Hello everyone; not sure how to address this, but here is the problem with my Alexa integration:
“Ask garadget to open home”
“You do not have GARAGEIO skill active … etc or something like that”
I have to annunciate a HARD T to make it work. Anything we can do?
I’ve had the same problem. Given the similarity of the names not sure how it would be addressed. I find out if I have no background noise like TV or music on and I speak very slowly it gets around the problem. Not a great situation but it is a workaround.
I’ve had to make it sound like “rat” instead of like “roger” when saying the word, so it’s like gah-raj-it instead of gah-rah-jet. That works every time.
I have the Garadget skill (by Softcomplex, Inc) enabled. You have to really enunciate the “d” sound in “Garadget” that Alexa is expecting based on the name spelling so (Ga-raD-jet) or (Ga-ratchet). For me “Ask Garadget to open home” works okay, but “Ask Garadget to open the door” works just as well or better. Also I have only one door and it is also named “Home”.
If anyone or anything (television, radio, kids) are talking at the same time I have to repeat the command for Alexa.
Having the same problem with Alexa confusing the words garaget and garageio. Does matter how hard I say the word with a heavy T, Alexa hears garageio 90% of the time. Let face it! These words too much alike for the echo software. Any way to change the skill to remove the “garadget” completely? Why can I just say “Alexa close garage door”? Other skills are easy to use and don’t need to have the manufactured name?
To distinguish the third party skill Alexa software needs to hear the invocation phrase so requests have to structured like:
There is a long list of requirements the invocation names have to meet in order to be approved by Amazon and once the skill is deployed it can’t be changed.
The alternative is to use the home automation skill when devices are registered with the account and controlled by the Alexa’s native skill. This sounds like a great idea, but unfortunately for the locks and door devices Alexa do not allow opening/unlocking/disarming by voice.
Amazon promised to fix the invocation name collision issue, but it doesn’t look like any progress has been made in that area so far.
The only option at this time is to make another copy of Garadget skill and publish it with the different invocation name. That’s where “Smart Garage” version comes in, Anybody interested is welcome to add and use as a tester. However this version can not be made publicly available at this time because since the original publishing, Amazon added new requirements and in its current implementation the skill will not pass certification. Among the new requirements is a requirement to request a verbal PIN for opening doors. Implementing this feature requires the support for additional account settings and that’s what is in the works right now. So please stay tuned for the updates on this.
New user here with the same issue. I have tried the hard T and eliminating background noise. Any movement from Amazon on a second version? I am happy to test an alternate. Thank you,
Alan,
The alternative version of skill is already available. Please add “Garadget - Smart Garage” skill from your Alexa app.
Bumping this.
I have like a 99% failure rate because of this.
I can’t believe this hasn’t been properly addressed in 2 years REALLY NOT HAPPY TO SEE THIS ISSUE STILL PERSISTS.
Seriously is there any way to address this now? There has to be new options that weren’t available 2 years ago.
This has been resolved by offering an additional skill with a different invocation phrase: Smart Garage
Sorry not resolved. I have both skills installed and the issue persists.
All “Smart Garage” does is off a work-around so that i dot have to use the key word “Garadget”.
A fix would be to determine why Alexa is preferencing a non installed skill over an installed skill because they sound similar to her. The installed skill should always have a hit priority greater than a non installed skill
The invocation of the skill on Amazon Echo platform is outside of the developer’s control.
We’ve submitted a support request with Amazon but changing the invocation phrase was the only solution offered.
Well chit, that’s a bummer but i know what you mean. I’ve submitted prolly 20+ “alexa didn’t understand me” tickets for this through the alexa app before i came here.
I’m curious though is there still no way to have the device show up in alexa’s device list? my smart locks show there now.
Honestly i’m asking because i feel like a tool using the invokation phrase “smart garage”, lol. If I could add this to an alexa routine i could trigger in other ways
Currently there is no support for garage door in Alexa’s Smart Home platform, but we are working on using an alternative profile such as switch to make garage part of the routines. E.g. instead of open/close the commands may be on/off.
That would be sweet, thank you