Build your own Alexa and integrate with HA?

Configuration
1

I came across this raspberry pi build for your own amazon alexa: https://github.com/alexa/alexa-avs-sample-app/wiki/Raspberry-Pi

Has anyone done this, and will it integrate with Home Assistant like the real alexa?

2

I got one running on a Lubuntu system. The only platform I got it working with was Almond+ and I assume it was only successful because of the Almond’s Alexa skill. Device discovery is not functional in the DIY Alexa, so it doesn’t recognize devices & hubs - no Hue, no Wemos, etc. I would not get my hopes up.
Getting a real hardware Echo interacting with HASS is already challenging as it is.

3

I did the same thing, no emulators worked - you can use it if you use Haaska though.

For me a Dot was a little bit cheaper than a Pi by the time a got a working microphone and the pain of booting the Pi and launching alexa every few days when it crashed is probably worth it even if it cost twice that.

I think you can three Dots for $100 now, or perhaps it’s a Black Friday special.

4

Agree on all counts. By the time you get all the parts and factor in your time spent in getting things up and running, the Dot works out to be cheaper in the long run.