Re: Using Amazon Alexa device as LMS player

wildgoose wrote: 
> Wow, impressive! This is a lot more elaborate than I thought. :) I was
> just thinking about a simple Python lambda backend that talks to LMS via
> an ngrok tunnel (which I have done trying the other Alexa skill before I
> realized it needs subscription).
> 
> On Alexa side, I know one can develop a regular skill with customized
> interaction models, but there's complexity that comes with that,
> especially the need to localize and translate a lot of the stuff.
> There’s also music skills where I believe we don’t need to mess with the
> interaction models as much, just need to implement a set of music
> related SPIs (play/next/previous/shuffle/loop/etc), so that’s what I was
> thinking as a starting point. The interaction models should just work in
> all locales that this is supported. (So we don’t need to translate
> next/previous/play, or different ways people can say that in various
> locales).
> 
> The documentation also mentions we need to upload our catalogs (so Alexa
> understands what you are requesting when you say "play X"). I am not
> interested in uploading any catalogs, but I do care about my own play
> lists. I assume, since most of the big music providers (Pandora,
> Spotify, etc), are using this framework, and they support customer’s own
> playlists (and much more), there should be a way for us to make it work
> with our custom playlist too.
> 
> Is there any reason the above won't work? I know it's not ideal, setting
> up a tunnel, and deploy a custom skill yourself (amazon developer
> account), but it does get rid of the requirement for someone to hosting
> some services somewhere, since that costs money, and it's not obvious
> who would be footing that bill.
> 
> 
> 
> I hear you, and I am sort of in the same boat too. ;)
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have any high level docs by any chance for the different
> components? (ie, what's the purpose of the plugin? what does the
> LAMP/MQTT broker do in terms of getting this to work with Alexa? why do
> we need a database?).
> 
> 
> 
> Is there a cost for hosting this service?
> 
> If this is already sort of working, I'll be happy to test it out. Feel
> free to PM me.
> 
> Thanks.


Hi @wildgoose

First, major apologies. I actually responded to this thread thinking it
was another entirely. It's been a while since I've been posting here and
just jumped in feet first without checking, so apologies to OP here for
hijacking.

My own skill / plugin referred to above takes a very different approach.
Read all about it here, where you'll find video demos etc.:
https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?106569-ANNOUNCE-Alexa-voice-control-(development-thread)

I'll answer your queries here, but if you wish to continue the
discussion. maybe jump to my own project thread?

Your proposed model will likely work well. However, it will require
users to do a lot of local configuration & pfaffing about, so only
suitable for peeps with some technical ability. My approach had been to
make it consumer level accessible, so, a website you register with,
account link the Alexa skill and install an LMS plugin (that can be
updated). In this approach, its a lot more user friendly, though a loit
more development work.

I don't have any high level docs at all, though I can answer your
questions....

The purpose of the plug-in is to implement the MQTT client. This
receives commands from the skill logic (running on an external node-red
server) and translates them to LMS API calls for transport control. As
noted, the plug-in apporach allows for all of tghis to be neatly
packaged for users and facilitates code updates as required through the
LMS plugin update process.

LAMP is the host service for the skill logic. It implements all the
branching and command implementation in Node-Red and uses the MQTT
broker to communicate with the user LMS. 

The database is used for user management, persistent data storage etc.
For example, the skill maintains a count of commands issued by
individual users as well as details of the various ssqueezebox devices
on their account etc.

Yes, all this incurs costs. This skill would likely have been a paid /
subscription model to cover hosting costs etc. 

If you have a look through the other thread, you'll see how far I got.
Now that I've started talking about it again, I might just resurrect
it......



'' (http://www.hab-tunes.com)

ALEXA LMS SKILL: http://www.hab-tunes.com | Twitter: '#habtunes'
(https://twitter.com/search?q=%23habtunes&src=typd&lang=en)
Personal HA BLOG: http://mediaserver8.blogspot.com 

Squeezebox x2 | Squeezebox Radio x 2  | Squeezebox Duet x2
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View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=110155

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