Echo Auto - First Impressions

[bubffan]

I've had my Echo Auto for a couple months and like it even though my SUV has a pretty modern system.  I set it up using the Bluetooth connection.  The one thing I don't like at all is the lack of quality when I ask it to play music.  Should I have set it up with the aux cable?  The music plays through my speakers but sounds like it's not going through my good amp.  Any ideas?

[Laurel]

I love the Echo Auto, but I will have to stop using it as it is sucking up all my data when streaming music.  I don't stream much --maybe tops would be half an hour a day while commuting. I have a 4 GB plan and it is going to use most of it.  So I guess I have to stop using it. Sad but I can't afford to use my whole plan for half an hour daily of music.

[Gp56]

Just got my echo auto.Went thru the setup, all way well, played thru my cars Bluetooth audio.  It seems that after giving Alexa a couple of commands that work after that if I say Alexa the blue light goes on, then shuts and no commands are recognized.  In the Alexa app it say not connected but when I check phone’s Bluetooth settings it says it is connected.  If I unplug the echo auto and then plug back in it works again for a couple of commands and that’s it, same cycle begins again.  Any ideas what could be wrong?  I even deleted the device and then went thru setup again with the same results!

I just brought it in the house, connected it to power, worked for about 5 commands, did the same thing, blue light comes on then shuts as I am talking to it.

[Laurel]

My Echo Auto generally works perfectly now, but there will be days when reception can be poor. I chalk it up to atmospheric conditions and it loses the connection.

[Gp56]

I think I got mine working as it should.  It appears it needed a firmware update!

[scottrods]

After what... eight months... I finally got my invitation and ordered my Echo Auto... I'll try and remember to fill you in on yet another experience...

[kenf]

got my invite on Monday, wife did not.  ordered and it'll be here Friday.

Then we'll see how it goes.

[Laurel]

When you hook it up in your car and start driving, give it about two minutes or so before you ask for music or whatever.  I takes a couple of minutes for it to sync up. I was too impatient in the beginning and didn't think it was working.

[kenf]

When you hook it up in your car and start driving, give it about two minutes or so before you ask for music or whatever.  I takes a couple of minutes for it to sync up. I was too impatient in the beginning and didn't think it was working.

Good to know.  We'll see how it works out, probably this weekend when I have time to mess with it.

[scottrods]

Got mine today... Cord's too short to connect the power to the provided normal connections... Although I have a later model vehicle, I want to mount the head above the windshield to the overhead console (Sunglasses box lid), and the provided micro USB cord is only a 3 footer... I've ordered a 10 foot cable to allow for my mount. May have to also adapt the audio cord as well, but will try bluetooth first... Looks pretty simple. I work nights and sleep days, so might be a week or so before I get this done...

[Laurel]

Got mine today... Cord's too short to connect the power to the provided normal connections... Although I have a later model vehicle, I want to mount the head above the windshield to the overhead console (Sunglasses box lid), and the provided micro USB cord is only a 3 footer... I've ordered a 10 foot cable to allow for my mount. May have to also adapt the audio cord as well, but will try bluetooth first... Looks pretty simple. I work nights and sleep days, so might be a week or so before I get this done...

I use the USB plug in the back seat which is between the front passengers and  run the cord to the front beside the driver's seat and I have a little cubby by the driver's seat cup holders where I have the Echo Auto attached.  It hears my voice easily and all passengers easy to give commands.

[kenf]

Got it setup Saturday with no problem

I'm debating on whether to use the lighter adapter for power or the USB jack on my car stereo.  At the moment, I've chosen the USB jack because the lighter stays on after the truck is turned off.

Either way, I have to put the cables and Alexa away between trips because crooks like sweeping the neighborhood looking for open doors and stuff in sight.

testing wise:
"what time is it" worked fine every time I powered up, quickly enough.  That's my is this thing working test.

"Play NPR" prompted for a station, and then did nothing the first time.

The second time, it recognized I'd set the station and still did nothing.

Tried "Play Iron Maiden" and that kicked in via Pandora.

Then retried NPR one more time, and it finally came through.  No clue why it wasn't playing the first two times.

Not much of a test, but I wasn't in my truck much this weekend.

My stereo doesn't have bluetooth, so I used the aux cable.

For what I expect to use it for, it's alright.  I wouldn't pay $50 though.

The wife's unit arrives today.

[scottrods]

SO... I Did actually go out yesterday when my Extended USB cable showed up, and do a rough fly by type install... not a fan so far of that part, but the Alexa part... Pretty quick, seamless, easy set up (once you realize your phone's volume is turned all the way down and you need at least *some* volume to hear the test sound and for Alexa to give responses and feedback... Feasibly, you could mount the control head anywhere in the car as long as the device hears you prompt for responses. (I do not like the vent install thingy that my Echo Auto came with...) I will be ordering some rare earth magnets of decent size to mount with through the headliner above the rear view... hiding the cable along the headliner will also be done using the magnets to set the wiring behind... Considering buying and installing a cig. ltr adapter behind the dash to hide the other end of the wire. I have a USB port to charge from or hook up a USB thumb drive for tunes, so I don't use the Echo Auto for music at all... but commute info and shopping stuff is easily handled by making lists while I drive now, which is cool since now I need not pull out the phone to talk with Siri about an addition to a list...

I'm sure there will be other things I learn to like and use with this one... Pretty cool and easy to work with. Again the only thing I didn't like was the mounting stuff... Pretty much have to cover up most of a vent to use the one they sent, so I will be finding an alternative way to mount it...

[kenf]

I used the sticky flat mount that came in the Echo Auto box, not the vent mount which would have blocked my life giving air conditioning flow.

Plus, the sticky mount fit into a tiny cubby below my stereo so it's out of the way, and except for the cables, out of sight.

probably do the same for the wife's car, but on top of the dash instead (though direct sun/heat would be worse up there).

Got some thinking to do, hers arrived this afternoon.

[kenf]

Setup for the wife is done.

During the unpack, I noticed there wasn't the flat mount with alcohol wipe that mine came with.

That's unexpected. Did anybody else get (or not get) a flat rubbery mount with the square magnetic docking plate and an alcohol wipe in the same box as the Echo Auto?  It's about the same length/width as the Echo, so it's meant to be a flat surface mount.