Echo Dot in a Gen 4 Prius

[RWaggers]

Just on the off-chance, is anyone using an Echo Dot in their Prius?

I'm having problems connecting the Dot via bluetooth to the Touch 2 with Go.  I set the car into discovery mode and the Alexa app can see it.  However, the Dot fails to pait.

I already have two phones paired to the car and I'm wondering if ther's a limit to the number of devices that can be paired to the Touch 2.

I wonder if anyone has connected an Echo device via bluetooth?

 

[TheProfessor]

Use a 3.5mm headphone to headphone lead and plug it into the Aux socket. You can power the Echo via the USB socket.

An alternative, if you have an Android phone, is to install the Alexa app on your phone and connect your phone to the car via BT. When you long press the voice command button on your steering wheel, it'll pop up on your phone which assistant (i.e. Google Home or Alexa) you want to use for that action. If you select Alexa, you can then use your phone as an Echo instead. Although I've not tested this setup with anything over than asking it questions, so can't confirm it'll steam music for hours etc.

[RWaggers]

Thanks Prof, you are a star! 

I have a Business Edition Plus so there is no voice control in the car and I had no idea that the voice command button had such a function.

However, after testing it today it works just as you said it would!  I can now happily launch Google Home or Alexa.

If I default the phone to Google Home I can stream music without issue.  However, if I default to Alexa the music (at least from BBC Sounds) will not stream.  Still, that's a 'Googling task' for another day. 

[RWaggers]

When I forst read TheProfessor answer, above, the command button on the steering wheel launched Alexa on my phone.  Since then, I've done a factory reset on my phone and, although, Alexa is installed as the default voice assistant on my phone, the steering wheel button press insists on launching Google.  Long pressing the home button on the phone launches Alexa..

Does anone know how to tell the car to launch a different voice assistant?  My phone is a SamsungGalaxy S9 running Android 9.

[Heidfirst]

13 hours ago, RWaggers said:

Does anone know how to tell the car to launch a different voice assistant?  My phone is a SamsungGalaxy S9 running Android 9.

when you do the long press does a screen not come up on your phone asking to choose between Alexa & Google (& for single use or always)? If not perhaps you have previously set it to alwayd use Google in that situation?

[RWaggers]

2 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

when you do the long press does a screen not come up on your phone asking to choose between Alexa & Google (& for single use or always)? If not perhaps you have previously set it to alwayd use Google in that situation?

The first time I 'long-pressed' it went straight into Google - There wasn't an option to choose.

Long-pressing the home button on the phone will select whichever is the default voice assistant (currently Alexa), so I'm trying to figure out what is controlling the command from the steering wheel - the car or the phone.  

[Heidfirst]

The car will be sending the request/signal to the phone but the phone will be doing the interpreting as neither Google or Alexa are installed in the car so how could it choose? I have never selected the default on my phone so whenever I long press (although not a function I really use) I always get the screen asking to select which.

[RWaggers]

On 5/2/2019 at 7:30 AM, Heidfirst said:

Does anyone know how to tell the car to launch a different voice assistant?  My phone is a Samsung Galaxy S9 running Android 9.

Just in case anyone else is looking for the answer.....

On my phone I went into settings -> apps and disabled 'Google'.  I then long-pressed the Voice Command button on the steering wheel and the phone asked me which voice assistant I wanted together with the option of 'just once' or 'always'.  I chose Bixby and 'just once'.  

I then re-enabled Google in the phones apps and next time I pressed the voice command on the steering wheel I had a choice of all the assistants.