Googling this finds everything but what I need.
I'm hoping a few here have already resolved this.
I want to have devices controlled by Alexa that have "TV" in the device name. Every time I do this Alexa says I need an app to control the TV.
How can I disable that?
Abandon all hope.
Alexa gets really confused when there are words that she thinks she knows appearing in another context. There is a randomness to it that is frustrating as well. I've given up on controlling certain devices with almost ambiguous words in them, and instead create routines to respond to custom phrases, such as "Alexa, energize the boob tube."
This is what I do as well, not necessarily with this exact phrase. There are apparently some restricted or dedicated words in Alexa you can't use without side effects. There are also some words that apparently sound like other words or phrases to these devices.
Just change the name to be something unique and easy to remember. Viewscreen? Viewport? Propaganda Machine?
Beyond that, you can try (but it probably won't work) to file a bug report to Amazon and hope that they will look at it. I wouldn't hold my breath that they will investigate though.
Thanks...That's what I've been doing is making up alternates for the word "TV."
My spouse is not amused. 
This is true. You cannot operate your garage door opener by saying, "Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL." because she's got a canned response to that.
LOL...had not tried that one 
You would think in these days when AI is all the rage that Amazon would give Alexa some AI skills to better interpret what we are trying to say, but sometimes she hears what she wants to hear, no matter how you try to express it.
The less ambiguous the request, the more likely she will do what you want, but don't bet on it.
That is supposedly coming. But consistent with their recent efforts to monetize the Alexa platform, not all features will be available unless you’re willing to pay.
https://www.androidpolice.com/amazon-alexa-ai-features-subscription/
Between streaming, Internet access, home automation, and other tech-based solutions what used to be being nickeled and dimed to death has now become a serious amount of cash flow.
Guess I'm crazy...but I love all of it.
HALs response if that movie were made in the year 2024:
Precisely
Alexa was a pet project of Jeff Bezos. Now that he is no longer pushing development, progress has been slow. You cannot expect to purchase a Alexa device and have Amazon continue to provide support for it for years to come. They have to cover the support costs in one way or another. If Alexa pushes enough people to buy Amazon products, that is enough, While I spend a lot of money on Amazon, I have never ordered anything using Alexa. I suspect many users are like me and fear having Alexa place an order immediately if I mention something I am interested in.
It was fairly easy to work myself out of depending on my Logitech Harmony hub with RM3/4 products. The same wouldn't be true for Alexa. Hubs like Homeseer have built in local voice recognition, but it was never perfect...and distributing mics wasn't really worth it, though I used to extend some back to the hub over Ethernet. This is one place I really hope AI helps.
Name them "Livingroom Tele" or "Bedroom Tele" close enough that WAF should come up a bit..
She'd be fine getting out of the car to open the garage door. It's a lot harder road than that 
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Download the Hubitat app
