@rec9140, Hi. Yes, a few ideas. I have written here before on my experiences with Wyze and Show. But not as comprehensive as this. Consider yourself “worthy”. I have spend many many 15-20 minute sessions tweaking routines to get the most out of Wyze/Show routines. Many.
I have 2 dozen Wyze cams. I have 5-6 (front garage, back, porch) that I use with Show 8 and 5. I have all versions of the Show 8. And I have learned from experience, (not from any help from Wyze or Amazon,) that the 1st gen Show 5 & 8 works better with Wyze cameras than any other Alexa devices. One of the several things that works better is - the 1st gen 5/8 are less likely to time out after 10 minutes. (I have no idea why.) I get 30-40+ minutes on them. I encourage you to find on Amazon refurbished or ebay some 1st gen 5 or 8’s.
I have notice that after about 10 minutes the 2nd gen Show 8, will “minimize” the picture into the upper left corner. I’ve talked to the Alexa team about this several times, and they either “don’t get it or don’t care, or can’t reproduce it”, so I gave up on them and the 2nd gen Show.
I use routines. I never use multiple commands in a Wyze/Show routines. I use about 20+ routines. I use the time command to trigger when and the Custom choice, to Alexa, Show Alley Cam on Echo Show 81. (1 being the first of 5). (Put nothing else in the routine, to maximize your success.
And I DO NOT use a Show as the “Hear Alexa From” device. I use a regular Dot. I want nothing to interrupt or interfere with the Show. I have learned to NOT add any other action or command in the routine to maximize its likelihood of success. (Ya know that message she tells you, “Sorry Dave, I can’t do that”, I don’t want that message coming from a Show, I want it coming from a Dot. That’s why I use a Dot as the “Hear Alexa from” device.
I use the 20+ routines by “calling” for Alexa to bring up one camera at the top of the hour, - every OTHER hour to the same camera, same Show, just different hour, but top of the hour. (I.e., 6, 8, 10, am. A very few times, its still showing that same camera, so its just becomes a refresh of the screen to the same show. BUT IT WORKS.
Another routine at 10 past the top of the hour, every other hour, “calls” Alexa to bring up a different camera to a different Show. (I.e., 9, 11 am; 1, 3, 5, 7 pm) And yes, again, sometimes its simply a refresh of the screen, not all the time, but often.
I have a couple of times, with a couple of cameras, that I use a set time, every day, to “call” Alexa to “Go Home” on that show. This resets seems to help that camera in the sister routine to more likely bring up that camera.
I don’t use a Wyze Garage Controller. I use a Sonoff Basic RF version WiFi Smart Plug/device that I hacked, and give me a lot more control. However, I have 5 Wyze ver 2 cams in my Garage. All pointing the garage door. So, if the Wyze Garage cam doesn’t show up for Show use, give up, put another Wyze Cam out there. Don’t fight it.
By the way, ever notice that the rails of your garage door are steel? You can invert a Wyze cam, unfold its mount and with its magnet, stick it to the rail, so its not on a wall, but pointing straight at your door. And you can use some blue painters tape to hide the power cable running from the camera to either end of your rails on the back side of that rail, to where you get power.
I have 3 cameras outside my garage and hidden, you might be able to find them, but so far none of my neighbors have. And I have 5 camera inside my garage, just for the fun of it. And with these 8, that are all wired to one WiFi Smart plug. Most use a better than Wyze power adapter and a couple use a 3-port 2.3 amp power adapter, but none use a Wyze (marginally powerful power) adapter (just my 2-cents). I ran cheap 2 prong extension cords to each corner of the garage, and back to the center where the GDO’ outlet is. I plugged a WiFi smart plug in there, and brought all the cords together there. At the female end, that’s where the 5v adapters are, using a 3 foot or so, power cord to the camera. The WiFi smart plug allows a off/on schedule with Last State (on) setting. All 8 are powered off at 03:00 and back up at 03:10. A little time to cool down, but restarted every day. I can use an app to off/on them during the day, but almost never need to. This way, I can be confident if one camera tells me “Sorry Dave”, I know I can either ignore it or do them all. But nice knowing central control for power to all.
I more likely need the “Go Home” command for the Show, than the camera, as I have discovered with some Flic 2 buttons (and Broadlink Wireless Smart Butons, I use to control routines, that WHEN I get the “Sorry Dave” message about a camera, I can use a command to bring up a “test - distraction/reset” camera on that Show, wait 2 minutes and command it to bring up the camera that “failed”, and Ta-Daaa, the one that failed 3 minutes ago, suddenly works.
Now, after all I have said/written, if you are serious about helping the folks see what’s on the cameras? Don’t depend on a Show. Invest in a old/used/renewed/new iPad, maybe a Mini, and put the app on it. I can depend on my two iPads to hold the view from any camera for 1-2-3 hours. I don’t mind that they are old and the batteries are weak, 'cause I leave them plugged in, just like I have to for a Show anyway. Yes, I must use a finger to switch to a different camera. But I have two sitting on small charging stands, so I don’t have to sit and hold them. Wow, that’s sort of like a Show is, plugged into power always, and sitting up facing me. Just cost a little more than a Show, but better performance.
I take questions, but I don’t defend my choices why I do it how I do it. It works. 