Alexa Notify

Configuration
1

I was thinking is it possible to make something like Notify.Alexa to let Alexa speak as notify without amazon intens?
Something like this:

alias: 'Update Available Notifications'
  hide_entity: True
  trigger:
platform: state
entity_id: updater.updater
  action:
    service: notify.alexa
   data:
      speech:
        type: plaintext
         text: > There is a update from Home Assistant!
2

Alexa doesn’t support push notifications yet. There have been some work-arounds, but they’re just that. I’ve heard that it’s in the roadmap, though.

3

Thanks for your answer. Do you have a link to the work-arounds.
I would like to let Alexa say this for example i come home, and he give me the sensor info or kind of stuff.

I would like to experimenting with it.

4

You can check into this; I bookmarked it but haven’t had a chance to deep read or test it yet. It’s the only workaround I know of so far so if @ih8gates has a different one I’m anxious to see it. The more methods the better!

We’re all waiting so anxiously for this that I was psyched to see your post thinking someone had heard something!!

5

I’m not into workarounds. I’ve got a solid TTS working for now til there’s official support. The workarounds I’ve seen have involved pushing MP3s of recorded speech via API, then waiting for the response. Klunky.

6

That’s why I haven’t pushed on it too much myself. What are you using for TTS if you don’t mind me asking?

7

I use the TTS engine in Girder (a Win-based automation platform kinda like EventGhost on steroids)

8

okay, i understand.
But is it also not possible with a automation to trigger a alexa intents, thats speak, as kind of notification?

9

Not to my knowledge.

10

Okay :disappointed:

11

More than a year later - is there some news about this feature?

12

Didn’t hear anything

13

Yeah, with the challenges getting media player to do TTS and music simultaneously, it would be better to let the echos do it and pause/resume the media player.

14

There is an Alexa skill (not developed by me) now called Notify Me which uses the preview Alexa push notifications API. This particular skill has a backend RESTful API, that you can post to in order to send notifications to your own devices. You enable the skill and link your account and you are sent an access code to use the API. I have got this configured now, using the rest notify platform, and it works well:

notify:
  - name: notify
    platform: rest
    message_param_name: notification
    resource: https://api.notifymyecho.com/v1/NotifyMe
    data:
      accessCode: access_code_here

The only disadvantage, which is a limitation of Alexa push notifications, is that when you get a notification the Echo will just ding and light up green. You need to say something like “Alexa, what are my notifications?” or “Alexa, what did I miss?” to play the notifications.

2 Likes
15

@Steven_Rollason

I added the notify rest platform to my config file as you have in your example however when I use the Services Tool to test it I am not getting the notification sent my echo dot. Should the accessCode include the “amzn1.ask.account.xxxxx…” or does the “amzn1.ask,account” part not included? I assume it should be included. I was able to get the “Hello World” url example that was sent in my initial email from Notify Me to work but unable to get HA to send it. Just wondering if I am missing anything in my setup.

NVM - turned out to be a typo, accessCode had a lower case c. Working now!

16

Yeah, super easy to set up. My question is: Is there a way to get the notification to say “from Home Assistant” (or anything else) or am I stuck with it saying “from Notify Me”? Probably Amazon requires the notification to say it’s from “Notify Me” so perhaps something the devs can add to the Home Assistant cloud skill in their <sarcasm>copious free time</sarcasm>.

17

Yeah, that announcement is put there by Amazon (not something the skill controls). It’s probably for the best so developers can’t spoof people by declaring “One new notification from the IRS: Your taxes are past due. Please send all your money to…”

1 Like
18

just use lannouncer notify put the alexa in bt mode and run it on a always on android device… tablet, tv or android box, works great and alexa still does her thing even when in bt mode constantly

19

Wouldn’t you have to have an Android device per Echo? That seems a bit overkill.

20

not if your android device has a2dp bluetooth can run more than one stream of sound to multiple bt speakers