iHeart ) station.  For stations that call letters do not work, I say, "play station Jazz Wyoming" it works.  (Yes, there really is a good jazz station in Wyoming!)

Key words to always say are play, station, and of course, station name.  Try this format with your BBC stations.

strayfish

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2017, 01:42:17 pm »
Format keeps changing, Mike. Not a problem as such, unless the user - someone with impaired cognitive ability for instance - has learned a limited range of commands and will struggle to adapt them.

I think mine's having some sort of emotional crisis though; today's random utterances include 'please go back', 'echo start to cry', and 'Amazon, Amazon, please'!

mike27oct

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2017, 01:45:19 pm »
Hmmm, sounds like your echo need psychological help.   ;)

strayfish

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2017, 06:06:02 pm »
I'll get Siri and Cortana onto it. Group therapy :)

mike27oct

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2017, 11:19:17 pm »
Hi, my name is Alexa.
(group chants) Hello, Alexa.

strayfish

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2017, 05:12:03 am »
  :D

mindmagic

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2017, 05:18:12 am »
I've never needed to say "BBC". I just say "play Radio 4" and it usually works. For BBC Radio London, though, I have to say "play 94.9".

strayfish

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2017, 05:20:27 am »
I've never needed to say "BBC". I just say "play Radio 4" and it usually works. For BBC Radio London, though, I have to say "play 94.9".

I'm sure I've tried that but I'll give it another go so thanks for the reminder.
And today we're back to not needing 'Live'. Sheesh!

Beetle-Snake

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2017, 07:33:34 am »
I was having similar issues with playing 'Streaming Soundtracks' on TuneIn over the past couple of weeks - previously I was able to say "listen to Streaming Soundtracks on TuneIn" but that stopped working and now I need to say "listen to the station Streaming Soundtracks on TuneIn". Might be worth a try for anyone else having TuneIn 'station' issues

Tessa

Re: How to correct her when Alexa is repeatedly getting itwrong
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2017, 11:02:57 am »
Suddenly Alexa can't find my playlists.  I tried several times this morning but each time she'd say, "I can't find any playlists for you," or something to that affect.  She's always found them before. What's happening? Anyone had this problem?