Echo Video and Audio Calling - Skype, Drop-in and Alexa

[@CraigsTechTalk]

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[@pdb08]

Installed an Echo Show on Saturday in the apartment of my wife’s grandmother (she is 92 years old). Now all here kids and grandkids can video-call here with Alexa or skype. She is so happy that she can see us all this way. She was crying tears of happiness when I explained and showed here how it works. A great example where modern technology and voice assistants can be helpful.

[@ernestosanmiguelreyes4696]

How can I add echo8 from my father house to my phone contacts (android phone with alexa app)

[@pdb08]

@@ernestosanmiguelreyes4696 in your fathers alexa account he needs to register his mobile phone nummber. When you have his mobile phone nummber in your accounts conntacts you should be able to find him in the alexa app ounder contacs and call him.

[@inmyopinionwisdom4986]

How did you initially "set-up" to do this task? I'm new at this and do not know how to get the ALEXA APP "downloaded" onto my ECHO SHOW 8. Or is it already loaded on the ECHO SHOW 8 (and all I have to do is open it up????). Can you tell me how to do this? Thank you!

[@christian53050]

Thank you for talking about this subject. For those of us of us who have very feeble elderly parents/in-laws the Echo drop in feature has very good potential for monitoring. For the next generation it would be great to be able to drop in to several cameras in the same house at the same time and to see all but one as thumbnails. We are setting things up right now.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Your welcome Christian. Thank you for watching the video. It would be nice to drop in on multiple echos at the same time with a group of devices. I hope you find drop in helpful. Have a great day.

[@a18ttc]

Thank you. Your instructions and demonstrations were perfect.

[@NextStepSurvival]

Your use of text to avoid saying ‘Alexa’ was very considerate. Thank you for that.

[@jjammom]

Another great video! I, too, have been finding these devices, including the echo flex, invaluable and inexpensive tools to help safeguard senior family members. I have placed echo flexs in the garage, bathrooms, basement and laundry room. If someone should need help, all they need to do is to tell the device to call someone. And of course, it can make an announcement throughout the house that someone might need help. Keep up the great work!

[@davidplenderleith4176]

Great video. Ordered my google nest hub max now thanks

[@igorschmidlapp6987]

The muting of "Alexa" shows Alexa's biggest problem: voice recognition. I changed my "wake word" from "Alexa" to "Computer", but I have to be careful of volume when watching any Star Trek, as it obeys Captain Picard just as easily as me... Now, do it with Zoom, instead of Skype (Zoom accounts aren't needed to participate in Zoom, just the meeting URL)...

[@Buharialtinee]

Thanks for sharing

[@j.phoenix]

Awesome informative video!

[@coultergill7728]

Just bought an Echo Dot with clock after seeing your videos

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello, I hope you enjoy your echo dot with clock. The clock is a nice addition. Thanks for sharing and watching.

[@ahmedthabet3111]

Great & helpful 👍

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Glad it was helpful for you. Thanks for watching the video.

[@brendan1269]

Alexa is great for calling

[@marcopolo242]

Very helpful! thanks for this!

[@Jo-fe6wd]

Thanks!

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Thank you Jo. I appreciate you being a channel member and for your support. Have a great day Jo.

[@plantsNstuff]

Great video, I just bought my family members echo show 8 devices and was really struggling with with making video calls to people outside my amazon household. I tried to watch "Amazon Echo & Alexa Skype Calling", but it says the video is private

[@victoriagjones5333]

Thanks for the videos can you advise how to set the volume to high when making video call to echo show as person ( 96yr old) can’t hear when I’m calling so having sometime use drop in instead.!

[@Headloser]

I just to clarify some info about the product. First do you need to have an Echo Dot Voice Assistant Speaker in order to use Amazon Echo Show 8? Secondly Does the Echo show 8 equipped with an Webcam or do i need to by it separately?

[@DisembodiedScreams]

Great information. This is needed in times like these. I have been leaning towards Google lately, but there are some things Amazon is just winning on. Communications like you talked about are one of them.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Anthony, I think it is definitely needed during these times. Google duo is a nice option too. You can’t go wrong with either device. I think it’s just finding the one that offers what you are looking for. Thank you for watching.

[@dylanmoore4634]

Thank you Craig great advice

[@CraigsTechTalk]

YOu are welcome. Glad it was helpful for you.

[@deloreschilds4]

Do the person you trying to video do theyneed to have an echo device?

[@daveschmarder-1950]

This is timely for me. Best Buy has a sale of the day on a pair of Echo Show 8's for $130. I bought two of them. I have mostly a Google Home house, but I have one Dot and a couple unplugged Echos. I'll set one of the screens up and see if anyone in my whole fam damily wants to join me. :)

[@hmhkh]

Hi Craig Thanks for the video, can you advise on below question please. How can I allow a friend to call a specific Alexa device from the two devices that I have and restrict him from calling the other. What can he use from his end to call me, his Alexa mobile app, his Skype account, or his Alexa Device and how? Thanks

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello, you can’t specify specific devices that will ring when someone calls with a regular voice call or Skype. You can only limit echos on Drop in. If he wants to call you he can use his Alexa mobile app or Echo devices to call your devices or call your Skype account that is linked in the Alexa app. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching.

[@hmhkh]

@@CraigsTechTalk how can he call from his Alexa device? And what if he wants to call other family members?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hassan Al Khatib he can say, “Alexa, call NAME OF PERSON echo devices.” If you say call NAME OF PERSON to Alexa it may ask you if you want to call their echo devices or a phone number. That is what it did for me. I also found if you have a Skype account it may default to trying to do a Skype call if the contact has a Skype account saved in their contact information.

[@hmhkh]

@@CraigsTechTalk thanks will check it with friends let you know.

[@MonkeyNuttz]

Hi Craig, great video, can you do group calls on echo, eg 2 or more different contacts at a time? is this via native Alexa app or do you need to do via Skype?

[@somethingelse4878]

Hi In the echo show can you use the Plex skill to play video from a PC and maybe screen grab and cast Netflix? Will the shows Firefox let you log into the amazon Alexa control website just like a PC? And maybe banking too

[@a22jordan]

Craig hi.. big fan.. question I love the size of the extra large Facebook portal screen with built in Alexa.. do you know if you can also attach a Facebook account and use it to scroll through pictures while in waiting.. will It be as productive as a regular echo show.. think a valuable video to make... thanks for consideration

[@bonvivantcheftori2384]

I'm researching investing in echo to help our homeschool run more smoothly. My kids have a lot of online special ed classes and the schedule is very complicated. Some classes are weekly, some are every other week. Ideally I would like to be able to have series of events happen for each meeting: 1) alarm sounds that says Childs Name, get ready for x class. 2) count down song will play while they get ready 3) Alexa connects to the correct zoom room for that meeting. Can Alexa do that? Can it connect them their iPad or computer to the right zoom room? Do I need echo show if I want it to connect to zoom?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Unfortunately Echo and Alexa processing is so limited. It can't really interact with any devices, other than smart home devices. You can put zoom calendars in the calendar and sync the calendar to the echos. Then you could launch zoom calls right from the echo show calendar. Unfortunately you can't use calendar events as routine triggers. That would be great. Then it could make an announcement at least.

[@p.sethia1830]

can you do a microphone test? to see how the mic does in noisy envt. for example

[@somethingelse4878]

I have a dot3 on my account and want four fire 8hd's In show mode mostly ​I've registered one, I do a second one and drop In stops, saying second tablet unavailable If I try to put any more on my account, I get de registered from the first It also says this is device 8 on music, it's not as I've gone into Amazon and removed all devices but the two tabs and dot To have Alexa in most rooms do they need to be echos devices like dots and shows over software apps on tablets and phones​ i​ve gone to video and removed all devices too​I I think there are restrictions with soft aps vs Amazon own hardware like Echo running skills

[@Calta455]

Great tech content I am a new subscriber.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Ray, thank you very much. I am glad you are enjoying the content. It is great to hear. Thank you for subscribing and sticking around for more videos. Thanks for the comment and watching.

[@rjenningstreasurejunky6700]

Can you disable the frosted view on show 5

[@mrs.wilcox7867]

Thank you for this video! I just bought an Echo Show 5 for my elderly mother. I have it all set up but the only thing I can't figure out is how to call from the SHOW to my cell phone WITH video. It only does voice call. I have the show set up under my Alexa app and linked to my other Alexa's. Why can I only get voice and no video? Thank you!

[@Deanrwp]

Hi Craig, I hope all is with you? I absolutely love all my Amazon Echo devices as I have a Echo Show in my Lounge, Dots in my Kitchen, my son Bedroom, Flex with Motion Sensor on my Lansing, and a Echo Show 5 in my Bedroom! Along with Smart Bulbs in every room including my outside Security Light, along with a Ring Pro Doorbell! I love my Smart Home, as it is the best investment I have ever spent my money on! My best friend has a Echo Spot, so that is cool we can do Drop in! Sadly my In-laws will Not have a Echo device, At a time where the whole world is in turmoil it would have been really useful right now! Alexa she just gets better and better as time goes by, I am waiting for O2 Mobile Network to enable Calling as Vodafone and EE are on Alexa.....so this will be icing on the Cake when they finally enable this feature! 🤔 Once again a another brilliant video, Please Stay Safe! 😊

[@RCModSquad]

On an iPhone will it allow the use of a Bluetooth headset?

[@trentfougere3858]

Craig, is there a way to put the video call from an echo show onto a fire tv stick or fire tv cube so that the video call can be viewed on a larger screen (tv)? I see that the show 8 is on sale in Canada for $109 and I’m looking to purchase. Or is there another way to do that? Thanks

[@sonny4754]

So you would need a mobile number to set this what about a home line number ?

[@oldnastystd8863]

Hey love the videos I have bought a few things I really enjoy because of your vids 🤙 I want to buy the show 5 but only if I can stereo pair it the my echo dot 3 because if it doesn't I'll just get another echo dot 3

[@CraigsTechTalk]

You can pair it as a stereo pair. Only in a group to play the same music on both. You probably wouldn’t want it as a stereo pair anyways since they are different speakers. The stereo pair breaks it up into a left and right channel. But multi-room audio groups are great for playing them together.

[@gabbysandoval-flores3788]

Hi Craig with Skype calling is video calling allow more than 2 people?

[@jawsgreatwhite9966]

I am very disappointed that you do not have the option to be able to answer drop in like a phone call. To me this is a huge fail with drop in and I will not be enabling that feature. Thanks for the info about that.

[@ronm6585]

Thank you.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Thank you Ron. I appreciate you checking it out. Have a great day and stay safe.

[@Pinkberyl72]

Hi How can I set up an Echo 3rd gen without a smartphone? I do have a laptop with wi-fi & a landline phone. Thank you for any imput.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

You can set up Echos using a computer. Here is the link to be able to set it up on through a web browser. alexa.amazon.com/

[@ernestosanmiguelreyes4696]

Craig, How can I add echo8 from my father house to my phone book with alexa app?

[@bromptonprimary5468]

Hello is that the Show 8 1st generation?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Yes it is 1st gen

[@inmyopinionwisdom4986]

How do I get the ALEXA APP onto my newly purchased/registered ECHO SHOW 8? I do not see how to do that very essential step in the little thin page booklet that came with the Echo Show 8. Please help with any advice you can offer. Thank you! P.S. I'm trying to communicate with my relative that lives in another state via Echo Show 8. We are totally lost on how to go about doing this. HELP. PLEASE!!!

[@CraigsTechTalk]

You have to put the app on your phone, login with your Prime account and follow the instructions for setting up your Echos. I suggest watching a few videos on video calls and drop in. That is not something I can do through the comments.

[@dazstoker3622]

Hi Craig The in-laws have got an alexa show and we have one in the kitchen also. They have dropped in on us a few times and came through on our show in the kitchen. But one day they came through on my echo device at work which I use to listen to music. Is there a way to get them to drop in on us on the kitchen show only? Thanks

[@CraigsTechTalk]

You can go to each device settings and change the echo to the preferred option. For all my echos I have them set to household only. I would only leave the kitchen on set to preferred contacts. To play it safe you can have the one at work to have Drop in turned off. Thanks for checking out video. Hope this helps.

[@xuxinhxanvn]

If I sync my contacts to Echo Show, and put it in a public room of my house, then others like my husband and children can also make phone call and see my contacts, right? It will be quite insecure.

[@faengelm]

Hi Craig. At 2:10 you are placing an Alexa Video Call from your Echo Show to a phone running the Alexa app. I can't get this to work and Amazon tech support is telling me that this doesn't work! I think this may have worked in 2020 but no longer works. Can you confirm this?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

I just tried it and it will only use Skype now or it will try to call all of my devices.

[@gwynethmorris8824]

When receiving a skype call onto the Echo Show can Drop In be enabled? I can do it for an Alexa incoming call but not for Skype Incoming?

[@Clawery32]

hi question how can i video chat with my fire tv

[@mickeygarcia2331_]

Can it call without my phone around

[@emilycox1583]

But can you do a video call from your iPhone to the echo show using the app?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Yes you can make a video call from the Alexa app.

[@redtees1]

Jeezus..I was confused. My name is Cheryl! I thought how did he do that?? lol

[@travisbickle2010]

Does someone know if is it possible to make WhatsApp calls with Alexa? I can do it with Google Home, but not with Alexa...

[@keyaunnalewis8496]

hi im trying to set this up for grandmother but she dosent have a cell phone # what can i do?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

If you have her log in information for Amazon, you can log into her account with your phone. Then go through the setup steps. You can also do it through a tablet. A cell number is not necessary. Here is a link to other ways to setup an Echo with a computer. www.wikihow.com/Connect-Alexa-to-a-Computer Thanks for watching.

[@ebutuoy8j]

Thanks for the video. I have a question. I was using my echo show to call and receive video calls. All of a sudden something changed. So I downloaded the app onto my phone, even though I don't really use this phone for alexa video calling. When I ask my echo show / alexa to show me my contacts, it says "To set up contacts, first register your alexa app". Although if I manually scroll the echo show, my contacts are on there. Does anyone know what "to set up contacts, first register your alexa app" means??? Thanks for any help.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

I would double check that there is not a privacy settings that has been turned on. I know iPhones went through some privacy updates recently. If you did not allow apps access when asked it could keep things from happening. You do need to make sure the Alexa app has access to your phone contacts.

[@JohnBahan]

How do you get Alexa to show phone number it comes up with unknown

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Unfortunately there is no way that know of to change that. Thanks for watching.

[@annniblock9316]

I have two devices but when my family drop in it always defaults to the device in the bedroom,I have named each device and enabled drop in on each device but it always ends up dropping into the bedroom,any thoughts on just what is happening?

[@faengelm]

You could disable drop in on the bedroom Echo Show. In the Alexa app on your mobile device. More- Devices- DeviceName- Communications- Drop In (Off)

[@BIGCPROD86]

can the alexa echo show call the alexa echo dot

[@sonny4754]

Is there a way to set up video call on the echo without a mobile number ?

[@18hallmark]

Yes google voice

[@sonny4754]

@@18hallmark what’s google voice ?

[@18hallmark]

@@sonny4754 Google it

[@sonny4754]

@@18hallmark I see I can’t use it on Amazon echo

[@nix4644]

Sorry Craig, but it seemed like you were just phoning it in.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

I am sorry you see it that way. I don’t feel like I was. Thanks for watching it anyways.

[@christian53050]

@@CraigsTechTalk Just about certain he was referring to you calling yourself : )

[@nix4644]

@@CraigsTechTalk Guess I should have put a smiley face after my comment. It was just a play on words, you know, 'cause you phoned yourself. Christian got it.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

WS P thank you for the clarification on that. That is funny. I took that I wasn’t delivering on this one and hadn’t lived up to prior videos. I started doubting myself. I am glad that I had just misunderstood what you were saying. 😀👍 thanks for the follow up and watching.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Christian Mildh thanks for seeing what I clearly missed. I worry about losing it as a content creator. 😀

[@clarkhamblen]

Craig, can I make a group video chat on the echo show without doing it through Skype?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

No there is no way to make a group video chat that I know of on the Echo Show. It would be nice to have the option.

[@rohdoug]

So Skype is the host for video calls.

[@myutube6422]

Did you forget to add the How to set up Skype with Alexa?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Bill at about the 7:10 point in the video I show that you go to the Alexa app - Settings - Communications. There you will click on the link Skype account. Then you sign in with your Skype account and you are good go. Thanks for watching.

[@myutube6422]

@@CraigsTechTalk Got it, thanks again.

[@davids9577]

Unfortunately it seems Skype is no longer supported. 😞

[@CraigsTechTalk]

I was not aware of that. Thank you for the update.

[@CalitranoN]

my Echo Show 5 does not recognize any devices even though the app. on my phone shows ring app. etc... all good? What could be wrong?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello, I would go into the settings on the show 5. Go to device options and click on check for software updates. If the software is updated. I would unplug it and give it a restart. It does not make sense why it would not show up on the show 5. If the other devices are seeing the ring devices the ring stuff is set up correctly in the Alexa app. That makes me think it is the software on the show 5 or it just needs a restart. I don’t think hardware with the show 5.

[@CalitranoN]

@@CraigsTechTalk i did,,, its not that... different email address, people don't realize that can screw up the whole thing... it works now.

[@CraigsTechTalk]

CalitranoN thank you for the follow up. I am glad that you got it worked out. I would have not thought about different emails. That is good to know. It is something that I would not have thought of. Hopefully this helps others.

[@dkbryant67]

Hello Craig, I am new to the echo world and at Christmas bought my first Echo. And Echo Show eight. What is the port on the back of the show that looks like a mini HDMI port for and how can it be used? Also I was wondering if you could help me with Amazon Music Unlimited. If I ask my echo to play something that is not part of the free music service it tells me that it can sign me up for the Music Unlimited for $3.99 per month for a prime number which I am. But when I go on the website or if I ask my echo about signing up it tells me that it is $7.99 per month. Any idea why my echo would be telling me $3.99 per month?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Darron, welcome to the echo world. The port on the back is for an Ethernet adapter. I have never seen it or used one. As for the Amazon music unlimited the $3.99 gives you access to unlimited music on just the one device you sign up for. You would not be able to play the music on any other echos or mobile devices. The $7.99 is for a single user unlimited music subscription that can be used on any Echo, tablet, phone or computer. You only get notified for the $3.99 when you ask for a song that is not available on the included prime music. I hope that helps some.

[@dkbryant67]

@@CraigsTechTalk Thanks Craig. Yes that answered my questions

[@wheelie642]

Can Alexa call a regular landline phone?

[@techjunkie8114]

is this the echo 8 or 10 inch screen

[@CraigsTechTalk]

This is the Echo 8.

[@benjy1221]

Does Skype work with group video chats on the echo show?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

I have not seen it work on the echo show. I don’t think it will work. I hope if someone has had a different experience they chime in.

[@kingab12]

Can you make a video call from echo show to a contact on messenger?

[@CraigsTechTalk]

No you cannot. You can only make a video call to people in your alexa contacts using one of the options I mentioned. Thanks for watching.

[@RC44E]

This video may have worked better if you had your wife in a separate room answering the calls....or answering on a separate echo device. Pretending to be in another home.

[@Naturalcolor10]

Can you call someone if you don't have an echo but you have the app on your phone?

[@4daluvofnikki]

Yes you can

[@Naturalcolor10]

@@4daluvofnikki thanks.. my sister can call my parents and she doesn't have an echo.

[@4daluvofnikki]

Natural Color Yes. As long as you Sister has the Alexa app installed on her Smartphone or Tablet and she logs in using her Amazon Account. She will be able to Drop In on your Parent’s Echo devices or call their Echo devices. Keep in mind they will not be able to use Drop In from their Echo to her app. They will be able to Alexa to Alexa calling to her app only.

[@Naturalcolor10]

@@4daluvofnikki thanks so much!

[@4daluvofnikki]

Natural Color Good Morning. If you have Facebook. I have a group on there I created just to answer things like this and more. The name of the group is LET’S TALK ABOUT AMAZON ALEXA. Please join the group. It is a brand new group so not that many people are members yet. I plan to link or create videos for newbies and experts alike.

[@surekhakanjar6085]

Hi...why have u muted the word Alexa everywhere???

[@CraigsTechTalk]

To avoid triggering peoples devices at home that have echoes listening. Thanks for watching.

[@ArnoldNathan]

Was playing around with Alexa speaker group and realized today the delay on the Bluetooth speaker delay was gone !!!

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Arnold. Thank you for the update. That is good to know that it is gone. Hope you are doing well and staying safe through all of this.

[@nancyrogers6112]

Once I enabled Skype calls on my echo show, it only allowed me to make Skype calls. I can no longer call using a mobile device. When I try to make a regular call Alexainforms me that I don't have enough Skype credits to make the call.

[@faengelm]

Try this to see if it helps. In your Alexa app on your mobile device. More- Settings- Communication- Calling Preference (set to Alexa Communication)

[@nancyrogers6112]

It actually took some help from Amazon and logging in on my laptop to get this working but it finally works correctly Thanks for your comment

[@mikedrake4597]

As always brilliant and informative and easy to understand. Thank you from England. Please stay safe it’s more serious than Trumps been telling you guys. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️😷🇬🇧

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Hello Mike, thank you very much. I am glad that you enjoyed the video and it was informative. Thank you for the nice comment and watching. I agree with you about how serious this is. It is hard to feel confident with any timelines because of the constant changing from the government.

[@ascaye]

I just discovered today that Amazon has removed Skype as an Alexa skill.

[@faengelm]

In your Alexa app on your mobile device, try this. More- Settings- Communication Add the Skype account there

[@coalbach3996]

Thanks for the video now I feel that the echo devices are a good investment not just as a smart speaker for music or smart home but also communication these could replace a home phone and do multiple purposes, we got an echo dot for 99 cents from Amazon music unlimited and I also just got one on sale for 30 bucks I kinda use my fire tablet as a echo show sometimes but I plan to buy more echo dots to cover basic parts of our home but I have to get my mom used to it as she gets annoyed because I'm always saying 'Alexa' and she thinks I make everything complicated with having my room with a smart bulb and then she turns it of like a normal bulb so I have to reset it but to be honest I'm a really techy person.

[@HSRA_]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@claudioagmfilho]

🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Thank you Claudio.

[@richardjoseph4546]

Thanks!

[@CraigsTechTalk]

Thank you very much Richard. That is very nice of you. I appreciate you watching and the great super thanks. Have a great day Richard.