Echo Show doesn't respond to Bluetooth playback commands

[Beebes]

Just got a new Echo Show.  I'm using it to play Bluetooth audio from my Pixel 2 phone, which uses the DoggCatcher podcast app.  No problems connecting the devices via Bluetooth, and the Show plays Bluetooth audio with no problem as long as I use the playback controls (start, pause, etc.) in the app on the phone.  The Show does *not* respond to the Alexa Bluetooth verbal commands (play, pause, resume, etc.).

The same phone running the same podcast app behaves differently with my Echo Tap: the Tap responds correctly to verbal Bluetooth commands like "pause" and "resume", and the buttons on the top of the Tap can also start and stop audio playback.

How can I get my Echo Show to respond correctly to verbal Bluetooth playback commands?  And is it correct that Echo Show's physical buttons are not supposed to control Bluetooth playback (except for volume)?

[Jeff29]

While Amazon support for Bluetooth is egregiously lacking I'm not so sure this is the problem you are experiencing.

Given you said this works for you on the Tap but not the Show its likely an application issue and not a Bluetooth issue--but that's not guarantee.

The only thing I can think of is call Amazon Echo support or (possibly better) provide feedback (which includes device log details) through the Alexa App Help & Feedback describing the problem on your Show.

I haven't seen a lot of community support here for Bluetooth users (meaning people confirming issues or performing confirmation tests on similar and alternate hardware and then helping by engaging support and posting here).  Amazon doesn't understand how their devices should work for their customers and they don't have the support infrastructure to capture that information through support channels.

I have suggested to others here and on the Amazon forums to engage support and provide details along with a call-to-action for help from other users but so far... crickets.  I'm still hopeful as it seems people are slow in finding the 2 forum options.

Good luck!

[Beebes]

Thanks Jeff29 for responding.  You may be correct that my podcast app, rather than Bluetooth problems, is to blame for my Echo pause/resume issues.  I'm still not sure what's causing the problem, or even precisely what the scope of the problem is, but let me provide a little more context:

I have three Echo devices:  Echo Show, Echo Tap, and Echo Dot (current generation).  When I noticed the pause/resume problem on my Show, I tested my Pixel 2 phone running the DoggCatcher podcast app connected via Bluetooth to both the Tap and the Dot (not at the same time of course).  In both those cases, Alexa voice commands to pause or resume worked with no problem.  Seems to me the Show should behave the same way when connected to the same phone running the same podcast app.

The problem on the Show seems to be inconsistent though.  Earlier today, I successfully used Alexa voice commands to tell the Show to pause and resume a podcast using the same test conditions as described previously.  Audio playback resumed at the correct place--exactly where it was when I said "pause".  But there's a separate issue.

That issue is that Alexa doesn't always seem to understand what it is I want to resume.  I had been using the Tap in a different room, earlier today, to listen to a live radio broadcast (via iHeartRadio or TuneIn).  I stopped audio on the Tap by pressing the button on the top.  Later, in a different room, I was playing a podcast from my phone, via Bluetooth, to my Show.  I was able to pause playback with "Alexa pause", but when I said to the Show "Alexa resume", instead of resuming my podcast on the Show, Alexa resumed the radio broadcast on the Tap in the other room.  My Tap is *not* configured to listen for "Alexa" commands; I have to press the front button to give it verbal instructions, so it's not likely the Tap heard me talking to the Show.  I don't know what caused my instruction to my Show to activate my Tap; the only way I could think of to resume podcast playback on the Show was to power off the Tap.  This is, obviously, pretty inconvenient, but it worked.

I've run into similar issues with pause/resume when using the Show to play back streaming audio books from Amazon's Audible service.  This scenario does not involve Bluetooth at all, but the symptoms resemble one of the Bluetooth/podcast problems:  sometimes "Alexa pause" seems to pause Audible audio (sound stops, and it appears that playback is paused), but when I say "Alexa resume", audio playback picks up in a later part of the book, not at the location where I said "pause".  Navigating back to the correct playback location is a pain since Audible only understands commands to go back/forward by 30 seconds, or to return to the beginning of a chapter.

Jeff29, you may not have any more advice than you've already provided, but if you have any additional insights, please let me know.  And if anyone else reading this has any useful tips (or similar experiences), please respond.  It shouldn't be so difficult or unreliable to start/stop audio, have an audio program resume in the same place it stopped, or play back on the device I'm talking to.

I may try to contact Amazon Customer Support, but I'd first like to be sure I'm not overlooking something obvious, and I'd like to know whether others are have the same problems.

[Jeff29]

Hey Beebes!

Sorry for the delay.  I have a few thoughts that may help.

I have three Echo devices:  Echo Show, Echo Tap, and Echo Dot (current generation).  When I noticed the pause/resume problem on my Show, I tested my Pixel 2 phone running the DoggCatcher podcast app connected via Bluetooth to both the Tap and the Dot (not at the same time of course).  In both those cases, Alexa voice commands to pause or resume worked with no problem.  Seems to me the Show should behave the same way when connected to the same phone running the same podcast app.

OK so one Pixel 2 phone with the same app and 3 Amazon devices:
Echo Show - exhibits the problem
Echo Dot (2nd gen) - works as expected
Echo Tap - works as expected

1.  Write down the software version for each device (I'd suggest for your notes you make a grid of device name, serial #, and software version).  Do not share your serial number or any personal information here, please.  Sharing the software version and device model (show, dot2g, tap) should be sufficient :-)
2.  Test again.
3.  If it's the same (show 0, dot2g 1, tap 1) then make sure your devices have the latest firmware: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202168870. If you have trouble customer support can help.  This is just a guess but it may resolve the issue if your show is on older firmware.  Alternately Murphy says it will make things get worse if the show is current and the dot2g and tap get updated and stop working :-)
This should take some time to work through.  You'll have to eyeball the software version numbers and see if they give you any clue and you may have to contact Amazon customer service for help with verifying they are actually updating.

The problem on the Show seems to be inconsistent though.  Earlier today, I successfully used Alexa voice commands to tell the Show to pause and resume a podcast using the same test conditions as described previously.  Audio playback resumed at the correct place--exactly where it was when I said "pause".  But there's a separate issue.

That issue is that Alexa doesn't always seem to understand what it is I want to resume.  I had been using the Tap in a different room, earlier today, to listen to a live radio broadcast (via iHeartRadio or TuneIn).  I stopped audio on the Tap by pressing the button on the top.  Later, in a different room, I was playing a podcast from my phone, via Bluetooth, to my Show.  I was able to pause playback with "Alexa pause", but when I said to the Show "Alexa resume", instead of resuming my podcast on the Show, Alexa resumed the radio broadcast on the Tap in the other room.  My Tap is *not* configured to listen for "Alexa" commands; I have to press the front button to give it verbal instructions, so it's not likely the Tap heard me talking to the Show.  I don't know what caused my instruction to my Show to activate my Tap; the only way I could think of to resume podcast playback on the Show was to power off the Tap.  This is, obviously, pretty inconvenient, but it worked.

I've run into similar issues with pause/resume when using the Show to play back streaming audio books from Amazon's Audible service.  This scenario does not involve Bluetooth at all, but the symptoms resemble one of the Bluetooth/podcast problems:  sometimes "Alexa pause" seems to pause Audible audio (sound stops, and it appears that playback is paused), but when I say "Alexa resume", audio playback picks up in a later part of the book, not at the location where I said "pause".  Navigating back to the correct playback location is a pain since Audible only understands commands to go back/forward by 30 seconds, or to return to the beginning of a chapter.

When these things happen you need to look under the hood and provide feedback in two ways:

Next get into your log.  It's called "History" in the Alexa App.  I'm sure you can access it via the web too, and that might be easier, but I haven't done anything with the web interface yet.  In the App use the 3-bar menu icon (top left) to select "Settings" from the menu.  Scroll to the bottom and select "History".
1.  Go back and review your history.  This will be hit or miss based upon how much you remember.
2.  Repeat the above test while keeping an eye on History
3.  Use History to provide feedback to Amazon
Note:  You can tap on each item.
When these things happen (both work and fail) you may notice things here that both help you and assist in providing Amazon something to chew on.  This will help you learn about History, how it works, using the feedback, and possibly give you additional clues and insight regarding the problem.

Tapping on that same 3-bar menu icon again note the last entry at the bottom:  Help & Feedback
This will allow you to provide feedback to Amazon that includes your log data.

Important:  I'll be blunt:  Amazon Echo support isn't too smart.  It's not completely their fault as their support infrastructure literally leaves them unsupported and without recourse.  Avoid "bundling" issues.  Keep your support tickets and feedback simple and cover only one item even if some customer support person says "we always bundle multiple issues into one ticket" which I've heard and been told by Amazon Executive Customer Service that's a complete lie--their policy is each issue gets its own ticket unless they are incredibly and obviously related.

Let me know how it goes.

Good luck!