Echo Devices (Alexa) as Media Player - Testers Needed

[finity]

Can anyone see why the component doesn’t show up in the tracker card:

custom_updater:
  show_installable: False
  hide_sensor: True
  track:
    - components
    - cards
    - python_scripts
  card_urls:
    - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MizterB/lovelace-secondaryinfo-entity-row/master/custom_cards.json
    - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/atomic7777/atomic_calendar/master/tracker.json
  component_urls:
    - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pnbruckner/homeassistant-config/master/custom_components.json
    - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/keatontaylor/custom_components/master/custom_components.json

I’ve restarted, refreshed and cleared the cache. clicked the check button and even the update all button.

[krovachek (Krisztian Borsi)]

But this is the Spotify addon in the HA.

[alandtse]

But the Spotify addon is not this custom_component.

[krovachek (Krisztian Borsi)]

So what is the solution? Have I to remove the addon?

[alandtse]

@krovachek

So what is the solution?

There’s no one solution. Depends on what you want to do:

1. Use both and accept the delay in the alexa_media component. You can reduce the scan_interval to reduce the delay but you risk getting blocked by Amazon if you poll too often.
2. Remove the Spotify component and only rely on the alexa_media component to control in HA. You’ll lose whatever features Spotify has as the most we can do it get it on par with the Alexa app.
3. Submit a pull request or issue showing how the alexa_media component can determine what the Spotify component is doing. I have no way to test it, so you’ll be reliant on someone else to figure out how to implement that code.

[h4nc]

Do you have v1.x.y of this component?

Custom updater will on work >= 1.x.y

[finity]

yes. I’m on version 1.0.0. Forgot to mention that.

[h4nc]

I think you need at least 1.1.0. See wiki.

So you have to update manually one more time.

[finity]

@h4nc

I think you need at least 1.1.0.

Oops. Missed that small bit. I figured it was something dumb.

Thanks!

EDIT: Updated and working now. thanks again.

[stackner (clint)]

yup just noticed for some reason it has added _2 to the end of the echo entity ids. very strange.

[krovachek (Krisztian Borsi)]

Thank you very much!

[PlayedIn]

@stackner

yup just noticed for some reason it has added _2 to the end of the echo entity ids. very strange.

See the post below on how to resolve.

@h4nc

Just a little note: When you update to 1.0.0 you wil probably get new entities with the ending_2

so if it was media_player.X it will become media_player.X_2. Delete those entities in .storage or in the new section in home assistant and restart to get your old entity names again. This way you don’t have to cahnge your automations to the new names.

[zsolt]

I’m using 0.86.3. Yesterday was working properly, but today is not working.
I’ve got these errors:

1. Updating alexa media_player took longer than the scheduled update interval 0:00:10

2. An error occured accessing the API: An exception of type JSONDecodeError occurred. Arguments:
   (‘Expecting value: line 8 column 1 (char 7)’,)

3. Update for media_player.living_room fails
   Traceback (most recent call last):
   File “/srv/homeassistant/lib/python3.5/site-packages/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py”, line 221, in async_update_ha_state
   await self.async_device_update()
   File “/srv/homeassistant/lib/python3.5/site-packages/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py”, line 349, in async_device_update
   await self.hass.async_add_executor_job(self.update)
   File “/usr/lib/python3.5/asyncio/futures.py”, line 380, in iter
   yield self # This tells Task to wait for completion.
   File “/usr/lib/python3.5/asyncio/tasks.py”, line 304, in _wakeup
   future.result()
   File “/usr/lib/python3.5/asyncio/futures.py”, line 293, in result
   raise self._exception
   File “/usr/lib/python3.5/concurrent/futures/thread.py”, line 55, in run
   result = self.fn(*self.args, **self.kwargs)
   File “/home/homeassistant/.homeassistant/custom_components/media_player/alexa.py”, line 495, in update
   self.update_devices(no_throttle=True)
   File “/srv/homeassistant/lib/python3.5/site-packages/homeassistant/util/init.py”, line 315, in wrapper
   result = method(*args, **kwargs)
   File “/srv/homeassistant/lib/python3.5/site-packages/homeassistant/util/init.py”, line 315, in wrapper
   result = method(*args, **kwargs)
   File “/home/homeassistant/.homeassistant/custom_components/media_player/alexa.py”, line 221, in update_devices
   for device in devices:
   TypeError: ‘NoneType’ object is not iterable

[ptdalen]

@alandtse

probably deprecate that after changing it to a notify service.

Great work on this componet. I was an early adopter of this, but eventually moved away to the alexa script, for some of the features like last alexa, and routines, etc. I have been following this closely, and will probably move on back very, very soon. I think the only thing holding me back at the moment, is the TTS using scripts, vs the notify service. Mostly I just don’t want to go back and change my automations haha. I’m not in a rush at all, just wondering if you had a rough timeline on when you may be introducing the notify service for this component.

Once again, great work!

[stone]

1.1.0 and 0.88.2

when i say “alexa turn on ___” she flips the switch but then ring light stays active for another 5 seconds.

FYI, at this point, i think this is about emu_hue and not media_player.

[ptdalen]

Couple of questions. How are you using this component in regards to turning things on/off? I suspect you’re asking more of a generic Alexa question, but not 100% sure. As far as the ring ligvht staying on, probably not related to HA at all. I do you have “follow on” mode enabled with your echos? Thats the feature with Amazon/Alexa where you say a command, and then she listens again to see if you have another command. For example “Alexa turn on ___” Action happens, and then you say “and turn off ___” without having to say “alexa” a second time. I used it for a few days, but found it more annoying than useful.

I would say stuff like “alexa turn off the living room lamp” …“and the kitchen lights” … and “lock the front door”… etc

[stone]

no its the “processing command” light.

it fires the switch right away, but keeps thinking about it or another 5 secs.

so cannot tell it a new command until it’s done.

[ptdalen]

OK, but again, how are you using this media component? This is mostly for people using TTS or playing music, not turning on/off switches. Now people do use alexa integration to turn on/off a switch that may run a script or automation that may be used to have thier alexa start music, run a routine, speak using TTS.

[h4nc]

I think to simple turn things on and off you better use emulated_hue or ha cloud.
As @ptdalen said most of us use this component to send tts, volume and get the metadata from played music.

[sparkyx64]

Component is broken for me! Updated from 0.87.1 to 0.88.2 and it wont load at all, pops as an invalid component. Ideas?