Broadlink have finally released their Global Alexa Skill AND one other REALLY exciting surprise!
***Update I’m hearing reports that this isn’t working I’m Germany or India 🙁 I have contacted Broadlink and they tell me Amazon are still in testing for those languages and will update us again soon.*** Anyone that has been following me knows that Broadlink and I fell out for a while after their latest RM pros started to get locked down, we’ve been in discussion and bridges have been built! In addition to the amazing turnaround mentioned in the video the RM plugin now works across all RM pros too (including RM pro, RM2 RM3, and Rm Pro+) The only issue left to resolve for the RM plugin is that it still doesn’t work on some GEN2 Echos or on the Echo+ The developer assures me this will be resolved soon! The Broadlink RM pro has been one of the best devices for controlling Infrared and RF devices on a budget and I am pleased to say their key issues are finally resolved. This method will now work, but you don’t have to trick the TV remote anymore, you can create a lamp and train it with any RF button and Alexa will discover the lamps! : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg4HQhN5KXo Broadlink RM pro: amzn.to/2fBFyrg BUY ME A BEER Twitter me up: www.twitter.com/hibberthometech As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
How To Control ANYTHING With A Harmony Hub
Sometimes your missus forces you to own a remote. Sometimes that remote is deliberately locked down by the manufacturer, I don’t care too much for being told what I can’t control, so this is a simple hack to show you how to control practically any cheap smart home device using the Harmony Hub.
In this how to video tutorial I will show you in typical Paul Hibbert fashion how to control RF and Wifi devices with the Harmony hub and basically any other device that can connect to IFTTT (If this then that) using any Android box that works with the Harmony hub. In typical Paul Hibbert fashion, You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll probably throw things at your TV. LINKS: Join is currently in Beta but is easy to install, just follow the instructions here: joaoapps.com/beta-testing/ Buy a Harmony hub: amzn.to/2GmNCbm Buy an Android box for this project: amzn.to/2pT1kYF Sonoff S20 Plug socket (featured in this video): Sonoff basic inline switch – Please note this switch does not have an Earth connection and is only suitable for products that don’t require an Earth unless you plan to wire the earth outside of the switch: Sonoff T1 mains light switch: Sonoff RF bridge (£11.24): BUY ME A BEER Twitter me up: www.twitter.com/hibberthometech As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
3 Reasons Everyone Is Switching To Sonoff For Alexa And Google Home
Just how much easier is it to get Sonoff working with Alexa and IFTTT than with Broadlink?… Spoiler alert, it’s a lot easier. Sonoff currently make the cheapest and most reliable and flexible home automation solutions and this is a ‘how to’ video tutorial in typical Paul Hibbert style on how to connect the Sonoff s20 plug socket to both Alexa and to IFTTT in under 4 minutes!!… the Google Home setup is just the same as Alexa and works just as well 🙂
LINKS (I recommend buying through the below links as they are the cheapest I’ve found and are direct through Sonoff, they are more expensive on Amazon and Sonoff have advised there are fakes circulating Ebay!) Sonoff S20 Plug socket (featured in this video): Sonoff basic inline switch – Please note this switch does not have an Earth connection and is only suitable for products that don’t require an Earth unless you plan to wire the earth outside of the switch: Sonoff T1 mains light switch: Sonoff RF bridge (£11.24): BUY ME A BEER Twitter me up: www.twitter.com/hibberthometech *FAQ’s* Broadlink Blackbean: amzn.to/2o5IwoK Other product links involved in this video: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
New Kodi Alexa Skill – Updated Tutorial (2018)
This is the much anticipated updated how to video tutorial for the Kodi Alexa skill (2018). The skill is much faster than the previous version and all instructions are now fully up to date!
Thanks to Joe Ipson for the code used in this tutorial. I am not a coder and without him this would not be possible. This skill will not cost you any money unless you use it a hell of a lot! Amazon’s developer portal and AWS platform will need you to sign up with a credit card because there is a potential for you to exceed their free usage tier if you hammered this skill all day every day. The maximum charge would be $0.20 per month. Get over it 😉 BUY ME A BEER CHAPTERS: LINKS CODES SOCIAL |
The Alexa skill you’re not supposed to have (Google Home skill 2018)
This is the 2018 tutorial on how to create the Alexa Google home skill created by the amazing Ross. This tutorial uses his fantastic code here and if you prefer written instructions they are in the ‘read me’: github.com/tartanguru/alexa-assistant/tree/release-2-1 ————————————– BUY ME A BEER Donate to the channel: paypal.me/PaulHibbert Become a monthly contributor on Patreon: www.patreon.com/paulhibbert ————————————– Q&A 1. WHY IS THIS BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS VERSION? This version supports the very latest Google API You can change the language (Use the Google app to do this) You can specify your locale in the Google app to get local information The Echo show and Echo Spot will display written information It’s faster than the old skill2. WHY DO I NEED A CREDIT CARD? The skill is hosted on AWS which is an Amazon service. The usage of this skill is free for many thousands of requests per month, however Amazon still require a credit card incase you start using their services beyond the free limits. Your credit card details stay with Amazon.3. I ALREADY HAVE THIS SKILL FROM LAST TIME, HOW DO I UPGRADE? github.com/tartanguru/alexa-assistant-instructions/blob/master/upgrade.md4. SHE KEEPS ASKING ME TO LINK THE SKILL/I HAVE AN ERROR github.com/tartanguru/alexa-assistant-instructions/blob/master/common_problems.md ————————————–LINKS (THESE ARE LINKS, VISIT THEM WHEN THE VIDEO TELLS YOU TO) Link1: developer.amazon.com/alexa Link2: console.cloud.google.com/project Link3: goo.gl/1B5vSe Link4: aws.amazon.com Link5: s3.console.aws.amazon.com/ Link6: myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols Link7: alexa.amazon.com ————————————– CODES (THESE ARE CODES, COPY THEM AND PASTE THEM WHEN THE VIDEO TELLS YOU TO. DON’T VISIT THEM THEY DON’T DO ANYTHING!) Code2: SearchIntent {search} S3 Code: goo.gl/ipJSTCn Code3: accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth?access_type=offline Code4: www.googleapis.com/auth/assistant-sdk-prototype Code5: www.googleapis.com/auth/script.external_request Code6: accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/token Code7: www.google.com/policies/privacy/ ————————————– PRODUCT LINKS UK Product Links: US Product links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
How to control your TV using Google Home and a £16 Broadlink Blackbean
The Broadlink Blackbean costs just £16 and is a super cheap alternative to buying a Harmony hub. This is a ‘how to’ tutorial guide in typical Paul Hibbert fashion to show you how to use ‘Scenes’ to control your TV, Set top box, AV receiver and pretty much any Infrared device using Alexa and Google Home. Google Home can detect Scenes from Broadlink’s IHC app and control multiple devices, but more importantly it it a way to control Infrared (IR) signals and program TV stations into her repertoire.
BUY ME A BEER Twitter me up: www.twitter.com/hibberthometech LINKS As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
Turn your old phone into a Harmony hub!
This is a ‘how to’ tutorial guide on how to control your TV, Set top box, AV reciever and pretty much any Infrared device using Alexa and any old phone with an Infrared sender. This is a cheap alternative to buying a Harmony hub.
In this tutorial I’ve repurposed my Samsung Galaxy S5 to blast Infrared by simply enabling the Anymote skill on Alexa and installing Anymote on my upcycled phone. This tutorial will work with any phone with an Infrared eye Before any Harmony Hub owners bash me in the comments, I fully appreciate the Harmony hub is a more slick solution, but this solution could save you £50 if you have a phone sat in a drawer! If you already own a Harmony hub, then this could be a cheap way to add the functionality to another room! 🙂 BUY ME A BEER LINKS Still want a Harmony Hub? : amzn.to/2GlcFrE As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links above I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 🙂 |
Control practically anything with Google home and Broadlink
This is a how to tutorial guide in typical Paul Hibbert fashion to show you how you can control the Broadlink RM pro or a Broadlink blackbean with Google home to switch RF devices on and off. No IFTTT required! Please note that this service can also switch Infrared devices such as TV’s, Xbox, and AV equipment on and off by tricking the Google home into thinking they are lamps! This is NOT a complete solution for controlling televisions!
I am still recommending that Alexa users hold off on buying an RM pro until Broadlink resolve their issues, but if you’re a google home user looking to switch RF and Infrared devices on and off then this tutorial is for you. Find out more here: youtu.be/FWRrQ-_uwEs BUY ME A BEER UK Product Links: Broadlink: Amazon: Broadlink: Amazon: |
How to change TV channels with Alexa using the Broadlink skill
This is a how to tutorial guide in typical Paul Hibbert fashion to show you how you can change TV channels with Alexa using the Broadlink skill to control either a Broadlink RM pro or a Broadlink blackbean. THIS SKILL IS NOT YET AVAILABLE IN THE UK, IF YOU WANT TO ENABLE IT ANYWAY THEN FOLLOW THIS TUTORIAL HERE BUT PLEASE READ THE VIDEO DESCRIPTION FIRST: youtu.be/dO5rExW-7I8
If you want to give Broadlink a kicking for keeping us Brits waiting for the skill then come give them hell on Twitter with me on this tweet: twitter.com/hibberthometech/status/938389864176865282 BUY ME A BEER WHY AM I MAD AT BROADLINK?: youtu.be/FWRrQ-_uwEs UK Product Links: Broadlink: Amazon: Broadlink: Amazon: e4+1: E four plus one |
How to control Xbox One with Alexa
This is a how to tutorial guide in typical Paul Hibbert fashion to show you how you can control your Xbox one with Alexa using either a Broadlink RM pro or a Broadlink blackbean
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Tweet Broadlink to get their finger out here: twitter.com/hibberthometech/status/938389864176865282 Buy an Xbox one S here: amzn.to/2Dpnt7 By buying through the above link I will earn commission at no extra cost to you 🙂 If you can’t enable the Philips Hue skill then please visit this link for a solution: www.paulhibbert.co.uk/2017/11/24/a-complete-guide-to-connecting-the-broadlink-rm-pro-and-broadlink-blackbean-to-alexa/ Donate to the channel: paypal.me/PaulHibbert Links: UK Product Links: Broadlink: Amazon: Broadlink: Amazon: |