Echo/Alexa OT

[nekkid]

UPDATE:


Hey I got one of them Atmos Echo Studios as "soundbar " for upstairs tv.

Pros: dirt cheap $200 atmos "soundbar"
Unassuming form factor (like a bowler hat-sized squat cylinder)
Obviously doubles as best echo speaker/Alexa dealy
Fantastic sound field, fidelity and presence
Automatic room calibration
Wireless if connected to firetv or stick (uses widi type direct connection I believe)
Really really good for music
Proper atmos 3D sound that's shocking for the price and sound
Works with any Bluetooth device
Doesn't need a subwoofer (you can add one if you demand more brown note)
Has access to impressive but useless 3D and high fidelity uncompressed Amazon music catalog
Has intuitive audio sync delay controls for shitty Blu-ray players I guess

Cons: only does Atmos for Amazon content via certain firetv and sticks (4k works)
Only does 5.1 or stereo if connected to device by optical/aux until future update
Mildly annoying one time software update
Keeps going out of stock as some audiophiles have identified it as a bargain

Basically it is perfect for the exact scenario I have but might not be ideal if you're looking for a more flexible thingy until they update firmware to support non Amazon devices more robustly.

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Was looking at this as an option to replace our ageing 5.1 surround system for the living room TV, with the bonus of being able to shift our current Echo to another room.

I'm not an audiophile in any way, but I do appreciate the difference between really bad and decent sound quality.

I was after some feedback from people using it as TV audio, as most reviews focus heavily on the music. So this sounds like it might actually fit the bill nicely.

 

[Stinkles]

Was looking at this as an option to replace our ageing 5.1 surround system for the living room TV, with the bonus of being able to shift our current Echo to another room.

I'm not an audiophile in any way, but I do appreciate the difference between really bad and decent sound quality.

I was after some feedback from people using it as TV audio, as most reviews focus heavily on the music. So this sounds like it might actually fit the bill nicely.

Click to shrink...

IF you use FireTV (Atmos) or are ok with stereo (mini spidf)

 

[nekkid]

IF you use FireTV (Atmos) or are ok with stereo (mini spidf)

Click to shrink...

I thought it could do 5.1 with spidf?

 

[Stinkles]

I thought it could do 5.1 with spidf?

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that's my understanding since there's otherwise no need for digital but it's never quite clarified anywhere- it supports the following:

FLAC, MP3, AAC, Opus, Vorbis, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio/MPEG-H; includes support for CD Quality (16-bit) and Hi-Res (24-bit)

I bought a mini spidf cable to test so I'll let you know.

 

[nekkid]

that's my understanding since there's otherwise no need for digital but it's never quite clarified anywhere- it supports the following:

FLAC, MP3, AAC, Opus, Vorbis, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio/MPEG-H; includes support for CD Quality (16-bit) and Hi-Res (24-bit)

I bought a mini spidf cable to test so I'll let you know.

Click to shrink...

Cool, thanks.

 

[Stinkles]

Cool, thanks.

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and I found this:

"A: Yes. You can pair it with a 4k Fire TV device as mentioned OR you can also go optical out from your TV into the Studio via the mini toslink connector. Optical will support Dolby Digital 5.1 but not Atmos."

 

[Deleted member 49611]

i had a google home mini. i was going to buy one again but thought i might want to try out the Alexa products. the thing is i'm so deep into the Google/Android ecosystem. how well do these products work with Android?

if i were going to buy one it'd probably be this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/amazon-echo-3rd-generation-smart-speaker-with-alexa/dp/B07P4DKX14/

This might be a stupid question but can I use it to control what's playing on my Chromecast or is that exclusive to the Home Mini.

what search engine does it use? can i pick what it uses...so Google?

I know Spotify/Audible works but can I stream stuff from my phone to the Echo? i used to stream audio files saved on my phone through VLC to play on my home mini. can i do the same with the Echo?

basically, just how deep does it go with Google integration? thanks

 

[nekkid]

i had a google home mini. i was going to buy one again but thought i might want to try out the Alexa products. the thing is i'm so deep into the Google/Android ecosystem. how well do these products work with Android?

if i were going to buy one it'd probably be this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/amazon-echo-3rd-generation-smart-speaker-with-alexa/dp/B07P4DKX14/

This might be a stupid question but can I use it to control what's playing on my Chromecast or is that exclusive to the Home Mini.

what search engine does it use? can i pick what it uses...so Google?

I know Spotify/Audible works but can I stream stuff from my phone to the Echo? i used to stream audio files saved on my phone through VLC to play on my home mini. can i do the same with the Echo?

basically, just how deep does it go with Google integration? thanks

Click to shrink...

You're stuck with Amazon's search, and there aren't any OOTB Chromecast skills for Alexa. However, it looks like there's tutorials to use developer tools to enable it.

I think the simplest answer is that an Echo device isn't ideal if you are completely wedded to Google stuff.

 

[MrKlaw]

My LG oled has an Alexa skill but doesn't seem to be able to do anything useful. Switching inputs is a waste as I have a receiver. I'd love being able to play stuff on the TV - can't fire TV do this? Like 'Alexa play the Witcher on my TV'?

video is the biggest gap with smart speakers right now for me at least

 

[Deleted member 21709]

We had to switch to Google Home for music streaming because Amazon updated their devices in late December to announce the device connecting to the speaker. 'Now playing from John's iPhone'. This is very obnoxious and it announces this at twice the volume of the speaker's setting.

They told me this was due to people pranking others. I recommend calling Amazon and making a complaint so that they make this optional.

 

[Deleted member 6582]

Echo Show 8 and 5 (not 10?) can now scan barcodes, in case you can't be arsed to say the name of the thing: https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/31/21117569/amazon-echo-show-scan-barcodes-shopping-list

 

[blacklotus]

It's pretty surreal for me - unless I'm missing something - that you can't add custom sounds to routines.

When I say "Alexa, Assemble" she turns on all my gaming desk LEDs. I thought I could easily update that routine with a 20seconds audio clip from the Avengers assemble theme and no can do.
The only workaround I found was using apple music+ but it's not available in my country.
I understand this has fuck all to do with productivity but it hinders the fun aspect of some routines.

 

[Shedinja]

Bumping the thread to let anyone know that, if you ever registered a (now discontinued) Echo Look on your Amazon account, you can get a free Echo Show 5. Add it to your cart and use the code ECHOLOOK20 at checkout. I paid less than $20 for my Echo Look on eBay last year, so I'm pretty happy with this lol

 

[Stinkles]

Bumping the thread to let anyone know that, if you ever registered a (now discontinued) Echo Look on your Amazon account, you can get a free Echo Show 5. Add it to your cart and use the code ECHOLOOK20 at checkout. I paid less than $20 for my Echo Look on eBay last year, so I'm pretty happy with this lol

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My only moribund echo device is echo auto which works brilliantly - especially for cats with six but no decent telephony or in car entertainment- but the wife refuses to use it.

 

[Deleted member 6582]

I've updated the OP with all the newly announced devices, cleaned up the discontinued stuff and add a small blurb about how Sidewalk works.

 

[MrKlaw]

anyone have the new echo? Got one last week when it launched as my OG echo was getting really slow to respond and having issues streaming music etc.

This one has much better sound quality, but I'm finding it hard to get her to respond. With the previous one I could be pretty relaxed with my language, not pause to wait and she'd pick it up. With this one I'm having to almost stop and clearly state the trigger phrase towards her, wait for the blue light and then say stuff. And often she won't hear it.

Wasn't sure if this was a known issue?