Hello there Paul. Here is an idea you can try, I haven't tested it: create 2 x tv controllers, name one "on command" and the other one "off command". "On command" will learn the ON rf and the "off command" will learn the OFF rf. The Alexa app will discover both devices. Now all you have to do is create 2 x groups in the Alexa app, name one "music room" and include the "on command" within, then name the other one "room" and save it with the "off command". Now when you say "Alexa, switch 'music room' on", it will turn everything on, and when you say "Alexa, switch 'room' off", it will turn everything off. I do like the RM plugin for Android better, so I use an old android box as my bridge.
+cubandanger thanks dude. I'd been thinking along similar lines but I think she will give the usual "there are two devices that fit that description" or whatever it is she says. Will test it out. :)
Hi John ... This is Nicholas the one I told u about this.. Now don't want to sound like yr mother.. but " I told u so " hahaha.. Glad u finally made a video about this ! A small correction to yr video as I have already set up all of my house 2 months ago with that method.. U don't have to press yes, skip , yes skip for the tv set... if u press no to the question if this device is working it will get u directly to the learning method . (just to save some time ). Keep up the good work. Ps my Greek tech channel will be up soon and would love to cooperate with u and exchange ideas !
+nicholas nstmania hey man, I thought I remembered someone saying someone about this but couldnt find the original comment! Thanks for this, it's great! :)
Hi Paul, really enjoying your channel. Is it possible you could do an updated video of these small hubs if you get the time please? Or have you already done that? As I have watched a few now and they seem like much of this technology has been upgraded... I hope?
Thank you so much! I´m living in Norway, but using a german account on Alexa. The Broadlink Skill is still not available in Germany and I was waiting for it. But because of your Tutorial I know now that that skill is rubbish and I will continue using RM plugin on my Android until they made a better skill/app! Thank you for your informations!!
Hi Paul, I'm having trouble with my Alexa finding new devices, done exactly as in your video, enabled them in my Alexa app, but it will not find any new devices, please can you help me with this as I've tried many times with resetting my Broadlink but still no joy....HELP!!!! ps. keep up the good work with your Tech Tubes.
Yea I figured this out too a while ago, the problem with the broadlink stuff was that the skill can only read devices from the app that were predefined in the app, and that the app doesn't have many predefined devices except for tv's.. Tbh I think they could easily solve it in either the app or the skill, which would be nice because it can apparantly also not see the scenes you make in the app, broadlink support has still not given any response..
+Bart A. They just need to have the lamp function made discoverable and we can have "on" and "off" which is all I'm really missing. All in good time I suppose. :)
Yea, although their skill description now says it's only meant for tv's and set-top boxes, but before I posted to them about the fact that it only picked up whatever was predefined like the tv, they did not state that it was specifically for the tv or set-top boxes (which is kinda the only non chinese stuff they have predefined). So that's not a good sign, it looks more like they just went "oops, that's a design flaw, let's just change the description and bam, no longer a design flaw"
was about to say this doesnt work as i tried this before i found your video but you have to cancel out the app first.slowly getting there in making my home smarter than me.(wont be hard)thanks man only subbed a day or 2 ago but love your videos
These are all fantastic help however I cannot find anything on command issuance lol for example: if I setup all the remote commands for my television when I tell Alexa to do anything it doesn't recognize half of the commands not even really sure why either. Like it recognizes "television on" television volume up". But everything regarding source or input fails like clockwork and I am very much hoping for some input I guess to simplify can you do a video of a sample command for every television remote button using Alexa for a frame of reference?
Thank you so much for this. Was struggling for ages to figure out how to get it to work. When I tell Alexa to turn the TV volume up (which I mapped to my sound bar) she turns it up in way too many steps... Like presses the button 4 times. Anyway to fix this? Is this the Alexa app doing this or the ihc app?
Hi Randy, I've heard rumours that the RM pro learns the length of the key press nowadays, try re-training the button in IHC and give it a very careful tap! :) -P
@@paulhibbert I tried what you suggested, but it was still doing the same problem of turning it up four times at once. I ended up creating 2 scenes in the IHC app; one for volume up and one for volume down. I then made a routine in the Alexa app for volume up and volume down. I think you're right though about the IHC app recording length and frequency of button presses. When learning the power button of my cable box remote I kinda flailed on the button not realizing it was recording all of that. It would then power on and off the cable box sporadically when I told Alexa to turn on the cable box. Anyway thanks for your advice and taking the time to read my comment!
With the current IHC app I can control stuff with the app but even though it is detected in Alexa app, it will not control it... What a PAIN... They have NO support...
Haha. It's actually really simple, it's a motion sensing USB powered Yoda that happens to make that noise when he is powered up, so he's connected to a standard USB plug which is connected to an RF plug socket and when I hit the power he makes the noise. You can pick one up from here... www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001W0ZX2M/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1507283057&sr=8-2-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Motion+sense+Yoda
+Maniac618 no risk dude. If it screws stuff up you just put both the main Amazon account and the kindle store back to your own country and everything is exactly as you left it. The American and the US accounts are totally independent if one another.
Just create a new amazon account with a US address, specifically for IHC. (don't add a credit card to the new account in case you accidentally order a load of stuff and have it delivered to the US address lol)
Jonathan Boldy Problem Solved - I have just popped over the US App Store - Created a temporary account and downloaded the App (Use a US Address / Zip Code)
Good day to you Paul. I am having a bit of a problem(s). I have a RM pro w/ Alexa and it works well in that one room (living room) but does not recognize tvs in the bedroom less than 8 ft away. Is this normal and or do I need another RM pro device for that room???... can I use 2 devices? Thanks
Thanks for all of your tutorials Paul. Do you know how can i setup the RM Pro with Alexa to say the name of the tv channel and to work? in IHC Tv remote i can add channels with the name i want but it doesn t save it. i can only put the channels from that list (chinese a lot of them). Also there is any option to setup this with routines in Alexa to set any comand i want?
Hey Paul, can you not create a routine in the Alexa app so that you can say whatever you like, music room on or music room off and then have that routine press on or mute on the “TV”!? Just a thought!
Hi Paul I have actually thought about this by adding a custom remote button to the TV or STN appliances (currently the only two supported) to controller some electronic blinds. The commands are up and down (which by the way are already present in the TV remotes of ihc). However I have no idea how to call them with Alexa!!! You can use the channel, volume commands mute etc mute what about the others buttons? They should release a list of commands for this skills!! I am always shocked how brilliant piece of hardwares (think hue, rm pro, logitech harmony) have rubbish apps or softwares! Thanks for your video though, I'll try to use mute. I really like the rm plug in though, it's limitation being only the by emulating hue lights they ca only accept on or off commands... But maybe in the future..
+Michele Falzone you can get a better range of commands by using both techniques I guess :) I THINK if you use the volume buttons for your blinds you could say "turn the blinds down" and "turn the blinds up"
Hmm I think I'll stick with the rm plugin and e control untill they release a full control version.. the best part of this video is watching the light saber turn on hahaha... I want one and must have one. Please tell me Paul where did you get it ?
My good lady purchased it for me as a present from a company called SaberForge. They aren't cheap unfortunately but it is easily the best gift I have ever received. They connect to the mains for charging, and it looks exactly like this when you operate it, BUT you can't actually turn it on like this remotely, it's a clever trick on my part; I installed an LED strip on the wall directly behind the saber which is connected to an RF plug socket, check it out!... th-cam.com/video/k-NT_hki6gQ/w-d-xo.html
Paul, on the RM IHC app can you not add 2 televisions ? 1 for on and 1 for off? could you not add another command ie turn music tv off and then add it to a group in smart home and label the group turn music room off?
Hi mate, Probably using the old method here: th-cam.com/video/DJIhEyMQ0TI/w-d-xo.html I don't think IHC has the ability to control the power strip so the official skill won;t have access I don't think. -P
Impossible to get Alexa to discover my Mini 3. App remote works fine, IHC and BroadLink's, but without voice assistance it's useless to me, and I'm only interested in Alexa. Tried swapping wi-fi channels on the router too to no effect. Any solution??
I have a problem. I moved in into new flat and in my old flat I can use ihc and Alexa and both are working perfectly. Now in my new flat, I trained blackbean for tv an ac and ihc works perfectly but when I ask Alexa to turn off the tv, for example, she responds with "tv isn't responding". I tried to delete everything from smart home inside Alexa app and discover devices again, but the problem is the same. Any suggestions? Thanks
Thanks! I can now use Alexa to control my projector (IR). But not my screen (RF). With my RM pro+ and iPhone ihc app, it seems the TV remote can only "learn again" IR commands, not RF commands. (I am able to add the RF commands to a new custom appliance, but it asks "learn" or "learn RF"...
except for IHC does not let Alexa control the lamp... in the meantime I am using my Raspberry Pi to talk to the broadlink directly, triggered by Alexa commands... waiting for broadlink to enable more devices for Alexa!
Hey Paul. Everything was working fine. Thank you for the video. However, now alexa keeps saying that the device is not responding. I have tried to reset and reconfigure everything. But does not seem to respond. Any advice?
I'm understanding now why the mini is so cheap. Only be able to turn a TV on and off is not exactly what I would call an Alexa compatible universal remote. At minimum you expect it can do more than turn on and off, and can control devices like blueray players, receivers, etc. If routines had the ability to set timing and followed a strict sequence this would be a nice workaround. By try a simple test. Make a routine that say turns on a TV, and then has Alexa give you a news briefing. Then try one that does it in the opposite order. Either way, you are going to find your TV is on long before the news briefing even starts... There are simply no delays. Try making one that moves the cursor and then presses OK. Sometimes the OK button will be pressed and no cursor movement. Sometimes visa versa. I've yet to see both actually happen. And since the TV is just a toggle, it is quite happy to turn off the TV when I tell Alexa to turn it on and visa versa. I finally have a solution for that problem. I have Alexa send the power off command to the Roku Premier. My TV detects the power off and will power itself off as well... But such extremely limited control. It is pitiful. My Harmony Hub might have been 5 times the price, but it controls everything in my living room without such problems. In my Bed Room I just want to be able to power on and off a TV and control the roku. Because the Roku is a wifi device, I can use the Hub to control the Roku in the bedroom. But I found the problem is that is problematic if someone wants to use the remote in the living room... Sadly, the Harmony Hub is not supported by Echo for more than one Hub per household. That is what lead me to trying to use the BroadLink in the bedroom.
+Bill C. Riemers heck our my latest video dude. It can do plenty more than on and off for its tiny price tag. Also worth considering the RM plugin option for controlling it using widgets, or even for doing more advanced stuff with Alexa such as macros, or commanding it using http requests from ifttt. -P
Bought rm pro after watching your video worked fine for some time, ordered a mini also. Now for past 3 days alexa says not responding, I tried resetting but still the same . Then suddenly after multiple tries it started working. Don’t understand how r why it stops or starts to work . Should have bought harmony hub.
Hey dude, depending on what region you're in you either get a "Broadlink Smart Home" skill, or a "Broadlink Smart Home for EU" skill: www.amazon.co.uk/BroadLink-Smart-Home-for-EU/dp/B07G11JJSF
Hi Paul. My local cable company just switched out my modem and now my broadlink RM Pro will not connect. Same passwords and 2.4 G any help would be much appreciated. Thank you
Hello Paul I have tried to follow your video in order to make alexa control a lamp using broadlink rm pro. The lamp has a remote contolled socket. I tried to use the ihc television control however for some reason it is not learning the on/off buttons. Do you have an idea of what could be the problem? The ihc app learns the on and off as a user defined switch but not as a lamp or television. Thanks for the help. Ann Marie
06/03/2020 , And still no easy way to turn devices on and off if they require ON and OFF buttons with ON and OFF commands via Alexa. :/ I think you need to talk to them Paul. :-)
HiYa Paul Fantastic videos. Watched them all multiple times from beginning to end in hope that I could possibly get my RM Pro+ to talk to Alexa - you made it all look so easy in your videos. The PROBLEM is that you have NOT mentioned in any of your videos that BroadLink have GEO BLOCKED the RM series from linking to Alexa :( After battling for two months I decided to contact BroadLink to ask them if I AM actually a stupid person and did NOT deserve the rights to be part of the human race... Alas... BroadLink told me and confirmed that I do NOT deserve to be part of the human race because I live in New Zealand! So, for your "down-under" and third-world followers, this is a warning that BroadLink do NOT support New Zealand and Australia with Alexa.
Hi Paul, I have been using rm plugin with the broadlink pro and wanted to try ihc. I followed your video to get the broadlink skill onto my Alexa (uk). The skill showed up ok and I could see the TV I had added. However when I set my location back to the UK and changed my devices and shared prime account back to the UK, I lost the skill. Is this normal, I thought it would stay aligned to my Alexa account?
Sadly so. The UK and US locations are both separate profiles. Come help me give Broadlink a kicking here... twitter.com/hibberthometech/status/938389864176865282?s=19
thanks for the video. Does your setup have one RF signal that controls all the switches at the same time? Or are you using a scene to turn on each individual device?
Hi mate, In this room it is one RF signal to control all devices. In my living room I have multiple lights that are controlled independently but are also part of a group in Alexa called "Living room devices" so that I can choose to do either :)
Great work again, Paul! I hope Broadlink will soon offer a German app, too. By the way, are there any (maybe better or cheaper) alternatives to the Broadlink device that also work with RF? I think the Logitech Harmony Hub (which is much more expensive, of course) is not better, right? But maybe there is sth. else available...? What about controlling a Raspberry Pi directly with Alexa (or with an IR eye via Broadlink) to send commands to any device in the LAN instead of just using the IR/RF devices? I know that there are many ways of controlling devices via IFTTT, but for me it did not work so far and I don't like the idea of opening my LAN and home to the WWW, anyway.
I've been asked to do a tutorial on home assistant but as long as I have a full time job it's difficult to stick to a video a week and investigate it simultaneously. Have a look at home assistant though and specifically the RF aspect of it linked below, it may serve your purpose!... home-assistant.io/components/switch.rpi_rf/
So I hope you will manage to live just from your TH-cam earnings soon, as mentioned in one of your first videos! ;-) Your tutorials are often much more comprehensive than the ones offered in my mother tongue - and more interesting and funny, definitely! Thank you for the link! I had a look at it but I am afraid that this is going to become too complicated for people like me who usually just use technology right out of the box and usually need people like you to explain the more challenging issues. ;-) I think, I will give the Broadlink a try, first. Based on the information offered in your video, this seems to work easily and fulfills at least most of my technical wishes for now. Again, thanks a lot and stick to your dream!
+Matthias Schlosser those are some very kind words my friend. Thank you! The Broadlink rm pro is a fantastic device, I hope Broadlink sort their software out soon. Fingers crossed if I keep at it I'll make a living out of it eventually!
Hi. Why won't my Broadlink Pro not turn off my ac unit using ihc? Is there a way to set up all the buttons from my ac remote in the ihc app? There also appears to be no way to delete the OFF button! Who writes these apps?
Paul, I've followed your very cool alexa series and was inspired enough to get an alexa and R M pro to play around. Unfortunately it look like your officiial alexa skill US swap work around no longer functions the way you hoped as Amazon appear to ahve twigged onto it. Basically, when I swap to the US to dowwnlaod and install the Broadlink skill - it gets registered to my Alexa as a RM Pro skill(US) . When I swap back to the UK amazon - the amazon app seems to eb able to recognise that the skill is US based and magically "forgets" it - the app ignores the RM PRO and Alexa can't find any of my devices!! SO... what now?? Stuck in limbo until Amazon fall out of love with Logitech Harmony? How long's that going to be ? ;-( :-(
Hi Paul, I have an echo dot but am thinking of getting Google's new 'Google Home Mini' to replace it. Would I still be able to use the RM pro and the tasker plugin the same way to control my devices with it?
Hi George, I don't own any Google home products, but I know that it's possible. This will sound complicated, but it's actually reasonably straight forward if you watch my video which I'll link at the end of this comment... Google home can trigger IFTTT with any trigger words you choose, IFTTT can then send a HTTP request using their Webhooks channel across the net to your router. You would then need to set up port forwarding on the router to send the request to an Android device with the RM plugin installed on it, and you would need to configure the RM plugin to respond to HTTP requests to trigger your lights. You can see how to set up IFTTT, port forwarding, and the RM plugin on my home alarm series here: th-cam.com/video/hYn8Tp65tJg/w-d-xo.html :)
Hi Paul, great job first of all, it was by following your videos for months before I’ve got my own rm pro/Alexa set up running at my condo, but I’m baffled and need your help. I’ve already set up an rm pro 2 + android device (with rm tasker plugin) + Amazon echo. It works well, all devices I’ve set up have been responding to the voice commands I’ve inputted. The problem now is that the echo will, from time to time, lose connection with these devices that are linked with the tasker plugin (curiously it doesn’t do that with my Phillips hue devices). So please let me know what to do? It’s very annoying that it sometimes can not connect. Should I set up a static ip for the android device? How do I keep and maintain this connection to be constant? Please help, thanks!
Hey man, thank you for the kind words :) The static IP thing is a smart move, I've heard that has helped others. The other cause of this issue other than network connectivity issues is the android device might be cutting off the wifi to save battery even though it's plugged in. If you can;t solve this with the power settings on the android then there are apps that will keep WIFI alive, oddly enough a search returns an app called "Wifi keep alive" :P I'd give that a go first as it's easy to install and use. Hope that helps! -P
Unable to add device to Alexa.. It's telling no device found.. Followed all steps.. Do we need to press reset button again in broadlink rmpro while discovering devices in the Alexa?
Hi Paul. I am using this technique with infrared sockets and have a separate 'TV' in ihc to control each of them using the on/off and mute buttons. I have grouped them all in the Alexa app and they all turn on when I say 'turn on (group)'. However, saying 'mute (group)' doesn't turn them off. One of the devices within the group is my PC, which can be turned off/on with one infrared signal if this changes anything. What do you think needs to be said for them all to turn off. Thanks for your time.
Sorry for the delay. Sadly (to my knowledge) Alexa won't understand how to mute a group as she hasn't been created to mute multiple devices at once. I suppose this is a limitation of this workaround. Someone said the other day that he reckons the lamps now work, but I've not tried it myself and he may have been confusing the "lamps working through the app" with the "lamps working through Alexa". Might be worth a try!
Paul, is it worthwhile moving away from the RM Plugin to this setup? Im assuming you no longer need any android device sitting between the two? I currently use an old android tv box for the RM Plugin but i have noticed of late it can take more than 1 attempt to execute on occasion. Just wondering if i should make the jump. Your input greatly values. Thx
+Clint Irvine hi Clint! I wrote this the other day which should hopefully answer your question! Let me know if not though... www.paulhibbert.co.uk/2017/11/24/a-complete-guide-to-connecting-the-broadlink-rm-pro-and-broadlink-blackbean-to-alexa/
Maybe I'm being thick, but why can't Broadlink add a universal control "shell" with a bunch of generic buttons like on/off, up/down, faster/slower, brighter/dimmer, volume up/down to it and then add those commands to Alexas command dictionary? The I could create a remote for example named "Extractor" and add buttons like on/off/faster/slower to it then say "Alexa extractor on" or "Alexa extractor faster"...
Paul, I’m trying to control my ceiling fan/light with my rm pro. I can’t get the rm pro to learn the rf codes from the ceiling fan remote. I’ve tried 2 different manufacturers of ceiling fan remotes. Can you offer any help? Thanks!
Hi Jason/Jose -- the newer versions of the app are patched to prevent this. Try this version: drive.google.com/file/d/1c1hb1DeNm0yOoS5g8pNMDTA9EqP2Qrak/view?usp=sharing
I'm having the same problem, only User Defined allows me to scan for RF - Lamp and TV both don't recognize RF, and User Defined does not get detected by Alexa. How do I install that version .apk file into my RM Pros? Your help is very appreciated!
I got RF working!! Well a workaround at least. Setup your RF commands in IHC and then set up each command (or commands) in a scene. Alexa will recognise and ‘play’ any scene :)
Hey Miguel, that's awesome! What remote are you selecting to set your RF commands up with in IHC? Is it 'User Defined' ? If you can provide any steps that would be amazing!
Hi Paul -- it's true. The latest version will only take an IR input for learning a "Televsion". But you can still download this version that allows it: drive.google.com/file/d/1c1hb1DeNm0yOoS5g8pNMDTA9EqP2Qrak/view?usp=sharing
+Eryk TV I have this problem but only as of last night. I wonder what else is going on? I've chased broadlink down but I'm not getting any sensible answers.
Hi Paul, Is there any way that you can preserve all your remote settings once you changed the password of your wifi after successfully connected it into the previous wifi password? Right now I'm using the ihc app and use the skills for my Alexa using a Broadlink RM pro and broadlink rm mini in my room. I want to change my ssid and password in my wifi but i don't want to delete or remove all the profile in my ihc using broadlink. CAn you help me ? thanks
+james see hi mate, changing your wifi shouldn't affect IHC as far as I know. You'll just need to tell IHC to connect to the new WiFi network and everything should work as before M
Hey Paul. After spending hours setting this up on my old Xoom tablet, it’s actually died... So I wonder if you can help me? I have an old Android phone that I can use but is there a way of transferring the Alexa Bridge Skills on the RM plugin or do I have to start from scratch???
Hey dude, if the RM plugin is still working on the old box then you can go into the settings and share everything across the network. If the old box is totally broken then the commands will have gone with it :(
Paul Hibbert Cheers Paul...yep unfortunately the old Xoom Tablet is completely dead so had to start all over again with a new (old) Samsung Galaxy android phone! Lesson learnt! Gonna get a backup cheap android and copy commands to that so if it happens again, I’ll at least have a backup...
Hi Paul, I just purchased one of these without realising it doesn't actually work with Alexa, as advertised on Amazon. Two quick questions if I may. 1. Can i manage multiple devices of the same type eg. More than one Samsung TV in different rooms? 2. What is the current method of interfacing with Alexa? Regards, Steve.
You can easily manage more than one device. It's the separate room thing that will be a problem. If your devices are RF, no problem. Unfortunately though infra rad (which most TV remotes are) doesn't go through walls so that will be a problem. However, Broadlink also do a device called an RM Mini 3 which does the same thing but doesn't have the RF functionality (which you don't need as RF goes through walls and you can therefore use your RM Pro). You can control both an RM Mini 3 and an RM Pro through the same app. The Mini is a little cheaper than the RM Pro, retailing at about £20.
NP. I just noticed your second question. The current method is by using an android app called 'RM Tasker plug-in' - the lite version works for me but some others have had issues and had to go with the full app. You don't need to use tasker, just the app, which has an option to work as an alxea bridge. Paul Hibbert has an earlier video that demonstrates that method too th-cam.com/video/DJIhEyMQ0TI/w-d-xo.html
Thank you again. I had a look at RM Tasker but realised I needed a 'spare always In Situ' device to run it on. I have just this evening started looking at Hass.io to run on one of my Raspberry PI's. I think I am starting to see how it all works. Cheers Mike.
Is Broadlink dependent upon an Internet connection. Meaning if your ISP goes down does your Broadlink Rm Pro become a boat anchor until service is restored?
Hi Paul, great vids. I am very new to all this echo and broadlink stuff. That new that my echo hasn't been delivered yet lol. I have hue lights and bridge already. I would love to have alexa control my TV and sky, in your opinion should I just get the black bean.
+MrKdl1969 hey, yep. Blackbean is my recommendation. Though if you have an old phone with an infrared sender on it then I'll have another solution for you this weekend! :)
Paul Hibbert thanks I will keep my eye out. I have a poor quality kocaso tablet, I will check if it has infrared sender. I don't use it anymore, was this thinking of putting everything for smart home and echo on that, then maybe use it as a touch screen, like your other video. My dot should be here today yeah. I will when buying from Amazon, look through your links first. Thanks
+MrKdl1969 shame. Best bet is what cheer you can find cheapest then. Either the blackbean or an old phone with an IR blaster on it such as the galaxy s5. The phone option obviously gives you the added bonus of doubling as a touch screen remote.
my echo dot will not find new devices im using a broadlink blackbean the Econtrol app still control my devices with my android it was finding my devices now it scan and find nothing any suggestions
+ProkashRoy there is a way, but it's not easy! You would use ifttt to send a http request using the webhooks channel to your routers external IP. You would set up port forwarding on the router to send all requests on that port number to an android device. On the android device you would install the RM plugin from the play store and enable the http server and the https server in turn would respond to send the request to the RM pro. If you look up my home alarm series there's a walk through for getting ifttt to send to the RM plugin. Hope that helps. -P
I have irobot wireless command center which controls roomba 780 over RF. I was trying to map that to broadlink RM Pro so that I can control it via Alexa. But broadlink is not able to learn the frequency. Do you have any idea why?
I have RM Pro+ and managed to do the television trick on all my IR devices with Alexa..but seems I have to name everything with Television on front ie television aircon etc..now what I can’t get to work is my RF controlled light switch. The trick doesn’t seem to relearn RF signal using tv remote..can u pls help me
Hi Paul, just got an rm Pro 3 to control a few things, successfully learned some RF plugs and ir signals. The main reason I replaced my harmony hub with it was to control my projector screen (433.92mhz) but it fails to learn the code every time, any ides please?
If it's learning other signals successfully then unfortunately the most likely scenario is that the Projector screen is working on a rolling code basis to intentionally stop 3rd party remotes. The only other possibility I can think of is if you're in the US. The US version of the RM pro can only learn 315Mhz frequencies because of the laws over there. Loads of projector screens are imported, and technically a 433Mhz projector screen breaks the law in the US every time the remote is pressed :P It's the same if you use a 315Mhz projector screen in the UK as our laws are the other way around and don't allow the public to use the 315Mhz frequency!
Paul Hibbert thanks for the prompt reply, yeah I'm in UK. I've ordered a velleman mk161 to work around the problem. The other issue I'm having is that alexa won't discover rm Pro, ihc signed in and linked to alexa with the same Facebook account
Paul!! They took a way sort order in the app. I got it working now but I also have a projector and now I have to say "Alexa, mute my projector" then "Alexa, mute my projector" and it turns off...! They moved the multi button press to scenes but the only scenes that show up in skills are smart home scenes, not the remote control scenes... AHHHH!!!
Anything you want to turn on put in a scene, out the off command in a separate scene. Alexa will discover both scenes. Then create 2 routines in Alexa call one "turn the Projector on" and the other "turn the projector off". Point the on routine alt the on scene and the off routine at th off scene. Voila! I am in the middle of making a video tutorial about exactly this! Thanks, -P
Hei Paul, can you help me? I'm having trouble creating scenes on the IHC. When trying to insert TC2 3 Gang command, the options appear in Chinese and none of them Turn on switches 1 and 2. How should I do it? Thanks
Afternoon Paul, hopfully you can answer this: I am looking to purchase a Black Bean3, do you know if this can link to Smart plugs without a remote? Looking at purchasing 3 Energenie Smart plugs, without the Smart hub? Also do you think it would be possible to configure a cheap kettles on off switch?
+Daniel Denham-Trew hey dude, the blackbean came only control IR not RF. You'll need an RM pro to control RF plugs. Emergence plugs normally come with a remote. Do you have a link to the product?
hi Paul I setup ok, now i can turn on/off TV by alexa and broadlink skill. But i can not turn up volumn TV by say : "alexa turn up volumn on the TV" Can you help me.
+Thái Vũ BK sounds like you've done everything right. Perhaps it is the command you are giving. Try saying "television" instead if "TV". See if that helps :)
Alright Paul I'm stuck. I can't get the blinds to work because IHC app will only scan for RF when using the User Defined device. When I try faking it as a TV or a Lamp, it doesn't scan for RF. And User Defined isn't recognized by alexa (what a pity!). I tried downloading the e-control app, which I am then able to fake TV remote and learn RF for my blinds, but the TV remote wont get discovered by alexa! What a conundrum. Is there an e-control skill I don't know about for alexa? I'm totally stuck. Best case scenario would be able to use IHC, I saw someone post in one of your comments section about using older version .apk file, which I've downloaded but I have no idea how to get the .apk onto my RM pro. Any help is appreciated brudda
I'm guessing this won't work with one of my ceiling fans because rolling codes. Can you get alexa to use number pad somehow, it seems odd to tell alexa to rewind the ceiling fan... Do you have any experience with rm pro with serial numbers starting with rm09. It wouldn't learn rf at all until I manually flashed a different firmware.
+joe schneider hey man. You might be right about the rolling codes. Could also be that it's on a different range (433mhz versus 315mhz) if it controls everything else then it will be one of those two reasons. No way to control a number pad as far as I know. Check out the tutorial on using custom phrases, you would be able to use a different phrase other than rewind. All rm pros are the same. Mine is 8 years old and still controls everything. The only ones that don't are fakes. Hope that helps. -P
i was told the new rm pro has 315mhz disabled for compliance with some country's. even broadlinks website shows only 433mhz now. i wasn't sure if the limitation was hardware or software at first, but after flashing firmware from the older model, it works. before flashing, when i would try to learn RF codes the yellow light came on, the app would fail to scan frequency, but the yellow light stayed on till i unplugged it. while the yellow light was on it would not respond. this new one also doesn't get recognized by rm voice or rm tasker unless you change firmware. there seem to be a decent number of people with the same problems, acording to forums some firmware supports rolling codes, some support 315mhz. i bought 2, the first is still on stock firmware and says v20025, the other says v20028. there is a lot of confusion and little to no support. the developer of RM bridge also says he cant get the new ones to work with RM bridge until broadlink releases there API i managed to learn the remote for the living room ceiling fan in RM voice , but ihc still cant get it. thanks for the tip on routines, can you set commands to work on one echo but not another. so saying illuminate in living room turns living room lights on, but saying illuminate in the bedroom turns on bedroom lights. i wish i could get the old ones that just work, as far as being a fake, this is the link i used: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742CXGHY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hello there Paul. Here is an idea you can try, I haven't tested it: create 2 x tv controllers, name one "on command" and the other one "off command". "On command" will learn the ON rf and the "off command" will learn the OFF rf. The Alexa app will discover both devices. Now all you have to do is create 2 x groups in the Alexa app, name one "music room" and include the "on command" within, then name the other one "room" and save it with the "off command". Now when you say "Alexa, switch 'music room' on", it will turn everything on, and when you say "Alexa, switch 'room' off", it will turn everything off.
I do like the RM plugin for Android better, so I use an old android box as my bridge.
+cubandanger thanks dude. I'd been thinking along similar lines but I think she will give the usual "there are two devices that fit that description" or whatever it is she says. Will test it out. :)
Paul Hibbert, true, in which case you may need to play around with the names you give them. Keep up the good work!
Hi John ... This is Nicholas the one I told u about this.. Now don't want to sound like yr mother.. but " I told u so " hahaha.. Glad u finally made a video about this ! A small correction to yr video as I have already set up all of my house 2 months ago with that method.. U don't have to press yes, skip , yes skip for the tv set... if u press no to the question if this device is working it will get u directly to the learning method . (just to save some time ). Keep up the good work. Ps my Greek tech channel will be up soon and would love to cooperate with u and exchange ideas !
+nicholas nstmania hey man, I thought I remembered someone saying someone about this but couldnt find the original comment! Thanks for this, it's great! :)
Thanks ,I tried it and it works well both the air condition and the RF light
Hi Paul, really enjoying your channel. Is it possible you could do an updated video of these small hubs if you get the time please? Or have you already done that? As I have watched a few now and they seem like much of this technology has been upgraded... I hope?
Thank you so much! I´m living in Norway, but using a german account on Alexa. The Broadlink Skill is still not available in Germany and I was waiting for it. But because of your Tutorial I know now that that skill is rubbish and I will continue using RM plugin on my Android until they made a better skill/app! Thank you for your informations!!
Hahaha. Any time my friend.
Hi Paul, I'm having trouble with my Alexa finding new devices, done exactly as in your video, enabled them in my Alexa app, but it will not find any new devices, please can you help me with this as I've tried many times with resetting my Broadlink but still no joy....HELP!!!!
ps. keep up the good work with your Tech Tubes.
Yea I figured this out too a while ago, the problem with the broadlink stuff was that the skill can only read devices from the app that were predefined in the app, and that the app doesn't have many predefined devices except for tv's.. Tbh I think they could easily solve it in either the app or the skill, which would be nice because it can apparantly also not see the scenes you make in the app, broadlink support has still not given any response..
+Bart A. They just need to have the lamp function made discoverable and we can have "on" and "off" which is all I'm really missing. All in good time I suppose. :)
Yea, although their skill description now says it's only meant for tv's and set-top boxes, but before I posted to them about the fact that it only picked up whatever was predefined like the tv, they did not state that it was specifically for the tv or set-top boxes (which is kinda the only non chinese stuff they have predefined). So that's not a good sign, it looks more like they just went "oops, that's a design flaw, let's just change the description and bam, no longer a design flaw"
I'm using RM Pro with Google Home and I can Pause/Play Netflix. I was inspired by your videos to find a workaround. Keep the vids coming!
Awesome dude!
was about to say this doesnt work as i tried this before i found your video but you have to cancel out the app first.slowly getting there in making my home smarter than me.(wont be hard)thanks man only subbed a day or 2 ago but love your videos
+Ezanity Gaming thanks dude 😁
Glad to hear they're helping! :)
These are all fantastic help however I cannot find anything on command issuance lol for example: if I setup all the remote commands for my television when I tell Alexa to do anything it doesn't recognize half of the commands not even really sure why either. Like it recognizes "television on" television volume up". But everything regarding source or input fails like clockwork and I am very much hoping for some input
I guess to simplify can you do a video of a sample command for every television remote button using Alexa for a frame of reference?
Hello thanks for all of this useful videos.i have a question.all of this works with Alexa app?Without hardware Alexa. Thanks
Hey dude. Yes, this works using the Alexa assistant regardless of which device you use.
-P
Another gem of a video. Thanks a bunch Paul
Thank you so much for this. Was struggling for ages to figure out how to get it to work. When I tell Alexa to turn the TV volume up (which I mapped to my sound bar) she turns it up in way too many steps... Like presses the button 4 times. Anyway to fix this? Is this the Alexa app doing this or the ihc app?
Hi Randy, I've heard rumours that the RM pro learns the length of the key press nowadays, try re-training the button in IHC and give it a very careful tap! :)
-P
@@paulhibbert I tried what you suggested, but it was still doing the same problem of turning it up four times at once. I ended up creating 2 scenes in the IHC app; one for volume up and one for volume down. I then made a routine in the Alexa app for volume up and volume down. I think you're right though about the IHC app recording length and frequency of button presses. When learning the power button of my cable box remote I kinda flailed on the button not realizing it was recording all of that. It would then power on and off the cable box sporadically when I told Alexa to turn on the cable box. Anyway thanks for your advice and taking the time to read my comment!
cool stuff Paul!! thanks for this ..good to know communication is back with Broadlink..u know if they plan to do the same for Ghome ?
With the current IHC app I can control stuff with the app but even though it is detected in Alexa app, it will not control it... What a PAIN... They have NO support...
I'll stay with the E control App, OK Paul can I ask how you have the sound effects working when your room comes alive? That is a very cool features.
Haha. It's actually really simple, it's a motion sensing USB powered Yoda that happens to make that noise when he is powered up, so he's connected to a standard USB plug which is connected to an RF plug socket and when I hit the power he makes the noise. You can pick one up from here...
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001W0ZX2M/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1507283057&sr=8-2-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Motion+sense+Yoda
Paul Hibbert lol love it, going to get one today.
HELP! Has there been a fix for the blank icon page yet in the IHC app? I can't add new buttons or scenes!!! Used to work great!
Hi Paul, neat idea. However, did you try the same setup with an AirConditioner? That is what I am more after than TV :)
As long as the air conditioner can be controlled by the RM pro then this method will work :)
Hi Paul - thanks for the video! By any chance do you know if the RM Pro works with a 3rd gen Apple TV? Thank you!
Superb as always Paul, thanks very much. One quick question is the skill only for the RM Pro or can it be used with the RM mini as well?
+RockSteddie thanks dude. Yep, it will work with the RM mini too. :)
Awesome, thanks again Paul.
Great as always just wish it was out for UK
+Maniac618 no risk dude. If it screws stuff up you just put both the main Amazon account and the kindle store back to your own country and everything is exactly as you left it. The American and the US accounts are totally independent if one another.
Just create a new amazon account with a US address, specifically for IHC. (don't add a credit card to the new account in case you accidentally order a load of stuff and have it delivered to the US address lol)
Cant we use a proxy and make it think that we are in U.S ?
djdollar1978 not necessary
Jonathan Boldy Problem Solved - I have just popped over the US App Store - Created a temporary account and downloaded the App (Use a US Address / Zip Code)
Good day to you Paul. I am having a bit of a problem(s). I have a RM pro w/ Alexa and it works well in that one room (living room) but does not recognize tvs in the bedroom less than 8 ft away. Is this normal and or do I need another RM pro device for that room???... can I use 2 devices? Thanks
Thanks for all of your tutorials Paul. Do you know how can i setup the RM Pro with Alexa to say the name of the tv channel and to work? in IHC Tv remote i can add channels with the name i want but it doesn t save it. i can only put the channels from that list (chinese a lot of them). Also there is any option to setup this with routines in Alexa to set any comand i want?
Hey Paul, can you not create a routine in the Alexa app so that you can say whatever you like, music room on or music room off and then have that routine press on or mute on the “TV”!? Just a thought!
Sure thing!... th-cam.com/video/yaxIaPPRXt8/w-d-xo.html
Hi Paul I have actually thought about this by adding a custom remote button to the TV or STN appliances (currently the only two supported) to controller some electronic blinds. The commands are up and down (which by the way are already present in the TV remotes of ihc). However I have no idea how to call them with Alexa!!! You can use the channel, volume commands mute etc mute what about the others buttons? They should release a list of commands for this skills!! I am always shocked how brilliant piece of hardwares (think hue, rm pro, logitech harmony) have rubbish apps or softwares! Thanks for your video though, I'll try to use mute. I really like the rm plug in though, it's limitation being only the by emulating hue lights they ca only accept on or off commands... But maybe in the future..
+Michele Falzone you can get a better range of commands by using both techniques I guess :)
I THINK if you use the volume buttons for your blinds you could say "turn the blinds down" and "turn the blinds up"
im unable to connect my rm pro to my alexa... any idea on how i can get it to work .
Hmm I think I'll stick with the rm plugin and e control untill they release a full control version.. the best part of this video is watching the light saber turn on hahaha... I want one and must have one. Please tell me Paul where did you get it ?
My good lady purchased it for me as a present from a company called SaberForge. They aren't cheap unfortunately but it is easily the best gift I have ever received. They connect to the mains for charging, and it looks exactly like this when you operate it, BUT you can't actually turn it on like this remotely, it's a clever trick on my part; I installed an LED strip on the wall directly behind the saber which is connected to an RF plug socket, check it out!... th-cam.com/video/k-NT_hki6gQ/w-d-xo.html
Hi, I configured the skill and everything works , but I can’t say “ Alexa fan at speed 1….. speed 2….”
Do you know how do I control the fan speed?
Paul, on the RM IHC app can you not add 2 televisions ? 1 for on and 1 for off? could you not add another command ie turn music tv off and then add it to a group in smart home and label the group turn music room off?
Your videos are awesome and very helpful. Btw can echo control broadlink mp1 smart power strip ??
Hi mate, Probably using the old method here: th-cam.com/video/DJIhEyMQ0TI/w-d-xo.html
I don't think IHC has the ability to control the power strip so the official skill won;t have access I don't think.
-P
Impossible to get Alexa to discover my Mini 3. App remote works fine, IHC and BroadLink's, but without voice assistance it's useless to me, and I'm only interested in Alexa. Tried swapping wi-fi channels on the router too to no effect. Any solution??
Paul question have you figured out how to change the color of LED color? Would one of the other buttons work? Or would each color need to.be a TV?
I have a problem. I moved in into new flat and in my old flat I can use ihc and Alexa and both are working perfectly. Now in my new flat, I trained blackbean for tv an ac and ihc works perfectly but when I ask Alexa to turn off the tv, for example, she responds with "tv isn't responding". I tried to delete everything from smart home inside Alexa app and discover devices again, but the problem is the same. Any suggestions? Thanks
Yes this is working after doing the US amazon account trick. Cheers.
Thanks! I can now use Alexa to control my projector (IR). But not my screen (RF). With my RM pro+ and iPhone ihc app, it seems the TV remote can only "learn again" IR commands, not RF commands. (I am able to add the RF commands to a new custom appliance, but it asks "learn" or "learn RF"...
Hey there, try training a lamp in IHC with the RF commands for the screen. That should solve it! :)
except for IHC does not let Alexa control the lamp... in the meantime I am using my Raspberry Pi to talk to the broadlink directly, triggered by Alexa commands... waiting for broadlink to enable more devices for Alexa!
Hey paul I saw this video and i have a question... Cant we use BROADLINK SMART HOME SKILL instead of using BROADLINK REMOTE CONTROL SKILL
Hey Paul. Everything was working fine. Thank you for the video. However, now alexa keeps saying that the device is not responding. I have tried to reset and reconfigure everything. But does not seem to respond. Any advice?
Hi. I am living in Serbia. Echo dot 3rd and RM pro only works if my Amazon account is in the UK and with IHC EU. Try all combinations but all fails
is the broadlink blackbean the same as the rm pro
I'm understanding now why the mini is so cheap. Only be able to turn a TV on and off is not exactly what I would call an Alexa compatible universal remote. At minimum you expect it can do more than turn on and off, and can control devices like blueray players, receivers, etc. If routines had the ability to set timing and followed a strict sequence this would be a nice workaround. By try a simple test. Make a routine that say turns on a TV, and then has Alexa give you a news briefing. Then try one that does it in the opposite order. Either way, you are going to find your TV is on long before the news briefing even starts... There are simply no delays. Try making one that moves the cursor and then presses OK. Sometimes the OK button will be pressed and no cursor movement. Sometimes visa versa. I've yet to see both actually happen. And since the TV is just a toggle, it is quite happy to turn off the TV when I tell Alexa to turn it on and visa versa. I finally have a solution for that problem. I have Alexa send the power off command to the Roku Premier. My TV detects the power off and will power itself off as well... But such extremely limited control. It is pitiful. My Harmony Hub might have been 5 times the price, but it controls everything in my living room without such problems. In my Bed Room I just want to be able to power on and off a TV and control the roku.
Because the Roku is a wifi device, I can use the Hub to control the Roku in the bedroom. But I found the problem is that is problematic if someone wants to use the remote in the living room... Sadly, the Harmony Hub is not supported by Echo for more than one Hub per household. That is what lead me to trying to use the BroadLink in the bedroom.
+Bill C. Riemers heck our my latest video dude. It can do plenty more than on and off for its tiny price tag.
Also worth considering the RM plugin option for controlling it using widgets, or even for doing more advanced stuff with Alexa such as macros, or commanding it using http requests from ifttt.
-P
Bought rm pro after watching your video worked fine for some time, ordered a mini also. Now for past 3 days alexa says not responding, I tried resetting but still the same . Then suddenly after multiple tries it started working. Don’t understand how r why it stops or starts to work . Should have bought harmony hub.
Considering you don't know the cause of the problem I'm not sure how you can conclude that the Harmony hub would be any different.
hello paul, the TV device in the IHC application does not recognize RF frequencies, will any new update be? Broadlink remove this skill?
What are the actual words you need to say to Alexa to make her change channel on the tv once in Alexa app? Thanks
Hey man, can;t remember off the top of my head, but this video should help: th-cam.com/video/UCVK9sTxxRk/w-d-xo.html
Very useful video !!There is no broadlink or ihc app on amazon Alexa app !! Am I right ??
Hey dude, depending on what region you're in you either get a "Broadlink Smart Home" skill, or a "Broadlink Smart Home for EU" skill: www.amazon.co.uk/BroadLink-Smart-Home-for-EU/dp/B07G11JJSF
Hi Paul. My local cable company just switched out my modem and now my broadlink RM Pro will not connect. Same passwords and 2.4 G any help would be much appreciated. Thank you
Hello Paul
I have tried to follow your video in order to make alexa control a lamp using broadlink rm pro. The lamp has a remote contolled socket. I tried to use the ihc television control however for some reason it is not learning the on/off buttons. Do you have an idea of what could be the problem? The ihc app learns the on and off as a user defined switch but not as a lamp or television.
Thanks for the help.
Ann Marie
Hi Ann Marie -- try the version of the app I mention in my comment above.
Do you think this could work a retractable deck awning with RF remote?
tinking of buying a Broadlink rm pro, works mostly with alexa and google home now right ? since this video was posted a year ago
i meant Broadlink has decent skills for google home and alexa as of today ?
Domoticz and Controlicz skill do the same, for no extra money for broadlink. Couple of bucks for RFLink.
Will you post a video when this is working in UK and with other commands such as on/off plug sockets.
+James Manley I shall :)
06/03/2020 , And still no easy way to turn devices on and off if they require ON and OFF buttons with ON and OFF commands via Alexa. :/ I think you need to talk to them Paul. :-)
Hi Paul, does the Broadlink Alexa skill also work with only an RM Mini or does one need the RM Pro for that? Love your channel by the way :)
Thanks Ben! This method will work with the mini :)
Awesome! Thanks for your response!
HiYa Paul
Fantastic videos. Watched them all multiple times from beginning to end in hope that I could possibly get my RM Pro+ to talk to Alexa - you made it all look so easy in your videos.
The PROBLEM is that you have NOT mentioned in any of your videos that BroadLink have GEO BLOCKED the RM series from linking to Alexa :(
After battling for two months I decided to contact BroadLink to ask them if I AM actually a stupid person and did NOT deserve the rights to be part of the human race...
Alas... BroadLink told me and confirmed that I do NOT deserve to be part of the human race because I live in New Zealand!
So, for your "down-under" and third-world followers, this is a warning that BroadLink do NOT support New Zealand and Australia with Alexa.
Hi Paul,
I have been using rm plugin with the broadlink pro and wanted to try ihc. I followed your video to get the broadlink skill onto my Alexa (uk). The skill showed up ok and I could see the TV I had added. However when I set my location back to the UK and changed my devices and shared prime account back to the UK, I lost the skill. Is this normal, I thought it would stay aligned to my Alexa account?
Sadly so. The UK and US locations are both separate profiles. Come help me give Broadlink a kicking here... twitter.com/hibberthometech/status/938389864176865282?s=19
thanks for the video. Does your setup have one RF signal that controls all the switches at the same time? Or are you using a scene to turn on each individual device?
Hi mate, In this room it is one RF signal to control all devices. In my living room I have multiple lights that are controlled independently but are also part of a group in Alexa called "Living room devices" so that I can choose to do either :)
Great work again, Paul! I hope Broadlink will soon offer a German app, too.
By the way, are there any (maybe better or cheaper) alternatives to the Broadlink device that also work with RF? I think the Logitech Harmony Hub (which is much more expensive, of course) is not better, right? But maybe there is sth. else available...?
What about controlling a Raspberry Pi directly with Alexa (or with an IR eye via Broadlink) to send commands to any device in the LAN instead of just using the IR/RF devices? I know that there are many ways of controlling devices via IFTTT, but for me it did not work so far and I don't like the idea of opening my LAN and home to the WWW, anyway.
I've been asked to do a tutorial on home assistant but as long as I have a full time job it's difficult to stick to a video a week and investigate it simultaneously.
Have a look at home assistant though and specifically the RF aspect of it linked below, it may serve your purpose!...
home-assistant.io/components/switch.rpi_rf/
So I hope you will manage to live just from your TH-cam earnings soon, as mentioned in one of your first videos! ;-) Your tutorials are often much more comprehensive than the ones offered in my mother tongue - and more interesting and funny, definitely! Thank you for the link! I had a look at it but I am afraid that this is going to become too complicated for people like me who usually just use technology right out of the box and usually need people like you to explain the more challenging issues. ;-) I think, I will give the Broadlink a try, first. Based on the information offered in your video, this seems to work easily and fulfills at least most of my technical wishes for now. Again, thanks a lot and stick to your dream!
+Matthias Schlosser those are some very kind words my friend. Thank you!
The Broadlink rm pro is a fantastic device, I hope Broadlink sort their software out soon.
Fingers crossed if I keep at it I'll make a living out of it eventually!
Finally understand how ihc worked thanks man
+FuNkysara Nil any time dude! 😀
I’m using this and same method. I’m a bit miffed as to why 99% of the channels you can add are in Chinese. On the Broadlink ad they aren’t in chinese
Hi. Why won't my Broadlink Pro not turn off my ac unit using ihc? Is there a way to set up all the buttons from my ac remote in the ihc app? There also appears to be no way to delete the OFF button! Who writes these apps?
Paul,
I've followed your very cool alexa series and was inspired enough to get an alexa and R M pro to play around. Unfortunately it look like your officiial alexa skill US swap work around no longer functions the way you hoped as Amazon appear to ahve twigged onto it. Basically, when I swap to the US to dowwnlaod and install the Broadlink skill - it gets registered to my Alexa as a RM Pro skill(US) . When I swap back to the UK amazon - the amazon app seems to eb able to recognise that the skill is US based and magically "forgets" it - the app ignores the RM PRO and Alexa can't find any of my devices!!
SO... what now?? Stuck in limbo until Amazon fall out of love with Logitech Harmony? How long's that going to be ?
;-(
:-(
Hi Paul,
I have an echo dot but am thinking of getting Google's new 'Google Home Mini' to replace it. Would I still be able to use the RM pro and the tasker plugin the same way to control my devices with it?
Hi George, I don't own any Google home products, but I know that it's possible. This will sound complicated, but it's actually reasonably straight forward if you watch my video which I'll link at the end of this comment...
Google home can trigger IFTTT with any trigger words you choose, IFTTT can then send a HTTP request using their Webhooks channel across the net to your router. You would then need to set up port forwarding on the router to send the request to an Android device with the RM plugin installed on it, and you would need to configure the RM plugin to respond to HTTP requests to trigger your lights.
You can see how to set up IFTTT, port forwarding, and the RM plugin on my home alarm series here: th-cam.com/video/hYn8Tp65tJg/w-d-xo.html :)
Hi Paul, great job first of all, it was by following your videos for months before I’ve got my own rm pro/Alexa set up running at my condo, but I’m baffled and need your help. I’ve already set up an rm pro 2 + android device (with rm tasker plugin) + Amazon echo. It works well, all devices I’ve set up have been responding to the voice commands I’ve inputted. The problem now is that the echo will, from time to time, lose connection with these devices that are linked with the tasker plugin (curiously it doesn’t do that with my Phillips hue devices). So please let me know what to do? It’s very annoying that it sometimes can not connect. Should I set up a static ip for the android device? How do I keep and maintain this connection to be constant? Please help, thanks!
Hey man, thank you for the kind words :) The static IP thing is a smart move, I've heard that has helped others. The other cause of this issue other than network connectivity issues is the android device might be cutting off the wifi to save battery even though it's plugged in. If you can;t solve this with the power settings on the android then there are apps that will keep WIFI alive, oddly enough a search returns an app called "Wifi keep alive" :P
I'd give that a go first as it's easy to install and use.
Hope that helps!
-P
Hi Paul, have you seen home assistant?
+Kim Lindblom I've heard of it but have no experience with it. It looks complicated.
Do you use it? If so what do you use it for?
I can vouch for Home Assistant. Took a while to workout how to hook up my rm pro 2... Now that I know all the steps, i'd say it would take
Unable to add device to Alexa.. It's telling no device found.. Followed all steps.. Do we need to press reset button again in broadlink rmpro while discovering devices in the Alexa?
Can you turn on a PlayStation 4 with this? or only a Xbox? and how do I know if is going to work with my projector remote?
Hi Paul. I am using this technique with infrared sockets and have a separate 'TV' in ihc to control each of them using the on/off and mute buttons. I have grouped them all in the Alexa app and they all turn on when I say 'turn on (group)'. However, saying 'mute (group)' doesn't turn them off. One of the devices within the group is my PC, which can be turned off/on with one infrared signal if this changes anything. What do you think needs to be said for them all to turn off.
Thanks for your time.
Sorry for the delay. Sadly (to my knowledge) Alexa won't understand how to mute a group as she hasn't been created to mute multiple devices at once. I suppose this is a limitation of this workaround. Someone said the other day that he reckons the lamps now work, but I've not tried it myself and he may have been confusing the "lamps working through the app" with the "lamps working through Alexa". Might be worth a try!
Failing that, check out this video for an alternative solution: th-cam.com/video/DJIhEyMQ0TI/w-d-xo.html
Whats is he diference in broadlink smart home skill nd broadlink remote home skill
Paul, is it worthwhile moving away from the RM Plugin to this setup? Im assuming you no longer need any android device sitting between the two? I currently use an old android tv box for the RM Plugin but i have noticed of late it can take more than 1 attempt to execute on occasion. Just wondering if i should make the jump. Your input greatly values. Thx
+Clint Irvine hi Clint! I wrote this the other day which should hopefully answer your question! Let me know if not though... www.paulhibbert.co.uk/2017/11/24/a-complete-guide-to-connecting-the-broadlink-rm-pro-and-broadlink-blackbean-to-alexa/
Paul Hibbert cheers and thanks mate! Suspect I will stick with RM plugin until my old android box kicks the bucket.
I have two eco's one working and discoved the devices . the other nothing... ?I cant use two ecos with the RM bridge ?
Maybe I'm being thick, but why can't Broadlink add a universal control "shell" with a bunch of generic buttons like on/off, up/down, faster/slower, brighter/dimmer, volume up/down to it and then add those commands to Alexas command dictionary? The I could create a remote for example named "Extractor" and add buttons like on/off/faster/slower to it then say "Alexa extractor on" or "Alexa extractor faster"...
Hi Paul
I bought the Broadlink Rm pro+ could I link it to my Alexa and if it's possible what I have to do to link it. I like your channel a lot.
Watch thos video again he mentioned how to do it
Paul, I’m trying to control my ceiling fan/light with my rm pro. I can’t get the rm pro to learn the rf codes from the ceiling fan remote. I’ve tried 2 different manufacturers of ceiling fan remotes. Can you offer any help? Thanks!
Hi Ron -- try the version of the app I mention in my comment above.
Hi Paul, is there any way to configure a RF remote on this buttons. IR workd fine but RF dont :\
Same issue here ... only user defined device allows me to scan frequency, which doesn't show up in Alexa skill per your video
Hi Jason/Jose -- the newer versions of the app are patched to prevent this. Try this version: drive.google.com/file/d/1c1hb1DeNm0yOoS5g8pNMDTA9EqP2Qrak/view?usp=sharing
I'm having the same problem, only User Defined allows me to scan for RF - Lamp and TV both don't recognize RF, and User Defined does not get detected by Alexa. How do I install that version .apk file into my RM Pros? Your help is very appreciated!
I got RF working!! Well a workaround at least. Setup your RF commands in IHC and then set up each command (or commands) in a scene. Alexa will recognise and ‘play’ any scene :)
Hey Miguel, that's awesome! What remote are you selecting to set your RF commands up with in IHC? Is it 'User Defined' ? If you can provide any steps that would be amazing!
Hi Paul, love the channel. Not sure if they have patched IHC but unable to program RF in IHC now, only IR.
I bloody hope not! That will be the last straw between me and Broadlink!!
Did you get it working? I've not had a problem!
Hi Paul -- it's true. The latest version will only take an IR input for learning a "Televsion". But you can still download this version that allows it: drive.google.com/file/d/1c1hb1DeNm0yOoS5g8pNMDTA9EqP2Qrak/view?usp=sharing
rmarghi I'm saving that on my phone disabling auto update and install that version when I get an RF Device
+Eryk TV I have this problem but only as of last night. I wonder what else is going on? I've chased broadlink down but I'm not getting any sensible answers.
Hi Paul, Is there any way that you can preserve all your remote settings once you changed the password of your wifi after successfully connected it into the previous wifi password? Right now I'm using the ihc app and use the skills for my Alexa using a Broadlink RM pro and broadlink rm mini in my room. I want to change my ssid and password in my wifi but i don't want to delete or remove all the profile in my ihc using broadlink. CAn you help me ? thanks
+james see hi mate, changing your wifi shouldn't affect IHC as far as I know. You'll just need to tell IHC to connect to the new WiFi network and everything should work as before M
Hey Paul. After spending hours setting this up on my old Xoom tablet, it’s actually died...
So I wonder if you can help me?
I have an old Android phone that I can use but is there a way of transferring the Alexa Bridge Skills on the RM plugin or do I have to start from scratch???
Hey dude, if the RM plugin is still working on the old box then you can go into the settings and share everything across the network. If the old box is totally broken then the commands will have gone with it :(
Paul Hibbert
Cheers Paul...yep unfortunately the old Xoom Tablet is completely dead so had to start all over again with a new (old) Samsung Galaxy android phone!
Lesson learnt! Gonna get a backup cheap android and copy commands to that so if it happens again, I’ll at least have a backup...
Hi Paul,
I just purchased one of these without realising it doesn't actually work with Alexa, as advertised on Amazon. Two quick questions if I may.
1. Can i manage multiple devices of the same type eg. More than one Samsung TV in different rooms?
2. What is the current method of interfacing with Alexa?
Regards,
Steve.
You can easily manage more than one device. It's the separate room thing that will be a problem. If your devices are RF, no problem. Unfortunately though infra rad (which most TV remotes are) doesn't go through walls so that will be a problem. However, Broadlink also do a device called an RM Mini 3 which does the same thing but doesn't have the RF functionality (which you don't need as RF goes through walls and you can therefore use your RM Pro). You can control both an RM Mini 3 and an RM Pro through the same app. The Mini is a little cheaper than the RM Pro, retailing at about £20.
Many thanks for taking the time to reply Mike Guest I appreciate it.
NP. I just noticed your second question. The current method is by using an android app called 'RM Tasker plug-in' - the lite version works for me but some others have had issues and had to go with the full app. You don't need to use tasker, just the app, which has an option to work as an alxea bridge. Paul Hibbert has an earlier video that demonstrates that method too th-cam.com/video/DJIhEyMQ0TI/w-d-xo.html
Thank you again. I had a look at RM Tasker but realised I needed a 'spare always In Situ' device to run it on. I have just this evening started looking at Hass.io to run on one of my Raspberry PI's. I think I am starting to see how it all works. Cheers Mike.
unfortunately i follow your advice but my aircondition still does not opens or closes
What are alexa commands list for broadlink RM2
I tried doing the reset pin thing, but it won't add my network.
Is Broadlink dependent upon an Internet connection. Meaning if your ISP goes down does your Broadlink Rm Pro become a boat anchor until service is restored?
+HMJ hey mate, the Broadlink will respond to your mobile on your internal network, so no. But... Alexa is dependent in an Internet connection!
Hi Paul, great vids. I am very new to all this echo and broadlink stuff. That new that my echo hasn't been delivered yet lol. I have hue lights and bridge already.
I would love to have alexa control my TV and sky, in your opinion should I just get the black bean.
+MrKdl1969 hey, yep. Blackbean is my recommendation. Though if you have an old phone with an infrared sender on it then I'll have another solution for you this weekend! :)
Paul Hibbert thanks I will keep my eye out. I have a poor quality kocaso tablet, I will check if it has infrared sender. I don't use it anymore, was this thinking of putting everything for smart home and echo on that, then maybe use it as a touch screen, like your other video. My dot should be here today yeah.
I will when buying from Amazon, look through your links first. Thanks
+MrKdl1969 thanks mate 😀 if it has an IR sender then it could be a double whammy!
Paul Hibbert no luck, no Ir, sender. So not sure of next step.
+MrKdl1969 shame. Best bet is what cheer you can find cheapest then. Either the blackbean or an old phone with an IR blaster on it such as the galaxy s5. The phone option obviously gives you the added bonus of doubling as a touch screen remote.
my echo dot will not find new devices im using a broadlink blackbean the Econtrol app still control my devices with my android it was finding my devices now it scan and find nothing any suggestions
Nice man thanks....
+Hayman Aliabdala 😃
Hi Paul, I have the Google home, can i make the rm pro functionality to work with GH instead of alexa?
+ProkashRoy there is a way, but it's not easy!
You would use ifttt to send a http request using the webhooks channel to your routers external IP. You would set up port forwarding on the router to send all requests on that port number to an android device. On the android device you would install the RM plugin from the play store and enable the http server and the https server in turn would respond to send the request to the RM pro.
If you look up my home alarm series there's a walk through for getting ifttt to send to the RM plugin.
Hope that helps.
-P
I have irobot wireless command center which controls roomba 780 over RF. I was trying to map that to broadlink RM Pro so that I can control it via Alexa. But broadlink is not able to learn the frequency. Do you have any idea why?
HI, I recommend that you do it by IR commands, I leave a link. community.home-assistant.io/t/irobot-roomba/6288/9
How can I introduce the Broadlink S1C alarm kit to alexa dot 2
I have RM Pro+ and managed to do the television trick on all my IR devices with Alexa..but seems I have to name everything with Television on front ie television aircon etc..now what I can’t get to work is my RF controlled light switch. The trick doesn’t seem to relearn RF signal using tv remote..can u pls help me
Bren Dela Cruz hi, same issue here. Any solution?
Hi Paul, just got an rm Pro 3 to control a few things, successfully learned some RF plugs and ir signals. The main reason I replaced my harmony hub with it was to control my projector screen (433.92mhz) but it fails to learn the code every time, any ides please?
If it's learning other signals successfully then unfortunately the most likely scenario is that the Projector screen is working on a rolling code basis to intentionally stop 3rd party remotes. The only other possibility I can think of is if you're in the US. The US version of the RM pro can only learn 315Mhz frequencies because of the laws over there. Loads of projector screens are imported, and technically a 433Mhz projector screen breaks the law in the US every time the remote is pressed :P
It's the same if you use a 315Mhz projector screen in the UK as our laws are the other way around and don't allow the public to use the 315Mhz frequency!
Paul Hibbert thanks for the prompt reply, yeah I'm in UK. I've ordered a velleman mk161 to work around the problem. The other issue I'm having is that alexa won't discover rm Pro, ihc signed in and linked to alexa with the same Facebook account
Paul!! They took a way sort order in the app. I got it working now but I also have a projector and now I have to say "Alexa, mute my projector" then "Alexa, mute my projector" and it turns off...! They moved the multi button press to scenes but the only scenes that show up in skills are smart home scenes, not the remote control scenes... AHHHH!!!
And!! In routines the only thing allowed to to is turn it on... Really?? I had some fantastic ideas but now they are not possible... ugh...
Anything you want to turn on put in a scene, out the off command in a separate scene.
Alexa will discover both scenes. Then create 2 routines in Alexa call one "turn the Projector on" and the other "turn the projector off". Point the on routine alt the on scene and the off routine at th off scene. Voila!
I am in the middle of making a video tutorial about exactly this!
Thanks,
-P
Alexa keeps telling me "xxx isn't responding"... why?
Hei Paul, can you help me?
I'm having trouble creating scenes on the IHC.
When trying to insert TC2 3 Gang command, the options appear in Chinese and none of them Turn on switches 1 and 2.
How should I do it?
Thanks
Hello mate, are you in the EU, or another country?
Brazil, my friend.
Can you email me some screenshots to paul@paulhibbert.co.uk?
Thank you Paul. I sent you the email.
Hi Paul, you good? Did you read my email? Thank you for your help.
Afternoon Paul, hopfully you can answer this: I am looking to purchase a Black Bean3, do you know if this can link to Smart plugs without a remote? Looking at purchasing 3 Energenie Smart plugs, without the Smart hub?
Also do you think it would be possible to configure a cheap kettles on off switch?
+Daniel Denham-Trew hey dude, the blackbean came only control IR not RF. You'll need an RM pro to control RF plugs. Emergence plugs normally come with a remote. Do you have a link to the product?
www.amazon.co.uk/Alexa-compatible-Smart-Plugs-add/dp/B00V52HTJC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511536483&sr=8-3&keywords=energenie
waiting for your next upload!!!!!
hi Paul
I setup ok, now i can turn on/off TV by alexa and broadlink skill. But i can not turn up volumn TV by say : "alexa turn up volumn on the TV"
Can you help me.
+Thái Vũ BK sounds like you've done everything right. Perhaps it is the command you are giving. Try saying "television" instead if "TV". See if that helps :)
Alright Paul I'm stuck. I can't get the blinds to work because IHC app will only scan for RF when using the User Defined device. When I try faking it as a TV or a Lamp, it doesn't scan for RF. And User Defined isn't recognized by alexa (what a pity!). I tried downloading the e-control app, which I am then able to fake TV remote and learn RF for my blinds, but the TV remote wont get discovered by alexa! What a conundrum. Is there an e-control skill I don't know about for alexa? I'm totally stuck. Best case scenario would be able to use IHC, I saw someone post in one of your comments section about using older version .apk file, which I've downloaded but I have no idea how to get the .apk onto my RM pro. Any help is appreciated brudda
Have you found a solution for your problem. I have the same one. I am hoping in 4 months you have found one
I'm guessing this won't work with one of my ceiling fans because rolling codes. Can you get alexa to use number pad somehow, it seems odd to tell alexa to rewind the ceiling fan... Do you have any experience with rm pro with serial numbers starting with rm09. It wouldn't learn rf at all until I manually flashed a different firmware.
+joe schneider hey man. You might be right about the rolling codes. Could also be that it's on a different range (433mhz versus 315mhz) if it controls everything else then it will be one of those two reasons.
No way to control a number pad as far as I know.
Check out the tutorial on using custom phrases, you would be able to use a different phrase other than rewind.
All rm pros are the same. Mine is 8 years old and still controls everything. The only ones that don't are fakes.
Hope that helps.
-P
i was told the new rm pro has 315mhz disabled for compliance with some country's. even broadlinks website shows only 433mhz now. i wasn't sure if the limitation was hardware or software at first, but after flashing firmware from the older model, it works. before flashing, when i would try to learn RF codes the yellow light came on, the app would fail to scan frequency, but the yellow light stayed on till i unplugged it. while the yellow light was on it would not respond. this new one also doesn't get recognized by rm voice or rm tasker unless you change firmware. there seem to be a decent number of people with the same problems, acording to forums some firmware supports rolling codes, some support 315mhz. i bought 2, the first is still on stock firmware and says v20025, the other says v20028. there is a lot of confusion and little to no support. the developer of RM bridge also says he cant get the new ones to work with RM bridge until broadlink releases there API
i managed to learn the remote for the living room ceiling fan in RM voice , but ihc still cant get it.
thanks for the tip on routines, can you set commands to work on one echo but not another. so saying illuminate in living room turns living room lights on, but saying illuminate in the bedroom turns on bedroom lights.
i wish i could get the old ones that just work, as far as being a fake, this is the link i used: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742CXGHY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
In the process now of making my alexa turn on/off back/forward valume up/done ect on nvidia !!!
Hi
How to use ấp a to play pause next.... TH-cam on smartbox tv.
Thank you very much