Amazon Echo/Alexa interface

[John Stobierski]

Is there a path to play the B2 through an Echo/Alexa speaker? Is it wish-list item? Or is it just not gonna happen?

(From a new B2 owner still trying to figure it out)

Thanks

[Jeff. M.]

My Google home speakers can be played via Bluetooth, does Alexa have Bluetooth?

[PMB]

Hi jstob..,

It looks like Alexa/Echo has Bluetooth so you should be able to pair the B2 to play music to or from the Alexa/Echo.

Anyone else doing this?

Please note you will not be able to control the B2 using Alexa/Echo.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[JFBUK]

Hi All,

I just tested with my Amazon Echo.

I can pair the Echo with the B2.

I was able to say "Alexa play the Rolling Stones on Brennan B2" and Brown Sugar started playing on my speakers.

My B2 is connected via Toslink optical to my amp to which the speakers are connected.

I was not able to get the B2 to output to the Echo as Bluetooth speaker.

The Echo appears in the list of paired devices with the output tick box displayed but when I tick the box it briefly shows the sound icon and then unticks the output tick box.

The B2 and Echo were in the same room about 10 feet apart when I did the test.

John

[hbu...@gmail.com]

I play B2 (with latest B2B software) through several Amazon Echo speakers without problems. It's amazing how good these wee speakers are.   The only enhancement I have made was to raise the B2 bluetooth dongle higher on an extension lead to improve bluetooth range. 

You just pair the speakers via the Brennan. A minor inconvenience is that the Brennan shows the Echo speakers with cryptic names e.g. Echo-0U1G

[PMB]

Thanks guys.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[JFBUK]

Hi All,

as Hbu has been successful I tried again with my Echo literally right next to my B2 and although they pair and it looks like I should be able to use the Echo as a Bluetooth output speaker I still get no joy.

My Echo is a 2nd generation and its pair name displayed on the B2 is Echo-7UU.

Maybe it works with some models of Echo and not others ?

My B2B software is Sept 17th 2021

John

[Peter Lowham]

Hi John,

Are there any software updates available for the Echo?  Just a passing thought.

Regards,
Peter.

[JFBUK]

Hi Peter,

A good thought but Amazon are dictatorial rather than democratic :) so you automatically get updates whether you like it or not !

Alexa-enabled devices receive software updates automatically when connected to the Internet. These updates usually improve performance and add new features.

I checked my version against online documentation at Amazon and my version has a higher number than that of the documentation so it looks like I am on the latest release.

Its not something I really use and it was just an exercise to try to answer the questions raised on this thread. Hbu's experience shows that it can work just not for me.

John

[Peter Lowham]

Hi John,

A while ago I was having a problem with one of my BB1s; I was attempting to link the BB1via Bluetooth to a Bose Soundlink speaker and I was getting a similar result to you, where the two devices attempted to link up, but failed.

The solution was to clear out and reset both the BB1 and the Soundlink Bluetooth settings, and start over again with the pairing process.  This got the two devices working properly.

Regards,

Peter.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi All,

I received this response from John in my PM, so I have reposted it here.

Thanks to everyone who added to this thread. I finally got Echo to talk to my Brennan after a lot of false starts and dead ends.

What worked? I moved the Brennan closer to the speaker (it may have helped?)  And I updated the software from the June version that shipped with the B2 to the Sept 17th version. The responsiveness of this community has been great. Much appreciated.

Regards,

[David Butchart]

I tried that today, since I had an Echo Stereo setup.  It worked very nicely from the Alexa App on my Android phone.  I brought up the right hand Echo speaker up, and it immediately picked up the Brennan B2.  Told Alexa to connect via the phone app and it connected, but I couldn't immediately play music.  I had to Save and power off the Brennan, wait a bit, and restart.  Then I went into the Bluetooth menu in the Original web UI, unchecked the Vizio V51 speaker setup (upstairs), check the Echo, and it played just fine.  (I'm running the September 30 version of the SW.)