Echo Devices (Alexa) as Media Player - Testers Needed

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

it wont allow be because of the error

[PlayedIn]

Oh I didn’t realize you couldn’t validate your config. You’re on .88 or higher?

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

88.1 and yes if i comment out the alexa_media: below then its error free. does it not allow !secrets maybe?

[PlayedIn]

It allows it. Here is my config:

alexa_media:
  accounts:
    - email: !secret amazon_username
      password: !secret amazon_password
      url: amazon.com

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

https://hastebin.com/ducacikusi.makefile

[alandtse]

@seiken

is it possible to send a audio file to two of the accounts, for exempel, il like to send at music file to play after a message on my kidds alexa devices. or maybe that easier to do using the alexa app?

No, you can’t send actual files. See below regarding using Alexa routines to discover other options we can try to expose.

@woody4165

I don’t understand what type of routine can I run using "media_content_type": "routine" and how to play music via media_player on Alexa.

You don’t use routines to play music. routine is for playing routines that are defined in the Alexa App. Routines can be used to discover how the Alexa App is playing music or doing something.

EDIT: Wiki updated.
To play music, you have to define the media_content_type appropriately. Search the forum for other examples and hopefully someone updates the wiki with working examples.

{
  "entity_id": "media_player.guest_room",
  "media_content_id": "cats the musical",
  "media_content_type": "AMAZON_MUSIC"
}

{
  "entity_id": "media_player.guest_room",
  "media_content_id": "7 rings",
  "media_content_type": "APPLE_MUSIC"
}

{
  "entity_id": "media_player.guest_room",
  "media_content_id": "BBC one",
  "media_content_type": "TUNEIN"
}

@TarheelGrad1998

I think it tried to use the ESPN skill, but I disabled that. Now it says something like “I can’t play by artist on TUNEIN”.

Any ideas?

Did that exact statement work before? If it changes, it may be an Amazon issue. You can try the Routines method to discover how Alexa does it using the Alexa App in my response above.
EDIT: This may actually be a bug we can look into.

@PlayedIn

Anyone know what happened to the custom_components.json for the master branch for use by custom updater?

In Development and it also says for versions 1.1.0. That’s in the queue and hasn’t been released. I’m currently splitting my time answering forum posts and actually coding, so there’s only so much time for stuff.

@Chandler_K_Sharp

88.1 and yes if i comment out the alexa_media: below then its error free. does it not allow !secrets maybe?

Follow the format exactly. Yes, secrets will work. If you’re using optional values, try removing them.

[kirpat (Kir)]

I think u have to relogin again,
Since the pickle file also gets change.

[PlayedIn]

@alandtse

In Development and it also says for versions 1.1.0. That’s in the queue and hasn’t been released. I’m currently splitting my time answering forum posts and actually coding, so there’s only so much time for stuff.

You’ve gotten an unbelievable amount of work done. Custom updater is low priority for everyone I’m sure. Thanks!

[PlayedIn]

Are your file sizes, similar?

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

yes the sizes are similar and i see the pycache file now that i went the physical location. i was using IDE on iframe.

[PlayedIn]

Comment out the component, reboot and try again?

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

tried should i try deleting the pycache? i see i has some files still related to alexa and media_player

[PlayedIn]

It won’t hurt anything. If it was me, I’d delete the whole alexa_media folder. Remove the configuration entries. Upgrade to 88.2. I’d then use configurator addon to create three new files and then copy and paste the contents from the RAW page for each of three files. Then add the config entries back and see if config will validate. I’ve seen several people who could only c&p to get their install working. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Chandler_K_Sharp (Chandler)]

unfortunately i think your right

edit: This worked

[h4nc]

There are two alexa pickle files in my config folder? One with my email adress in it. Are they both for the new version of this component or is one from the old version?

Can I sally remove the one without the email adress in it?

[alandtse]

@h4nc

Are they both for the new version of this component or is one from the old version?

1.0.0 added the email address since we enabled multiple accounts. You can delete the one without the email address as that was for older versions.

[woody4165 (Woody)]

@alandtse

You don’t use routines to play music. routine is for playing routines that are defined in the Alexa App. Routines can be used to discover how the Alexa App is playing music or doing something .

Can you show an example of calling a routine?
Does it work only with routine that involve music or does it work with any routine?

@alandtse

TarheelGrad1998:

I think it tried to use the ESPN skill, but I disabled that. Now it says something like “I can’t play by artist on TUNEIN”.

Any ideas?

Did that exact statement work before? If it changes, it may be an Amazon issue. You can try the Routines method to discover how Alexa does it using the Alexa App in my response above.
EDIT: This may actually be a bug we can look into.

I just tried this and it work, yesterday was not working, so maybe something from Amazon side.

{
  "entity_id": "media_player.guest_room",
  "media_content_id": "Rai Radio 2",
  "media_content_type": "TUNEIN"
}

[alandtse]

@woody4165

Can you show an example of calling a routine?
Does it work only with routine that involve music or does it work with any routine?

Routine example.
Whatever Alexa’s app let’s you control with a routine.

[alandtse]

1.1.0 is out.
New Features:

• Custom_updater support (resolve #58)
• alexa_media.update_last_called service to allow manual update of last_called (resolve #83)

Fixes:

• Entry too long database errors (resolve #88)
• Display of media position while playing (resolve #91)
• Routines failing if only one step or presence of non_utterance routines (resolve #90)
• Configurator failure if no verification options available (resolve #101)
• TTS failure with multiple accounts (resolve #86)
• Configurator only able to configure one account per restart (resolve #98)
• Multiple last_called devices for same account (resolve #97)

Full changelog.

As always, please use the the Wiki and FAQ if you need instructions or have questions. Also, please help in documenting features in the wiki since this thread is basically unsearchable now. We also use GitHub for bug reports/feature requests .

[h4nc]

Thanks! Great work. Last_called updates instantly now.

Now that this works, I like to know if it’S necessary to use delays to give it time to update.

- alias: Alexa Routine washing machine
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.alexa_routine_wash
    to: 'on'
  action:
    - service: homeassistant.turn_off
      entity_id: input_boolean.alexa_routine_wash
    - delay: "00:00:02"
    - service: alexa_media.update_last_called 
    - delay: "00:00:01" #not sure about the delays?
- service: homeassistant.turn_on
  data_template: 
    entity_id: >
      {% if is_state("binary_sensor.wash_state", "on") %}
        script.alexa_routine_wash_on
      {% else %}
        script.alexa_routine_wash_off
      {% endif %} 

So what do you think, would it be fast enough to use this without delays?

EDIT: I cant’t finde it know, but there was a thread where two people wanted to use the voiceprofil in alexa and it wasn’t available for german users than. I think it was @ReneTode @lonebaggie and/or @PlayedIn. Am I right?
Voice profiles are now available in german too. (EDIT 2: I probably confuse it with this topic Alexa Announce Feature - Text to Speach via Alexa now a possability?)

Would be interested in what you want or can do with it (together with ha)