SSML and Announcements in Future???

Posted on
Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:18 pm
mundmc offline
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SSML and Announcements in Future???

Hey Guys,
I am working up the courage to upgrade to the latest Indigo, activate the reflector I forgot how do I activate, and play around with the Alexis integration.

It looks like you guys have such a good understanding of Alexa skills at this point, are there any plans hi chew build in some form of “announcement“ feature?

Right now I am using a really kludgy combination of the node.js script, shell scripts, and about 10 virtual devices to route announcements to the correct room. It’s great for making my 3 year-old think Alexa is arguing with her.

I know there are various other workarounds for this, but something native or quasi-native would be awesome.

Posted on
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:30 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

In our investigation of push announcements, we found that while Amazon provides an API for it, it is restricted to skills in the hospitality sector. Our skill doesn't fit in that category so we can't get our skill approved if we attempt to use those APIs. Hopefully Amazon will change this policy at some point.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:22 am
mundmc offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

Thanks Jay, you guys are quite hospitable IMO.

Posted on
Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:01 pm
whmoorejr offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

One possible goofy workaround to avoid the Alexa announcement script process:

Indigo has an RSS feed option (which I have never used, I don't think many people have and I'm not even positive if it's still there).

There is also a simple Alexa blueprint skill that you can write to point to a specific RSS feed to read
https://blueprints.amazon.com/bp/amzn.ask.bp.0758a769-9b10-4089-9679-1791ee6bfa5f/en-US?ref_=ask_bp_home_7_0

I'm sure there are other skills that will read an RSS feed. That could be put into a routine action.

The trick is how to trigger that routine from indigo without another crazy work-around.

The key (in my opinion) is a faux motion sensor. I know how to make one in Node-Red that can "detect" motion. (it's a virtual on/off switch in indigo)

So, something happens that updates your indigo RSS content. Indigo trigger turns on faux motion. Faux motion initiates the Alexa Routine that reads the RSS feed.

Bill
My Plugin: My People

Posted on
Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:47 pm
mundmc offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

Super-creative solution as always, but explain it to me; why the need for a faux motion sensor?

Posted on
Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:44 pm
whmoorejr offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

To initiate a routine. Alexa is limited on what devices can use to initiate or trigger a routine. (We are so spoiled with the flexibility of indigo). So far I’ve only been able to get Alexa to do something Alexa-ish from indigo by using a fake motion sensor. With a fake software based motion sensor that is activated through indigo via node red, I can use that motion sensor as the trigger device for an Alexa routine.

Hopefully the indigo plugin will add “motion sensors” as a device type. Then if you could create an action virtual device and publish it to Alexa as a motion sensor, you would be able to initiate routines with that. Right now, I have a fake motion sensor and a routine for any phrase that I want Alexa to announce. Canned messages. Not dynamic, but works. Maybe with some RSS feed to an Alexa routine that announces the feed would be dynamic. I’m guessing a lot at this point because I’ve never dinked with RSS and I’m trying not to use third party (node red) unless I have to…. or if I’m board.

Bill
My Plugin: My People

Posted on
Sun Dec 05, 2021 3:00 am
mundmc offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

Thank you for the explanation! You are a Node Red ninja. I really need to move that up on my list of things to learn :)

Posted on
Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:16 pm
whmoorejr offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

Possible work-around.... but I'm stuck on part of it.

There are a couple of new skills if you search for "Routine Trigger"

I am playing with the one called Routine Trigger URL.
https://www.amazon.com/Virtual-Smart-Home-Routine-Trigger/dp/B08SHHS8JZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3B20CMGZH4JCU&keywords=routine+trigger&qid=1645812704&s=digital-skills&sprefix=%2Calexa-skills%2C104&sr=1-2
You can create as many fake "doorbell" devices and you get 3 URLs for each device. pasting the URL into a browser activates the "doorbell" in your list of alexa devices. You can then use the rest of the routine to read a variable...

(Add Action -> Custom -> "ask indigo to speak Variable Name")

In the variable, if you write your message between the tags <speak>Insert inspirational words here </speak> Then alexa will go right to the message without first saying "your variable value is..." or whatever she says.

Note: I tried replacing "speak" with "announcement" in the variable... that did nothing.

I created a trigger with the above skill, but I'm stuck on how to activate it from indigo. Everything I've tried gives me an SSL Certificate Error.

This is the format of the URL links that the skill's associated website gives me....
Code: Select all
HTML Response: https://www.virtualsmarthome.xyz/url_routine_trigger/activate.php?trigger=1234_substiute_for_my_trigger&token=4321_substitute_for_my_token&response=html
XML Response: https://www.virtualsmarthome.xyz/url_routine_trigger/activate.php?trigger=1234_substiute_for_my_trigger&token=4321_substitute_for_my_token&response=xml
JSON Response: https://www.virtualsmarthome.xyz/url_routine_trigger/activate.php?trigger=1234_substiute_for_my_trigger&token=4321_substitute_for_my_token&response=json

Bill
My Plugin: My People

Posted on
Sat Feb 26, 2022 3:11 pm
whmoorejr offline
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Re: SSML and Announcements in Future???

I got it working without node red and did a quick write-up on my progress thus far....

https://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic.php?f=133&t=25902

Bill
My Plugin: My People

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