App Group Behavior vs Alexa Group Behavior

Products Smart Lighting
#1

Hello,

I have a lighting Group defined in the Ring app that includes two wired smart floodlights and a wired floodlight cam.

Using the Ring app to turn on the lights for this Group results in three sets of lights turning on (both wired smart floodlights and the wired floodlight cam), as expected. However, if I tell Alexa “turn on Group-Name lights” only the two wired smart floodlights turn on (the wired floodlight cam does NOT). To be clear, the Group is the lighting group created in the Ring app (not an Alexa group).

Any thoughts as to why Alexa only turns on the smart floodlights, but not the wired floodlight cam?

UPDATE: Just asked Alexa to turn on the light of the wired floodlight cam,and it replied “turn on is not currently supported”. So it seems Alexa is limited to only displaying the wired floodlight cam video (e.g., if you have a Echo Show) and not controlling the light of the wired floodlight cam. This would, therefore, explain the Alexa behavior of only turning on the smart lighting devices in the Group, but not the wired floodlight cam also in the same Group.

#2

How did you assign the wired Floodlight Cam to a lighting group? That’s what I’m trying to do. I have a new wired Smart Floodlight and the Floodlight Cam. They are in a linked motion group, but would like an easier way to turn on the lights together manually. When I go through settings and try to add to the group (or a new group) I get “Error while assigning a new group”.

#3

A device can only be in one Ring Lighting Group, so keep that in mind.

I used the Ring app go to the wired Floodlight Cam device. Click on the “Cog Wheel” in the upper right to open the Device Settings screen. There should be a “Light Group” line on that screen.

1 Like
#4

Thank you for sharing @BigFan ! Currently the Floodlight Cam does not feature the light functionality via Alexa as it could be seen as a vulnerability if someone were able to turn off the light when motion is detected and the camera is recording.

Also, excellent job helping out @MichiganFan with the correct steps for Light Groups in the app. Check out this article on Ring help center for the step by step guide to creating light groups and adding devices to lights groups.

#5

@Marley_Ring wrote:

… as it could be seen as a vulnerability if someone were able to turn off the light when motion is detected and the camera is recording.

OK, I am not sure I see this as a mainstream concern (seems like a corner case) and wouldn’t the recording continue when the lamp is shut-off, just in the camera’s low-light settings?.

Also, can’t you turn off the Ring Floodlight-Cam lamp with the Ring app at anytime, or does the App prevent turning off the lamp when recording is in process?

1 Like
#6

@BigFan Agreed. Alexa voice shouldn’t be a vulnerability. Someone would need to be loud enough for echo to hear, plus know the name of the light group.

@Marley_Ring Still haven’t been able to get light groups to work with Floodlight Cams. Still getting the Alert/Error. Smart Floodlight joins fine. Haven’t tried rebooting everything. I’ll call the 800 number.

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#7

@MichiganFan wrote:
@Marley_Ring Still haven’t been able to get light groups to work with Floodlight Cams. Still getting the Alert/Error. Smart Floodlight joins fine. Haven’t tried rebooting everything. I’ll call the 800 number.

In my case, I had no issue adding a Floodlight-Cam to a Lighting Group. The Ring app controls all the devices in the Lighting Group (Smart Floodlights and Floodlight-Cam lamps). I hope you can sort out your issue.

#8

Great point @BigFan and @MichiganFan , this shouldn’t be a major concern given the nature of Alexa and the unique group names. Yes, you are able to turn off the Floodlight Cam lights with the toggle in the “in call features” of live view. That can be toggled ‘on’ and ‘off’ throughout the video.

@MichiganFan , let us know if the reboot helps or if you talk to support. We’re here to help!

#9

@Marley_Ring : So this begs the question, why does the Ring Alexa skill not support light control for the Ring Floodlight-Cam?

3 Likes
#10

Hi @BigFan , though these two devices have a lot of similarities, they are not the same. The Alexa team is always looking to add further features to your devices, thank you for the feedback and letting us know that this one is especially important to you.

#11

@Marley_Ring

Floodlight-Cam has two primary user controllabe elements:

  • Camera
  • Floodlight

So, why is this a relevation that user would like an Alexa skill that controls both? :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#12

I finally got the light group issue solved. I had to remove both of the floodlights, then re-add them, then they were able to join a group. They have both been in service for more than a year, so appears to be either a software or firmware issue that prevented them from joining with the existing setup.

#13

BTW - This thread should not be flagged as “Solved”. In fact take at look at the “solution”, which is largely unrelated to the original post.

#14

Thank you, @BigFan. Although it had followed @MichiganFan’s question regarding light groups, which you answered correctly, I’ve now removed the accepted solution. I agree that it is not related to the original post.

As a reminder, no question is too minor to make a new post about. Working together in a thread is very productive, as is providing what might be a commonly sought after answer in a quick post. Feel free to use your answered questions or newly found solutions to start a conversation, as more of the Community may be able to expand on specific topics and share their experiences with you in a post.

#15

How ould they do that, this answer makes no sene… the point of the security is to turn things on not keep them off from being hacked… Are you suggesting we unplug the security camer and keep them in a safe to avoid hacking…

This functionality shuld be there this answer seems like a copt out