LarrylLix said:
With the ISY Portal it offers a voice to ISY element conversion table. You can define any variable as a motion detector or door contact based on a variable value. Now it shows up in Alexa app as a contact that can be used as trigger in a Routine. Alexa Routines can include vocals, operate devices etc. . Other than than the vocals I don't know why anybody would avoid the device control ISY offers though. Sent using Tapatalk
I don't know... that is why I am asking so many questions about it. Also I don't think device control is really that big a part of my automation requirements. My ISY already handles most of my schedules and motion sensors which is the majority of my control requirements. Far more important to me is monitoring and reporting. I use a lot of alerts and reminders.
Some of my typical automation implementations include:
Verbal caller ID announcements so I know without looking if I should stop what I'm doing to answer the phone.
Verbal "car in driveway" alerts
Verbal reminders of upcoming birthdays and such
Real time verbal confirmation of thermostat changes (both manual and programmed) I can set a precise temperature setting with my eyes shut.
Verbal doors and windows left open after dark reminders.
Verbal well pump cycle count and duration announcements each time the pump runs.
Verbal furnace burner and blower cycle,and run time announcements with daily totals so far by furnace each time a furnace runs.
Verbal oven on and total watts being consumed reminder every 15 minutes when the oven is on.
Verbal announcement that dryer is on and total watts being consumed.
Verbal warnings for high wind, rain starting, barometer dropping, or lightning strike as each occurs.
Verbal warning every 30 minutes if any lights have been left on during the day.
Verbal reminder if the dishwasher is running with watts being consumed and then a reminder every hour after it finishes that it needs to be unloaded.
Verbal alert when the mail is delivered and then a reminder every hour until you get the mail and reset the mailbox.
I am happy to use whatever platform is easiest to accomplish what I need and I would not hesitate to migrate the functions above to Polyglot/Polysys if there was a compelling reason to do so. I just need to understand exactly how that would work so I can evaluate it against my other options.