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Possibility of controlling TV with Echo

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Offline jwlv

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Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« on: November 14, 2015, 03:57:22 pm »
I just started reading up on the Buzzi Smart Plug. It's just like Wemo except it has several added features. One important added feature includes an IR blaster to control TV's, cable boxes, and other devices that use an IR remote.
Buzzi is the only smart plug device that I've seen so far that includes IR control. Buzzi is only usable through their own app, so that means no Echo support, no API, and no developer support (for now). I see a lot of potential with having the added features.
I just ordered two to play with ($19.98 each). They'll be delivered next week. 
Here it is on Amazon if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P89PHR4
« Last Edit: November 16, 2015, 08:46:12 pm by jwlv »

Offline jwlv

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Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2015, 08:47:26 pm »
Yikes! They just raised the price to $42 today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MWilson

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2015, 08:58:49 pm »
I just joined this forum with the specific goal of finding out if we can figure out a way to use the Echo for the TV, I am working on any way to use it for my brother who is a quadriplegic. If you are going to play with it, I hope you will post your results??

nrgz28

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2015, 01:26:09 pm »
The way I control my TV is with the Echo commanding a fake Phillips hue bridge running on my living room computer. So when I say "Alexa, Turn on the TV", it will trigger the "the TV" macro running in my EventGhost program running on the computer. That macro is setup to turn on the TV, turn on my receiver and launch the windows media center app in Live TV mode. This is all done via an IR transmitter, plugged into USB, that the EventGhost app can control. It works beautifully, every time. I didn't set anything else up, because I think using the remote is much easier to change the volume or channels.

markv

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2015, 05:47:40 pm »
It's all possible if you're willing to do a bit of coding with some open source tools.

I have my Alexa(s) controlling three home theater systems in 3 different rooms. Each system has multiple components (eg. DirecTV DVR, FireTV stick, Chromecast, Roku, DVD, and Nintendo Wii) and I can tell Alexa to turn any component on or off with a command like "Alexa, turn on the Living Room Chromecast".

I have Harmony Hubs (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N3RFC4G) in each room which are controlled by OpenHAB (see openhab.org) via RESTful commands sent from a Hue emulator. I know that's a mouthful, but it's fast and very reliable (all the emulators are running on a Raspberry Pi).

I even have Alexa controlling our HVAC units, but that's a bit more complicated ;D


eborg9

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2015, 04:29:37 pm »
I have a Harmony Hub and with IFTTT can have Alexa turn on my TV, launch Netflix, Ruku, go to my [connected] computer, and turn things off.
No coding necessary, but you do need to set the activities up first on the Hub, and then use the IFTTT trigger recipe.
https://ifttt.com/recipes/342269-alexa-trigger-activity

And of course buy a Harmony Hub.

haj

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2015, 06:15:48 pm »
Does the Hue emulator work if I actually have a real Hue hub connected to the same network?

eborg9

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2015, 03:04:17 pm »
As far as I know, Hue only works with lights.
There are articles that say some games have Hue support and can control the lights, but not that you can use Hue to actually control the XBOX or any other devices other than lights.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/07/philips-hue-acts-like-illumiroom-syncs-lighting-with-xbox-one-game/

jratliff

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2015, 09:52:04 am »
I just wanted to mention that a lot of TVs can take IP commands as well. I have a Universal Devices ISY-994i home automation box. I use that to connect to the TV and can send the commands for any button press from the original remote. Then I just link the commands I want to the Echo. I really only use TV on/off, input change, launch netflix, and play/pause during netflix. This doesn't cover your other receivers or cable box if you have that stuff you may need IR, harmony hub, etc but I just use an Android TV box for my content and Tasker works great for controlling it from the Echo.

Tb001

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2015, 10:54:47 am »
Definitely doable, with a few accessories. We also use the harmony hub and have full AV control through Alexa. We use the Vera home control system as well, which gives us voice control over just about anything in our home. One of the Vera forum members has written a hue emulator you can use with the harmony that makes it very simple to set up and use. The one catch is that you need an always on computer--we got a cheap pi and are running it on that.

Disabled Echo

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2016, 08:35:23 pm »
Colortiger has an ir blaster called the anymote home that now theoretically works with the echo.  I don't have it working yet.  And it likely requires a phone/tablet in between the echo and the blaster.  Because of my mother's physical situation, I'm keen on making this work in any way possible however convoluted.  I may try to hack it and connect the thing to a raspberry pi.

Maff

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2016, 07:24:44 pm »
I have my Echo controlling my TV. I have a Harmony smart hub as previously stated, which can activate any combination of audio video equipment. If you have an android phone or tablet & any technical skills you can also use an app called harmony tasker plugin, and subsequently use "trigger" IFTTT commands to send any button press or sequence to your TV or other equipment. It's a bit technical, but I've got all sorts of functions working for my setup which are not normally available with the standard IFTTT/Harmony setup. I mainly use it to pause or skip ad breaks or change volume while I'm washing up. Harmony Hub, given you can teach it infrared remote control signals from all sorts of devices is actually really useful. You can use the method above to control any sort of low cost IR gadgets like led candles or cheap smart bulbs from ebay, with verbal commands to Alexa.

fleetingyouth

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2016, 11:04:16 pm »
Markv does your setup work If I have an existing Hue Bridge? Also Could you point me in the direction of how to set up something like yours?

DParker

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2016, 05:58:52 pm »
Another entry for the Harmony Hub here, but in my case controlled by the Echo's integration with SmartThings (via ST "virtual switches" and Harmony "activities").

   Echo => SmartThings => Harmony Hub => TV/Satellite Box/DVD player.

It takes a little setting up, but it seems to work well.

pruitt68

Re: Possibility of controlling TV with Echo
« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2016, 08:01:48 am »
I have the home automation bridge running on an Unraid server.  This allows me to control all of my connected z-wave devices through a Vera controller.  I also have a GC-100 Itach IR blaster connected to my TV.  This way I can control the on/off feature using my echo.  I looked at the Harmony Hub, but since I already had a controller, I decided on this route instead.  Works really well for my needs.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2016, 02:35:13 pm by pruitt68 »