Alexa Coming Soon

Alexa remembers which device received the last command for about 5 minutes so at least for a short time you won’t have to use the device name. It also can recognize parts of device names as long as they are unique, so you could say “Alexa skip Bob” and that should work for “Tivo Bob”.

Amazon also added the ability to rename device names (or more specifically command for devices) through the Alexa app. I’m not entirely sure how it works, but that could allow you some flexibility.

 

I’ve been trying it. I have a harmony elite and the only difference is it seems easier and quicker than using my harmony. The pause and fast forward function doesn’t work but the channel change is great. Also when they implement the navigation and show start features it will defiantly be an improvement over harmony. Saying “Alexa pause” vs “Alexa pause on tv” is way better. Anyone having issues with the voice commands? Pause will not work. Also anyone trying it with both the harmony skill and TiVo skill on? Harmony uses normal smart home implementation but TiVo uses the video skill integration.

 

It's not clear that searching is coming (at least anytime soon). At CES, only Google Home was demoed to have searching and back then, PCMag reported that Alexa won't have it but Google would.
TiVo Adds Alexa, Google Assistant Control to its DVRs

Also, I asked if it was eventually coming in the Facebook IFTTT group and while David Shoop said it won't be in the 1.0 release, he also said he wasn't clear on the roadmap for it (which seems a pretty negative sign). Apparently, in Google Home, the mic is open so they can search. Anyways, doesn't look too positive in the searching front and so, this skill will offer only very marginal benefit over the Harmony skill (change to a channel without first making it a favorite and not mentioning the box name for 5 mins)

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The big question: how long does it take from the time the first folks report this roll out to the field until the first complaint they don't have it yet?

 

Grrr. I previously linked Alexa to fios and now even though I disabled the fios app, it still wants to talk to fios and gives me an error when I try to command my TiVo.

 

Most people should never encounter this problem. During setup, each Alexa device will be associated with a single TiVo device. In my case, I associated my Echo Show in the kitchen with my family room BOLT. And, I associated my Echo Dot with my bedroom TiVo MINI. At that point, I can just say "Alexa, tune to CBS" in either room and each Echo knows which TiVo to control. The nice thing about using "tune" as your first command is that in my case it grabs focus on the TiVo because there are no other skills that understand the command "tune". If I had been listening to music on the Echo and said "Alexa, pause" it would pause my music. To switch device focus, I would have had to say "Alexa, pause on TiVo" At that point, I can now say "Alexa, play" without needing to add "on TiVo" to the command. This is all handled by the Alexa Video Skills Kit (VSK). Amazon have also completely changed the rules around how long you maintain focus. I believe it is no longer a fixed time, but can retain focus for much longer periods of time if you have not shifted focus to another device.

 

Any word on when the google home integration will start rolling out? (I'm wondering if it'll offer any functionality over what I have now with harmony+GH.)

 

@Tivo_Ted, any idea if search is in the works?

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Not yet. If you go back and watch our CES demos, you'll see that we were able to do this with Google Home. I can't promise any features or dates yet. Let's get this first skill going.

 

@TiVo_Ted, yeah, I talked about the video in my earlier post and my fear was that Alexa voice searching wasn't on the roadmap. It's a bit interesting that you signed up as a partner for the new DVR capabilities even though it's not yet on the roadmap . Hopefully, it'd get there at some point.

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What is the Software Version Number that enables Tivo with Alexa? I currently have
20.7.4.RC29-758-2-758 on the Premiere's and 20.7.4.RC29-840-6840 on the Roamio's. Also it shows the Alexa app is coming soon? Thanks

 

You're right. We should have Ted pull the Alexa features and halt its release.

 

I believe you set the device name on your Alexa skill

 

Ironically, we had most of the integration with Alexa done last year and threw it all away when Amazon announced the VSK. After this initial release, I believe the next features coming are Record Show and Playback Show. I'm not sure about the timing for those yet.

 

You put the device name in the Alexa skill on your phone

 

I assume you mean the Alexa App, not skill, and in any event that is not what is indicated in the graphic here.

 

When I open the works with Alexa app on my tivo boot the circle spins for awhile then says there was a problem linking devices. I keep trying but not go. Been trying randomly for the last 25 minute or so.

 

Yes I was referring to what it said in that graphic

 

That graphics suggests to me that users will be able to change the name directly on the TiVo itself not the Alexa app (although that may be possible as well). But it's a terribly minor point anyway and we'll all figure it out soon enough.

 

I took that to mean that you can change the name of the box at the TiVo level. That it takes you to the name screen.