Anyone able to integrate Alexa voice announcements with routines? Tried re-adding skill

[NewfieDrool]

Has anyone ever managed to get the integration with Alexa working with routines.

ive  created a routine where if motion is detected Alexa will announce a message for me but no matter what I try it never works. 

I’ve doublechecked the do not disturb settings, I have removed and added the skill several times,  i’ve gone through everything but for some unknown reason the announcements never work.

Does this side of the Arlo work and has anyone ever managed to get it working?

[JessicaP]

Hey NewFieDrool,

Make sure you're using one of the following Amazon devices to make sure the voice announcements work:

• Echo Show
• Echo Spot
• Fire TV (all generations)
• Fire TV stick (second generation only)
• Fire TV Edition smart TVs

You can also try checking this article to make sure that the announcement with routine is set properly: How do I trigger an Amazon Alexa device when motion is detected on my Arlo camera?

[NewfieDrool]

Hi Jessica

thanks for your reply.

ive seen the link and have several echo devices however I’m only able to get video to play through Alexa and the rest of the routines fail. It seems reading the reviews of the Alexa skill that I’m not alone sadly.

ive tried everything to get voice annocements but nothing works. 

[NewfieDrool]

Just to add to the above, if I ask to show camera it works fine, it pops up on tv.

my routines when you test them within the Alexa app work fine and play my annocement.

all setting are correct within Alexa app.

[JessicaP]

Have you tried rebooting your Amazon Echo devices to see if that helps out?

[NewfieDrool]

I’ve tried rebooting all my devices already including router. Ive removed skills  added it several times, gone through all the settings and even watched my network activity under DumaOS to see if there is any activity when it’s active. 

The feature simply does not work. I’m U.K. based and reading the reviews of the skill on Amazon it seems I’m not alone including people having issues with other Arlo devices and routines.

i will link the skill, note the 2 star review.

perhaps some work is needed to solve the issues.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-Inc-Arlo-UK/dp/B073HSJ49X

[JessicaP]

I would suggest to contact the Support Team to further investigate this issue. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link.

[NewfieDrool]

Thanks Jessica

I think I’ll pass on that and leave it as it is. The fact the reviews are bad tells me I will just be banging my head on the wall.

Arlo need to test products and software as a consumer just wants a straight forward and easy process. 

[Borg123]

Anybody else having the same issues as well  ?? ? ? ?. If you create a routine in Alexa App for lights to go on, and for Alexa to make a customer announcement when motion is detected , it Just DOESN'T work. 

There is also a tab in the Alexa app in your arlo cameras to activate a motion announcement but it doesn't work either.

Arlo, this is really poor form and I don't seem to be the only one because it seems to be a common issue...any planned fixes soon ? ? 

[azarloGuy]

Good luck, there are sooooooo many issues that have not been fixed going on 9 to 12 months in some cases, I doubt very much these clowns will fix this.  I too am experiencing the same issue you are with Alexa.  Nothing I try seems to work.  I share your frustration with this outfit.  Short of all of us banding together to make a LOT of noise with retailers who sell these products (Best Buy, Amazon especially) who can put some pressure on this company I am not sure what else to do.  We are stuck in a really bad place when the thousands of dollars some (me included) seem like a total waste of money.  Maybe some day a sharp lawyer will experience first hand these issues and come here for solutions and see the anger/frustriation/disappointment here and do something to help all of us.  It saddens me that it has come to this.  I have personally now talked several aquaintences and friends out of buying this system.

[Krystoff]

At least reading these threads about how broken the Alexa integration mean I’ll give up and won’t waste my time pursuing it

i also have spent a lot of time on this to attempt to see the triggers work outside of pressing the test/play routine

it simply doesn’t work - Uk also if it helps - but arlo should either fix the issue or just remove the feature instead of misadvertising and pretending we need to speak to 1st line support

we see time and time again when an error comes up that multiple people experience not once do arlo appear to replicate the problem back at their end and then look at the bigger problem - if something is this fundamentally broken the customers shouldn’t be asked to reset base stations, desynchronise cameras, reboot and reconfigure 3rd party devices in an attempt for it to work

i appreciate that troubleshooting in the 1st few instances helps, but there appears to be no knowledge sharing on front line support either

hopefully one day in the future arlo might write their skill to match the requirements of the expanded api amazon published for 3rd party triggers,  because it appears they missed something somewhere..

[Borg123]

It’s an absolute bloody joke. That’s all. Netgear should be disgusted ! They are a tech and security focused company and these feature increase the security of your home and make the stand alone offering much better etc. shame on them for letting down So many loyal customers.

In the meantime there is a slight work around. It’s not exactly the same but works well.

IFTTT has functionality that it can call your mobile with a VOIP when motion is detected at a selected camera. I have set this up and then you can also trigger lights to go on via SmartSign or hue etc. Then you trigger them to go back off after no motion is detected for a certain timeframe.

It would be better for Alexa to announce but in my opinion a call on my mobile is better then a silly push notification from
Arlo.

For some reason ITTP does no let you connect arlo and Alexa to trigger an announcement but maybe this will come soon.

Anyway ....I am dealing with a support person at arlo and after lodging a case I get some stupid generic e-mail trying to teach me how to install the Alexa skill - LOL what idiots !!!!

Hopefully they will up there game soon and get there **bleep** together.

[migmog]

Has ANYONE got an announcement from Alexa when motion is detected?

It works on my phone, but I can't get it to work on Alexa at all.

[kalewis76]

Add me to the list having same issue especially now that I bought the new doorbell cam and cannot use the chime of the previous generation I was counting on this to be a pleasant workaround but it simply does not work. Will be looking forward to a solution or if someone else on the community chat figured out another integration that will work with it like iftt or something like that  

[ebuhrendorf]

Also have not been able to get motion to make an announcement on Echo devices. The feature does not work.

Just got a Ring Doorbell Pro today and it works fine.

[RsekX]

Maybe my post to a different thread will help here too: Figured this one out, it has a similar "Requirement" that smarthing has. I have successfully activared routines on 2 of my cameras and will do so for the rest after sharing this. To get Alexa to listen for motion from Arlo I had to create an Arlo mode called "Alexa" and set up my rules there. This was also necessary for SmartThings. I did NOT have to remove/disable/enable skills or devices in Alexa. However it did take a few minutes to take effect. On an additional note, I created activity zones and am not sure if this is a requirement. The last note is that this worked on both a camera with a subscription plan and one without it.

[NewfieDrool · Accepted solution]

It’s been ages since I posted this thread and a little update.

after trying no end I could never get voice announcements to work and just left them setup and bless my little cotton socks out of the blue a few days ago they started working.

i never altered anything so it was either amazon or arlo who had an issue and it’s been fixed.