Echo Devices (Alexa) as Media Player - Testers Needed

henry8866 · May 16, 2021, 2:52am

I have one echo dot (office_dot) in Alexa app and this integrate added it to HA. I added a new echo dot (livingroom_dot) to the Alexa app, uninstall this integration and reinstall it. However the new echo dot doesn’t appear in HA as media_player. Below are the entities show up in the config->entities page:

the office_dot has total 7 entities and 3 of them showing unavailable status:

the new livingroom_dot has only 6 entities and media_player is not there, also it has 5 entities showing unavailable status:

I have uninstall/re-install this integration multiple times and also rebooted HA, but still can’t make it work. Does anyone know why this happened and how to fix it?

Thanks.

KennethLavrsen · May 16, 2021, 4:56am

It is normal that the sensors like alarms and timers are unavailable until you set an alarm or timer, then they become available showing for example the time of next alarm

clyra · May 16, 2021, 2:54pm

didnt work :-(. If you send “stop timer”, alexa understands that you are trying to pause/cancel a running timer and not the alarm of the expired timer.

ReneTode · May 16, 2021, 2:59pm

make sure that you write “stop” the way she expects it.
with capitals and all.
to know how to write it you need to say it to her. when she then does what you want, look at the history to see how she writes it.

sometimes its just a small thing that makes the difference.

henry8866 · May 16, 2021, 4:27pm

Thanks for the information.

The main thing is the media_player is not showing up, I can’t use it in HA or node-red

Steven_Rollason · May 16, 2021, 4:27pm

Just using “stop” works fine for me in the Developer Tools. I started a timer and when it went off I called this:

service: media_player.play_media
data:
  entity_id: media_player.my_echo_dot
  media_content_id: stop
  media_content_type: custom

and the timer alert stopped playing

clyra · May 16, 2021, 6:54pm

I dont know why, but this doesnt work for me :-(. I tried with “stop”, stop, “pare”, pare, and none of those worked.

edit: ok, new problem… it works for one device, but it doesnt for another one. Need more digging.
edit2: my guess is that it seems that having a accented letter on devices name is no good. Funny thing is: the other commands works!
edit3: ok, got it working. had to rename/re-register that echo dot, but now it works as expected. thx!

alandtse · May 19, 2021, 1:15am

This may be something worth testing in the official Alexa app to see if it should be reported to Amazon as a bug. If it works fine in that app, we may have a bug in the component.

scooby · May 19, 2021, 9:48am

Hello all,

I am having a little issue and was wondering if somebody could help me, please. I have looked at many posts but didn’t find the solution.

I have 3 Amazon Echos. I want to put them in a group and then use the group for other things. Either, I am not understanding the concept or it is not working.

Here is my group:

echos:
  name: Amazon Echos
  entities:
    - media_player.amazon_echo
    - media_player.amazon_echo_dot
    - media_player.amazon_echo_dot_with_clock

This sets up the group fine, but when I try to use it in an automation, for example setting volume for this group, I can’t seem to do it.

So, the question I have, can I set a volume for a group, or any other settings?

Thank you for your help

Pirol62 · May 19, 2021, 10:07am

Hi, I create my speaker groups in the alexa app. I have 6 or 7 groups .
These groups will be imported into HA as well and there I can set volumes.

scooby · May 19, 2021, 10:55am

I see, Thank you. I am on to it now.

clyra · May 19, 2021, 11:27am

I dont think it’s a bug in the component… I’m using a echo dot near my computer but I have two others in the house. Yesterday this one was ignoring the “stop” command. I tried the same on the other two and it worked. I went back to the problematic one and unplugged/plugged the power. After that it worked again! Since i’m using this echo dot to try a automation and often ask it to start/stop timers, maybe there’s some sequence of events that made ir unresponsive to the “stop” command thru the api (or a bug).

PizzaPino · May 23, 2021, 9:13am

Is it possible to expose the camera of the Echo show (8) to HA?

peteee · May 23, 2021, 3:16pm

How do I use Alexa Media Player / HA / Monocle Skill in a Home Assistant Automation Event?

Monocle skill ID is: B079P7DZ4D
Current HA version: core-2021.5.5
Current Media Player version: v3.10.5

Current command to show front door is: “Alexa show front door” which works fine on the Amazon Show in the kitchen. (well and the other 3 Amazon Show devices)

I am using automation right now to announce that someone is at the front door via the Doorbell press or PIR (via ONVIF) incorporated in the Hikvision Doorbell.

This does not work for me: (example)

Use media_player.play_media

entity_id: media_player.kitchen media_content_id: ‘show front door’
media_content_type: custom

Apologies…figured it out and works well using a script.

sequence:

service: media_player.play_media
target:
device_id: exyz
data:
media_content_id: ‘’‘show front door’’’
media_content_type: custom
mode: single

G4seb · May 27, 2021, 8:31am

Hi,
i have a problem too.
I havecreate a routine call “reveil” in the alexa app on my phone.
I try to lunch it with HA.
This is my script :

routine_reveil:
  alias: Play Routine Réveil
  sequence:
  - service: media_player.play_media
    data:
      media_content_id: reveil
      media_content_type: routine
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.echo_parents
  mode: single
  icon: mdi:alarm

When i lunch it, no routine on my alexa.
Could you help me please ?

Pirol62 · May 27, 2021, 8:50am

the content_id should be exactly that, what you have to say to alexa in order to start, something like: “start reveil” or what you have configured in the app.

G4seb · May 27, 2021, 8:55am

This is my alexa routine configuration
i says : “Alexa reville moi” (in english Alexa, wake me up)

Joerg · May 27, 2021, 9:07am

Hi,
it works for me like you did it: just by using the name of the routine.

alias: routine_ibizabeats
sequence:
  - service: media_player.play_media
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.echo_office2
    data:
      media_content_id: Ibiza Beats Radio
      media_content_type: routine
mode: single

Name of routine in Alexa: Ibiza Beats Radio
But is there a need for using a script?

G4seb · May 27, 2021, 9:15am

Doesn’t work here. Routine name “reveil” and nothing happend.

I don’t know, in fact i want to lunch this when i have a input_boolean at 1

Joerg · May 27, 2021, 9:18am

Does the routine play when started in the alexa app?