Help Voice control of audio controls?

[schwim]

Hello there!

I use bluetooth to play audio through my hearing aids but often need to stop and restart play when talking to someone. I've tried using Google to control the audio but it usually doesn't work. Could anyone tell me if there's a particular app or some setting in Android that I could use to reliably control audio play/stop/skip/back?

Phone's an android 3a XL running 12.

Thanks for your time!

 

[ocnbrze]

just to verify you have a Pixel 3a XL....correct?

i do not use a hearing aid, but i think it might be helpful to know which hearing aids you have.

 

[mikedt]

FWIW the only time I've seen voice commands working reliably for playing and controlling music, was my dad's Amazon Alexa, e.g. "Hey Alexa, play Rick Astley, Never Gonna Give You Up", "Hey Alexa, STOP!". If that works with hearing aids, no idea.

 

[schwim]

Hey, thanks for the help, folks!

just to verify you have a Pixel 3a XL....correct?

i do not use a hearing aid, but i think it might be helpful to know which hearing aids you have.

Yes, sorry I misspoke. PIxel 3a XL. The hearing aids connect via bluetooth so they are the same as bluetooth headphones. I'm just struggling to find a reliable method of voice control for any audio, BT-connected included.

FWIW the only time I've seen voice commands working reliably for playing and controlling music, was my dad's Amazon Alexa, e.g. "Hey Alexa, play Rick Astley, Never Gonna Give You Up", "Hey Alexa, STOP!". If that works with hearing aids, no idea.

I'll look to see if there's some way to integrate alexa with other audio players as amazon music offerings(even prime) are too limited for my needs.

 

[schwim]

FWIW the only time I've seen voice commands working reliably for playing and controlling music, was my dad's Amazon Alexa, e.g. "Hey Alexa, play Rick Astley, Never Gonna Give You Up", "Hey Alexa, STOP!". If that works with hearing aids, no idea.

Playing with this and I'm hopeful but struggling to figure out how to get alexa to respond to the wake word when the app isn't at the foreground. If anyone has updated instructions for getting alexa to listen all the time, I'd be interested to hear it. I managed to link spotify and alexa so content is solved, I just need to be able to get the app to pay attention all the time(or at least when audio devices are connected via BT).

 

[mikedt]

Playing with this and I'm hopeful but struggling to figure out how to get alexa to respond to the wake word when the app isn't at the foreground. If anyone has updated instructions for getting alexa to listen all the time, I'd be interested to hear it. I managed to link spotify and alexa so content is solved, I just need to be able to get the app to pay attention all the time(or at least when audio devices are connected via BT).

Can't really help you with that myself. I was using my dad's Alexa, last time I was in the UK. I have tried other voice controls things with the devices I've got here(in China), but have found them to be pretty much useless, namely Bixby(Samsung), Siri(Apple), and Celia(Huawei, that only understands Mandarin).

I don't use hearing aids myself, but I'm often listening to music and podcasts on Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, and those have the PLAY, PAUSE, NEXT, BACK, etc. controls on the headsets.

 

[schwim]

don't use hearing aids myself, but I'm often listening to music and podcasts on Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, and those have the PLAY, PAUSE, NEXT, BACK, etc. controls on the headsets.

Unfortunately, that's the big difference between these and ear buds. I have to rely solely on control through the phone, whether it's touch or voice. I'm just going to play around with various apps and settings to see if I can get something that works well(ish).

 

[svim]

I'm wondering if you should look more into Bluetooth settings than audio controls. Generally, audio is a fixed, background process, and just assuming, it sounds like (bad pun intended) that you need to reset the Bluetooth connection when switching between listening to audio playback and voice interactions.

Have you looked at any Bluetooth-related options in your phone's Settings menu? That leads to a question if there is a discrete app for your hearing aids or is it just a matter where they're linked to your phone just using its standard Bluetooth menu to pair them up together? What model hearing aid do you have?