Echo Dot..how to do..

Got an Echo Dot for Christmas, I want to listen to Radio Sheffield on it, how do I set it up to do that?

I don't have many albums on Amazon, so is there any way to get a load of free music?...how do I do that.

Have you any tips to get the best from Alexa and ideas for how to use it?

Any info, in layman terms would be appreciated please. Thank you x

Hi

first of all you need to download Alexa app onto your phone or tablet

open it up then go to settings and set it up

you can set up amazon music you will need to have your music in mp3 format

you have to upload them into Amazon Music better on a pc

and you will need Tunein set up as well to play radio just say Alexa play BBC SHEFFIELD

You can also use it as a bluetooth speaker and set it up on phone tablet

ONCE ITS SET UP ITS BRILL

I HAVE THE ECHO AND 2 DOTS

I HAVE ALL MY LIGHTS AND HEATING ALL SET UP

ALL WORK BRILL

Thanks Binman. I have set it up and have tune in, but when I say "play radio Sheffield" it starts Radio Sheffield but the Radio Sheffield programme starts with "not available due to contractual reasons" this happens when I try to listen online as well. What am I doing wrong? I don't want to (but may change my mind) pay a subscription for Amazon music, is there any way to get 'free' music that you know of?

I agree, the Dot is fab, I like the corny jokes and info and will experiment to do more as Imlearn more about it. Thanks for your input.

You don't have to subscribe to Amazon music or anything else to use TuneIn. TuneIn is free.

Check your dots location is set to UK, this is the only reason I can think why a BBC station won't work.

Also try saying "Alexa play BBC Sheffield" (as mentioned above) rather than radio Sheffield, works better for me.

Thanks Binman. I have set it up and have tune in, but when I say "play radio Sheffield" it starts Radio Sheffield but the Radio Sheffield programme starts with "not available due to contractual reasons" this happens when I try to listen online as well. What am I doing wrong? I don't want to (but may change my mind) pay a subscription for Amazon music, is there any way to get 'free' music that you know of?

I agree, the Dot is fab, I like the corny jokes and info and will experiment to do more as Imlearn more about it. Thanks for your input.

if you tried it today the football was on, its not available online, i get it too as im not near sheff

Thanks Binman. I have set it up and have tune in, but when I say "play radio Sheffield" it starts Radio Sheffield but the Radio Sheffield programme starts with "not available due to contractual reasons" this happens when I try to listen online as well. What am I doing wrong? I don't want to (but may change my mind) pay a subscription for Amazon music, is there any way to get 'free' music that you know of?

I agree, the Dot is fab, I like the corny jokes and info and will experiment to do more as Imlearn more about it. Thanks for your input.

Hi

its been down today

its up and running now

just asK to play BBC SHEFFILELD

NOT RADIO SHEFFIELD JUST BBC SHEFFIELD

Hi

first of all you need to download Alexa app onto your phone or tablet

open it up then go to settings and set it up

you can set up amazon music you will need to have your music in mp3 format

you have to upload them into Amazon Music better on a pc

and you will need Tunein set up as well to play radio just say Alexa play BBC SHEFFIELD

 

You can also use it as a bluetooth speaker and set it up on phone tablet

 

ONCE ITS SET UP ITS BRILL

I HAVE THE ECHO AND 2 DOTS

I HAVE ALL MY LIGHTS AND HEATING ALL SET UP

ALL WORK BRILL

What do you use for the lighting, I've been considering lightwaveRF, but there are competing options available.

What do you use for the lighting, I've been considering lightwaveRF, but there are competing options available.

With lighting your 2 main options are smart bulbs or smart switches.

My main gripe with smart bulbs is that the light switches have to be left permanently on for them to function. Not very practical if you have others in the house who are not so technically minded. And are very expensive if you have a lot of lamps to replace. Most popular choices of smart bulbs are Phillips Hue, Hive, Lifx, Wemo.

Smart switches are a better choice in my eyes. And the only two I can think of for the UK market are LightwaveRF and Energenie MiHome.

Both have positives and negatives.

The MiHome switches require a neutral wire in the light switch so will require a bit of rewiring.

The LightwaveRF switches will only work with dimmable bulbs but are retrofit so don't require any rewiring (2 way circuit may do depending on your existing wiring).

Also Lightwave have more configurations available, MiHome currently only do a single gang switch but they are quite new to the market.

Both these systems will require a hub to allow cloud control that Alexa requires.

I've been using LightwaveRF for about 4 years now and it's been rock solid but I have noticed there can be a long delay from issuing a command via Alexa to the action happening, sometimes up to 40 seconds. Not sure what's causing this, if I set up an IFTTT applet for Alexa to turn on a LightwaveRF light then instruct Alexa to trigger the applet it's almost instant.

I've got a few bulbs already, but as you say, seems like a half assed solution to me.

LightwaveRF, they ONLY have dimmable switches, is that correct? I was having a look yesterday and they don't do a simple on/off, which seems like a huge oversight.

I've got a switch needs replacing, might try out the LRF, although buying a hub means it'll cost north of £100 for that test...

I bought the Echo Dot too....As I figured, why pay £100+ for something that does 'exactly' the same..Also I got my 'dot' in the Black Friday sale for £35...

I have noticed that she won't do 'some' things in this country (as opposed to the USA).

I have a subscription to Spotify, so playing pretty much any music isn't a problem for me, as long as you set up Spotify as your default music player in the Alexa app on the phone.

I love the Christmas Cracker type jokes..."Alexa...Tell me a joke"

I really like the timer function too, when you're boiling an egg or got something in the oven..."Alexa...Set timer for 15 minutes" (or however long)

Also..."Alexa...What's the weather doing?"

I understand they're adding stuff all the time too...Try just asking a random question too...Some of the responses are hilarious.

I've got a few bulbs already, but as you say, seems like a half assed solution to me.

 

LightwaveRF, they ONLY have dimmable switches, is that correct? I was having a look yesterday and they don't do a simple on/off, which seems like a huge oversight.

 

I've got a switch needs replacing, might try out the LRF, although buying a hub means it'll cost north of £100 for that test...

Yes unfortunately they only do dimmers. This is down to there being no neutral wire in UK light switch wiring and their whole aiming for the retrofit market.

You can get a relay and a remote switch which will act as an on/off switch but they look cheap and tacky compared to the dimmers.

The advantage of a hub system is that everything connects to the hub and only the hub connects to your home network via Ethernet leaving by your Wi-Fi signal untouched. With non hub devices each item connects to the network individually over WiFi and can be unreliable and causes problems with your Wi-Fi signal as it's being shared with all devices

Yes unfortunately they only do dimmers. This is down to there being no neutral wire in UK light switch wiring and their whole aiming for the retrofit market.

You can get a relay and a remote switch which will act as an on/off switch but they look cheap and tacky compared to the dimmers.

The advantage of a hub system is that everything connects to the hub and only the hub connects to your home network via Ethernet leaving by your Wi-Fi signal untouched. With non hub devices each item connects to the network individually over WiFi and can be unreliable and causes problems with your Wi-Fi signal as it's being shared with all devices

Hi

I have the hive

And it works a treat

No problems what soever

---------- Post added 03-01-2017 at 15:19 ----------

What do you use for the lighting, I've been considering lightwaveRF, but there are competing options available.

Hi

I use hive

Works a treat

---------- Post added 03-01-2017 at 15:19 ----------

What do you use for the lighting, I've been considering lightwaveRF, but there are competing options available.

Hi

I use hive

Works a treat