Alexa.StepSpeaker Interface
Implement the Alexa.StepSpeaker interface in your Alexa skill so that users can control the volume of their entertainment devices that contain audio speakers. For more information about entertainment device skills, see Build Smart Home Skills for Entertainment Devices.
Implement this interface for devices that make incremental discrete step adjustments to volume, where the range of volume isn't known. For example, StepSpeaker can increase or decrease the volume by a step of 5, but can't adjust the volume to 50 percent. If your device can set the volume to any integer value in a continuous range of values, implement the Speaker interface instead.
For the list of languages that the StepSpeaker interface supports, see List of Alexa Interfaces and Supported Languages.
Utterances
When you use the Alexa.StepSpeaker interface, the voice interaction model is already built for you. The following examples show some user utterances:
Alexa, lower the volume on the stereo.
Alexa, volume up 20 on the speakers.
After the user says one of these utterances, Alexa sends a corresponding directive to your skill.
Discovery
You describe endpoints that support Alexa.StepSpeaker using the standard discovery mechanism described in Alexa.Discovery.
Use SPEAKER, TV, STREAMING_DEVICE, GAME_CONSOLE, or other appropriate display category. For the full list of display categories, see display categories.
Discover response example
The following example shows a Discover.Response message for a speaker device that supports the Alexa.StepSpeaker and Alexa.PowerController interfaces. For the full list of recommended interfaces for an entertainment device, see Smart Home Skill Device Templates.
{
"event": {
"header": {
"namespace": "Alexa.Discovery",
"name": "Discover.Response",
"payloadVersion": "3",
"messageId": "<message id>"
},
"payload": {
"endpoints": [
{
"endpointId": "<unique ID of the endpoint>",
"manufacturerName": "<the manufacturer name of the endpoint>",
"description": "Smart Speaker by Speaker Maker",
"friendlyName": "Computer speaker",
"displayCategories": ["SPEAKER"],
"cookie": {},
"capabilities": [
{
"type": "AlexaInterface",
"interface": "Alexa.StepSpeaker",
"version": "3",
},
{
"type": "AlexaInterface",
"interface": "Alexa.PowerController",
"version": "3",
"properties": {
"supported": [
{
"name": "powerState"
}
],
"retrievable": true,
"proactivelyReported": true
}
},
{
"type": "AlexaInterface",
"interface": "Alexa",
"version": "3"
}
]
}
]
}
}
}
Directives
AdjustVolume
Support the AdjustVolume directive so that users can adjust the volume on their devices.
The following example shows a user utterance:
Alexa, volume up 20 on Computer Speaker.
AdjustVolume directive payload details
| Field | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
volumeSteps |
The amount by which to increase or decrease the volume, relative to the current volume. Valid values are -100 to 100, and positive values increase the volume and negative values decrease the volume. | Integer |
AdjustVolume directive example
The following example illustrates an AdjustVolume directive that Alexa sends to your skill.
{
"directive": {
"header": {
"namespace": "Alexa.StepSpeaker",
"name": "AdjustVolume",
"messageId": "<message id>",
"correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
"payloadVersion": "3"
},
"endpoint": {
"scope": {
"type": "BearerToken",
"token": "<an OAuth2 bearer token>"
},
"endpointId": "<endpoint id>",
"cookie": {}
},
"payload": {
"volumeSteps": 20
}
}
}
AdjustVolume response event
If you handle an AdjustVolume directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.Response event. The StepSpeaker interface defines no properties, but if you implement other interfaces, include the values of all properties in the context object.
AdjustVolume response event example
{
"event": {
"header": {
"namespace": "Alexa",
"name": "Response",
"messageId": "<message id>",
"correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
"payloadVersion": "3"
},
"endpoint":{
"endpointId": "<endpoint id>"
},
"payload": {}
},
"context": {
"properties": [
{
"namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
"name": "powerState",
"value": "ON",
"timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
"uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
}
]
}
}
AdjustVolume directive error handling
If you can't handle an AdjustVolume directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.ErrorResponse event.
SetMute directive
Support the SetMute directive so that users can mute and unmute their devices.
The following example shows a user utterance:
Alexa, mute Computer Speaker.
SetMute directive payload details
| Field | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
mute |
True to mute the device, false to unmute the device. | Boolean |
SetMute directive example
The following example illustrates a SetMute directive that Alexa sends to your skill.
{
"directive": {
"header": {
"namespace": "Alexa.Speaker",
"name": "SetMute",
"messageId": "<message id>",
"correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
"payloadVersion": "3"
},
"endpoint": {
"scope": {
"type": "BearerToken",
"token": "<an OAuth2 bearer token>"
},
"endpointId": "<endpoint id>",
"cookie": {}
},
"payload": {
"mute": true
}
}
}
SetMute response event
If you handle a SetMute directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.Response event. The StepSpeaker interface defines no properties, but if you implement other interfaces, include the values of all properties in the context object.
SetMute response event example
{
"event": {
"header": {
"namespace": "Alexa",
"name": "Response",
"messageId": "<message id>",
"correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
"payloadVersion": "3"
},
"endpoint":{
"endpointId": "<endpoint id>"
},
"payload": {}
},
"context": {
"properties": [
{
"namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
"name": "powerState",
"value": "ON",
"timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
"uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
}
]
}
}
SetMute directive error handling
If you can't handle a SetMute directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.ErrorResponse event.