Add 'Shut off browser' as a Flow option
under review
F
Frank
Voice Monkey works perfectly to display camera video on my Echo 'Shows' using Flows. But if Silk is not shut off, it will sometimes stay open for hours. To circumvent this problem, I use a second Echo device in proximity to each Echo Show that whispers, "Alexa, go home" after a 30 second 'Wait' in the Flow. :-) Adding a Flow option to 'Shut off browser' after a 'Wait' would be more acceptable than my current solution.
Using the second Echo to shut off the browser does not work when there is noise in the room which drowns out the "...Go Home" phrase.
C
Christian
marked this post as
under review
Hi @Frank
I'm just reviewing the best way to do this as once the browser is open it is outside the Voice Monkey skill session and there's no way of controlling it's functionality.
However there may be a way of sending a blank Voice Monkey response to stop it so I am exploring this option.
For now, the way I would do it is to create a Voice Monkey routine trigger device. Then create a new Alexa routine with this device as the trigger and a custom action of "go home".
You could then trigger this routine from your Flow.
F
Frank
Christian: Thank you Christian for looking into this. I have a bunch of flows and devices and all work well with the exception of closing Silk.
I think you are saying to use a Flow to have the Echo Show Device that is displaying Silk, speak to itself and say "Alexa go home" (?). I did try that initially, but it seems "Alexa" does not "hear" itself as it is voicing the command. If that is not what you are suggesting, please elaborate further.
Is there a possibility of somehow making use of the Echo Show app that is used to display the 'Ring doorbell' video? That app is not Silk and it also supports audio.
I now have the newest Echo Show 10, which rotates toward the person speaking to it. So now when my 'Echo Input' device, which sits beside the Echo Show 10, speaks, "Alexa Go Home", Silk does shut off, but the Echo show turns toward the Echo Input device. So I have had to shut the "Turn toward the speaking person" aka "Motion" feature off. Currently I am building a very small speaker, which will connect to the Echo Input, that will be placed in front of the Echo Show 10 so that the Echo Show 10 will still face forward after being told to go home.