Echo Show 15 and Wyze Devices

[R.Good]

I got my Echo show 15 today… I am creating this thread to share my experience using this device with my Wyze EcoSystem. Which consists of pretty much everything Wyze offers. (The only items I do not possess is the Wyze Sprinkler and Wyze Cordless Vacuum) and of course a number of the new items still on pre-order, but they will be coming.

While there are other features with this device my discussion here will solely be focused on it’s interaction with Wyze devices.

Obviously this will be ongoing but… I just took it out of the box and ran it through initial setup and wanted to share a few quick picks… more to come, but should you find yourself curious about the Echo Show 15 and how it works with Wyze please don’t hesitate to ask or join the conversation.

A few quick pics of viewing a Wyze V3 camera on the Echo Show 15. Kinda cool that it opens picture in picture and you can expand to full screen.

[Lugh]

The Alexa app has started showing one of my switches as alight bulb. The other two still show as switches. It did originally show up as a switch. I noticed it a couple of days ago, but not sure when it started… It’s not that big of a deal, I guess. It does still respond to its name, so that’s what matters.

Just curious if anyone else’s devices have experienced this sudden device identity crisis in Alexa?

[R.Good]

Not seeing this with any of my switches. I have installed 3 Wyze switches to date (installed within the last week). They all show in my Alexa app as switches. You could try removing and rediscovering if the cleanliness gets to you like it would me. But yea, if it responds by name NBD,

[spamoni]

For the plugs, and maybe the switch, you can go into Alexa, select the device and set it to Bulb or Plug. I wonder if there is a similar one for the switch which got changed.

[Lugh]

I can change the type, either ‘light’ or back to switch. I never knew that! What is the advantage of calling it a light instead of a switch, I wonder?

[carverofchoice]

That is pretty cool. Where in your house are you mounting it again?
Will you be trying to have it automatically load your Video Doorbell when someone is present? I’d probably be interested in trying that.

These could be cool to have in main areas of the house.

[spamoni]

Not sure what the advantage is, maybe features. I am sure you can dim a bulb but not a switch. Maybe that is the difference.

Would be interested to know why.

[R.Good]

Main Hallway near the Kitchen/Living area as you can see quite the distance from my Front Door.
I also have an echo show on the Kitchen counter for other things. The primary purpose of this device is to keep 8 peoples schedules at our finger tips and be sort of our “Smart” Home hub. Oh and to cover a big hole where the old intercom head unit was…

[spamoni]

Remember, if you want it to show the doorbell camera, you will need to do the Custom “Alexa, Show …” Command when doorbell rings or a person is seen. Then to turn it off, do the same trigger when a person or doorbell rings and the custom command of “Alexa, go home” but trigger this action x minutes after the trigger activates.

I use this all the time.

Curious on one other thing, I would expect it to be the same, but is the Doorbell view on it side as well?

[Lugh]

I had to immediately check - not for the switch, it’s on outdoor floods - but that would have been a useful advantage for the plug that controls a vintage torchiere. Unfortunately no, though. Bummer. The only benefit I can think of is just organizational access. To keep from having to go into two+ categories to turn on/off lights. Maybe organizational reasons could be beneficial for situations where others who aren’t familiar are accessing devices, for example with @R.Good’s giant Alexas. Like, some wanting to extinguish my torchiere would instinctively look under ‘Lights’ instead of ‘Plugs’.

[spamoni]

I was reading an Article, it sort of implied that this was done to make it easier when you want to say a keyword. For example, if you have a plug with lamps in it and want to turn all lights off, set the device to the type light and then you can say Alexa, turn off the lights. You then don’t have to say Alexa, turn off the plugs.

So basically it was to simplify things. At least that is what a post said.

[Lugh]

That does make sense. I have the lamp with the plug grouped other lamps with smart bulbs and call the group ‘den lights’, so that’s what I say anyway. But, it does explain one thing… When mother visits, she’s stays in a little apartment we have for her. I named her living area ‘living room’. She never remembers the room name or names of individual lights. So she just tells Alexa to turn off the lights, and all the lamps go out throughout. The house would be plunged into darkness if not for the lamp with the plug.

[spamoni]

Thats too funny. I was experiencing that until I setup a Dot in a specific room and then associated the room with that dot. Now when I say lights off, only that rooms lights go off.

I have yet to find a consolidated list of what all the Alexa features and what they mean. I am always stumbling into a feature I did not know existed.

[Lugh]

Huh, I do have the lights (and Fire tv device) associated with the dot in that room. I’ll have to see exactly what command she’s giving next time. I know when the command isn’t clear to Alexa, it’ll ask a question to clarify. Must be that Alexa is asking about all lights everywhere. Who knows.

[R.Good]

So. A little poking around in the Echo Show 15 today and I am not impressed with the Smart Home panel thus far. I am hopeful that because this is a new device recently just announced and just now available there will be updates
Navigation to your Wyze Devices
You can only view devices in a single row, not using all glorious 15 inches of Touch Screen.

You can filter by type of device (Camera, Switch, Plug, etc) and by Groups you have setup in Alexa, but are still presented with a single icon row, Making it a little painful to pull up your Wyze Alexa integrated devices on screen… Of course you always have voice commands not requiring touch. The presentation on the earlier Echo Show Devices on the Device Dashboard is much better in my opinion.

Camera access
Like the other Echo/Alexa Devices the WCO, VDB, or any camera added to the Wyze car are not supported in a “Live-view”. I cannot validate a V1 Wyze camera, I do not have any.

Wyze Cameras pulled up via touch or voice command on Average in about 10 seconds with the waiting for Wyze screen. A few times they did launch in about 2/3 seconds

Person Detection with the Video DoorBell.
I did create the below routine to have the Echo Show 15 show me who is at the Door using the VDB and it would never work. Since the VDB is in my list of Camera devices I just asked Alexa to show it to me and that failed as well after trying to launch teh camera 3 times it just went back to the home screen. Upon further inspection I found that the Echo Show 15 does not even recognize the VDB as a device even though it is in my Alexa list of devices… So no VDB view at this time @carverofchoice .

I also tried just a routine on a V3 I have at my front door so that when a Person is detected or the doorbell is pushed show the V3 camera on the Echo Show 15 and that worked as expected. The video launched. So for now just the VDB seems to not be compatible with the ES15 (new acronym for ya, lol).

Wyze Plugs (V1 only)
They turn on and off with the touch screen

Wyze Bulbs (V1 White, V2 White, and Wyze Color Bulbs)
I was able to Turn them on and off and Adjust brightness only from the Panel. All other features require voice command such as change Color or Tone.

Wyze Light Strips (Standard and Pro)
I was able to Turn them on and off and Adjust brightness only from the Panel. All other features require voice command such as change Color or Tone.

Wyze Thermostats
I was able to pull these up on the panel and adjust the temp

Wyze Robot Vacuum
While this is in beta, you can at least launch it from the Alexa app to just clean… It does not even show as a smart device on the Echo Show 15.

That’s what I’ve got for now. Again, this will be ongoing… maybe to help you determine if you want one or not to use with you Wyze devices. If you have any question please ask. I will be happy to test requests.

[Lugh]

Thanks so much for taking time to give us this review. I too can’t believe the equipment cards aren’t more elegantly displayed. I’m with you, hopefully that is something Amazon is working on.

I think a smaller version of that might work well for my mom. I may have questions in future.

[Sam_Bam]

It easy to group plugs then add them to a group and turn all on or off at the same time. Lights don’t always work like that. Of course, its because lights/bulbs vary so much with different color or brightness controls. But plugs are generally on/off.

I’ve grouped plugs together that control non-wifi lights, then use a single Alexa command to turn the group on or off without a routine.

[Garretsdaddio]

Sometimes Alexa will even ask if a plug is connected to a light after using it for a few days. It will then act like a light in routines. “Alexa goodnight” tells me the weather, schedule for the next day and shuts off all lights in the room including plugs set as lights. “Turn off/on all lights” adjust light all over the house. “Turn off/on x-room lights” control all lights and labeled plugs in a specific room.

You can group lights together for on/off but adjust them separately for color and brightness. They all go on and off back to the original setting. I have my outdoor lights half set as green/red flash and the others set to red/green. As a group they turn on at the same time and they flash back in forth in sync. I even have a “popo” mode that is blue and red for when the kid comes home late to let him know that he is in trouble.

[willitwork]

How did you get the varius cameras to show on the screen?

[R.Good]

By asking Alexa/ziggy to display them by name or selecting them from the device tile.