I just got the edict from my wife that Alexa is creeping her out, and that I need to find a different solution. I also got permission to spend money!😀
I'm looking to setup a locally hosted smart home assistant, and wanted some recommendations on small (<=3"), inexpensive (<$15) speakers of reasonable volume, and that are clear enough for the synthesized voice. It would also be nice if the overall depth was somewhat shallow.
I've used the FE85 in the past (currently listening to them now actually), but they need a (relatively) big, sealed, enclosure to sound good. I plan to 3d print the enclosure, but I don't think I can get away with sealed since I'm gonna put a rpi and microphone array inside. Some of the neodynium speakers from Dayton Audio seem like a good match, but I'm not sure if they are any good.
For the amp I plan to use this TDA2822M based amp from parts express: TDA2822M Low Voltage Stereo 2 x 1W Audio Amplifier Board (although I may not actually need the analog volume control if I can do that digitally). I know its <$5, and I will not be using this for playing music; are there any fatal flaws that would prevent me from using this amp?
Thanks all!
I'm looking to setup a locally hosted smart home assistant, and wanted some recommendations on small (<=3"), inexpensive (<$15) speakers of reasonable volume, and that are clear enough for the synthesized voice. It would also be nice if the overall depth was somewhat shallow.
I've used the FE85 in the past (currently listening to them now actually), but they need a (relatively) big, sealed, enclosure to sound good. I plan to 3d print the enclosure, but I don't think I can get away with sealed since I'm gonna put a rpi and microphone array inside. Some of the neodynium speakers from Dayton Audio seem like a good match, but I'm not sure if they are any good.
For the amp I plan to use this TDA2822M based amp from parts express: TDA2822M Low Voltage Stereo 2 x 1W Audio Amplifier Board (although I may not actually need the analog volume control if I can do that digitally). I know its <$5, and I will not be using this for playing music; are there any fatal flaws that would prevent me from using this amp?
Thanks all!
Have you considered the Peerless (ex Vifa) TC9FD18-08? Can use a 2L (or slightly smaller) sealed/stuffed cabinet. Good response and fairly cheap at under $10.
-b
-b
... So what I'm hearing is: You're going to chop up Alexa and use it with a different speaker?
Why do you need another amp?
I'd try and see if I could find a driver that goes flat to 80hz in your desired enclosure size, if you want it to sound more like a person. Some of these smart assistants have very little "oomph" under ca 120hz. Some fundamentals might require lower fs but 80hz should get you in a half decent place in regards to size/price/performance, will not be LOUD, but *loud enough*.
Why do you need another amp?
I'd try and see if I could find a driver that goes flat to 80hz in your desired enclosure size, if you want it to sound more like a person. Some of these smart assistants have very little "oomph" under ca 120hz. Some fundamentals might require lower fs but 80hz should get you in a half decent place in regards to size/price/performance, will not be LOUD, but *loud enough*.
I guess I just did not understand the underlying intentions.
Somewhow I interpreted one of the points to be increased speech intelligibility and realism, another (perhaps just construed in my own head) point that the existing Alexa could potentially be sacrificed on the altair of The Greater Good (The Greater Good - Hot Fuzz - Best Version - YouTube) then why not use the parts in it?
Edit:
Would be interested in knowing which sort of self-hosted smart assistant it is you're going for, to me it seems like perhaps Mycroft could be an alternative though not really self-hosted...
We have a google home unit, but I am not exactly a fan... Mostly used by my wife for starting the vacuum cleaner, spotify, timers and news in the kitchen.
Edit2:
Snips is owned by Sonos now, so that mostly leaves Kalliope?
GitHub - kalliope-project/kalliope: Kalliope is a framework that will help you to create your own personal assistant.
Somewhow I interpreted one of the points to be increased speech intelligibility and realism, another (perhaps just construed in my own head) point that the existing Alexa could potentially be sacrificed on the altair of The Greater Good (The Greater Good - Hot Fuzz - Best Version - YouTube) then why not use the parts in it?
Edit:
Would be interested in knowing which sort of self-hosted smart assistant it is you're going for, to me it seems like perhaps Mycroft could be an alternative though not really self-hosted...
We have a google home unit, but I am not exactly a fan... Mostly used by my wife for starting the vacuum cleaner, spotify, timers and news in the kitchen.
Edit2:
Snips is owned by Sonos now, so that mostly leaves Kalliope?
GitHub - kalliope-project/kalliope: Kalliope is a framework that will help you to create your own personal assistant.
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hey kaffiman, I appreciate where your mind's going there, but I'm not smart enough to reprogram an alexa. My wife's concern right now is privacy (def the greater good); mostly because alexa has been acting weirdly the last few weeks, and is falsely triggering more often, while also ignoring us when we are trying to activate her. Since I will be left with a few spare echoes, I do plan on ripping one apart to see if I can recover the speaker and any other circuitry for reuse purposes.
I'm planning to use Mycroft for now, but will look into Kalliope, I hadn't heard of that one before. Somehow the TC9FD18-08 managed to escape my google-fu. I ended up ordering the Peerless TC5FC00-04 which is only 1.5" but has a decently flat response. I will try to tune my enclosure to give it a little more oomph on the low end, or I might just eq the crap out of it for now. If this works out well I will probably end up getting the bigger speaker for the second iteration. I think I can keep the total parts cost just around $60 each if I make my own enclosure and maybe switch to a cheaper microphone array, or buy in bulk. I currently have 3 echoes to be replaced, and if I'm self hosting, I'd be more comfortable putting devices in my bedroom or garage.
I'm planning to use Mycroft for now, but will look into Kalliope, I hadn't heard of that one before. Somehow the TC9FD18-08 managed to escape my google-fu. I ended up ordering the Peerless TC5FC00-04 which is only 1.5" but has a decently flat response. I will try to tune my enclosure to give it a little more oomph on the low end, or I might just eq the crap out of it for now. If this works out well I will probably end up getting the bigger speaker for the second iteration. I think I can keep the total parts cost just around $60 each if I make my own enclosure and maybe switch to a cheaper microphone array, or buy in bulk. I currently have 3 echoes to be replaced, and if I'm self hosting, I'd be more comfortable putting devices in my bedroom or garage.
For cheap microphones, check out this
microphone test/
I didn't check, but I'd guess you can still find the 3 eye on ebay.
I run Home Assistant on a pi, and then interface alexy with it to control lights and other stuff.
Looks like you can run a local instance of snips with Home Assistant
Snips - Home Assistant
Didn't look to see what you would need in each smart speaker. A pi should work but there may be cheaper options.
microphone test/
I didn't check, but I'd guess you can still find the 3 eye on ebay.
I run Home Assistant on a pi, and then interface alexy with it to control lights and other stuff.
Looks like you can run a local instance of snips with Home Assistant
Snips - Home Assistant
Didn't look to see what you would need in each smart speaker. A pi should work but there may be cheaper options.
My current setup will be a Pi 3b+, a Seeed Studio 4-mic array pi-hat (ReSpeaker 4-Mic Array for Raspberry Pi - Seeed Studio), and the above speaker/amp combo. Based on the wiki, Mycroft is somewhat particular about which microphones it works with. But those are cool tests to have. We've got a 4 month old, so there is lots of white noise at night, when we're trying to turn the lights up or down.
The 3eye is nice and cheap, but the camera (even if disabled) might be a hard sell. Plus the respeaker fits directly on the Pi, so making the enclosure should be much easier.
The 3eye is nice and cheap, but the camera (even if disabled) might be a hard sell. Plus the respeaker fits directly on the Pi, so making the enclosure should be much easier.