How to get my echo dot to control my receiver

[EunSoo]

Hello! I recently got an echo dot, which is connected to a spare receiver (I can get the model number when I go home, all I know is that its a sony) and two speakers that I had lying around. Now, whenever I get home, I have to turn on the receiver pressing a button but that kinda defeats the purpose of having a voice-controlled assistent if I have to press a button before using it. So is there a way to get my Echo Dot to be able to turn it on and off? I have a raspberry pi if that helps, and maybe I could buy something like an IR blaster to connect to it. I could get a Belkin WeMo switch but that isn't very fun. Also how would the software side work, I don't have all day to learn how to do this so if there is a pre-made solution that could achieve something like this no my pi so that I could say something like 'Alexa, turn my receiver on!' then that would be much more convenient. Thanks!

[Scheer]

Easiest way would be with a Logitech Harmony Hub, this will give you power on/off via IR, but no voice volume support for the receiver (I assume/really hope this will be added soon). You would be able to use the smartphone app to change the receiver volume, so you could still have remote control over it.

 

Create an activity in the Harmony called receiver, give Echo access to it, and then you'll be able to say 'Alexa, turn my receiver on!'