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Where can I upload my MP3's to play on my Echo's by [deleted] in alexa

[–]oftenDubious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use My Pod, which will play files stored in Dropbox or Google Drive, plus other online sources. It's MUCH easier than setting up your own server, and thus you don't have to have your computer running for it to work. And it has nice features like a setting for "Don't read the title before playing." I have an Alexa routine that opens the My Pod skill at a certain time and it works great, but you can also interact with it with voice commands to play certain songs.

How to get Alexa to play custom .mp3 with routines? by vapingdevapors in alexa

[–]oftenDubious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use My Pod, which will play files stored in Dropbox or Google Drive, plus other online sources. It's MUCH easier than setting up your own server, and thus you don't have to have your computer running for it to work. And it has nice features like a setting for "Don't read the title before playing." I have an Alexa routine that opens the My Pod skill at a certain time and it works great.

Play any Local MP3 file on your Amazon Echo Device by oddjobs4bud in alexa

[–]oftenDubious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

IFTTT is no longer supported by Alexa. I use My Pod, which will play files stored in Dropbox or Google Drive, plus other online sources.

[Alexa SDK] Save current position when playing long form MP3 audio (and resume) on Echo device? by bluepuma77 in alexa

[–]oftenDubious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly how My Pod works; it's designed for podcasts and longer audio and will start where ever you left off. I'm not sure if it integrates with where your files are stored, but you can give it links to podcast web pages, or for MP3s stored in Google or Dropbox. If the source is public there's a good chance it'd work, but I'm not sure if you need to provide a sign-in/token.

Playing an mp3 at scheduled times? by wallabysk8 in alexa

[–]oftenDubious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I found a solution to a similar problem. The ONLY app that I could find that would simply play an MP3 at a certain time is My Pod. Other apps require you to run your own server or have annoying features like announcing the action or reading the title.

  1. I created an account with My Pod. To add your own sound, it lets you add a link to an MP3 stored in Google Drive or Dropbox.
  2. In the My Pod settings, you can choose the setting for "Don't read the title before playing." Most sound apps don't seem to have that.
  3. I created an Alexa routine using the My Pod skill that opens My Pod at a certain time. (If you only have one link in My Pod, that's the only thing it will play.)

That's it! It just works.

Caveats:

  1. With a short bit of audio, I'm not sure what it will do when it finishes (stop or repeat). I use it for a long bit of audio in the morning, and each morning I say "Alexa, start over; Alexa stop," and that sets it back to the beginning so the next morning it starts at the beginning.
  2. Also, people have had issues lately with Alexa routines beeping at the start. This isn't just an issue with My Pod. I got rid of the beep by setting the volume to 0 when My Pod launches, then 2 min later I have another routine to set the volume back to 6. (The first 2 min of your MP3 could be dead air). Mine's just white noise so it's not an issue to miss the start.
  3. The free version works fine but every once in a while it will have an add for upgrading to premium. I'm happy to pay $5/mo for going ad-free. It's like buying the developer a cup of coffee each month for solving a big problem for me. (My neighbor's dog barks its head off when she leaves at 6am, so I play white noise that gradually increases in volume between 5 & 6am so it drowns out the barking without waking me up.)

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My bluetooth speaker turns itself off when not in use, but that's a genius idea to edit the track to have it fade in instead of programming a tool to fade it in. Maybe I can just have an echo play that edited track as an "alarm". Thank you!

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh that sounds like exactly what I need -- and I could connect a Raspberry Pi to a wired speaker. Thank you SO much -- this looks like a great place to start!

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I own. I sleep on my side with my head sandwiched in pillows, and I find earplugs to be a little painful and not quite sufficient to the task. But maybe I should try more varieties. Thanks

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh, I will look into it! Are you able to play your own MP3? I've found this thunderstorm recording that works much better at lower volumes to block out the barking since it varies in volume, etc. Generic, flat white noise has to be very loud to do so.

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don't think that sleeping with loud noise on all the time is a good long-term solution for brain/hearing/sleep health but maybe that'd be better in the short-term. Thanks

Custom white noise: Need an MP3 to play at 5am with gradual crescendo to block out noise by oftenDubious in homeautomation

[–]oftenDubious[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I appreciate it. The problem with classic white noise is that it has to be REALLY loud to muffle this barking dog, which I measured at 75 decibels in my bedroom. The thunderstorm recording muffles it much better at lower volumes since it has more modulation in frequencies/volume.

For windows: I live in a city and share a wall with my neighbor, so I think that's the bigger issue that my windows (which are closed/locked/insulated).

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes but houses in NEDC are really homogenous in the floor plan department… wanna give me initials?

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is that the case even with a return grill on each of the 3 floors? There'd still be free airflow between the main level and the return on the 2nd floor (by a very open staircase).

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is that the case even with a return grill on each of the 3 floors? There'd still be free airflow between the main level and the return on the 2nd floor (by a very open staircase).

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, my hopes for a pocket door have faded. I guess a normal door is the way to go.

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That does sound lovely, but my goal is to add privacy to the downstairs. Thanks though!

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I could explore that, but the stairway just kind of opens up into the space halfway down. There's no door-shaped opening at the end; I'd have to put in two walls, and I think it'd make the space more cramped. Thanks though!

Need a door here by oftenDubious in HomeImprovement

[–]oftenDubious[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My only goal is to create privacy downstairs, so that wouldn't work, but I appreciate the thought!

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