Alexa.InputController Interface

Implement the Alexa.InputController interface in your Alexa Smart Home skill so that users can change the input of an entertainment device. For details about entertainment device skills, see Build Smart Home Skills for Entertainment Devices. For details about video skills, see Understand Video Skills.

For the list of languages that the Alexa.InputController interface supports, see List of Alexa Interfaces and Supported Languages.

Utterances

The Alexa.InputController interface uses the pre-built voice interaction model. The following examples show some user utterances:

Alexa, change the input to DVD on the Living Room TV.
Alexa, switch to HDMI two on the Living Room TV.
Alexa, switch to AnyCompany TV on the Kitchen TV.

After the user says one of these utterances, Alexa sends a corresponding directive to your skill.

Properties

Reportable properties

The Alexa.InputController interface uses the input property as the primary property. The property values are strings.

Input property values

To indicate the inputs that your device supports, set the input property to one of the following values:

AUX 1, AUX 2, AUX 3, AUX 4, AUX 5, AUX 6, AUX 7, BLURAY, CABLE, CD, COAX 1, COAX 2, COMPOSITE 1, DVD, GAME, HD RADIO, HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, HDMI 4, HDMI 5, HDMI 6, HDMI 7, HDMI 8, HDMI 9, HDMI 10, HDMI ARC, INPUT 1, INPUT 2, INPUT 3, INPUT 4, INPUT 5, INPUT 6, INPUT 7, INPUT 8, INPUT 9, INPUT 10, IPOD, LINE 1, LINE 2, LINE 3, LINE 4, LINE 5, LINE 6, LINE 7, MEDIA PLAYER, OPTICAL 1, OPTICAL 2, PHONO, PLAYSTATION, PLAYSTATION 3, PLAYSTATION 4, SATELLITE, SMARTCAST, TUNER, TV, USB DAC, VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2, VIDEO 3, XBOX

Discovery

You describe endpoints that support Alexa.InputController by using the standard discovery mechanism described in Alexa.Discovery.

Set retrievable to true for the properties that you report when Alexa sends your skill a state report request. Set proactivelyReported to true for the properties that you proactively report to Alexa in a change report.

Use TV, STREAMING_DEVICE, GAME_CONSOLE, or other appropriate display category. For the full list of display categories, see display categories.

In addition to the usual discovery response fields, for Alexa.InputController, include the following field.

Property Description Type Required

inputs

Inputs that your device supports.
Each name must be unique across inputs for this device.

Array of objects

Yes

inputs.name

Name of an input that your device supports. Each name must be unique across inputs for this device.
Valid values: Input property values

String

Yes

inputs.friendlyNames

List of alternate names to identify the input. Each friendly name must be unique across inputs for this device. Support friendlyNames so that customers can navigate easily to these more recognizable names in their input list.

Array of strings

No

Discover response example

The following example shows a Discover.Response message for a television that supports the Alexa.InputController and Alexa.PowerController interfaces. For the full list of recommended interfaces for a television, see Smart Home Skill Device Templates.

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{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa.Discovery",
            "name": "Discover.Response",
            "payloadVersion": "3",
            "messageId": "a unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID"
        },
        "payload": {
            "endpoints": [{
                "endpointId": "unique ID of the endpoint",
                "manufacturerName": "Manufacturer name of the endpoint",
                "description": "Smart Television by Television Maker",
                "friendlyName": "Living Room TV",
                "displayCategories": ["TV"],
                "cookie": {},
                "capabilities": [{
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.InputController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "input"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        },
                        "inputs": [{
                                "name": "HDMI 1",
                                "friendNames": ["AnyCompany TV"]
                            },
                            {
                                "name": "HDMI 2",
                                "friendlyNames": ["Cable", "AnyCompany Cable"]
                            }
                        ]
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.PowerController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "powerState"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
                        "version": "3.2",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "connectivity"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa",
                        "version": "3"
                    }
                ]
            }]
        }
    }
}

AddOrUpdateReport

You must proactively send an Alexa.Discovery.AddOrUpdateReport message if the feature support of your endpoint changes after your initial discovery response. For example, if the inputs that your device supports changes, notify Alexa by sending an AddOrUpdateReport message. For details, see AddOrUpdateReport.

AddOrUpdateReport event example

The following example shows additional inputs for the endpoint.

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{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa.Discovery",
            "name": "AddOrUpdateReport",
            "payloadVersion": "3",
            "messageId": "a unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID"
        },
        "payload": {
            "endpoints": [{
                "endpointId": "unique ID of the endpoint",
                "manufacturerName": "<the manufacturer name of the endpoint>",
                "description": "Smart Television by Television Maker",
                "friendlyName": "Living Room TV",
                "displayCategories": ["TV"],
                "cookie": {},
                "capabilities": [{
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.InputController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "input"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        },
                        "inputs": [{
                                "name": "HDMI 1",
                                "friendNames": ["AnyCompany TV"]
                            },
                            {
                                "name": "HDMI 2",
                                "friendlyNames": ["Cable", "AnyCompany Cable"]
                            },
                            {
                                "name": "AUX 1",
                                "friendlyNames": ["DVD Player"]
                            },
                            {
                                "name": "AUX 2"
                            }
                        ]
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.PowerController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "powerState"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa",
                        "version": "3"
                    }
                ]
            }]
        }
    }
}

Directives

SelectInput directive

Support the SelectInput directive so that users can change the input on a device.

The following example shows a user utterance:

Alexa, change the input to HDMI one on the Living Room TV.

SelectInput directive example

The following example shows a SelectInput directive that Alexa sends to your skill.

{
  "directive": {
    "header": {
      "namespace": "Alexa.InputController",
      "name": "SelectInput",
      "messageId": "message id",
      "correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
      "payloadVersion": "3"
    },
    "endpoint": {
      "scope": {
        "type": "BearerToken",
        "token": "<an OAuth2 bearer token>"
      },
      "endpointId": "endpoint ID",
      "cookie": {}
    },
    "payload": {
      "input": "HDMI 1"
    }
  }
}

SelectInput directive payload

The following table shows the payload details for the SelectInput directive.

Property Description Type Required

inputs

Indicates the input to change the device to.

String

Yes

SelectInput response

If you handle a SelectInput directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.Response event. In the context object, include the values of all properties that changed.

The following example shows a SelectInput response.

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{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "Response",
            "messageId": "a unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "endpointId": "endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {}
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
                "namespace": "Alexa.InputController",
                "name": "input",
                "value": "HDMI 1",
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
            },
            {
                "namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
                "name": "powerState",
                "value": "ON",
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
            },
            {
                "namespace": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
                "name": "connectivity",
                "value": {
                    "value": "OK"
                },
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
            }
        ]
    }
}

SelectInput directive error handling

If you can't handle a SelectInput directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.ErrorResponse event.

State reporting

Alexa sends a ReportState directive to request information about the state of an endpoint. When Alexa sends a ReportState directive, you send a StateReport event in response. The response contains the current state of all the retrievable properties in the context object. You identify your retrievable properties in your discovery response. For details about state reports, see Understand State and Change Reporting.

StateReport response example

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{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "StateReport",
            "messageId": "a unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "<an opaque correlation token>",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "<an OAuth2 bearer token>"
            },
            "endpointId": "endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {}
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
                "namespace": "Alexa.InputController",
                "name": "input",
                "value": "HDMI 1",
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
            },
            {
                "namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
                "name": "powerState",
                "value": "ON",
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
            },
            {
                "namespace": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
                "name": "connectivity",
                "value": {
                    "value": "OK"
                },
                "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50Z",
                "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
            }
        ]
    }
}

Change reporting

You send a ChangeReport event to report changes proactively in the state of an endpoint. You identify the properties that you proactively report in your discovery response. For details about change reports, see Understand State and Change Reporting.

ChangeReport event example

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{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "ChangeReport",
            "messageId": "a unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "<an OAuth2 bearer token>"
            },
            "endpointId": "endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {
            "change": {
                "cause": {
                    "type": "VOICE_INTERACTION"
                },
                "properties": [{
                    "namespace": "Alexa.InputController",
                    "name": "input",
                    "value": "HDMI 2",
                    "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
                    "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
                }]
            }
        }
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
            "namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
            "name": "powerState",
            "value": "ON",
            "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
            "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
        }, {
            "namespace": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
            "name": "connectivity",
            "value": {
                "value": "OK"
            },
            "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50Z",
            "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
        }]
    }
}