Gradually turn on lights.

[CatmanV2]

Well the Sonos thing got me thinking. There's no apparent equivalent of local playing in Alexa, but what I do have is several Volumio devices dotted around. These have a nice little Rest API that I usually use to wake us up in the morning. Quick bit of AI Text to speech and now one of my Volumios will alert if the internet fails.
Which is nice!

C

[tunnus]

@toggledbits using a very similar setup and works nicely!

[toggledbits]

Sonos is an expensive way to make announcements. For those of you (us) using Raspberry Pi's, they can play audio from the 3.5mm audio jack, so I've whipped up a python-scripted MQTT client that plays a media file on request either from local storage or a URL (e.g. your LAN NAS or Reactor's user media endpoint, or anywhere your Internet access will allow). I'll publish that to Github later today for anyone interested.

[CatmanV2]

That sounds very neat.

The biggest 'challenge' I have is that my Volumio Pis are not all connected to an amp or speakers. Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how I might get around that?

C

[toggledbits]

Perhaps https://a.co/d/ixBUa2M ? Can be powered from the 5V and GND pins on the Pi.

[toggledbits]

Or this? https://www.adafruit.com/product/987

[CatmanV2]

Like it. Even if not, pretty sure my preferred POE could drive it.

Just would be so much better if we could alert to a phone. Which I think I can...

C

[CatmanV2]

Had a poke around. There is a service in HA that allows (it claims) Local Push Notifications to devices running the HA Helper App.

This exposes a notify method to MSR and you can hand it JSON. Lo, a notification from the HA app pops up on the phone.

So another option

Thanks for all thoughts

C

[therealdb]

@CatmanV2 back in the old days of no reliable internet at our new house, I had a raspberry connected via Bluetooth to the Alexa in the main room. I just played pre-recorded audio files and it worked very good.
Low tech solutions are the best

Also, some echo devices have the line in. If you have something plugged in, they will play what's sent.

[CatmanV2]

Interesting. I did try that, but Volumio doesn't support it. I guess a Rasbian type would be worth looking at.

I assume the Pi connected, played then disconnected as opposed to 'hogging' the BT?

Cheers

C

[CatmanV2]

And another option! OS X has a 'say' command that does, well, exactly what you'd think.

And it's possible to unmute the output from a command line so ssh to my local macs, run the script and Robert is your father's brother

C

[therealdb]

@CatmanV2 nope, always connected

[CatmanV2]

Interesting, ta. Think I've got an old pi kicking around. OTOH between one Volumio, HA Companion on my phone, and all my Macs talking to me, I think I have enough

C

[toggledbits]

piannunciator lives!

[CatmanV2]

Niiiice!

Thanks
C

[therealdb]

@toggledbits time for a custom mqtt template

all that said, many echo devices have line in and it’s always sending out the sound. This could certainly be another low-fi option.

I have a portable ikea outdoor speaker for the pool, paired via bt with an echo and sending out line in coming from the tv. I’ll probably do something similar in the new beach house.

[toggledbits]

@therealdb said in Local notification methods?:

@toggledbits time for a custom mqtt template

LOL! I think for one topic, it might be a bit of overkill, but then, that's kind of how we roll, isn't it?