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Alexa and playing music on soundbar

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JeffElzy

Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« on: September 22, 2017, 11:05:48 am »
My setup: Samsung SoundBar, Harmony Hub, Echo Dot
My Goal: "Alexa, play Jeff's playlist on SoundBar".
My problem: I have to 1st tell Alexa to turn on the SoundBar, then switch input to bluetooth, then sync bluetooth, then play the playlist.

As you can tell I'm a newb. How can I simplify this?
I did setup a Harmony Activity for the SoundBar to turn on and switch input to BT, but that is as far as I can get it.
Thanks.

asianrocker

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2017, 11:28:56 am »
I don't know if you can set it up through smart things that's samsung right? Have you tried that? But it does look like soundbar is used as an external BT speaker. In my case once my BT device had been paired once with echo, if I turn my BT on that device, echo automatically pairs with it. Yours does not do that?

And then you can just tell echo to play your playlist. Why are some people making it complicated for themselves is beyond me.

Oh but if you really want to use that command for some weird reason you can try IFTT. People love that for that very reason which is why I don't get it and never use it.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 11:31:12 am by asianrocker »

JeffElzy

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2017, 11:42:50 am »
Yeah, my dot will not reconnect after using the soundbar with TV on Digital In.
And as I said, I am new to this world. Lots to learn.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 11:55:03 am by JeffElzy »

asianrocker

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2017, 12:02:37 pm »
You lost me with tv on digital in. Whatever it means. And why do you think it mess with your BT pairing? And FYI, I too am in that dilemma. I find I have to turn my laptop BT on/off EVERYTIME now for it to work with my echo. I never have to do that before.

I guess we are in that rut until amazon sort their BT and wifi connection out at their customers expense.

JeffElzy

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2017, 12:06:10 pm »
When I use the soundbar with the tv it uses the opitical connection, digital in. When I turn soundbar back on, and switch to bluetooth, the dot is no longer paired to it. I can deal with that part, I was just trying to simplify the whole process.

asianrocker

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2017, 12:12:22 pm »
When I use the soundbar with the tv it uses the opitical connection, digital in. When I turn soundbar back on, and switch to bluetooth, the dot is no longer paired to it. I can deal with that part, I was just trying to simplify the whole process.

Yeah what are you waiting for? Install that IFTT app already. That is exactly what you need. There are other apps like it, mosaic is one of them too if not mistaken take your pick.

Oh have to say, eventhough  echo automatically  connects to my laptop's BT, no sound is coming out so I have to turn bt on/off for it to work right. So I do feel your pain.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 12:14:59 pm by asianrocker »

v8eater

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2017, 01:23:43 pm »
So you have a harmony hub correct?

If you program a "listen to music" activity with harmony that turns on the soundbar and sets the input to Bluetooth then it should only be two commands. I don't know IFTT yet as I'm still learning also.

Re: Alexa and playing music on soundbar
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2017, 07:05:21 pm »
I use Harmony HUb and Yonomi to allow for a few other things to happen at one time. I have a Samsung Sound bar, Use optical in and have Alexa and Yonomi and more crap to work with . if needed... but I don't like to connect to bluetooth much, as the Echo seems to hang on and auto connect unless you ask the damn thing to un-pair specifically. then it will stay disconnected. With the YONOMI app, I can get it do the hookup and play my music, but with 2 commands... First I ask to "play music" then what music I want to play.
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