question

Ferenc Hechler avatar image
Ferenc Hechler asked

How to detect whether display device is Echo Show or Echo Spot

I have published the connect-four skill, which uses the display of the Echo Show device to show the game board: https://www.amazon.com/Ferenc-Hechler-Connect-Four-Game/dp/B0784K179Q

Today I got a notification from the Alexa Skill Team, that my skill does not show up correctly on the Echo Spot device and that the skill now operates in voice-only mode on Echo Spot devices.

I will not be able to make changes to the GUI, so that the same template looks well on both devices. I have to provide different templates for each device. What I need, is an identifier to detect, whether the used device is an Echo Show or an Echo Spot, or some other Display-Information to decide, which size the images inlined in the text should have.

I would suggest some helpful information in

event.context.Display...

or in

event.context.System.device...

but I could not find something.

Perhpas someone can give me a hint, how to decide which template to use, because I have no access to an Echo Spot device to test it myself.

I live in Germany, where the Echo Spot is not yet available. I tried to order at amazon.com, but I only get "Echo Spot cannot be shipped to the selected address. ...". If anyone has an idea, how to order an Echo Spot from Germany, I would be very happy.

Currently I am working on the "carballo chess" skill, and this skill will have the same problems:

skilldevicesecho showecho spot
chess-skill-echo-show.jpg (170.8 KiB)
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3 Answers

FuzzyLigic avatar image
FuzzyLigic answered

I use body template 7 in my skill which works across echo show and spot devices well.... Although someone just left a review on my skill stating that thier echo spot would only run in the mode without a screen..

what interests me is that you have been contacted to say it will run in voice only mode. Anyway i like your skill is very impressive, but I did leave a review with some feedback.i have both show and spot devices. If you need some assistance, I can join your beta and give you some feedback and logs etc... From a spot device. @fuzzyligic is my Twitter I'd if you need to contact me

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Ferenc Hechler avatar image Ferenc Hechler ·

Hallo FuzzyLigic,

thanks for your offer. But since one week, the Echo Spot is available in Germany too and I have bought one.

I do not like feedback via review, because my answers are not visible for other users (nearly).

Would you mind reportig your issues in the github project: https://github.com/ferenc-hechler/EchoShowSkill/issues

Best regards,

feri

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Jamie Grossman avatar image
Jamie Grossman answered

Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell the difference just yet. A temporary workaround would be to ask the user which device they're running the device on, and modifying as needed (I have seen a few developers do this already), but ideally your skill's experience should be consistent regardless of device. I'd also suggest posting this as a feature request in our ideas space here.

Regards,

Jamie

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Paul Beardow avatar image Paul Beardow ·

Hi, I think it is really important that we can tell devices apart. I have just had my skill reduced to voice only on Spot because I can't tell if it is a Spot, so used the same templates as Echo Show (which I actually own and is emulated in the tools). If I could tell what device it is I could build optimised screens and make it a much better experience. Instead it is a downgraded experience, which isn't good for anyone.

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Jamie Grossman avatar image Jamie Grossman ♦♦ Paul Beardow ·

Your skill should still work fine on the Spot if you're using the same templates. I'd suggest checking out the certification tips over here to check that your skill was within the requirements for the Echo Spot.

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newuser-744850fb-1146-41a1-ad65-4896f8185818 avatar image
newuser-744850fb-1146-41a1-ad65-4896f8185818 answered

Hi everyone!

in case you need this information to find out the the size the screen, you can check it using the following way:


def is_large_display(handler_input):

#print("NOW VIEWPORT", handler_input.request_envelope.context.viewport)

if ("1280" in str(handler_input.request_envelope.context.viewport.current_pixel_width)):

print("TRUE")

return True

else:

print("FALSE")

return False

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