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Devices I Use to Power ON/OFF my Pinball Machines

Cary Hardy·video·9m 41s·analyzed·Dec 6, 2021
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.016

TL;DR

Tutorial on using Wi-Fi smart plugs and Alexa to remotely power pinball machines on/off

Summary

Cary Hardy demonstrates his smart home setup for remotely controlling pinball machines using Wi-Fi plugs (Smart Life brand) connected to Amazon Alexa voice commands. He covers hardware requirements (Wi-Fi plugs, Echo Dot, separate router), setup process, practical usage examples, and acknowledges the system's limitations and occasional Alexa recognition failures.

Key Claims

  • Using a separate wireless router for Wi-Fi plugs reduces latency and connection issues with primary network devices

    medium confidence · Cary Hardy recommends getting a separate wireless router to command multiple Wi-Fi plugs on multiple games to lessen extra devices/noise causing latency issues

  • Smart Life Wi-Fi plugs have extra features that Cary Hardy has never actually used

    high confidence · Cary explicitly states he's never used the extra features that come with the plugs despite them being available

  • Alexa voice recognition has difficulty with the word 'mnemonic' in game names like Johnny Mnemonic

    high confidence · Multiple failed attempts to activate 'Johnny Mnemonic' using voice commands; Alexa does not understand the word 'mnemonic'

  • Alexa can misinterpret conversation as commands when her name is mentioned in normal speech

    high confidence · Cary demonstrates Alexa activating when he says 'Alexa' while talking to someone else, then addresses this as a concern

Notable Quotes

  • “I would be lying if I said I miss turning on my machines one at a time.”

    Cary Hardy@ 0:00 — Establishes his preference for automation over manual power-on

  • “With a simple request using this Wi-Fi plug I can turn on whatever device it's connected to with my voice.”

    Cary Hardy@ 0:15 — Core value proposition of the setup

  • “I'm not telling you what you should do. I am just showing you another way. This method works for me. I like it.”

    Cary Hardy@ 3:08 — Addresses anticipated criticism about laziness; frames as personal preference not prescription

  • “Alexa, turn on Johnny Mnemonic. Hmm, I'm not sure. Alexa, turn off Johnny Mnemonic. Hmm, I don't know that. So we've got a conflict here. Evidently she does not understand the word mnemonic.”

    Cary Hardy@ 4:33 — Demonstrates specific limitation in voice recognition with certain game titles

  • “I have a love hate relationship with alexa because there are times where she does everything she's supposed to but then there's those times where it's like i'm talking to my wife she doesn't listen”

    Cary Hardy@ 8:20 — Summarizes the unreliability and unpredictability of the Alexa system

Entities

Cary HardypersonAlexaproductSmart LifeproductEcho DotproductJohnny MnemonicgameSwords of FurygameLast Action Herogame

Signals

  • ?

    product_strategy: Aftermarket smart home solutions emerging for pinball machine quality-of-life improvements beyond direct game modifications

    medium · Discussion of Wi-Fi plugs, routing setup, and multi-machine control routines as practical solutions for collectors with multiple machines

  • ?

    technology_signal: Pinball collectors adopting smart home technology (Wi-Fi plugs, voice assistants) for machine management and convenience

    high · Cary Hardy's detailed tutorial on integrating Alexa and Wi-Fi plugs into pinball collection management workflow; assumes audience interest in similar setup

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.029

0:00
I would be lying if I said I miss turning on my machines one at a time. Nothing against those of you that do it, it's just that I like this way better. With a simple request using this Wi-Fi plug I can turn on whatever device it's connected to with my voice. I can even set up routines to turn all of my games on or off at one time saving effort and time for a reasonable price
0:38
the only major downside is her you are going to have to deal with me alexa let's play a game get a high score for me daddy now in order to have the same setup as me you will need these wi-fi plugs i I use these right here, mainly for the cost, but there are also a good amount of special features that come with these particular plugs. But spoiler alert, I've really never used these extra features. You will need to download the Smart Life app, and if you want to, you can even download the Alexa app to go along with it. Now, if you want, you can strictly only use these applications. But the downside to that is that you will have to have your phone in order for it to work. Whereas the Echo Dot that I use is a live microphone waiting to answer my every whim. There are many uses that you can use for this Echo Dot. Now let's see if... Alexa, what's the weather?
1:40
The current weather is 49 degrees Fahrenheit with clear skies and sun. I'm not here to sell anything to you guys. It's just merely to give you information and you can do with it as you please. So if you want the ability to walk into your room and give her a command like so, Alexa, turn off Swords of Fury.
1:58
Okay. She does it. Alexa, turn on Swords of Fury. Okay. She just listens to my every command and you can set up routines to where she actually says other things. Something else to note that if you plan on using this on a multitude of games, then I highly recommend that you get a separate wireless router to command all of these Wi plugs This will lessen the extra devices and noise that could be possibly causing latency or connection issues with your actual essential devices that you have connected to your primary router. Now, setting up these Wi-Fi plugs may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For the plugs I use, you simply plug them in, hold down the power button until it begins to flash, then that puts the device into pairing mode. Then all you have to do is go into your Smart Life application. It should find the device that you are wanting to connect to. Then you can name it and then set up routines accordingly. Now I know there's plenty of you out there that are probably already wanting to type in a comment about how lazy I am. I can't believe you don't want to turn on your games one at a time or whatever. Okay. I'm not telling you what you should do. I am just showing you another way. This method works for me. I like it. see me going back to the olden days of one machine at a time via a switch because it's just so much easier to just sit back and go, Alexa, game over.
3:29
Of course, there's times where Alexa doesn't listen to anything I say. Okay, okay, shut up. Shut up. By the way, I can wake you up in the morning anytime you want. Just say Alexa. Shut up. Set an alarm. Alexa, shut up.
3:50
That's part of the downside, though. Alexa, turn on Johnny the Monic. Sorry, I'm not sure. Alexa, turn off Johnny the Monic. Did you mean the getaway?
4:12
Johnny Mnemonic. Okay. Alexa, turn on Johnny Mnemonic. Hmm, I'm not sure. Alexa, turn off Johnny Mnemonic.
4:38
Hmm, I don't know that. So we've got a conflict here. Evidently she doesn understand the word mnemonic So we may have to play with some stuff here Alexa turn on Johnny Mnemonic
4:55
Okay, by the way, I'm still learning about your plug. Is it connected to a light? No. Okay, if you decide to connect this plug to a light, you can change its settings in the Alexa app. alexa turn off johnny mnemonic okay alexa turn on johnny mnemonic okay alexa turn off johnny mnemonic alexa turn on johnny mnemonic Okay. Alexa, turn off Johnny Mnemonic. Alexa, turn on Johnny. Are you making a long-distance phone call? Bitch don't understand what the word mnemonic is. Alexa, turn off Johnny. Okay. Evidently it has not updated my powering off request yet. All right, let's try this one more time. Alexa, turn on Johnny. Are you making a long-distance phone call? Alexa, turn off Johnny. You have been disconnected. Alright. So, now if I want all the games to go, then I can be like, Alexa, let's play a game. Get a high score for me, Daddy.
6:41
Oh my god, Alexa, you are starting to piss me off. I've got all of them on except for Johnny. Alright Alexa, game over. Alexa, game over.
6:59
Okay Danny. Alright, so all the pins are off. You gonna get it right this time? Alexa, let's play a game Get a high score from on Johnny Come on Yes All right They all going
7:23
All right. About damn time. Alexa, game over. Okay, Daddy. I almost thought she wasn't going to do it this time around. But, yeah, stuff like that. So I can turn them all up all at the same time, turn them on all at the same time or just do one so alexa turn on last action hero arnold is now active daddy so there we go i can turn on one turn it off do anything because she knows how to do that so now that i've already got one on and now i feel like turning the others on i can be like alexa let's play a game get a high score for me daddy so then all of my machines will then begin to turn on it's a simple oh my game's initialized it's just a plug that you plug into and once you give it the command the command is initiated to this wi-fi plug to open the circuit i have a love hate relationship with alexa because there are times where she does everything she's supposed to but then there's those times where it's like i'm talking to my wife she doesn't listen Oh, see, she just thought I was talking to her because I said her name. And so that's something that you've got to be worrisome about, is that if you say her name, then she's like, oh, did you say something? Alexa, who is Carrie Hardy?
8:49
Carrie Augustus Hardy was an educator, lawyer, legislator, and banker who served as the 23rd governor of Florida.
8:59
Yep, see, not everything is 100% accurate. So there you have it, my current setup, and if you want to do the same, I will put links in the description down below. Give me the thumbs up, ding my dong, don't forget to hit the subscribe button down there, and until next time guys, peace out.
9:32
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