Alexa says: "to send tts, please set announce=true. Music can't be played this way"

[Reachushere]

The problem

No matter what I try to play from Music Assistant, I get the same message: Alexa says: "to send tts, please set announce=true. Music can't be played this way"

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2024.12.1

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Music Assistant

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/music_assistant

Diagnostics information

home-assistant_music_assistant_2024-12-07T20-32-20.590Z.log

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

This error originated from a custom integration.

Logger: custom_components.alexa_media.media_player
Source: custom_components/alexa_media/media_player.py:1436
integration: Alexa Media Player (documentation, issues)
First occurred: 3:08:29 PM (17 occurrences)
Last logged: 3:29:16 PM

To send TTS, please set Announce=true. Music can't be played this way.

Additional information

That's all I got. I'm not too familiar with Music Assistant, I just know it never seems to work with Alexa devices, and I was hopeful that with the recent release, this might change. :)

[home-assistant]

Hey there @music-assistant, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (music_assistant) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

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[sayam93]

This is an amazon issue. See alandtse/alexa_media_player#2208

[ColtonYYZ]

Hey @sayam93, help me uderstand this. Why can another integration called MyMediaAlexa be able to play any mp3 you want locally, and how is it that we can play Spotify or SiriusXM through Alexa devices through their respective skill, and, to top this all off, I am able to use Mini Media Player card and play music through my Alexa speakers, yet Music Assistant seems to be the one that can't do it? I am genuinely asking because it doesn't make sense to me.

[sayam93]

Hey @sayam93, help me uderstand this. Why can another integration called MyMediaAlexa be able to play any mp3 you want locally, and how is it that we can play Spotify or SiriusXM through Alexa devices through their respective skill, and, to top this all off, I am able to use Mini Media Player card and play music through my Alexa speakers, yet Music Assistant seems to be the one that can't do it? I am genuinely asking because it doesn't make sense to me.

I believe only the developer of the custom integration Alexa Media Player could answer that (https://github.com/alandtse/alexa_media_player)

Also, I believe the above mentioned things require an Alexa skill which is a different approach than the custom integration.

P.S. Could you elaborate on the mini media player card approach?

[ColtonYYZ]

Hi @sayam93, you're right, the connection is playing through a skill for both Spotify and SiriusXM. That was the missing link I couldn't understand. As for Mini Media Player, I have it using MyMediaPlayer via a script, which that integration uses it's skill to play through Alexa devices.

If this is the hurdle for those wanting to play local music through Music Assistant, couldn't someone just create the Alexa Skill? If MyMediaAlexa did it, then surely it's possible. This would bring relief to the guys who created the MA integration from having to deal with repeated tickets being open, and of course those who use Alexa devices would be happy.

I reached out to MyMediaAlexa owner once again, asking him if he would pipe in and let us know how he's done it, in hopes that we can finally get this going. Maybe someone else could reach out to him - someone who has coding abilities, as I certainly don't. But I am happy to connect him to whoever does, if you know someone who'd be willing to talk to him - should he be willing to talk to them of course.

[sayam93]

Hi @sayam93, you're right, the connection is playing through a skill for both Spotify and SiriusXM. That was the missing link I couldn't understand. As for Mini Media Player, I have it using MyMediaPlayer via a script, which that integration uses it's skill to play through Alexa devices.

If this is the hurdle for those wanting to play local music through Music Assistant, couldn't someone just create the Alexa Skill? If MyMediaAlexa did it, then surely it's possible. This would bring relief to the guys who created the MA integration from having to deal with repeated tickets being open, and of course those who use Alexa devices would be happy.

I reached out to MyMediaAlexa owner once again, asking him if he would pipe in and let us know how he's done it, in hopes that we can finally get this going. Maybe someone else could reach out to him - someone who has coding abilities, as I certainly don't. But I am happy to connect him to whoever does, if you know someone who'd be willing to talk to him - should he be willing to talk to them of course.

I believe MyMediaAlexa team has probably created a complex Lambda function (a server-less application) for the skill to function this way. Sadly, I have no coding abilities to work on it either.

[sayam93]

The problem

No matter what I try to play from Music Assistant, I get the same message: Alexa says: "to send tts, please set announce=true. Music can't be played this way"

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2024.12.1

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Music Assistant

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/music_assistant

Diagnostics information

home-assistant_music_assistant_2024-12-07T20-32-20.590Z.log

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

This error originated from a custom integration.

Logger: custom_components.alexa_media.media_player
Source: custom_components/alexa_media/media_player.py:1436
integration: Alexa Media Player (documentation, issues)
First occurred: 3:08:29 PM (17 occurrences)
Last logged: 3:29:16 PM

To send TTS, please set Announce=true. Music can't be played this way.

Additional information

That's all I got. I'm not too familiar with Music Assistant, I just know it never seems to work with Alexa devices, and I was hopeful that with the recent release, this might change. :)

I think you should close this since this isn't a Home Assistant issue as explained above. :)

[sayam93]

The new version provides a clear error message regarding inability to play music. Refer to alandtse/alexa_media_player#2736 for more info

[Reachushere]

Yes and I disagree with the error.  If it is an Amazon issue, then why has MyMediaAlexa been able to create and skill that allows for limitless playing of MP3’s as long as you want on all your echo devices?  Surely if a skill can be created to do this then it is possible in Home Assistant - if someone knows how to develop like that?On Dec 9, 2024, at 11:17 PM, sayam93 ***@***.***> wrote: The new version provides a clear error message regarding inability to play music. Refer to alandtse/alexa_media_player#2736 for more info —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[sayam93]

Yes and I disagree with the error.  If it is an Amazon issue, then why has MyMediaAlexa been able to create and skill that allows for limitless playing of MP3’s as long as you want on all your echo devices?  Surely if a skill can be created to do this then it is possible in Home Assistant - if someone knows how to develop like that?On Dec 9, 2024, at 11:17 PM, sayam93 @.> wrote: The new version provides a clear error message regarding inability to play music. Refer to alandtse/alexa_media_player#2736 for more info —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.>

Maybe you could reach out to the developers of Music Assistant to create such a skill? If they are willing to do it, the skill wouldn't allow you to cast it directly from HA but simply enable you to ask the Alexa device to use the skill to play the music track stored in Music Assistant. That is how MyMediaAlexa does it too. Amazon doesn't allow 'casting' music directly (think airplay), at least not from a third party.

You could also reach out to the HA team to maybe add this to their existing alexa integration with nabu casa since that already requires installing a skill.

Otherwise, you could just use MyMediaAlexa for now.

[ColtonYYZ]

May I suggest a change to the wording that was newly implemented? Perhaps it would be better to say:

"Sorry, the media you're trying to play isn't supported by this method. This limitation is set by Amazon, and not by Alexa-Media-Player, Music-Assistant, nor Home-Assistant."

With the dashes to have a more natural sounding message.

[marcelveldt]

Closing here because it's not an issue in the MA integration within HA - MA is not compatible with Alexa/Amazon media player devices.

Maybe some day if we create that custom skill in between but atm nobody has time to do that, especially because there are small chances it will work reliable (and keep working).

[Reachushere]

Awww, I am more than a bit disappointed by this primarily because I was putting alot of stock into my clearly mistaken understanding that this was being worked on. Based on what the website advertised Music Assistant to be, and the inception of it way back when, the site has a long, multi-paragraph page about the history that explains it was created (many years ago now) because the developer believes in people being given access to play their music where they want, how they want, when they want, with flexibility and without restrictions, exactly like those that Amazon puts up as barriers, and that is why it was created. For the past two years, MA has been in beta mode, and as many, many changes were made, sometimes crashing my system even, I figured OK, surely they are working on making Alexa work with MA properly, because in the developers own responses they cite the fact that almost every single day someone asks about Alexa working with Music Assistant - I've read it in the forums, so surely the demand is there. So demand, plus mission of Music Assistant to break free the shackles of people's music, and two years in beta mode, I figured surely this must have been a top priority. So no disrespect, but when you say that "nobody has the time to do that" I can't help but ask whether you think it might have been a bit helpful to be upfront and clear that all of the work that was being done was not applicable for Alexa users and that we should have looked elsewhere? I continued to build out my Alexa infrastructure under the belief that this was coming - and I accept responsibility for being naive with that understanding but I hope you can see what someone would be under that impression. So I wonder whether there might have been an opportunity to communicate what was going to be possible and what wasn't (I have read MA's docs and forums many times and I certainly don't recall seeing anything that alluded to this), rather than waiting until after it is released and now you are facing the same questions you were facing two, four, even six years ago before all this work was put. And add to that, the work was put in under the idea of making Music Assistant a core integration of Home Assistant which suggests to me that it would be all the more reason to make sure it works with what must be one of the most used and common music speaker systems in the world. Maybe I'm alone in my sentiments now, I don't know. I suspect I'm not though, so as someone who wouldn't have the first clue how to develop a skill myself, and in recognition of the time these things take, and primarily volunteer for many people, or paid but with never ending workloads as technology evolves, I wonder whether it might be worth adding the development of a skill for this purpose so it is somewhere a bit higher on the priority list, if there is still significant interest by others to use MA with their Alexa devices? You would know better than I do whether or not that interest persists? Thanks for your time and consideration.

…

On Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 12:47 PM Marcel van der Veldt < ***@***.***> wrote: Closing here because it's not an issue in the MA integration within HA - MA is not compatible with Alexa/Amazon media player devices. Maybe some day if we create that custom skill in between but atm nobody has time to do that, especially because there are small chances it will work reliable (and keep working). — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#132579 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AZY6DSI5B2RD4UE4IDC34CD2GMBB7AVCNFSM6AAAAABTGQULU2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDKNJVGM3TEOJYGA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[sayam93]

Awww, I am more than a bit disappointed by this primarily because I was putting alot of stock into my clearly mistaken understanding that this was being worked on. Based on what the website advertised Music Assistant to be, and the inception of it way back when, the site has a long, multi-paragraph page about the history that explains it was created (many years ago now) because the developer believes in people being given access to play their music where they want, how they want, when they want, with flexibility and without restrictions, exactly like those that Amazon puts up as barriers, and that is why it was created. For the past two years, MA has been in beta mode, and as many, many changes were made, sometimes crashing my system even, I figured OK, surely they are working on making Alexa work with MA properly, because in the developers own responses they cite the fact that almost every single day someone asks about Alexa working with Music Assistant - I've read it in the forums, so surely the demand is there. So demand, plus mission of Music Assistant to break free the shackles of people's music, and two years in beta mode, I figured surely this must have been a top priority. So no disrespect, but when you say that "nobody has the time to do that" I can't help but ask whether you think it might have been a bit helpful to be upfront and clear that all of the work that was being done was not applicable for Alexa users and that we should have looked elsewhere? I continued to build out my Alexa infrastructure under the belief that this was coming - and I accept responsibility for being naive with that understanding but I hope you can see what someone would be under that impression. So I wonder whether there might have been an opportunity to communicate what was going to be possible and what wasn't (I have read MA's docs and forums many times and I certainly don't recall seeing anything that alluded to this), rather than waiting until after it is released and now you are facing the same questions you were facing two, four, even six years ago before all this work was put. And add to that, the work was put in under the idea of making Music Assistant a core integration of Home Assistant which suggests to me that it would be all the more reason to make sure it works with what must be one of the most used and common music speaker systems in the world. Maybe I'm alone in my sentiments now, I don't know. I suspect I'm not though, so as someone who wouldn't have the first clue how to develop a skill myself, and in recognition of the time these things take, and primarily volunteer for many people, or paid but with never ending workloads as technology evolves, I wonder whether it might be worth adding the development of a skill for this purpose so it is somewhere a bit higher on the priority list, if there is still significant interest by others to use MA with their Alexa devices? You would know better than I do whether or not that interest persists? Thanks for your time and consideration.
…
On Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 12:47 PM Marcel van der Veldt < @.> wrote: Closing here because it's not an issue in the MA integration within HA - MA is not compatible with Alexa/Amazon media player devices. Maybe some day if we create that custom skill in between but atm nobody has time to do that, especially because there are small chances it will work reliable (and keep working). — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#132579 (comment)>, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AZY6DSI5B2RD4UE4IDC34CD2GMBB7AVCNFSM6AAAAABTGQULU2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDKNJVGM3TEOJYGA . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.>

@Reachushere I believe that even with a skill, it won't be possible to trigger the stream from Music Assistant itself.

The only thing the skill shall allow one to do is tell the Alexa device to use that particular skill to play a music track 'Alexa, ask Music Assistant to play xyz". None of the streaming would be local even in that case.

Only if Amazon had their version of Airplay or Chromecast that allowed to stream things locally to their devices (outside of their walled garden) would a proper integration with Music Assistant be possible.