Automatically display Ring Camera on Echo Show when motion detected

I have a Ring Spotlight Camera (not doorbell) and an Echo Show 5 with latest firmware/updates. I would like the Echo Show to automatically display live view when the camera detects motion.

I assumed this feature existed already as this can be achieved with the ring doorbell but when I posted a “how do I do this?” query, a Community Manager confirmed this is not possible and suggested I register a feature request.

This would be simple to implement and would make for a much better user experience.

At the moment, the Echo Show will announce that motion has been detected but I then have to manually ask it to “Show camera”

Nest Cams with Google assistants have this feature and I assumed Ring would too. I think I’ve backed the wrong horse as this feature is important to me !

72 Likes

this would be a much welcome addition. and probably just a software update to make it happen.come on ring get it done

4 Likes

I’d actually buy a couple of Echo Shows if that could be made to happen…

1 Like

Bump. Got a show 5 with amazon day as part of the ring security package and figured this would be standard. Please make it happen

Also just purchased show 8 thought this would work on motion please add this feature to doorbell and blink cameras

Great suggestion… You really think the product managers would have thought about this.

1 Like

How do you get an Amazon Echo Show device to display the Live View Camera when motion detection occurs on Ring devices?

Here is a solution that that currently works for me, I have an Echo Show 8, a Ring Pro HD Doorbell and Ring Driveway FloodLight/Camera. Also, I am using an Android Phone. Not sure of exact steps for IOS, but they should be similar…. Or not, hey it’s IOS :wink:

Sorry for the length, trying to be thorough. Please post a reply if this works for you. I have it running with multiple Ring devices.

First, make sure you can see the Live View camera from your Ring device on you Echo Show.

  • Example-> Alexa, Show Front Door (or whatever you named your device)

Next, make sure you can stop the Live View camera on your Echo Show from your Ring.

  • Example-> Alexa, Stop

If you can do these 2 things, proceed. We are going to be using these 2 commands.

You will need 2 Routines for each camera, I’ll the use the Pro HD Doorbell as the example below;

Why 2 Routines? Because the “Custom Action” that tells Alexa to execute Commands must be the Last Action defined in the Routine, so we can’t use 1 Routine to issue multiple Alexa Commands. We are going to use the Alexa Commands; {Alexa, Show Front Door} and {Alexa, Stop}, hence the test above. Also and most importantly, multiple Routines can be triggered from the same Motion Event on the same device, at the same time, this allows us to do multiple things in parallel!!

These 2 routines will be executed in parallel when Motion is detected on your Ring device;

  • the 1st routine detects Motion on a Pro HD Doorbell and Shows the Doorbell Live View camera

  • the 2nd routine detects the same Motion on the same Pro HD Doorbell, Waits 4 minutes and Stops the Doorbell Live View camera

To simplify, 2 Routines detect the same Motion at the same time, one turns on Live View, the other waits 4 minutes and turns Live View off.

Open the Amazon Alexa App to create the 1st Routine;

Select -> More

Select -> Routines

Select -> + to add a new routine

Select -> + Enter routine name – example-> FD-Cam Show

Select -> Next

Select -> + When this happens

Select -> Smart Home

Select -> FrontDoorCamera (or whatever you called your doorbell/camera)

Select -> Motion

Select -> Detected

Select -> Next

Select -> + Add action

Select -> Custom (scroll to the bottom of the list, also this Custom action has to be the last item in the Routine…)

Input -> type in the input field–> Show Front Door (this will tell Alexa to Start Showing Live View at the FrontDoorCamera)

Select -> Next (You will see this entered in the Action section as the Command, “Alexa, Show Front Door”)

Scroll down if needed

Select -> From \ Choose Device

Select -> your “Echo Show Device” that you want the Live View camera to be shown on

Select -> Save

Continue in the Amazon Alexa app to create the 2nd Routine;

Select -> + to add a new routine

Select -> + Enter routine name – example -> FD-Cam Stop

Select -> Next

Select -> + When this happens

Select -> Smart Home

Select -> FrontDoorCamera (or whatever you called your doorbell/camera)

Select -> Motion

Select -> Detected

Select -> Next

Select -> + Add action

Select -> Wait

Enter time duration for the Doorbell Camera to be in Live View (I used 4 minutes, 1 minute works great for testing)

Select -> Next

Select -> + Add action

Select -> Custom (scroll to the bottom of the list, also this Custom action has to be the last item in the Routine…)

Input -> type in the input field–> Stop (this will tell Alexa to Stop Showing the Live View at the FrontDoorCamera)

Select -> Next (You will see this entered in the Action section as the Command, “Alexa, Stop”)

Scroll down if needed

Select -> From \ Choose Device

Select -> your “Echo Show Device” that you want the Live View camera to be shown on

Select -> Save

Hope this works for you. Please post a reply if this works. I have it running with multiple Ring devices.

39 Likes

> Hope this works for you. Please post a reply if this works. I have it running with multiple Ring devices.

Thanks @flyfish for your comprehensive reply. I had tried this previously, but it doesn’t work for me. The instrusctions are slightly different on iOS and there isn’t a “Custom” action to trigger unfortunately.

I followed these steps:

Create new routine > Gave it a name > pressed the [+] next to “when this happens”, selected the device, ticked check box for “when motions is detected” … then needed to select an action … but there is no “custom” option.

There is “Alea Says”; Caldendar; Calling; Date&Time; Devid Settings; Email; IFTTT; Messaging; Music; News; Skills; Smart Home; Trraffic; Wait; Weather.

I can customise what Alexa says, so when motion is detected, I can get the Echo to say, “Show door camera” or “Alexa, show door camera” - but it won’t follow it’s own voice instruction.

(It does show the camera if I speak the same words, “Alexa, show door camera”).

I read that someone else has solved this by having a *separate* Amazon echo Dot that can issue the instruction for the Amazon Echo to respond to - but this seems like a crazy option …

It must be such an easy feature to enable !

@flyfish this worked brilliantly on my Echo 5.

Hat tip to you, many thanks

1 Like

That stinks that there is not a Custom Action on IOS, on my Android it is the last one listed, not alphabetically listed.

Good news is that it will probably show up in the next version or 2 of the App, just speculating here, I have no idea…

Hopefully, this functionality does not violate one of Apples <insert whatever> Policies and there is just a delay in testing and getting it out. FWIW, my App version is 2.2.367729.0, was just updated on October 19th. I have no idea when this showed up for Android.

I like the idea of routines although it should be a built in option.

However I have have no custom option on any of the apps iOS or Android.

So any other suggestions before I send it back as not suitable for purpose.

I just got hold of an iPod Touch and installed the Amazon Alexa App and logged in.

My current iOS version is; 12.4.8 – to display on your iOS device -> Settings\General\About

My cuurent Amazon Alexa App version is; 2.2.379445 – to display in the Alexa App -> More\Settings\About

This combination has the Custom action under the “Add action” section when creating a Routine.

When you scroll through the available Actions, it is the last one on the list, it is not alphabetically sorted.

It says; Custom

With the description; For more actions, type in what you would ask Alexa to do

Please verify you have the latest versions of iOS and the Alexa App installed.

If you are not seeing the Custom action on your Android, verify you have the latest version of the Alexa App;

My current Amazon Alexa App version is; 2.2.367729.0 – to display in the Alexa App -> More\Settings\About

1 Like

Thanks @flyfish for detailed info.

But just as Rob, I`m having same problem.

Can get the Echo show to announce … But not to actually display .

So, using the 2 routines as you explained… When motion is detected the Echo show will anounce what I typed in as the command, ( Alexa, Show front door ) … But won`t actually carry out the command automatically. ( still shows homescreen )

It also announces the stop command ( Alexa, stop. ) after 2 mins as I selected.

To get it to actually show

I have to speak the commands just as before.

I can imagine it working using 2 echo devices, with 1 device announcing the command for the other device to follow, but just can`t understand how 1 device can announce and recieve a command at the same time.

Thanks for any more help.

@flyfish. Same problem as @Rob and Bob…

No custom option after selecting add action … I`m on Android, not IOS.

So, Have tried using an Echo dot combined with Echo show.

The Dot being placed next to the show. Set routine so Dot says Alexa, show fron door …when motion triggered.

Dot does do as instructed, BUT, Problem now is how to create a 1 or 2 second space in the announcement after the word alexa and before the show fron door part… to give Echo show chance to wake before hearing the show front door part. if that makes any sense.

Last and final suggestion :slight_smile:

As it turns out you can “Share” a Routine. Here are the links to my “Show and Stop” Routines.

You have to click on the link on your phone, select/copy the link and open in the Alexa App.

Show Routine link;

You will need to, Rename the routine, Select the Camera/Ring to detect motion on, Verify the Custom Action “Show” and select the Alex Show device to display on;

https://alexa.amazon.com/spa/routines/shared.html#v2/behaviors/sharedRoutine?behaviorId=o5WOfTDSSAmgKRi7nPwAIg&routineType=shared

Stop Routine link;

You will need to, Rename the routine, Select the Camera/Ring to detect motion on (this should be the same device selected above), Verify the Action “Wait” and time interval and select the Alex Show device to stop displaying on;

https://alexa.amazon.com/spa/routines/shared.html#v2/behaviors/sharedRoutine?behaviorId=3igjdJJiS96T5ELW53LQUA&routineType=shared

Does this work? Can you see the Custom Action?

Also, Johnboy, add a period (.) to your Says Action instead of a comma (,)

So instead of; Alexa, show fron door

It will be; Alexa. Show fron door

2 Likes

This is why i bought the echo show - thought it could already do this.

Thanks Flyfish for sharing the routine. I didn’t know that was possible - however it doesn’t work for me. When I click the link, the Alexa app launches but immediately shows an error message: this routine is not available.

Does this definitely work on your *Spotlight Cam* (not doorbell) ?

RobDownUK, just checked and the Routine is still availbe to me, I see UK in your name, assuming you are in the UK. I have noticed being out of the USA that I get automatically redirected to the default site for the county that I am in.

Can you goto www.amazon.com without being redirected to amazon.uk.co?

I’m thinking that when you goto the Routine from above, alexa.amazon.com is redirected to alexa.amazon.uk.co and it is not available at the uk.co site.

Just got the doorbell peephole camera and a wired spotlight camera.

I can view them if I specifically ask Alexa to show them but have not found any way to get notifications to show on my echo show 5.

Seems ridiculous that there is not simply a ‘show notification’ option.

Will have to have a look at those routines when I get time.

I assume this listing is one of those black holes that manufacturers make to keep the punters happy but never do any of the suggestions.

If is something that should be implemented without even being suggested, a security camera that does not display if there is a security breach is hardly a security camera.

All the adverts imply it can do this, I have reported the advert to the ASA.

1 Like