I hope a local-run version has some more effort put behind it soon. I just got this message from Heroku, and it looks like everyone using this may have to start paying at least $7 per month by the end of the year for the Heroku instance:
Thank you for being a Heroku user. Starting November 28, 2022, free Heroku Dynos, free Heroku Postgres, and free Heroku Data for Redis® will no longer be available. You can learn more about these and other important changes from our GM, Bob Wise, on the Heroku blog.
Existing free dynos and Heroku data add-ons will be impacted, so action by you is required. To prevent any disruption to your apps or data using free plans, you will need to upgrade from a free plan to a paid plan before November 28, 2022.
Starting November 28, 2022, we plan to stop offering free product plans and plan to start shutting down free dynos and data services. We will be sending out a series of email communications to affected users.
So people on this thread have the local deployment working, but i think @tonesto7 planed to make it a little more automatic?? not sure.
So... for those of us not interested in the local-run version get to pay $7/month or find a different solution.
Honestly, the really useful (for me) thing for me is turning Alexa Guard off automatically. As far as I know, there's no way to turn it off with switches. I had a really hokey Alexa routine that would have one of the devices say, "Alexa I'm home," in the hope that another device would hear it and turn Guard off. It worked... sorta...
came here for the heroku-pocalypse. So would love to know how to do the local install. The docs just talk about the Heroku setup... a docker container would be cool, but not do or die.
What I did before echo speaks is setup virtual switches, one for each phrase I want alexa to say when it is "on". Then one routine to watch the switch. The hubitat rule just throws the switch to make her talk
I think that's time for Plan B: Anyone out there with instructions/guide to install a local docker version on a Raspberry Pi?
tic toc tic toc - the clock is ticking ...
PS - I did propose some time ago a project (Raspberry companion for Hubitat) where a Raspberry Pi wold be configured with Docker and the community would provide containers for various functions, e.g. local mail server, local backup server, WebCore local and so on - and, of course, local Echo Speaks to replace Heroku!
If someone versed in Raspberry OS, Docker and so on would be willing to implement such environment, I would be more than happy to contribute financially to it. Maybe a Gofundme? The basic Heroku monthly cost is $ 25 and I'd not mind pay it - one time, of course - to have it implemented.
Some members of this community are vehemently against paying for developers, but somethings that are too complex or demand specialised knowledge and, IMHO, should be rewarded.
The reason I went with Echo Speaks was that I kept running into the 200 limit on Alexa Routines and of course, just got tired of having to have so many routines to control so many virtual switches. I was able to get rid of so many Alexa routines and off-load them to Echo Speaks via RM. Now all this “kaput” as I got rid of all these Alexa routines. Now, either pay or forgo the convenience. I should have known.
Does anyone have a set-by-step instructional (for dummies like me) on how to set up a local container to run Heroku and get Echo Speaks to work again? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Taking deep breath now, lol. Problem is not knowledgeable in NodeJS (hyperventilating again, lol)! Need an idiot’s (me) guide as to how to set this up. BTW, just wanted to give @tonesto7 props for what he does for this community. Too bad the heroku thing is out of his hands.
Almost certainly a dumb question, but is Heroku required to use this at all or just if you actually use the "speaking" aspect? I only use the Echo Speaks app to have access to the Echo devices and a little dashboard for my daughter to send music to her Echo Dot. Can I do this without Heroku?
Same question, I've actually switched almost all over to using Siri as my voice assistant, but can't get access to all devices into HK yet so still keep Alexa around for that only reason. Would love to completely get away from it without having to replace devices, but until then...
