Anyone else having this problem?

[Daithi]

When I first got my Echo, several months ago, it worked great at controlling my lights. I could say "Alexa, turn off the lights in my bedroom," and she would do it with no complaints. The lights would go off and she would just say "Ok."

Then one day she responded with something like "Sorry, I couldn't find a device or group named lights in my bedroom in Daithi's profile." So, I tried again speaking more slowly, but got the same result. Tried again, same result. Then I screamed at her and tossed in a couple of cuss words. Not surprisingly, she still refused to turn on my lights.

After I calmed down, I tried just saying, "Alexa, turn off my bedroom." It worked! Apparently, Amazon "upgraded" the software and screwed something up. After a few weeks I tried "Alexa, turn off the lights in my bedroom," and it was working again, but now I had gotten so used to saying "Alexa, turn off my bedroom," that I just stuck with the shorter phrase.

A couple days ago, I said, "Alexa, turn off my bedroom." and she said, "I've found several devices matching that name which one did you want?" What the hell?! If I say "bedroom" she turns off the lights in my bedroom, but I only have one group named bedroom or even containing the word bedroom. So, instead of screaming again, I tried "Alexa, turn off bedroom." It works.

This is really annoying. I've been a software developer for over 30 years, and we have this concept we use that is known as "testing." Apparently, the software developers who work for Amazon are unfamiliar with the concept. There is unit testing of code, user testing, beta testing, regression testing (which makes sure you don't break something that was working), and others. Arghhhh! Amazon coders, please do some testing before pushing out buggy code.

I'm not looking for any answers, or anything like that. I'm just venting. I also still really like my Echo.

[DParker]

My multiple decades of software development taught me to not jump to conclusions based on such limited data.  I have two Echos I use to control my home automation system, and know quite a few people who do also...and though all of our Echos are running the latest software release neither I nor any of them have had any of the problems you describe.  Concluding that a sudden behavioral change in your particular system, which involves interactions between multiple hardware and software platforms from multiple vendors, must be due to an untested software change by Amazon is a bit rash.

[Yoda_One]

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. :smile2:

[mike27oct]

To OP:  Have you reset the Echo by unplugging unit for a few moments and then return the power? Sometimes doing this performs miracles.

[Kelleytoons]

Never tried using the word "my" in any of my off/on commands, but clearly that's not something you need or even want.  Whose bedroom WOULD you want her to turn off.

I don't mind them tweaking the recognition to remove that "my" from being recognized, since that then frees it up.  Perhaps they WILL allow groups such as "my", "wife's", "Mike's" or whatever to be used in the future and wanted to tighten things up.  Seems like a tiny little thing to even be mad about.

(Personally, I like "Turn bedroom off".  Works fine every time and is MUCH shorter).

[renegade600]

I make it as short as possible, for example, I say "turn off master bedroom" or "turn off spare bedroom"

I really do not think it is bad coding, I think changes are made based on feedback and the number of different accents. speech patterns, and impediments there are that is using the echo.  The programmers have to find a happy middle for the most accurate results.  A good programmer would realized that no matter how perfect the program they wrote is for whatever reason, the end user ALWAYS find something that was missed.

[Yoda_One]

I agree. Most of my career in MIS was always trying to find a happy medium. I usually would show the user the cost to make "what they thought was just a minor change", low and behold it was not as important WHEN they had to pay. Guess what, they learned to WORK with the present parameters. Just my $0.02.

[kilofox]

Glad you posted this OP.

I am having the same problem. Same time frame.

Everything was working perfectly..... now its hit or miss.

I am wondering if it is a Smarthings issue or the Echo?

http://status.smartthings.com/incidents/mzl7hwy8449d

I am going to unplug my Echo and Dot to see if things clear up after restarting them in a few minutes.