Frustrated with Both Google Home and Echo (Alexa)

Third party integrations
1

My issue is I want to eventually complete my on going home automation PROJECT. I need to eventually pick one eco system and not have both because the girlfriend is getting annoyed. Components used. Limitless LED, Broadlink IR/RF, DIY roller Shades :yum:, GE Zwave Wall Switches, Ecolink Zwave PIR sensors everywhere, Chromecast audio in kitchen and living room, one echo dot between kitchen and living room and another in the bedroom, and A google home in the living room.

Google home

  • Terrible integration with Chromecast applications.

  • No real integration with Android TV “feature has been announced for a while now”

  • If I start music on any of my chrome cast audio devices on my phone I can’t stop them from Google home. (WTF)

  • Who ever came up with the call word “hey google” and “ok google” needs to be fired. It completely unnatural.

  • Still no cheaper “dot style” google home device. The SDK seems pretty crippled in my opinon and finding a good mic for a decent price isnt easy

  • Kodi can be installed on Android tv. GREAT!!! Welp no real integration with Google home if even to just open the APP (I still have sling TV, wish I could open that too) I tried just getting youtube TV but its not available in my area!!! (I may have a solution for opening apps though :yum:)

Echo (Alexa)

  • So it can detect which echo is closest but you can’t stop anything from a seperate echo??? Really Amazon?? I can count how many times I’ve had to run to turn off my alarm in my bedroom because
    my GF is still sleeping :expressionless::expressionless:

  • I suppose im ok without whole home audio (I live in a 750 sq foot apartment lol) But if I start music in the bathroom on my echo I should at least be able to turn it off in a different room. This is the main feature stopping me from putting echos in all rooms.

  • I could invest in SONOS but the price of at least 300 per SONOS Connect isnt a price im willing to shell out for music.

  • Kodi can be installed on Firestick and Fire TV GREAT!!! Oh wait I cant execute anything natively from my any of my echos?? :frowning: making the same mistake as google.

is there any system that is actually complete or do I essentially need to wait lol.

2

Have you considered Zanzito and MQTT as your framework? I had your same concerns about Google Home and Alexa so I ended up sprinkling cheapy wall mounted tablets and connected speakers around the house and having Zanzito with always listening voice control running in the background. Building up the skills is a bit more time intensive, but I used this thread as the starting point and have very few problems since.

3

I hate to say it, but welcome to version 1.0. Google, Amazon, Apple, etc are learning what the personal assistant market place is, what’s valued, what’s a waste of time, and what’s just downright creepy. It will get better over the coming years, but some of the things you are asking for are years away. Yes, the ability to turn things off from another unit is a must have in my opinion. That’s why we don’t use alexa for alarms, or things like that in my house. In some ways, it’s not ready for prime time.