FAQ

Here is a list of frequently asked (or anticipated) questions

Audio & Microphones

What kinds of mobile devices work with VoxCommando?

If you have an Android device, we have a full-featured customized app called VoxWav that works great with VoxCommando and is easy on your battery.

There are also third-party apps that let you use your mobile device as a microphone. More information.

What kind of microphone do I need?

Some information on microphone selection:

• in the wiki: Microphones
• reviews and discussions on the forum
• comparative matrix of selected microphones.

Why doesn't VC understand me all the time?

There are many reasons why VC might not be understanding you.

• Bad quality microphone or badly configured microphone.
  • Too loud, too quiet, too much compression (e.g. bluetooth). A common mistake is to crank up mic input levels. It is better to try a lower input level first. See this forum post.
  • If you can't improve the microphone hardware setup, you may need to experiment with lowering the "Required Confidence" a bit in Options. Be forewarned that this may result in "false positives" if there is a lot of noise in the room.
• Multiple microphones are connected and you are talking into the wrong one.
  • VC will use the default Windows input device, or (if specified) the device in Windows advanced speech settings.
  • If needed, you can create a command to change the input device (microphone) using the action VC.SetSpeechInput.
• Too much background noise.
  • Try to arrange your microphone so that it hears your voice more than anything else or it will get confused by the other sounds.
  • Use "ducking," where the system volume is reduced whenever you speak. There are different ways of accomplishing this. The idea is to use an event to trigger a command that lowers the volume. This can be done using an Amulet remote, VoxWav, prefix events, or a button on your remote (with EventGhost).
• Not configured properly.
  • Some microphones have a number of settings such as echo cancellation, beam forming, noise suppression etc. While these can sometimes help, they can also just as often cause problems, so try turning them all off to see if it helps.
• You are not saying the correct commands.
  • Use the help menu to view a list of commands available for your current configuration.
• You do not have the correct "speech language" selected in Options.
  • If you have a British or similar English accent be sure to select "en-GB" instead of "en-US".
  • To use another language (like French, Spanish or German) you must select one of these speech languages but you must also use a command tree with phrases written in the correct language.
  • You may have to lower "Required Confidence" a bit in Options, depending on your accent and microphone setup.

See the forum thread: Trouble-shooting recognition problems -- a comprehensive guide.

VoxCommando versus VoxCommandoSP (Speech Platform)

Which one should I use?

Most users should use the regular version of VoxCommando (VoxCommando.exe) in the majority of situations.

In general the only time you should be using the SP version (VoxCommandoSP.exe) is if you want to use a language that is not supported by the Windows desktop speech recognition engine, or if you want to use a Bluetooth microphone. If you are using a version of Windows that does not support the built-in speech recognition features for Windows, then the SP version might still be an option for you.

• For example, Windows Home Server does not support speech recognition and there is no way to install the desktop recognizer, but it should be possible to use the SP version.
• Another example: you want to use VoxCommando in Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, etc. In this case, you cannot use the regular version of VoxCommando. You must use the SP version.

What are the major differences between the regular and SP versions of VoxCommando?

• The regular version of VoxCommando uses the speech engine that comes installed with Windows if your version of Windows is in a language that supports speech recognition for Windows. These languages are English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese.
• The SP (Speech Platform) version of VoxCommando requires you to install a runtime engine and additional language packs. The SP versions supports many more languages than the regular desktop version.

• The regular version of VoxCommando is generally more accurate and is able to take advantage of better quality microphones.

• The regular version of VoxCommando allows you to train a speech profile to better understand your voice and accent.

• The SP version does not allow you to train the recognition engine, but is a bit better at adapting to a variety of accents.

• The regular version supports free dictation -- the ability to use any phrase, without pre-defining it, in the correct language (see Payload Dictation). The SP version does not support dictation. This is a limitation of the speech platform created by Microsoft and has nothing to do with VoxCommando so please don't ask when we will "fix" this limitation.

• The SP version seems to work better with the poor audio quality delivered by Bluetooth microphones than the regular version.

Speech and Languages

What languages are supported?

VoxCommando allows users to choose between 2 different Microsoft speech recognition engines.

1. The regular VoxCommando.exe program uses the standard Windows Speech Recognition engine that is preinstalled on many Windows operating systems. It supports: English (US), English (UK), French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese.
2. The alternative VoxCommandoSP.exe (VoxCommandoSP) uses Microsoft's free Speech Platform 11, which can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. It has some limitations -- in particular, Microsoft's Speech Platform 11 does not support dictation. However, it supports many more languages and dialects including Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Mexican (Spanish), Russian and more. Click here to see the full list of languages supported by MS Speech Platform 11.

When you download VoxCommando you are downloading both versions of the program. You will be prompted to choose your preference when you run the installer. Select the version that best suits your needs. Both versions are available to you at any time, as long as your system supports both recognition engines.

Which "speech language" should I use?

If you have a British or similar English accent be sure to select "en-GB" (GB stands for Great Britain) instead of "en-US". The default English configurations are set to use "en-US" but you can easily switch to "en-GB" in options and then restart VC. Select the correct speech language under Options. No other configuration changes should be required.

What do I have to do to use VoxCommando in other languages?

To use another language (like French, Spanish or German) you must select one of these speech languages but you must also use a command tree with phrases written in the correct language. See the Languages wiki page for more information.

VoxCommando ships with some default configurations in several different languages (thanks to the hard work of some amazing VC supporters around the world). To use it in languages apart from these you will need to create your own configurations or get them from other users. If you need help with this it is probably best to seek help on the forum.

Support / Licensing / Demo vs Full version

Where can I get help/support?

On the Wiki and the Forum

How many computers can I activate with one license?

You may use a single license to activate up to 2 computers, as long as they both belong to you. If you wish to use VoxCommando on more than 2 machines, please contact us to discuss it. Once a computer has been activated you can have as many installations of VoxCommando on that computer as you like. You don’t need to activate each copy. (Yes, you can have more than one instance of VC on a computer, and this is done quite commonly.)

VoxCommando is intended for personal (non-commercial) use only. If you wish to use VoxCommando for commercial purposes or for client installations etc. please contact us.

How long can I use the demo version?

You can use the demo version for as long as you want. We have no "30 day limit" or anything like that. You will need to restart the program from time to time because there is a limit of 40 commands per session. Other than this the demo version is fully functional.

What is the difference between the demo (trial) and the full application

You will need to restart the program from time to time because there is a limit of 40 commands per session. Other than this the demo version is fully functional.

http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=1065.0

How do I upgrade from the demo to Full Version?

After you buy a license from our purchase page (using PayPal) you will be sent an activation code by email. Once you have received your activation code do the following:

• Within VoxCommando, click "Help" then click "Activate"
• Fill in the activation code and email address that was used to make your purchase via PayPal
• Click "Activate"

You should receive a confirmation message that activation was a success.

• Close and restart VoxCommando
• In some cases your firewall or an overactive antivirus program may interfere with the activation process. If you are unable to activate
  • First make sure you are using the correct email and activation code that was sent to you
  • Check that your firewall is not blocking VoxCommando. Make a firewall exception for VoxCommando, or disable your firewall temporarily.
  • If that doesn't work you can try to temporarily disable your antivirus software.

I want a refund - I have decided that I don't like VoxCommando or can't get it to work. How do I get my money back?

You can't. We don't issue refunds because there is no way for us to protect against abuse from users that apply for a refund and continue to use the program. That is why we offer a completely unlimited demo version. Please evaluate the demo and decide if you like it before buying a license.

What if I have problems activating my copy after buying a license?

• Make sure that your firewall and/or anti-virus are not preventing VoxCommando from contacting our licensing servers. If you are unsure about this, we suggest you temporarily disable both. In any case, a firewall exception should usually be made when you install VoxCommando to allow it to communicate with other programs (e.g. XBMC) and internet services (e.g. weather forecasts).
• If you are still stuck, contact us through our website's contact page and we will help you out.

I bought a license but have not received any information on how to activate.

You should normally receive an email within a couple of hours after your PayPal payment has cleared. Often this process only takes a few minutes, but there are several factors.

Notes:

• The activation email will be sent to the email address associated with your PayPal account.
• Check your spam folder if you don't receive an email within an hour.

In some cases your ISP might be blocking all emails that originate from our internet servers. If you don't get an email within a couple of hours then contact us through our website's contact page and we will help you.

What kind of support is included when I purchase a license?

None.

• Support is offered to all users (paying and demo users) as a courtesy.
• The purchase of a license entitles you to use the program, nothing more.
• Support is usually only offered through the forum, and not through private message or emails.

However...

We pride ourselves on offering excellent support through the forum, and many users have expressed great satisfaction with the support they have received through the forum. Do your research (explore the wiki and the forum to see if your question has already been asked), ask thoughtful questions, try to provide as much information to us as possible, and be polite, and you will surely get the help you need, quickly.

Here are some responses to our support via the forum:

• "You guys are officially Kings of Kings. Your responses are extremely fast and you already have a solution, that is so crazy."
• "WOW! excellent support... again Big Thanks Just perfect! ..."
• "VoxCommado its great and the support its the best."
• "Phenomenal support as always"
• "That worked beautifully. Thank you. This is easily the best customer support of all time. :-)"
• "Many thanks for all your work (seriously, the support that you offer is AWESOME)"

General

How do I install updates when they are released?

Just download the new installer into your existing VC folder and run it. We recommend that you first create a backup of your existing configuration by copying your VC folder, just in case you run into issues. More complete instructions are provided on our How to Upgrade wiki page.

I can't always remember my commands. What's the easiest way to look them up?

ASK VC:

• "Show help" or
• "What can I say?"

OR:

From the main VC window:

• click "Help"
• click "Build Voice Menu" (formerly "Generate Help Menu")

OR click "Edit" and browse / edit the command tree.

• To see command sets that come in standard configurations generally, see the Default VoxCommando Configurations wiki page.

Can I create my own commands?

YES!

For a detailed walkthrough, see the tutorial videos:

1. VoxCommando Tutorial 1A Editing and Building Commands, &
2. VoxCommando Tutorial 1B more about payloads and the command editor.

You can also start with the Editing Commands wiki page. If you're looking for inspiration, check out the forum, where users occasionally share their custom commands (usually on the XML exchange board).

Can I change the words that I use to trigger a command?

Yes. You can easily change these words (we call them phrases) and create your own custom commands by clicking "Edit" and working from there. This is an extensive topic that is discussed in the wiki and on the forum.

There are also several youtube videos that discuss this.

I see a lot of XML on the forum. What do I do with that?

The commands that you see in your command tree when you click on "Edit" are all stored as XML. ** You do not ever have to edit the XML by hand. **

When those commands are shared in code boxes on the forum, they appear as XML. Sharing commands or command groups is as simple as copying and pasting commands from and to your command tree.

When should I use EventGhost and when should I use VoxCommando?

Usually you do not need to use EventGhost at all. When VC was first conceived, it was designed as an extension of EventGhost, but now it operates without the need for EventGhost.

EventGhost, however, offers an extensive array of plugins for various devices and programs and can be very useful for expanding the options for control. The main reason you will need to use EventGhost is to access features that EventGhost offers, such as plugins for various types of remote controls etc., when such a plugin does not yet exist for VoxCommando. Information and events can be sent in both directions between VoxCommando and EventGhost. Each can initiate actions on the other, and send data.

A simple case where EventGhost can be very useful is when you want to use your remote control to generate events in VoxCommando. For example, you might want to have one button on your remote that tells VoxCommando to listen, and another that tells it to stop listening.

Can VoxCommando handle large music/media libraries?

Yes. For details about the best methods for dealing with large media libraries see the entry: Large music libraries. The same premise applies to other types of media.

Installation / Uninstallation

Where can I download the latest version of VoxCommando?

Current stable and beta releases can be found on the downloads page

How do I install VoxCommando?

See Installation

How do I uninstall VoxCommando?

Just delete whatever folder you installed it in.

System Requirements

Do I need to run VoxCommando on Windows? Does VoxCommando run on Linux, Mac, WinXP?

VoxCommando will only run on Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 and 10. You can use either 32-bit or 64-bit versions of the OS. VoxCommando is built on .Net and uses the Windows Speech API. We will not be porting it to other operating systems.

VoxCommando SP may run on other versions of Windows such as Windows Server.

If you want to run VoxCommando on a system that uses a non-Windows OS you can do it using a Virtual Box which is running Windows. More info is available here: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=710.msg5353

Note: You can run JRiver Media Center, Kodi (XBMC), or MediaPortal on any OS and control it from VC running on Windows on another machine. VoxCommando communicates with these programs through the network.

Home Automation

I've seen people using VoxCommando to control lights in their home. How can I do that?

VoxCommando supports home automation in various ways, including direct control of:

• Vera from Vera Control (formerly Mi Casa Verde) using the Vera plugin
• X10 using the X10 plugin
• Philips Hue lights via the Hue plugin
• Belkin Wemo switches via the Wemo plugin (if you're running VC on pre-Windows 8 machine)
• Various devices can be controlled through the TCP plugin
• Software and systems such as Domoticz, OpenHab, Nest, Fibaro, or the Insteon Hub that permit http-based (or "RESTful") commands can usually be controlled using our core Scrape actions.

Or VoxCommando can control a large number of devices by communicating through EventGhost.

Will VoxCommando make me popular with the ladies?

Regardless of your sex or sexual orientation, it will make you popular. Everyone will be impressed and want to be your friend.