HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control

BDD43 · 07-07-2016, 10:44 PM

I've been testing some skills using the Amazon Dot/Echo along with HAL.
Since we can call Macros very easily now and do a Send IP, I have been able to integrate the Dot, HAL, and Denise (NextOS avatar) into some interesting areas.

Below is a link to just some of the skills:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkuUiaMDHPg

Let me know what you think..

richland007 · 07-11-2016, 11:01 PM

that is very cool
What part is taken care by Alexa and whats HAL's?/
I haven't had any interaction with Alexa at all so i wouldn't know what its capable of interface wise.
I really like the avatar part Denise ...how is that interfaced
Denis

BDD43 · 07-12-2016, 08:18 AM

Alexa is Amazon's cloud service. The Echo and Dot are the hardware to connect to it. The Dot is in the video because it has audio out whereas the Echo does not. If you google Amazon Alexa, there are several youtube videos and it can answer a lot of questions, control your home etc.

Denise is NextOS. She is actually a chatbot and has won many awards for the chat capability.

HAL is in the background with Macros set, since Alexa doesn't allow such things.

My program does nothing more than feed (speech to text) whatever comes out of the Dot into a microphone input, which then sends that to the Denise API to read it the text.

Hope that helps.

TimShriver · 07-14-2016, 02:16 PM

Hi,

Here is the link to the site that has made an interface to HAL and the Echo. http://www.bwssystems.com/

You must be on HALultra or HALpro v6.

They haven’t listed the HAL version yet as they have been sending updates to me to send to our HAL users with Echos. Here is the link for the HAL version

http://www.bwssystems.com/files/ha-b....0.7-hal-h.jar

You have to tell the Bridge about HAL's ip address and the HAL WebService Token.

Then you add the various HAL Devices discovered by the Bridge that uses the HAL WebService.

stregone · 10-22-2016, 04:21 PM

Tim, I have downloaded the latest version of the HA-Bridge, but am unable to get the menu that you posted a screen shot of. Are there any tips you can give me to get this bridge up and running to the point that you have posted the screenshots? Or can you direct me to some documentation on how to set the bridge up to run with HAL?

TimShriver · 10-22-2016, 05:38 PM

Sure, Let me put together a PDF as a quick getting started guide. I should have something rough for you either tomorrow or Monday....

Tim

jamarotta · 07-14-2016, 07:59 PM

I have an Echo, a DOT, and the TAP. I love the DOT the best because of its additional ability to bluetooth out audio vs. the Echo and TAP that takes bluetooth audio in and plays. This is VERY exciting to see HAL starting to integrate with Alexa. I currently also have an Insteon Hub V2 so control some 54 or so insteon devices (include Nest Tstats) with Alexa. So far, its been a competition somewhat between HAL and Alexa, but working together I think results in something greater than each. Tim - Happy to beta test if you need it in this area.

TimShriver · 07-14-2016, 09:04 PM

Hi Joe,

We've added support for the Vera controller and may add support for the Insteon Hub. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the hub does not allow you to do any kind of rules. Even the Alexa doesn't have the ability to do any kind of logic processing such a rules...

We see Alexa as a speech portal. As you know we like to see multiple ways of interacting with the home; microphones, intercoms, telephones, touch screens, remotes, browsers, apps, remotes, sensors, even ip cameras that have 2-way communication capabilities... In any given situation there may be a number of different ways to achieve that interaction with the home, one more convenient or practical than another given the situation.

Cheers,

Tim

BDD43 · 07-14-2016, 10:14 PM

Tim,
You are correct. The Echo/DOT/TAP, nor the HUB have any scheduling, macros, rules, etc. etc. built in. Only Dim, On/Off. This is why I had to create a Alexa Skill to run the macros.

What would be outstanding is if HAL could incorporate a way for HAL to push notifications out through the device. I use it as a bluetooth speaker to do this and software soundswitch to move that output throughout the house depending on where I am at.

Alexa works with the Insteon Hub, so it does discover all of my devices. "Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights", etc. works great. One HUGE thing to keep in mind; Alexa's microphone is NOT bluetooth.

TimShriver · 07-15-2016, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDD43

One HUGE thing to keep in mind; Alexa's microphone is NOT bluetooth.

Yes, I have an echo for testing with HAL... We also have the Sound Blaster SBX which we have been testing with HAL...

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blue.../dp/B0085YTDBA

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blue.../dp/B0085YTCYS

Tim

07-07-2016, 10:44 PM	#1
BDD43 Advanced Member III Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 308	HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control I've been testing some skills using the Amazon Dot/Echo along with HAL. Since we can call Macros very easily now and do a Send IP, I have been able to integrate the Dot, HAL, and Denise (NextOS avatar) into some interesting areas. Below is a link to just some of the skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkuUiaMDHPg Let me know what you think..

07-11-2016, 11:01 PM	#2
richland007 Advanced Member II Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dallas,TX Posts: 233	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control that is very cool What part is taken care by Alexa and whats HAL's?/ I haven't had any interaction with Alexa at all so i wouldn't know what its capable of interface wise. I really like the avatar part Denise ...how is that interfaced Denis

07-12-2016, 08:18 AM	#3
BDD43 Advanced Member III Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 308	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Alexa is Amazon's cloud service. The Echo and Dot are the hardware to connect to it. The Dot is in the video because it has audio out whereas the Echo does not. If you google Amazon Alexa, there are several youtube videos and it can answer a lot of questions, control your home etc. Denise is NextOS. She is actually a chatbot and has won many awards for the chat capability. HAL is in the background with Macros set, since Alexa doesn't allow such things. My program does nothing more than feed (speech to text) whatever comes out of the Dot into a microphone input, which then sends that to the Denise API to read it the text. Hope that helps.

07-14-2016, 02:16 PM	#4
TimShriver Administrator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 1,588	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Hi, Here is the link to the site that has made an interface to HAL and the Echo. http://www.bwssystems.com/ You must be on HALultra or HALpro v6. They haven’t listed the HAL version yet as they have been sending updates to me to send to our HAL users with Echos. Here is the link for the HAL version http://www.bwssystems.com/files/ha-b....0.7-hal-h.jar You have to tell the Bridge about HAL's ip address and the HAL WebService Token. Then you add the various HAL Devices discovered by the Bridge that uses the HAL WebService. __________________ Tim Shriver Home Automated Living

10-22-2016, 04:21 PM	#5
stregone Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 24	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Tim, I have downloaded the latest version of the HA-Bridge, but am unable to get the menu that you posted a screen shot of. Are there any tips you can give me to get this bridge up and running to the point that you have posted the screenshots? Or can you direct me to some documentation on how to set the bridge up to run with HAL? Last edited by stregone; 10-22-2016 at 04:46 PM. Reason: additional thought

10-22-2016, 05:38 PM	#6
TimShriver Administrator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 1,588	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Sure, Let me put together a PDF as a quick getting started guide. I should have something rough for you either tomorrow or Monday.... Tim __________________ Tim Shriver Home Automated Living

07-14-2016, 07:59 PM	#7
jamarotta Advanced Member II Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wellington,Florida Posts: 224	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control I have an Echo, a DOT, and the TAP. I love the DOT the best because of its additional ability to bluetooth out audio vs. the Echo and TAP that takes bluetooth audio in and plays. This is VERY exciting to see HAL starting to integrate with Alexa. I currently also have an Insteon Hub V2 so control some 54 or so insteon devices (include Nest Tstats) with Alexa. So far, its been a competition somewhat between HAL and Alexa, but working together I think results in something greater than each. Tim - Happy to beta test if you need it in this area.

07-14-2016, 09:04 PM	#8
TimShriver Administrator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 1,588	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Hi Joe, We've added support for the Vera controller and may add support for the Insteon Hub. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the hub does not allow you to do any kind of rules. Even the Alexa doesn't have the ability to do any kind of logic processing such a rules... We see Alexa as a speech portal. As you know we like to see multiple ways of interacting with the home; microphones, intercoms, telephones, touch screens, remotes, browsers, apps, remotes, sensors, even ip cameras that have 2-way communication capabilities... In any given situation there may be a number of different ways to achieve that interaction with the home, one more convenient or practical than another given the situation. Cheers, Tim __________________ Tim Shriver Home Automated Living

07-14-2016, 10:14 PM	#9
BDD43 Advanced Member III Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 308	Re: HAL, Amazon Echo/Dot, SMS, and TV Control Tim, You are correct. The Echo/DOT/TAP, nor the HUB have any scheduling, macros, rules, etc. etc. built in. Only Dim, On/Off. This is why I had to create a Alexa Skill to run the macros. What would be outstanding is if HAL could incorporate a way for HAL to push notifications out through the device. I use it as a bluetooth speaker to do this and software soundswitch to move that output throughout the house depending on where I am at. Alexa works with the Insteon Hub, so it does discover all of my devices. "Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights", etc. works great. One HUGE thing to keep in mind; Alexa's microphone is NOT bluetooth. Last edited by BDD43; 07-15-2016 at 08:01 AM.

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