Amazon is releasing Echos in Canada

[chef 3745]

It will fire across the room just fine.  Mine is on the back of my couch.

 

I'm buying one then.

 

I just want to read through the API documentation and make sure I can build something to integrate it with my Smart Home, Alexa, and Emby.

[nurse_curtis 0]

Ah! another Canadian! 'We The North!'

 

Unfortunately, @nurse_curtis, I believe the Alexa isn't open source. 

 

The custom skill I wrote with another community member involves running your Emby server through a domain with an SSL Cert, so it gets kind of complicated, whereas the official Emby skill works through Emby Connect (I think) and is much easier to enable.

 

With the holidays coming up, and some free time I'll have, I would like to take @Angleblue05 up on their invite to join the beta program for alexa in Canada. 

 

**snipped**

 

All the skills added from the workaround should still work, even though you are set to Canada, and you may find that you can't access the Skill Catalog unless you reset your Alexa App and sign in again with Canadian Creds ('.ca').

 

Fair enough!  I'll try the work-around, but I run my Emby behind HAProxy with Let's Encrypt and manage a dozen or so domains so I don't mind a few extra steps to setup! The Google Assistant skill I mentioned requires and Amazon Lambda function, a developer Alexa skill, and Google API to get it working.  @Angleblue05 , I'm always down for a beta-test for sure.  I'll report back on the work-around idea, but if it doesn't allow the metric system, then it is an absolute no-go for my partner and I! 

[nurse_curtis 0]

 

 

But did anyone try the workaround?

 

1. Log into the '.com' amazon with your account info. Make sure your Credentials work with 'Amazon.com'

2. Then use those credentials in your Alexa App setup.

3. Make sure you choose a Location somewhere in the States

4. Add all the skills you want from the U.S. Skill Catalog

5. Turn your Location back to Canada, but stay logged in with the 'Amazon.com' - not '.ca'

 

All the skills added from the workaround should still work, even though you are set to Canada, and you may find that you can't access the Skill Catalog unless you reset your Alexa App and sign in again with Canadian Creds ('.ca').

 

This doesn't appear to work.  I swapped all device locations, logged back in and out.  I am not able to make the server change from amazon.ca to .com in the app.  I have 'smart dns' which works for most US services like NetFlix and Panodra, but it doesn't seem  o work.  How to you actually get the server to change in the app?

[pmac 132]

I'm buying one then.

 

I just want to read through the API documentation and make sure I can build something to integrate it with my Smart Home, Alexa, and Emby.

They work awesome. I use it with Alexa with no issues at all. Controls my satellite receiver, surround sound, TV and computer with no issues.

 

Currently you're only able to use two hubs with Alexa, and you need a second skill with slightly different commands to use the 2nd hub. I'm hoping they're able to get it working so that alexa only communicates with the hub that is in the same room as you shortly (such as "Alexa, lights on" only affecting the lights in the room you're in). If you've got an extra phone with IR emitter laying around, AnyMote works pretty well too; even better if you integrate IFTTT with it. You can also buy an emitter for it, but they're fairly pricy.

[Angelblue05 4130]

@@chef

 

PM your amazon email, I'll add you. Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to help out with this.

[chef 3745]

 

I'll double check exactly how I did it again.

 

 

This doesn't appear to work. I swapped all device locations, logged back in and out. I am not able to make the server change from amazon.ca to .com in the app. I have 'smart dns' which works for most US services like NetFlix and Panodra, but it doesn't seem o work. How to you actually get the server to change in the app?

[estranged2000 2]

Chef it's in the process already but for some reason Alexa is throwing bootstrap errors. It has nothing to do with the skill. I could try to add you to the beta, to see if it was just that one user.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello,

 

I just wanted to come on here and absolutely applaud you for being so transparent! I've held a plex pass for years, and I asked their passholder forums about Alexa for Canada, and first it was an echo chamber, and then just passive aggressive snarkiness from employees. This is a breath of fresh air. The reason i had asked 'the other place' was because before the Canadian debut i was geofence jumping and the skill worked great. I help quads, and I told them it was a working solution just need to be creative not knowing Amazon was slapping up a geofence. Now I have 5 clients with Echos and no Joy. 

 

I was so put off a couple nights back by 'the other company' support, I've installed Emby, its scanning my library now. It looks really nice from the little i've gotten to use it. You'll likely have another Premiere sub soon, if you can get that skill to work up here, I can get more people to drop their Plex Passes and follow the light.

 

Thanks again for telling us, why it doesn't work instead of just saying bugger off.

 

Cheers, have an awesome Day!

 

Ray 

[Tharnax 49]

Beta for Canada skills is still not working. Will let you guys know when the issue is resolved in Alexa. Their servers are still throwing locale errors.

 

Found this link on Amazon today: how-to-update-your-skills-for-canada.  I noticed this part of the blog  "You can see this in action by looking at the JSON request sent to your skill through the Service Simulator. When testing in the simulator, be sure you to select the tab for the language you want to test. In our example, when testing from the English (Canada) tab, the request sent to the skill includes the en-CA locale"  and wondered of it has to do with the locale errors you are seeing.  It includes an image on setting the locale.  Since this was posted on Nov 15, 2017 I'm sure you're well aware of it but thought I'd post it, just in case.

[Tharnax 49]

I didn't see it posted anywhere but it appears EMBY is available as an Alexa skill in Canada now!  

 

Thank you to whomever did all the work to get it released in Canada.  Much appreciated!!!

 

EDIT: Okay, I hadn't read the "French" post yet, which states it is available in multiple countries now.     Seems it has been available for a while. 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Tharnax

[Angelblue05 4130]

I didn't see it posted anywhere but it appears EMBY is available as an Alexa skill in Canada now!

 

Thank you to whomever did all the work to get it released in Canada. Much appreciated!!!

 

EDIT: Okay, I hadn't read the "French" post yet, which states it is available in multiple countries now. [emoji47] Seems it has been available for a while.

No, just two or three days. I had to get the original skill suppressed to change the invocation from emby to m. b. home.

 

Let me know how it goes for you

 

Here is the official thread for the live version: https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/60501-live-emby-with-alexa-skill/

Edited July 10, 2018 by Angelblue05