wemo alternative

[plvarson]

For Christmas I was given an Amazon Echo and a Wemo. I am using the Amazon Echo mostly as an internet radio so far -- I was amazed that it does not seem to support Bluetooth headphone: Sort of a basic radio function.

I set things up so that the Echo can turn-off and on the Wemo switch, which I plugged into the wall. Then I can plug my coffee maker or whatever into the wemo switch and operate it from the Echo. However, what I would really like is something that can turn-off and on some ceiling lights that are on a standard light switch. Is there a "wemo" that replaces a standard light switch?

I am checking the "I'm not a robot" box, but of course, I would be the last to know if I were a robot.

[vegasguy]

Yes there is a Wemo wall switch. It costs about the same as the regular Wemo switch but it's more work to install. You should know some basic AC electrical knowledge before attempting to install a wall switch. Also keep in mind that the Wemo wall switch requires a neutral wire. Not all houses are wired with that inside a light switch. In my house only about half of the light switches have a neutral wire. I'm not sure why some have it and some don't.


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[mike27oct]

For Christmas I was given an Amazon Echo and a Wemo. I am using the Amazon Echo mostly as an internet radio so far -- I was amazed that it does not seem to support Bluetooth headphone: Sort of a basic radio function.

And, that's a good thing, because it would sound awful, because it is a MONO device; basically the Echo is a decent sounding mono table radio. It has two speakers inside it for high and low frequency, not stereo.  Also reason the Echo does not have headphone out jack.  If you want to hear TuneIn on headphones, then do it from your phone that you can put into your pocket.  My Echo plays TuneIn stuff all day long.  It makes for good background music, news, etc. like any radio does.

Echo is a BT receiver only and not a transmitter.  I have used it for BT by sending stuff from my phone or tablet (or home network) to play on Echo as well as from an iPod.  I have a tiny pocket size transmitter I can plug into my iPod to make it a wireless BT transmitter.  If you want more info, search the forum for my messages about Bluetooth.

[fstbusa]

Here is my suggestion about wemo.... don't buy any more of their stuff unless you "need" to have it operate over wifi without some type of hub.

Wemo switches don't work with 3-way switching setups(not officially anyway).  Also they don't have many devices to choose from when it comes to automation in general.  I used to have some wemo switches(in wall) and ditched them for a smartthings platform.

I now control 6 lights in my house automatically as well as my garage door.  ST has a great integration with the echo and it works flawlessly.