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[JimH]

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk

Please remove the ad.  It's under settings for signature in Tapatalk.

[HiFiTubes]

Ok

[JimH]

Thanks.

[sarkonovich]

Sounds like a deal breaker to me

Just to be clear, this just means that you can't just say. e.g.,  "Play Madonna." You have to say, "Tell House Band to play Madonna."

You need this to make clear just how you want to hear Madonna. For example, "Play Madonna on Spotify" or "Play Madonna from Amazon Prime."

It works the same for Google Home and, I'd imagine, all these voice assistants for the foreseeable future.

[ccchuck]

House Band works with JRiver Media Center, so anything that JRiver supports will work.  Any NAS will work if you import the files into MC.  MC must be running though.

this is great news...
would that include the qnap ts-231?

[markzaar]

Not sure if I'm in the right place , the skill is awesome. Surely there should be some snappy comeback for Alexa tell house band to turn volume to "11". Shuffle all would be cool as well.

[sarkonovich]

@markzaar

That's a good idea!  The new version is in Amazon's hands and should be certified any time.
I did add "shuffle" to playlists, so you can say, "shuffle my [playlist name] playlist

Just make a playlists with all tracks and there you go.
I'll think about adding a response to 11...

Steve

[rn701]

A question. I have a playlist called Channel R. Alexa hears this as Channel Are and can't find it. Short of renaming the playlist (it has sentimental vaue), is there a workaround or any way to fix this?

[sarkonovich]

@rn701

Well, maybe. Possibly. 

 I do some work on my end to abstract away from the actual spelling that Amazon gives me: both playlist names and playlist requests are converted to metaphone before searching). However, R and Are still have different metaphone equivalents (R and AR, respectively), so your search fails.

I could look into more aggressive matching algorithms....

For now, I suppose you could create another playlist called Channel Are, and pretend that you are listening to the original playlist. They're gonna sound the same 

[neilgower]

Hi,

I have been using this for a while in the UK, I had a dot shipped over from the US by a friend, however even thought I have not changed anything I think Amazon have done something in the back end and now, although the skill is listed and enabled in my Alexa account, the dot cannot find it.

Is anyone else in the UK still able to use House Band, or does Amazons odd location policy mean that this skill meeds to be certified for the UK, and if so please, please can this awesome skill be certified for the UK

Thanks

Neil

[sarkonovich]

@neilglower

The skill should be released in the UK any day now, I'd think.

Steve

[William-NM]

@markzaar

The new version is in Amazon's hands and should be certified any time.
I did add "shuffle" to playlists, so you can say, "shuffle my [playlist name] playlist

Yay! Just wanted to thank you for continuing to improve this most excellent skill!

I'll think about adding a response to 11...   [The Warp engines canna' take it, Captain!]

[AndrewFG]

Nay it's the dilithium crystals overheating..

[carlgarton]

While waiting for the UK guys to be able to download, maybe off point - but done this, and I can now control as I like. Not too much work but total control over my 6 zones etc without too much work, IE using variables "Play", "Zone", etc. Still dont understand why Amazon are playing up. I brought an echo for this only reason, to find that I live in the wrong area (UK)?

[sarkonovich]

@carlgaton

Not quite sure what the take away from this is. But if you are having any specific difficulties, or certain things aren't working as expected, please feel free to email me at sarkonovich at gmail dot com.

Steve

[carlgarton]

Forgot To Paste Link:

http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/17752-capture-what-echo-hears-into-a-variable/

While waiting for the UK guys to be able to download, maybe off point - but done this, and I can now control as I like. Not too much work but total control over my 6 zones etc without too much work, IE using variables "Play", "Zone", etc. Still dont understand why Amazon are playing up. I brought an echo for this only reason, to find that I live in the wrong area (UK)?

[rn701]

Oops. Alexa says she can't access house ban. Disabled skill, reenabled, and tried to link account. When I enter the media key, I get 'internal server error.'

[sarkonovich]

Yeah, I have to fix the internal server error. But I can't do anything with it right now.

But, this just means that house band can't reach your server for some reason. Either it's password protected, or not running, or your not forwarding the port (from the right IP address.)

The easiest thing to do is check here:

http://jriver.com/webgizmo.html

If you can access your library using the "connect from outside my network" option, you should be good to go.
If you *can* do that, and are still getting an error, let me know!

Steve

[rn701]

Thanks. Tried the webgizmo test and it worked. Tried to link my account in alexa again, got this:

Linking Failed. Cannot reach JRiver Media Center.

[sarkonovich]

email me at sarkonovich at gmail dot com....we can figure it out.

Let me know if the full message was:

"Linking Failed. Cannot reach JRiver Media Center.

Your Library Server is not accessible from outside your home network. Please ensure that your server is running and accessible from outside your home network.
You might need to enable port forwarding on your router."

[rn701]

Yes that was the full message. Will email. Thanks for your help.

[Paul Sheridan]

Hi I am trying to get Amazon Echo and house band working but seem to have a problem. Everthing is set up my port forwarding is working and Alexa can enable house band but when I tell her to play music she says" I cant seem to reach your server”.  All is working well at my end I even tried webgizmo and even that sees my server is there anything else I need to be doing. I briefly got it to work yesterday but it has stopped completely now.
Regards Paul Sheridan

[sarkonovich]

Paul,

Yes, there is a problem with IPv6 addresses. I'm guessing that's what it is. I'm going to try to fix that today.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Steve

[sarkonovich]

Okay.  All should be well again!

Steve

[dmadcat]

Hmm...  I don't think all is well.  I'm able to connect via Gizmo on the Android but I'm still unable to connect this morning using Alexa.  She gives me the standard message about checking port forwarding.

[sarkonovich]

@dmadcat,

Make sure that you can connect using the "outside my network" option. Assuming you can, disable and then re-enable the skill. If you still can't connect please email me at sarkonovich at gmail dot com.

Steve

[avpman]

This worked from the very first day I set it up. (Using JR 22.0.54 on a MAC.) But, about two days ago it stopped working. I keep getting "Sorry, I'm having trouble accessing your Houseband Skill right now." I un-linked the skill and re-linked it to no avail (and no errors during the process.) I also verified Gizmo DOES work accessing my library by using the "connect from outside my network" option. Also, verified router port forwarding 52199 still points to the Mac computer. I guess that was just a double check since Gizmo CAN access from outside my network.

Any help would be appreciated. This was working so well I really miss it!

[sarkonovich]

@avpman

So, it turns out that *this* is the problem many people have been having. And there's nothing I can do about it. It's on Amazon's side.

Out of curiosity, are you a UK user?

I would go to the "Help & Feedback" section of the Alexa app, and write/call Amazon. I'll try to get in touch with Amazon, too.

Steve

[avpman]

@avpman

So, it turns out that *this* is the problem many people have been having. And there's nothing I can do about it. It's on Amazon's side.

Out of curiosity, are you a UK user?

I would go to the "Help & Feedback" section of the Alexa app, and write/call Amazon. I'll try to get in touch with Amazon, too.

Steve

Steve, I'm in USA. I just got on the phone with Amazon and when he asked me to repeat the error Alexa was saying, I triggered her so the tech could hear it for himself and she launched Houseband! Go figure... At least now I know how to call for help. Thanks for the direction!

[sarkonovich]

Great! I'm glad it's working for you.

I still think something is amiss, though....but I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Steve

[avpman]

Great! I'm glad it's working for you.

I still think something is amiss, though....but I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Steve

I agree, it was definitely down for at least the last two days. Thanks again for providing me with a path for future help.
My next skill to set up is Homeseer so I can have Alexa control my home audio (via HAI Omni) which is linked to JRiver!
Best,
Jim

[sarkonovich]

Any chance someone from JRiver could get in touch with me? I have a question about best practices, and the relation between


http://webplay.jriver.com/libraryserver/lookup?id=[access code]"

and

http://#[returned ip]:[returned port]/MCWS/v1/Authenticate

Thanks!
Steve

[brantome]

Yeah, JRiver, please do - this is holding up my purchase of a MC master licence

I'm looking forward to using Houseband here in the UK so I'll have voice control of the playback of hires music I have on my NAS, played thru my Linn SneakyDS. I've even gone to the bother of buying a Raspberry Pi to host it so I don't need my PC on all the time - it'll just join the rest of the 'hubs' I have for home/AV control.

Fingers crossed Amazon UK certify the skill soon and any issues are quickly resolved.

Keep up the good work

[Paul Sheridan]

Just to let you know all seems to be working well here in today in Ireland. House band is working flawlessly all day. Whatever Amazon did overnight seems to have done the trick. Thanks for all your help on this Steven. Regards

[rn701]

Also wanted to report that it is working fine for me for a couple of days now after the fix for ipv6 or something. Thanks!

[brantome]

Strange, perhaps boilerplate response when I used feedback in the Alexa app to when House Band might be certified here in the UK:

"I'd like to bring this to your notice that this skill is soon going to be available in UK. It is because the device has been recently launched in UK and has a few geographical and licensing issues. Please be assured that these features are soon going to be launched in UK"

Device? Geographical and licence issues? Nonsense?

[sarkonovich]

I have no idea what that's about. First I've heard of 'geographical' and 'licensing' issues.

I can say, though, that getting it through certification has been a royal pain in the ass! 

[WeeHappyPixie]

I can say, though, that getting it through certification has been a royal pain in the ass! 

Any idea when it will be available in the UK. Is is it still being certified?

John

[brantome]

Any idea when it will be available in the UK. Is is it still being certified?

John

It would appear so: my post above is their reply just a day or so ago, even though I don't think they knew what they were answering...

** update: just asked again thru the Alexa app feedback and was told there are no plans to add the House Band skill and that they'd pass the request to the development team. They clearly don't have a clue, so we'll just have to wait patiently and check back here regularly...

[sarkonovich]

Yes, it is. I know they were testing it last night. I've given up saying "any day now"...but soon.

Steve

[brantome]

Yes, it is. I know they were testing it last night. I've given up saying "any day now"...but soon.

Steve

Thanks for the update - I'll ignore the chocolate teapot that is Alexa feedback

[SebOh]

Hey Steve,

we have already talked on your youtube channel about a german translation.

If you want me to translate english to german, feel free to send me the lines you need and i can do it.

How is your porting to google home doing?

best regards,

Sebastian

[sarkonovich]

Sebastian,

I will get in touch with you. Thank you! (You know, it's probably 1,000 lines of translation?)

Actually getting the German version out will probably be this summer, though. Between getting the new versions certified and the Google home project (and actually having a day job), I'm HouseBand-ed out!

But soon. And the Google port will be soon-ish, too.

Steve

[brantome]

It's in the Uk skills store - off for a play

[brantome]

Linked on the second attempt and now playing Bob Seger by voice command. Many thanks, keep up the great work

[sarkonovich]

@brantome.

Ah, good.

I'm wondering how laggy it seems to you? Or if you get any "the requested skill took too long to respond."  Someone at Amazon told me the performance was slow, likely because the server is in the US.

The main differences you should notice from the 1st version is:

Improved music searches

Improved Video Search.  You can now saw, Play the movie/video/series, including season and episode. "Play the series Seinfeld, season 1, episode 3.

Improved (but still wanting) classical search. If you ask for music by a classical composer it should automatically search Composer tags (not Artist tags.) You can force a search for composer by saying, "Play the composer..."

You can shuffle playlists ("Shuffle my playlist...")

[brantome]

tbh, spent more time listening to the music

It was a bit laggy though now that you mention it, plus I had great difficulty in asking it for help about tag searches - some very strange mis-interpretations. I thought the server would be in Ireland which shouldn't cause a problem for me here in Scotland.

Still getting the hang of JRiver (want to restrict playback to flac files for example) so that's not helping either. Plus I need to figure out how best to have my Dot responding while I'm playing music thru the same amp - a bluetooth speaker for it in those circumstances might help, as well as the voice remote I'm getting tomorrow

Will try to get more time over the weekend but it's been good so far.

[sarkonovich]

I'll look into getting a server in Ireland. We'll see.

I think the 'tag search' feature has to be considered very beta. I agree the voice recognition (on non-recognition) on that part is very touch and go. I'll work on trying to improve that on the next go 'round.

Feel free to write me at sarkonovich at gmail dot com for any suggestions/bug reports, etc. It's a whole new interaction model, and a lot of new code, so I'll ironing things out...

Thanks,
Steve

[SebOh]

1000 lines sounds really much 

But hey it's worth it. So don't worry. I will take the time for it.

[brantome]

Lag in the Uk is about four or five seconds - sufferable if you just want to kick off a playlist, but not brilliant if you want to pause, skip etc

I thought one of the aspects for certification was to get the skill hosted on a European server, or is it the JRiver integration aspect that means it has to visit a USA server as well each time a command is processed?

Playing with smartlists just now and pleased at how House Band isn't overly fussy about having to specify the full name, just enough to identify it...