stop alexa from saying ok ok ok already

[rocket888]

Just started with tp-link smart plug devices. It works great, except I can't find a way to turn off the echo's response of OK for every request.

It needs to be able to set a response per echo device, and per smart plug. Typically, I only want the OK response if the smart plug on/off cannot be seen or heard when making a request. If I ask for a light to go on and I can see the light, then I don't need the OK feedback. If I direct that from a second echo (say a dot in another room) where I can't see the light, then yes, an OK would be fine. So, it needs a setting per alexa device and per smart plug.

Apologies if this has been suggested many times before, I couldn't find a post to add my 2c to.

[malliekm]

All  you need to do is buy a Google Home.  After a few days, you'll be just fine with a simple "ok"
Google's replies vary but it's always something like this...
"You go it.  Turning the light on/off"  this is about the only thing I don't like about GH.

[scottrods]

The AI items cannot tell whether you can see them or not, or can see the item being switched... So some response should be expected or NO response, depending on user settings. There is no way to set Alexa to say nothing at all and just make the activity occur. I would be good with that as well. But getting the acknowledgment of "OK" or telling me what has occurred is a good default for me. I believe it is a very good idea for most people as well, but I do think it should be optional with a default set to "on"...

[mike27oct]

Wait until you tell it turn off a light, it says OK, and nothing happened.  I have a Dot near a doorway of a nearby room off a hall, and late at night (if I talk softly to Dot from the doorway} it hears the "turn off" part but misses what I said to turn off. Nevertheless, it says OK.  Life can be tough in the AI world once in a while for us humans.  Deal with it!

[rocket888]

Life can be tough in the AI world once in a while for us humans.  Deal with it!

Well, I believe that after I requested labeled timers on this forum, and pointed out that the google home had them, Amazon saw the light. So there is hope that this will get fixed in the near future.

To be clear, I have 2 alexa devices, a dot and an echo. Ideally, I should be able to control when either of these says "ok", and for which devices (lights, fans etc.) each would provide feedback for.

Here is how I would implement this, were I an amazon programmer.

When I go to the alexa app, and choose smart devices, it lists my devices. However,  only "forget" is available. It would be nice if I could, say, long press on the device listing (not the forget button though) and it could provide a setting for feedback, and have one checkbox for each alexa device the app knows about. I think this would provide the flexibility to have "ok" feedback for exactly when I want it or not.

Each alexa device knows if it is the one being spoken to, and so would simply check the setting from the pair alexa-device/smart-home-device to determine if feedback were desired.

If this is not possible to implement (today) then as the other poster said, it should at least be a one time setting of on/off, with default on. The setting should also be available independently for each alexa device.

[renegade600]

there was an uproar from users demanding to put the ok back on the echo when they took it off a while back.   I think users should have been given a choice.  but it is a whole lot better than what google home does. 

[joshsimpson79]

there was an uproar from users demanding to put the ok back on the echo when they took it off a while back.   I think users should have been given a choice.  but it is a whole lot better than what google home does. 

That's interesting, as I don't remember this at all.

[renegade600]

there was an uproar from users demanding to put the ok back on the echo when they took it off a while back.   I think users should have been given a choice.  but it is a whole lot better than what google home does. 

That's interesting, as I don't remember this at all.

whether you remember or not, it happened  back in march 2016 :-)  I remembered it well, it was a pain not to hear the word okay because you did not know if the command work or not.

https://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx3DU83LBARJ6Q8

and you can do a forum search here for it. 

[asianrocker]

there was an uproar from users demanding to put the ok back on the echo when they took it off a while back.   I think users should have been given a choice.  but it is a whole lot better than what google home does. 

That's interesting, as I don't remember this at all.

whether you remember or not, it happened  back in march 2016 :-)  I remembered it well, it was a pain not to hear the word okay because you did not know if the command work or not.

https://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx3DU83LBARJ6Q8

and you can do a forum search here for it.

LOL. Late in the game of echo ownership so I missed the 'uproar'.  I agree with the comments on the link though, why not make an option for it. I personally would want the ok, acknowledgement too.

[scottrods]

As I've said before... I'd like mine to say "OKEE DOKEE"... but hey... Could be I'mnot in the Majority on that one... so "OK" will do for now... but I do like the idea of having the choice to have the confirmation on or off, and maybe even a schedule so it says "OK" when the house is normally abuzz, and after others have gone to sleep I can have it set to "do not disturb" with only a light confirmation ring or something that doesn't wake people up... My Alexa hears me whisper when it's quiet in the house... so maybe even a whisper back would be good after hours.

[renegade600]

maybe it should say yes master or mistress.  then maybe it could say, at your command  :-)

[scottrods]

maybe it should say yes master or mistress.  then maybe it could say, at your command  :-)

I like these as well... Breaking up the monotony is a great direction

[rdavis1601]

What if...
Devices have unique names (e.g., you name your light bulbs).
You can currently create groups, name the group, and you can assign your named devices to a named group.

You can have a group named 'living room', you can assign whichever named devices you want to the group 'living room'. Alexa knows which devices are in which groups. For example you can assign all the named light bulbs in the living room to the 'living room' group and then say "Alexa, turn on the living room" and all the bulbs assign to the 'living room' group will turn on.

Echos and Dots have names.

What if you could assign your named Echos and Dots to named groups.
Your Dot in your living room could be assigned to the 'living room' group.
Then when you're in the living room and tell the living room Dot to issued a command to a device in the 'living room' group it wouldn't respond with 'OK'.
But when you were in the living room and tell the living room Dot to issued a command to a device not in the 'living room' group it would respond with 'OK'.

It would require some forethought for your group naming convention.
For example a 'Master Living Room' group for everything in the living room. And there could be 'sub groups' within the living room. The same throughout the home... Kitchen, Bedrooms, etc

Of course there could also be a setting to always respond with 'OK' for those that wanted it.
   

 

[kenrd]

Not only is ability to turn off 'OK' response, the response volume should be user controlled as well.
I use my Echo Show for audio of my TV. I have to turn Echo up full blast to get acceptable audio level. Then when I say 'Echo turn Fan OFF' the OK response is so loud it wakes everyone up.

Easy Fix: Command response 'ON/OFF'
              Command response volume '0-99'

Thanks,
KenD

[asianrocker]

I think you woke them up first by telling alexa to turn fan off, LOL.