How can I model this device so Alexa does not think it's a light

Configuration
1

I have some local devices that have a power switch and an intensity; examples could be an amplifier (on/off, volume), a thermostat (on/off, set temperature), a humidifier (on/off, target humidity), a dimmable light (on/off, brightness) and so on.

That “light” example has been a good model for all of these so far. So, for example, I might have the following MQTT entry:

light:
- name: "MediaPower"
  command_topic: "mqttlight/MediaPower/command"
  state_topic: "mqttlight/MediaPower/state"
  brightness_command_topic: "mqttlight/MediaPower/bright_command"
  brightness_state_topic: "mqttlight/MediaPower/bright_state"
  brightness_scale: 100

(the “mqttlight” stuff is my bridge code that let’s me expose anything I can script as an MQTT light; GitHub - sweharris/mqttlight_bridge · GitHub)

And this works; I can see it in HA, turn it on/off, change the volume.

Now I want to expose this to Alexa, and the HAMH bridge seems to work fine. It shows up as a device, and I can change the volume (“set mediapower to 50%” just works).

The problem is that Alexa creates a magic group “all lights” so if someone (cough my girlfriend cough) says “turn all lights on” then my amplifier turns on.

So how I can expose this to Alexa as a on/off device with a “volume” control? I guess this change could be made either in my mqtt device definition (pick a different class to light?) or somehow in the HAMH entry (but I don’t see what to do, there).

Any advice welcome!

2

Delete girlfriend.

Fixed..

Actually I don’t see a way without defining two separate or making it represent as what it really is. Cause a binary +intensity yeah Amazon is gonna call that a light because they’re being… ‘helpful’

Option A will definitely be easier for you, man.

:rofl:

3

That’s a lot of QoL automations to throw out though

4

I didn’t say it was ideal Rick, I just said…easier.

Im thinking redefined at the MQTT level is probably the right way to lean though… Girlfriends usually don’t respond well to delete.

5

Hmm, Alexa can handle other device types (eg climate entities) that have on/off/intensity. Apparently Matter has a “OnOffPlugInUnit with Level Control” configuration, but I dunno how to make my device visible that way!

Heh, I moved from England to America to be with her; that’s a lot of sunk costs (time, money, love) to discard :rofl: