Stream Videos Through Alexa (Works with Alexa)

This topic describes how to stream videos from IP cameras (IPCs) to Alexa-enabled devices. This way, users can view videos easily by talking to these devices.

What is Works with Alexa?

Amazon Alexa, also known simply as Alexa, is a virtual assistant technology bought by Amazon. Alexa was first used in the Amazon Echo smart speakers. Works with Alexa (WWA) is Amazon’s certification program that guarantees that your product works with any Alexa-enabled device. A certified product can carry the WWA badge in the Amazon Smart Home Store and on product packaging.

You can create Alexa skills on the Amazon platform to connect your application or product to Alexa. This allows users to control smart devices such as lights, sockets, switches, air conditioners, fans, and IPCs, simply by talking to Alexa.

Subscribe to capability

Step 1: Use PID to subscribe

To enable streaming to Alexa-enabled devices, create a product on the Tuya Developer Platform, go to the Voice Platform Integration page, and then follow the instructions to configure voice features for the Alexa platform.

Step 1: Use UUID to subscribe

To enable streaming to Alexa-enabled devices, when you purchase the license specific to a universally unique identifier (UUID), subscribe to this capability. For more information, see IPC Video Stream Pushing.

Integrate with capability

Bind component

svc_ipc_core

Report audio and video encoding parameters

Use the following API in tuya_ipc_media_adapter.h to register parameters about audio and video specifications.

OPERATE_RET tuya_ipc_media_adapter_set_media_info(INT_T device, INT_T channel, DEVICE_MEDIA_INFO_T media_info)

Use the following API in tuya_ipc_media_stream.h to initialize the media streaming service. Alexa features are built into the media streaming service.

OPERATE_RET tuya_ipc_media_stream_init(MEDIA_STREAM_VAR_T *stream_var)

During the initialization process, TuyaOS reports the audio and video encoding parameters to the cloud to enable Alexa-compatible streaming.

Access media source

TuyaOS ring buffer holds the video data for streaming to Alexa-enable devices. Note that H264 video data must be streamed through the second video channel.

FAQs

What can I do if devices cannot be found or videos cannot be streamed?

1. Check whether you have subscribed to the Alexa-compatible streaming capability for your PID and UUID.
2. Check whether videos that are streamed through the second video channel are encoded in the H264 format.
3. If the problem persists, submit a ticket to request technical support from Tuya.