Question How to connect Amazon Echo/Alexa to PC?

[samiraziz5th]

I was recently gifted a 3rd generation Amazon Echo and would like to use it to power on and power off my PC. My PC is running Windows 10. The Echo and PC are each properly setup and running individually, I just do not know how to use Alexa to control the PC. I don't really need it to function as a speaker or anything else, just power on and off. I've looked online a bit and seen some tutorials using raspberry pi and smart outlets and other strange methods (most of these posts were a few years old) but was wondering if there is a straightforward simple way to do this. Ideally I'd say "Alexa turn on/off my computer" and it will power on/off. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

My PC: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/WwHhP6

 

[Dugimodo]

Not really, if your PC has an IR receiver that works with a windows remote you can get a universal remote device that interaces with Alexa, but I forget what the one I saw was called. Some PCs will turn on and off with a remote so that should work, not sure if it's possible with a USB receiver though. I'm basing this on my intel NUC which has the receiver built in and the function set by default.

Anything else I can think of would require some case modding. For example I have a device that opens my garage door by acting as a momentary switch and that would also work as a PC power button if wired to the motherboard power switch pins. The device I have is similar to this one https://www.itead.cc/inching-self-locking-wifi-wireless-switch.html

 

[AllanGH]

https://imgur.com/a/PvC98su

View: https://imgur.com/a/PvC98su


ASK/OOK RF Transmitter Fob + ASK/OOK Receiver / Decoder Momentary Output.

Power tapped from +5VSB on MB.
17 CM black wire for antenna.
'VT' output to power switch (MB) turns on computer.

No case modding required. Only a few additions to internal wiring, and preserving all original functions.

Has been working flawlessly for a few years, now.

Fobs are all over Amazon. I can't remember where I bought the receivers. Search for TYJM01 and 315MHz or 433MHz and you'll run across them for something like 80¢ to $1.20-something.

 

[AllanGH]

Since most computers have "soft" power switches, the Alexa control is a bit more....fiddly, shall we say?

Saying "Alexa! Computer off!" is going to get you what?

A power cut on a running machine?
You don't want that, because you shutdown the computer via whatever windows calls that thing on the bottom left.

So, do you need a way of powering down the computer?
No.

So, what you're really looking for is a way to turn on the computer via Alexa control.

You want a momentary short applied to the computer power switch input at the MB.....actually, you only need a logical low applied to one of those pins; but you can use a dry contact relay closure across both pins, simulating a switch closure.

Now....say that you've accomplished this, and somebody says, "Alexa! Computer on!" or "Off"....what's going to happen?
The same thing that happens when you press the power switch when the computer is running.

Is that what you actually want?

Think it through before going through the hassle of ripping-apart an Alexa controlled switch module to get at the output signals you need to make this happen.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You don't even NEED extra devices. As long as your computer has a microphone, Alexa can do anything your computer can do.

As far as actually powering on a completely powered off device, I don't think it can do that at all, but if you use hibernation or sleep, it can certainly resume from those states or put the computer into those states. And a computer that is totally in full hibernation mode is using such a minimal amount of power you would probably need a fairly sensitive measuring device to even know it based on consumption. You shouldn't even NEED an extra device connected unless you want it to be able to talk to other Alexa enabled devices, and I'm not 100% certain it can do that, but I'm fairly sure it can.

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17549366011

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-connect-alexa-to-your-computer-4172950

 

[AllanGH]

...talk to other Alexa enabled devices, and I'm not 100% certain it can do that, but I'm fairly sure it can.

Actually, I think that you are correct....I think they call it drop-in mode or something like that. It sounded like something I wasn't interested in, along with linking my AMZ account with my phone contacts list.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, in all honesty, I don't think ANY of these technologies are a good idea in terms of privacy and security. Alexa, Siri, Cortana, these are ALL just excuses to record, gather and phone home with your personal information, conversations, marketing preferences, etc. If you simply want voice controlled technology, there are other, better ways to do that which don't come with nearly as much Big brother-hood involved.

 

[AllanGH]

Yeah, well, those remotes are good for more than just turning on a computer....I have an outlet control for all of the voice-controlled devices BECAUSE I think like you do about it.

I don't care about marketing preferences, since I block ads, and deliberately search for things that aren't presented in ads to me. LOL A good way to make certain that I avoid your product is to let me notice an ad that features your company name, or a specific product.

To boot, I haven't watched TV in more than 20 years....and life is a lot nicer because of that.