TWO Alexa Tune in Problems that support or tech cannot solve.

[louiscar]

Driven to distraction by the poor programming that I resorted to coming here. I have spent over an hour with a rep on the phone who is baffled himself and can't solve or even understand the problem yet all I want them to do is to reproduce it and talk to the developers to fix it.

Here goes I'll start with the simplest problem which is easy

PROBLEM 1:
1) Alexa app - tune in make a station favourite
2) oops how to I un-favourite the station?
3) you can't - not in the Android nor the pc web app interface - it's simply not there

The rep even resorted to - well you have to install the tune-in app and remove it there. Errr. no Tune in doesn't know who I am in Alexa but he was desparate by that time putting me on hold to search solutions .. none found. Developers omitted to put that option in.

PROBLEM 2

This confuses me but here is what I've found and if anyone can confirm it with their own tests please let me know because I can't get Amazon to try to do it. I've been told 1) to disable the tune in skill and re-enable it ( there is no such skill) 2) factory reset the echo dot - done.



Alexa play Radio one from tune in.
Alexa - plays radio one
Alexa play Radio four from tune in
Alexa - plays radio four
Alexa play Jazz24 from tune in.
Alexa - plays Jazz24
 .... so no problem, those an many other stations are ok.

Alexa play Blues Rock from tunin
Alexa says - I cannot play Bishonoron from tune in
Alexa play Pubmusic Jazz from tunin
Alexa says - I cannot play Bishonoron from tune in

Alexa play Blues Rock
Alexa - I can't find blues rock in your library .... ok at least we know she understands blues rock.


There are more stations than this but these create the reply every time and if the station doesn't exist believe me Alexa will say "I can't find that station on  tune in"

Now the rep can't and doesn't know how to spell "Bichon oh Ron" Bij the j is soft "shhhh"

No one seems to know what Bijonoron is or what Alexa is trying to say or what algorithm path she takes to come up with this nonsensical reply.
So about 2 hours ago I found a workaround and for the time being I use that - it doesn't seem to work for Pubmusic Jazz though.

Alexa play the station Blues Rock.
Alexa - plays Blues Rock from tune in

So anyone that can repeat this on their echo or echo dot please let me know - maybe it is my device although I doubt it but I am curious what is going on.

[mike27oct]

There is nothimg wrong with your device.

Prob 1: we cannot delete a favorite Tunein station, and I even reported this to Echo support in the early days of Alexa
Obviously, still not fixed.

Prob 2:  What the heck is Blues Rock?  Is it an Amazon playlist, or tunein station, or what?

If it is a playlist you have to ask for Blues Rock playlist most likely.
If it is a tunein station you need to request the station by its call letters or combo of both pr nickname, example Play Jazz 91 on tunein.

And, relax about all this, too.

[louiscar]

Prob 2:  What the heck is Blues Rock?  Is it an Amazon playlist, or tunein station, or what?

If it is a playlist you have to ask for Blues Rock playlist most likely.
If it is a tunein station you need to request the station by its call letters or combo of both pr nickname, example Play Jazz 91 on tunein.

And, relax about all this, too.

I'm relaxed but frustrated . Anyway Blues Rock is a tune in station - if I say "Alexa play Blues Rock from Tune in" does that not say it ?? Why are you confused about that, I'm pretty clear about that in my examples.

If I say "Alexa play [radio station name] from tune in " and she plays it then we know she understands right?
So when I say "Alexa play Blues Rock from Tune in" and she replies "I cannot play Bijonoron from tunein" something is wrong right?
So I asked simply can someone confirm this behaviour ?
And I'd like to know what Alexa is actually trying to say.

As for "call letters or combo of both pr nickname" - ? There is nothing other here - it's called Blues Rock - there ARE no "call letters or pr nickname". That's at least in tune in radio or the list that Alexa produces so how am I to know that info?

[mike27oct]

I guess is missed that Blues Rock was a tuenen station.  See if you can find the station using Alexa app and when you do, click on it to play it.  Good luck with this issue.

[asianrocker]

Alexa play Blues Rock from tunin
Alexa says - I cannot play Bishonoron from tune in
Alexa play Pubmusic Jazz from tunin
Alexa says - I cannot play Bishonoron from tune in

LOL. Just tried it. I can see why you were confused. I have my Alexa on Brit accent and even I understood she actually was saying - I cannot play BY GENRE ON tune in. LOL.

It does sound  Bishonoron though but she actually said BY GENRE ON. Hope it cleared that for you.

And honestly I don't know why the support are being paid when they don't help. Someone from Amazon hire me already for their customer support. Ugh.

[marcel_911]

If I am unsure what she says a quick look in the history on the Alexa app usually helps.

It clearly says "I cannot play by genre on tunein" on the app, but it is amusing the way she pronounces it

[louiscar]

LOL! Yes support sent me that finally and yes I see that now but hell, Bishonoron is what it sounds like - there's no gap between genre and on so it's not too clear for me. :-)

Well Alexa could check first rather than assume I'm requesting a genre. Anyway mystery solved. One of the problems which you guys seem have that I didn't is that every "by genre on" reply was not logged in the app - it's missing so I couldn't check what she hears or what she said. The rep I spoke to on the phone also asked me to look this up and that's when I found it doesn't exist which is strange. I actually forced the reply and watched the app update and nothing came through.

Thanks for all your replies. I shall resort to "alexa play the station [name]" in future at least that forces her not to make assumptions.

[asianrocker]

I don't have it on my history either. I just understand what she was saying. The US voice actually says it clear.

[louiscar]

I don't have it on my history either. I just understand what she was saying. The US voice actually says it clear.

You're right, I switched to the US voice to hear that and it's perfectly clear. Seems odd that they messed it up in the UK english.

A very Bijoneron to you btw. :-)