VoxCommando
Microphones and Speech Recognition in General => What is a good microphone for speech recognition? => Topic started by: jitterjames on November 14, 2010, 02:06:14 PM
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I believe that I have found the best solution yet, for those who do not wish to wear a headset.
The Amulet Voice Remote, is a Windows Media Center compatible infrared remote, with a built in wireless microphone. The remote comes with software for controlling Window Media Center using voice commands (English commands only at the moment) but the device works extremely well with VoxCommando.
I have been working with the developers of this device to further enhance the functionality by taking advantage of information about the status of the microphone. The Amulet Remote automatically switches the microphone on when you hold it upright (as in up to your mouth) and then switches off when you lower it. When the microphone is active a red light turns on to let you know that it is working.
After a short period of not touching the remote, the wireless connection will automatically shut down and the backlit keys will turn off in order to save battery life. The status of the microphone can be used to control the state of VoxCommando and optionally can also be used to lower the master volume of your pc. This combination of features means that you can virtually eliminate the problem of false commands, even if you are listening to music or watching video at very high sound levels. When the remote is lying on the table, the microphone will be off, and so will VoxCommando, which will prevent any wasted CPU cycles.
Here is a sample video showing the idea:
you can find more information about the remote and their WMC software on the manufacturer's website:
http://www.amuletdevices.com/
More info to come...
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I have had the opportunity to communicate with Eddy at Amulet Devices via email and ask him some questions. Here is part of our conversation:
Q: I notice there are two holes next to the stop button, presumably for the microphone. Does it use some kind of "microphone-array" technology to filter out background noise?
A: The two holes beside the stop button are indeed for the mic (or rather, one of them is; the other one is a dummy for aesthetic purposes, so it doesn't look unbalanced). There is no microphone array; a microphone array is most useful for electronic direction setting, and we have the luxury of not needing that as the physical operation ensures optimal mic direction and distance setting.
Q: What is the expected range for the RF connection. I will test this myself, but I'm wondering what your data says on this.
A: Our range is ~90 feet in free space; less if travelling through walls etc. (At home, I find I can easily use the Amulet from the kitchen two rooms away from the living room where the Media Center is, though I lose the connection at the far end of the kitchen. I feed my Media Center into a Sonos multi-room audio system, so it's nice to be able to control the music I'm listening to in the kitchen by voice.)
Q: If one were to leave the remote upright (i.e. microphone on) how long would the battery be expected to last when new and fully charged.
A: We've measured 3-4 hours of continuous operation for the mic/link -- the battery is quite powerful for its size. However, the product isn't designed to operate with an open channel while noise is present. Its designed to be used only when there is someone talking, i.e. tilt to talk. If we had to operate in an environment while its constantly on, we would do things different (e.g. force a command prefix keyword), but operating constantly on is not a mode we recommend.
A: Re hands-free operation, we've had some internal discussions about follow-on products that use alternative types of operation...
Q: What can you tell me about the RF connection w.r.t. sound transmission. Frequency, compression etc.
A: We send uncompressed audio over a 2.4 Ghz link, with lots of proprietary forward error correction and interference avoidance smarts; the link will dynamically frequency hop as needed in realtime to avoid new sources of interference that come online.
Q: Have you done any drop tests?
A: It's designed to withstand drop test from waist height (not the waist height of a midget ;-) We had some minor issues with the original case design that were picked up in the initial drop tests, and have since been addressed by adding strengthening struts in a few key places. On a personal note, my prototype Amulet has been fairly well abused by my 2 year-old (not intentionally on my part, but he's hard to stop!) and is still continuing to tick along just fine. Also several falls from couch height onto a wooden floor with no ill effects, though obviously we don't recommend this!
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Here is a sample recorded using windows sound recorder with the Amulet Remote acting as the recording device. Throughout the recording I walk to the other end of the house and back.
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James, por US$ 259,00 este é um controle remoto com voz interessante, mas um tanto caro, de todos os que você já utilizou o Amulete Remote foi o de melhor desempenho pelo que entendi, consegues explicar porque ele funciona tão bem,
ou seja, qual o segredo dessa eficiência (pulo do gato)..você recomenda a compra dele para uso com o voxcommando, eu gostaria de um vídeo seu usando este controle, para ter uma idéia melhor da usabilidade do mesmo.
Abraços
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Hi Wanilton. The cost is relatively high, and I understand that it will cost even more in Brazil. I am just trying to provide the information available so that people can decide for themselves. I included a link to a video demo in the first post. In my second post, I attached a sound file recorded using the microphone.
The 3 main advantages of this device are as follows:
1 - a wireless remote that does not use bluetooth, with a range of up to 90 feet. This means you can have the remote close to your mouth. This is much better than a microphone that picks up everything in the room. If a solution like the ps3eye works well for you, then great, but most people will find that it picks up too much other sound from people in your house, or the sound coming from your home theatre speakers.
2 - it turns on when you hold it up and turns off when you put it down. This saves the battery, and prevents unwanted commands when you are not using it.
3 - it includes a good quality MCE infrared remote with back-lit buttons. There are a few buttons that can "learn" codes and be used to control your tv volume etc. and the rest can be remapped if you want, using eventGhost. Thus, properly configured this one device could theoretically replace all your microphones and remotes, especially if you have a MCE receiver capable of re-blasting ir signals to other devices. I am actually waiting for an IR receiver to arrive in the mail so I have not tested this aspect of the remote but I assume it will be fine.
I agree that the cost is quite high, but when you compare it to other non-bluetooth wireless microphones it is not that bad.
Please note that I am not telling anyone that they should buy the remote. I don't want anyone to get mad at me if they buy it and decide that they don't like it. I personally think it is very well designed and it appears to be high quality. I am not being paid to endorse the product, but I was given a free unit to test and develop VoxCommando to take advantage of its features. I expect and hope that the price for this product will come down over time, and that other similar devices will be developed in the coming years.
In terms of pure recognition accuracy, my $30 wired Logitech headset still works as well (probably better) for speech recognition. Unfortunately a wired headset is not a practical solution unless you are sitting at your desk, and even a wireless headset is not comfortable to wear for long periods. This device seems like a good compromise for someone in a home-theatre situation, where you would likely need a remote anyway, and it is something that you can hand to your guests so that they can play with it.
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Hi folks,
Eddy from Amulet Devices here. James has done a good (and quick) job integrating Amulet support in VoxCommando; I'm impressed with how well the auto volume ducking works.
I don't have anything to add to James' comments above, other than to say I'll be keeping an eye on this thread and am happy to answer any specific Amulet-related questions people may have.
If any other forum members decide to give Amulet a try, l'd love to hear how you get on.
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Nice review, I think it's a great product and if I didn't already have a universal remote, I would definately consider getting an Amulet. Unfortunately, I can't justify the price for just the mic functionality. I will definately keep an eye on the Amulet, hoping it might drop abit in price, and other products from them.
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Eddy,
Who monitors the work of James, you know he is fast and efficient, but even I was surprised yesterday to see the video, as was the perfect integration of vox with the control of Amulet, I would like to test or buy your product, tell me what I need to do this, I have published the work of James in Brazil, because I think that will be voxcommando absolute success in the near future, in fact between us forum users is already successful, I post HTFORUM, a brazilian forum about audio and video,
http://www.htforum.com/vb/showthread.php/144704-Usando-Comando-de-voz-para-controlar-seu-midia-center-com-%C3%AAnfase-no-XBMC-Vers%C3%A3o-Dharma. I'll post soon a topic talking about the integration of amulet voice control with the voxcommando, videos etc.
PS: here we go, look my post: http://www.htforum.com/vb/showthread.php/144704-Usando-Comando-de-voz-para-controlar-seu-midia-center-com-ênfase-no-XBMC-Versão-Dharma?p=2778286&viewfull=1#post2778286
As for the control itself, I found amazing, it seemed powerful and well finished, the sensational idea of integrating a powerful microphone in it,
Wanilton
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Wanilton,
Thanks for the positive comments. While we don't yet have a distributor in Brazil, we should definitely be able to ship you a unit. I will PM you separately with details.
While our own bundled software (which we like :-) only supports Media Center, and only the English Language at the moment, VoxCommando supports a wider range of applications and also additional languages, so we're very happy to make Amulet available to as many VoxCommando users as possible.
Also, an additional comment on the IR learning that James mentioned above: as well as the standard Media Center reprogrammable buttons (TV Power, Vol +/-), we also allow any of the other remote buttons to be trained to a new setting via IR learning. There are four device keymaps (corresponding to the four coloured buttons at the bottom of the remote) so you can use one keymap for TV, another for set-top box, etc. -- plus the fifth default keymap of Media Center. The TV Power & Vol +/- keys punch-through to all the keymaps, while the other buttons are trained individually for each keymap. So, Amulet can also act as a replacement for at least the basic functions on your other device remote controls.
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that's awesome. I misunderstood how these keymaps work. Let me just clarify then.
I can use the coloured circle buttons on the bottom of the remote to change "modes". In each mode I can remap almost any button on the remote to submit any learned code from any of my other remotes.
Question 1: To use a new mode, do I press a coloured button and then I am in a new mode until another coloured button is pressed, or do they work as modifiers, pressed in combination with other keys. (like shift and ctrl on a keyboard). You said the 5th default keymap was for media center so I guess that implies that buttons are pressed in combination. Which makes sense anyway since otherwise it would be hard to know what mode you were in...
Question 2: If I accidentally run down my remote batteries to the point where the remote no longer works, or if I need to remove the battery for some reason (not really necessary since the remote can be charged via usb), will I subsequently need to reprogram all my keys?
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Hello Eddy, WOW, thanks for the news, I will await your instructions.
James, quando tiver oportunidade visite o tópico do uso do Amulet Voice Remoto com o voxcommando, no momento estou trabalhando muito para lançarmos até final do mês mais uma versão da SKIN Aeon MQ2,
eis o link caso não tenha ainda visto, upei seu vídeo para o You Tube para facilitar a divulgação:
http://www.htforum.com/vb/showthread.php/144704-Usando-Comando-de-voz-para-controlar-seu-midia-center-com-%C3%AAnfase-no-XBMC-Vers%C3%A3o-Dharma?p=2778286&viewfull=1#post2778286
abraços
Wanilton
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James, thanks for the review.
As allways, your video is very nice. 8)
This new remote is a very interesting idea.
Without your report I had not known that such a device exists.
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Hi James,
I can use the coloured circle buttons on the bottom of the remote to change "modes". In each mode I can remap almost any button on the remote to submit any learned code from any of my other remotes.
Yep, that's pretty much it. Buttons you don't remap remain at their original Media Center defaults, regardless of which keymap is active. So, if you configure the red keymap for TV codes, but don't redefine the transport controls like Play, Pause, etc, they will continue to send Media Center codes, which is quite handy.
Question 1: To use a new mode, do I press a coloured button and then I am in a new mode until another coloured button is pressed, or do they work as modifiers, pressed in combination with other keys.
They work the first way: when you select a keymap, it remains active until you switch to a different keymap. Pressing the Media Center Start button always returns to the Media Center keymap. (We did consider going with the modifier approach, but found it too cumbersome for regularly used device features.)
Question 2: If I accidentally run down my remote batteries to the point where the remote no longer works, or if I need to remove the battery for some reason (not really necessary since the remote can be charged via usb), will I subsequently need to reprogram all my keys?
No, we store the learnt codes in EEPROM, so they persist even if the battery runs out.
There's more detail about this and other aspects of the learning capability in Chapters 5 & 6 of the User Guide, which can be downloaded from our website here (http://www.amuletdevices.com/index.php/Product/downloads.html). (I think you've seen it already James, but might be of use to others.)
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No, we store the learnt codes in EEPROM, so they persist even if the battery runs out.
cool, one more thing you guys got right.
There's more detail about this and other aspects of the learning capability in Chapters 5 & 6 of the User Guide, which can be downloaded from our website here (http://www.amuletdevices.com/index.php/Product/downloads.html). (I think you've seen it already James, but might be of use to others.)
oh :-\ I might not have read the whole manual yet. It's pretty long :D
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I'll buy mine until Thursday, thanks to Eddy, I think it'll be the first buyer of the forum, when you receive I will post my review
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Eddy, have you a reseller in Europe, or do you plan something in the direction?
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Eddy, have you a reseller in Europe, or do you plan something in the direction?
We're working on finalising our CE approval to sell into Europe at the moment and when this is complete, Amulet should be available from resellers in the UK. We are also seeing interest in Germany, where Media Center is very active (even though we don't support German yet).
What country are you in, Kalle?
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Eddy, look the flag, Kalle live in Germany....Prosit :bonk
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Doh! Completely missed the flag. I have now set my own flag accordingly :-)
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James, como configuro o novo arquivo executável "amulat USB Monitor" que se encontra no diretório do vox para que funcione a integração com o Amulet? percebi este novo arquivo executavel, ele tem que rodar antes do voxcommando? basta configurar e pode ser encerrado ou tem que ficar minimizado? precisa executar cada vez que se roda o vox?
James, how do I configure the new executable file "Amulat USB Monitor" that is in the directory of the vox to work to integrate with the Amulet? I noticed this new executable file, it has to run before voxcommando? just set up and can be terminated? need to run every time you turn On the vox?
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Eddy, have you a reseller in Europe, or do you plan something in the direction?
We're working on finalising our CE approval to sell into Europe at the moment and when this is complete, Amulet should be available from resellers in the UK. We are also seeing interest in Germany, where Media Center is very active (even though we don't support German yet).
What country are you in, Kalle?
Hi eddyc,
welcome to the VoxCommand-Forum. I live in Germany (Frankfurt). I've seen James' Video, and I am very impressed that it works with VoxCom., Media Center., Media Monkey etc...
I'm sure there are many people in Germany who are looking for something like the Amulet remote. The HTPC market is starting here, only now, as prices for HTPC's cheaper and the devices are smaller. For most people it must be all plug and play, and also it must be configurable on demand. VoxCommando and Amulet is a good way for this.
Greetings Kalle
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James, how do I configure the new executable file "Amulat USB Monitor" that is in the directory of the vox to work to integrate with the Amulet? I noticed this new executable file, it has to run before voxcommando? just set up and can be terminated? need to run every time you turn On the vox?
You just run it and leave it on. You can minimize it to the task-bar. It may need a bit of adjustment still. Once or twice I think it locked up after a suspend / wake. I'm not sure. If it happens you can end-task and run it again.
I will probably make it more customizable in the future. Currently it lowers the system volume. You can set it by how much, but some users might prefer to leave the system volume alone, and instead lower the volume of mediamonkey or xbmc so that the TTS volume is still loud... also some users might prefer to switch to 'standby' mode in stead of 'on' when the remote is lifted...
I thought it would be best to leave it as a separate program so that users who don't own the remote would not have to worry about the extra configuration or resources.
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Welcome eddyc!
That looks mighty practical!
Too bad my student budget won't allow me to buy this for another few years.
One remark though, is it not easier/faster to just press the remote buttons for navigation/playback control rather then tilting and issuing commands via voice? Ofc, the buttons cant replace the 'play this music/movie' voice control but i think the remote itself would render a lot of functions of VC obsolete. VC software would be a great addition to this remote, but the remote can't replace the situation you probably envisioned when creating VC: Moving freely around the room with your hands entirely free and still being able to control the media functions. Ideally would be if you could program a button/voice command to hotswap between the mic of the remote and another one positioned near the couch/in the kitchen or something so it's closer to your mouth then it is to the speakers.
I guess a perfect situation would be perfect echo cancellation and/or context aware voice recognition, but that 'll have to wait for the future i guess
Thats my opinion anyway :)
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What you say is true, but it is a good thing and you make it sound like a bad thing. Having the remote buttons means you have more choices, more power, more flexibility. These are the concepts that I have tried to build VC around. Pushing the buttons, is not always going to be better or faster, but in situations where it is, then you'll be happy to have them, and like you say they cannot replace the more complex commands that VC includes.
Notice in the video when the music starts playing because I accidentally held the remote up to my mouth while I was talking. Did you see how quickly I was able to pause the music with a voice command. In fact if I had tried to use the buttons on the remote in that situation, I would have first needed to look down and locate the pause button (not possible if you are blind 8)), then point the remote at the IR receiver (not practical from where I was sitting :bonk) and then push the button.
Now on the other hand, when you are browsing content, when you don't know what you want and you just want to scroll through the options using arrow keys etc. then having to use voice commands will probably be a bit of a chore, so in that case you'll be very happy to have the buttons there as an option.
This device is obviously not be the perfect solution for all possible situations, but it is one more tool to choose from. I think the ideal would be if we could have a sister device that operated on the same RF dongle, which was basically just the microphone with an on off switch of some kind. It is only a matter of time. I know that Amulet will continue to come up with new ideas, and if they don't do it someone else will.
All I can say is, I am glad to see the direction that things are heading. What we are able to do today, would have seemed impossible a few years ago, and the possibilities grow every day. As new devices and improvements to speech recognition engines become available, we will be there, ready to take advantage of the tools. :D
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I guess my reply came out more negative then I intended, and like you said, the remote really adds to the versatility of VC so thats great news :)
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James,
Vou receber meu controle da Amulet na próxima semana, podes me enviar o arquivo de configuração do eventghost para uso no XBMC?
I get control of the Amulet next week, can you send me the file configuration for use in XBMC by eventghost?
grato
Wanilton
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which configuration file do you mean? to use the mce remote buttons as xbmc control?
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YES
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ok, I have only configured the basic buttons, but it should be easy to add the ones you want.
make sure you have the latest version (1462) from here: http://www.eventghost.org/downloads/
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oh this is important. Do you have an ir receiver already?
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Yes, I have one ir receiver...thanks for the link...
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what kind of receiver is it? Is it compatible with MCE remote? Do you also have an mce remote already?
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Yes i have one mce remote control, and usb receiver is is RC6 ir, control model TSBC-IR01
(https://voxcommando.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstore03.prostores.com%2Fcyberinfinity%2Fmedia%2F00%2Fa20792b124ffc6f8828ee1_m.JPG&hash=59ffaa399623778e33cd2f57d3639d3643090fed)
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cool, as long as it is a recent one, that works with vista/win7 you should be ok. With eventghost, you will also be able to use other remotes with it too.
unzip the attached file to your eventghost plugins directory. There is already a folder in there called MceRemote, after unzipping, you should have one beside it called MceRemote_Vista
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once the folder is in the right place re-start EventGhost.
- click Configuration >> Add Plugin (or click the blue puzzle icon on the toolbar)
- scroll down to "Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7", select and click "OK"
- a Window will pop up. click "Install Service" and then "OK"
You will now have "Plugin: Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7" in your Configuration Tree. You can double click it if you need to uninstall / reinstall the service.
Sometimes if I move the receiver to another port or something else weird happens on my usb hub, I need to restart this service to make it work again.
Now when you point your remote at the receiver and press keys it should create events (lightning icon) in the EventGhost log.(on the left)
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anyone who wants to use eventGhost should read this page to understand the basic concept.
http://www.eventghost.org/wiki/Short%20Manual
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Plugin installed, thanks.
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good. are events showing up in the log?
do you already have a configuration tree including controls for XBMC in eventGhost?
do you still need help?
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My File eventghost - attached..
Vou aguardar o recebimento do CR da amulet para configurar, e sim já possuo controle para o XBMC via controle remoto do PS3 (blue tooth)
Se puder fazer o favor de copiar teus comandos básicos, te agradeço.
Wanilton
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are events showing up in the log?
the attached file is what I have with me at the moment.
But the point is, if you already have everything configured for the ps3remote, then the best thing to do is just to drag MCE remote events from the log over to the macros that you already have configured. Then it will continue to work with the ps3 as well.
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Hello,
I was wondering if the Amulet remote can wake computers from hibernation?
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Hopefully Eddy can answer this one for sure, but I'm pretty sure that any MCE remote with the right IR receiver (properly configured) can wake a machine form S3 sleep, and possibly hibernation as well.
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Hopefully Eddy can answer this one for sure, but I'm pretty sure that any MCE remote with the right IR receiver (properly configured) can wake a machine form S3 sleep, and possibly hibernation as well.
Yes, you're correct James - we just send the standard PC "power on/off/standby" code from the power button in the upper right corner of the Amulet remote, and this will send most correctly configured HTPCs into standby mode, or wake them up again.
Eddy
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tomorrow I'll get my Amulete Voice Remote,
James, I sent e-mail with your request, I need your feedback, so if it's ok.
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Hello Edyy,
received my remote yesterday, I'm happy with the purchase, I installed the program and when road WMC, I get a welcome amulet evaluation copy 30 minutes, this is correct?
What I Do in this case??
Great CR, like a charm with VoxCommando.
thanks
Wanilton
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Thanks for the reply regarding waking from standby/hibernation. Sorry if this is the wrong forum to discuss this, but I could not find on the aumulet website how many components can be controlled by amulet and is it a learning remote? Are there preconfigured componet downloads as in the harmony type remotes? Seems like a great product and I am on the verge of buying one.
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Thanks for the reply regarding waking from standby/hibernation. Sorry if this is the wrong forum to discuss this, but I could not find on the aumulet website how many components can be controlled by amulet and is it a learning remote? Are there preconfigured componet downloads as in the harmony type remotes? Seems like a great product and I am on the verge of buying one.
Hi mclough6,
here is the answer of your question "is it a learning remote?" from this topic: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=324.msg1290#msg1290
3 - it includes a good quality MCE infrared remote with back-lit buttons. There are a few buttons that can "learn" codes and be used to control your tv volume etc. and the rest can be remapped if you want, using eventGhost. Thus, properly configured this one device could theoretically replace all your microphones and remotes, especially if you have a MCE receiver capable of re-blasting ir signals to other devices. I am actually waiting for an IR receiver to arrive in the mail so I have not tested this aspect of the remote but I assume it will be fine.
Greetings Kalle
Greetings
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yes, and this: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=324.msg1304#msg1304 and the few posts below go on to explain that pretty much all the keys can be programmed, and each key can hold up to 5 codes, according to which keymap is active.
to get a better understanding of how the ir learning works I am attaching part of the user manual that explains how to program the remote.
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Please note that you need to have a usb IR receiver if you want to control your computer with the remote. It is not included with the Amulet remote, but is inexpensive. Amulet sells one but there are many out there to choose from.
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Are there preconfigured componet downloads as in the harmony type remotes?
No.
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Thank you all for the prompt informative replies. One more question. What is the effective range? I would like to take the remote outside to my back porch to control music. The distance would be approximately 30 feet and through a brick wall.
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I probably should have thought a bit more before asking the previous question. Since it is an IR remote, I doubt it would work on my back porch since it would need line of sight. Is that correct?
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I should not post to forums on Monday mornings. The buttons on the remote would likely not work due to the IR interface. However, does anybody know if the microphone RF function would work 30 feet away and through a brick exterior wall? :bonk
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I probably should have thought a bit more before asking the previous question. Since it is an IR remote, I doubt it would work on my back porch since it would need line of sight. Is that correct?
for IR-function Yes it is right, but you can control your system by eventghost and amulet with VC
Kalle
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you really should a read this thread a little bit. The range issue is addressed at the very beginning of the thread in the Q and A post.
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I should not post to forums on Monday mornings. The buttons on the remote would likely not work due to the IR interface. However, does anybody know if the microphone RF function would work 30 feet away and through a brick exterior wall? :bonk
should work (90 feet meters), see here: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=324.msg1285#msg1285 (there are many answers of your questions)
From a conversation with James and Eddy (by amulet devices):
"Q: What is the expected range for the RF connection. I will test this myself, but I'm wondering what your data says on this.
A: Our range is ~90 feet in free space; less if travelling through walls etc. (At home, I find I can easily use the Amulet from the kitchen two rooms away from the living room where the Media Center is, though I lose the connection at the far end of the kitchen. I feed my Media Center into a Sonos multi-room audio system, so it's nice to be able to control the music I'm listening to in the kitchen by voice.)"
Greetings Kalle
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should work (90 meters), see here: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=324.msg1285#msg1285 (there are many answers of your questions)
90 FEET! Not 90 meters! I think it would work 30' through a brick wall, but it might depend on the wall. For me it worked two floors up and 30 feet over from the receiver.
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Thanks again for everyone's kind responses. I did read the introductory information, but I was interested in an opinion regarding my specific circumstance (exterior brick wall) and whether anyone had experimented with that scenario. In any event I think I am sold. Althought the price is high, I don't want to walk around with a headset on. This forum is great.
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Thanks again for everyone's kind responses. I did read the introductory information, but I was interested in an opinion regarding my specific circumstance (exterior brick wall) and whether anyone had experimented with that scenario. In any event I think I am sold. Althought the price is high, I don't want to walk around with a headset on. This forum is great.
Sorry if I got a bit snippy. Not enough coffee this morning. I did do a test by going outside my house and down the street a bit, and I did not get too far before it died (maybe 40 or 50 feet from the receiver). The house is brick, but my laptop was in the front room of the house which has a lot of windows. I don't think I have any big brick walls here that don't have windows so I can't tell you much more than that.
I suspect that it will probably work if there isn't too much other stuff in your wall, but the range will be severely reduced. Whether it will still work at 30' is not certain. Also note, than when the microphone is tilted up and turns on, there can be a slight delay before it manages to reconnect. It is possible that in your scenario this time will be increased.
I have found that if I am actively tilting the microphone up and down it reconnects almost instantly, but if I don't touch the remote for a while (long enough for the backlit keys to go dark) then it fully disconnects and then takes a bit longer to reconnect. In this case, the big round light will not turn red until it has fully connected, and also Vox will not turn on automatically or adjust your master volume until the mic is fully on. Even after all of this has happened and everything is back on, I find it is best to wait 1/2 second before speaking. In reality this all happens pretty fast, and is no big deal, but may take some getting used to.
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Wow, thanks for conducting the experiment. I don't have a "big" brick wall, just a wood framed house with a full height brick veneer (single layer of brick). Also my distance is probably closer to 20 feet than 30.
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and it's -10 degrees Celsius out there!
:o
Actually I conducted the test when I first got the remote... >:D
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Hi folks,
A little bit of Amulet news to share: effective today (6 December), we have reduced the RRP of the Amulet remote from $259 to $199, just in time for Christmas.
Eddy
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Well Eddy, that did it for me, I will be placing the order in time for Santa.
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Hi folks,
A little bit of Amulet news to share: effective today (6 December), we have reduced the RRP of the Amulet remote from $259 to $199, just in time for Christmas.
Eddy
Yeah a Christmas special ;D
Hi Eddy,
perfect, that was the pain threshold for order.
Where can I order, with you or on the official site?
Kalle
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Thanks guys. Easiest way to order is through our website: http://www.amuletdevices.com/index.php/Buy-Now.html gets you straight to the online shop.
Eddy
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Yes, I think $200 is closer to the mark. What's my cut?
;) kidding...
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Thanks guys. Easiest way to order is through our website: http://www.amuletdevices.com/index.php/Buy-Now.html gets you straight to the online shop.
Eddy
ok, I have an Appointed ;D
My wife killing me :bonk
Greetings Kalle
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I just received notiification that the amulet remote is going for $179. If only I had waited a week. :bonk
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Yes, this is the nature of modern life... what can you do?
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I just received notiification that the amulet remote is going for $179. If only I had waited a week. :bonk
Since I got lucky, get my this week ;D
From Amulet-Homepage: Shipping Only to US, Australia and New Zealand
At present we are only shipping to the US, Australia and New Zealand.
Greetings Kalle
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Yeah,
my amulet is received. Works great ;D
Kalle
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cool. So I guess there are 4 of us now, that have this remote, and are using VoxCommando.
Note that in VC Options, on the "System" tab, you can set how much you want to reduce the system volume when the remote is on. Also on the system tab are "shortcut" buttons that take you to the speech settings, where you can set the amulet as the device to use for recognition, (in case you want to use some other microphone for something like skype).
In a future version, I plan to make an option to either reduce the system volume, or instead reduce the volume of another program like xbmc or mediamonkey, so that TTS responses will be full volume even when the Amulet microphone is active.
Actually, I am trying to think about the concept of an "event" in VC more and more. So you could simply have the Amulet trigger an "event" when it is turned on, and have VC do whatever you want.
This is currently possible using EventGhost, and is also sort of possible using the VC.TellVox command, but it is not ideal because VC.TellVox has to:
- Switch recognition off (forced)
- Simluate recognition
- Turn recognition back on, and this can sometimes lead to problems, especially if VC is trying to process speech when it happens (i.e. forced off).
The idea of an event is also appealing when you think about a program gaining focus as an event, that could switch all voice commands on for that program. In other words, for example, when XBMC gains focus, all your XBMC command groups become active...
There will always be more work to do!
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cool. So I guess there are 4 of us now, that have this remote, and are using VoxCommando.
Note that in VC Options, on the "System" tab, you can set how much you want to reduce the system volume when the remote is on. Also on the system tab are "shortcut" buttons that take you to the speech settings, where you can set the amulet as the device to use for recognition, (in case you want to use some other microphone for something like skype).
In a future version, I plan to make an option to either reduce the system volume, or instead reduce the volume of another program like xbmc or mediamonkey, so that TTS responses will be full volume even when the Amulet microphone is active.
Actually, I am trying to think about the concept of an "event" in VC more and more. So you could simply have the Amulet trigger an "event" when it is turned on, and have VC do whatever you want.
This is currently possible using EventGhost, and is also sort of possible using the VC.TellVox command, but it is not ideal because VC.TellVox has to:
- Switch recognition off (forced)
- Simluate recognition
- Turn recognition back on, and this can sometimes lead to problems, especially if VC is trying to process speech when it happens (i.e. forced off).
The idea of an event is also appealing when you think about a program gaining focus as an event, that could switch all voice commands on for that program. In other words, for example, when XBMC gains focus, all your XBMC command groups become active...
There will always be more work to do!
Hi James,
thanks for the tips, I will test the amulet and something we'll see what she has on it (range and occupancy of the buttons)
Greetings Kalle
PS: The remote control with customs and delivery now costs 254 U.S. $ ;D
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I have the remote but my wife says I have to wait until Christmas. :'( I feel nine years old again.
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welcome to the club... ;D
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This is one of the most intersting remotes to come out for a long time.
Looks like a well designed product but why didn't they use RF for voice AND the remote functions?
As it is is just isn't enough better than my trusty ATI Remote Wonder with the Intelliremote software, but that remote is a pretty hard act to follow . Even the incredibly complicated and expensive Logitech offerings spark no interest in me. It's got to be 6 years old now.
As a Vox user I can certainly say that Voice command has its place, but nothing can replace the ease of use of a well progammed remote for the simpler commands.
I can control my audio from anywhere in my house with the ATI remote and do voice commands in my audio room and the reverse would be true with the Amulet.
Also, despite the good accuracy of Vox it still misses enough that I normally have it in off mode and the only way to activate vox to ON is pressing a button on the remote, which then accepts only one command. Another button on the remote resets the whole thing and focuses on Media Monkey. This is the only way I found for trouble free consistant operation. If I had the Amulet and I was in another room there would probably be enough times where it gets into a state that I can't deal with that I woudn't use it.
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Hi Sirander,
amulet is originally designed only for the control of WMC. James has created VoxCommand software that is fortunately very flexible. The amulet remote is really only as a wireless microphone, you can use to operate using infrared or some other device. You're right that a well-programmed remote is easier to use, but only for the programmed this. I also have a Philips iPronto, which has cost a staggering 1500 EUR and believe me program this thought took months and now has the support ended. There is no ideal solution, but voice control is the future.
James has built into VoxCommand a particular application, the increase in the VC amuletremote automatically turn on and off again when it is laid. Solely the price of amuletremote is a little high, but also a well-functioning wireless microphone moves in this price range.
I think a mixture of a Logitech remote and Amuletremote on the basis of VoxCommando would be the best solution, which would mean the VC would not be accessible. I personally find it interresting to follow the development of VC and as good as I can to help. At some point one or the other manufacturers took notice of James, so that the development be better funded. When I think about how much time James for VC spends and the 140 members have paid all of $ 20, is just a drop on the hot stone. :-\
I wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Greetings Kalle
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I think they chose to use IR instead of RF in order to increase battery life. I don't know what kind of difference it actually makes to battery life, but it is a shame indeed. As far as straight button pushing remote usage goes, I still prefer my $25 PS3 bluetooth remote.
I agree that a harmony style remote with LCD screen (touch), RF direct to the computer and a built in microphone would be pretty sweet. For the life of me, I can't figure out why these harmony remotes are still so expensive. I also think that some kind of comfortable lightweight wearable mic with the mic near your mouth and noise cancellation would be awesome. it would still need an easy on/off switch though. Ipod touch can make a decent remote too, but very expensive, and very poor battery life.
@Kalle, not everyone is so generous with donations, I appreciate your optimism but I have not received 120 donations. :o Not even close! If my only reason for creating VC was to make money I would be pretty sad right now... Luckily I get something from it other than money, and who knows, maybe one day... 8)
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I hope so ;)
Kalle
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Sad that so few people are willing to pay for innovative, well written and customizable software that is reasonably priced. That is why we are stuck with big names shoving mammothly overladen and overpriced hardware and software on us. Sadly the free model is corrupt and with a few exceptions only enforces the status quo, as the only way to make money it to sell out. Very few people will pay anything for something they can get free. I am the only one I know. Media Monkey is in the same boat, way better than the bloated upselling Itunes offering. Thay are not even in the same league, but I don't think MM3 is generating much revenue.
Vox is remarkably bug free considering it is still in its early stages. The only wonkiness I have experienced lately is unwanted command triggering in the launch group, but with all the additional commands I could empty that group anyway and not lose any functionality.
I think they chose to use IR instead of RF in order to increase battery life. I don't know what kind of difference it actually makes to battery life, but it is a shame indeed. As far as straight button pushing remote usage goes, I still prefer my $25 PS3 bluetooth remote.
I agree that a harmony style remote with LCD screen (touch), RF direct to the computer and a built in microphone would be pretty sweet. For the life of me, I can't figure out why these harmony remotes are still so expensive. I also think that some kind of comfortable lightweight wearable mic with the mic near your mouth and noise cancellation would be awesome. it would still need an easy on/off switch though. Ipod touch can make a decent remote too, but very expensive, and very poor battery life.
@Kalle, not everyone is so generous with donations, I appreciate your optimism but I have not received 120 donations. :o Not even close! If my only reason for creating VC was to make money I would be pretty sad right now... Luckily I get something from it other than money, and who knows, maybe one day... 8)
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I have played around with the amulet remote for a few days now and overall I like it. However, the range has been disappointing. If the unit is fully charged, in the house, I can get maybe 35 feet before the red light begins blinking. Less if the battery is not fully charged. I was hoping to use it on my back porch which is 25 ??? ??? feet through a brick wall, but that only works if I get up and stand within 20 feet. Maybe that is what I should have expected, but in truth I thought I could get upwards to 50 feet. It is still useable in my kitchen (an adjacent room through a wooden wall) if I place the rf receiver in the front usb port of my computer. Are these ranges typical?
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I don't know if those ranges would be considered typical. 25' to 30' seems like much less than I got the last time I did a test. I wouldn't expect the range to drop until the battery was very dead maybe not even then. I'm not sure if your htpc is in a cabinet, but you could use a cheap 10' usb extension to get it out of the cabinet and possibly in a better location for where you want to use the remote.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270108&cm_re=usb_extension_cable-_-12-270-108-_-Product
edit: actually this technique can be especially useful if you have other wireless devices on your computer. I find that they can often interfere with each other if they are too close together and using the usb extension can often help a lot. The amulet dongle does not draw much power so using an extension should not be a problem. I recommend plugin the extension into a usb port directly on the back of your motherboard though, so it is not going through 2 levels of extension. I have often had problems with my front ports with certain devices.
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Thanks, I will give that a try and will post the results.
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while you are at it, you may want to take the time (if you haven't already) to properly measure the actual straight line distance that you are able to get without going through any solid object using a tape measure. If you are really only getting 30' measured in open air that could possibly indicate a problem. Is your remote new? Did it always get this range or did it drop over time?
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The remote is new. I did not use a tape, the distances were estimated but should be correct within 5 feet. As I mentioned earlier, the distances are not though air. One distance is through a wooden interior wall and the other is through a brick exterior wall. I can only test about 20 feet or less in open air before a wall gets in the way. I am hopeful that your solution of getting the dongle away from the computer/TV/comcast box, will solve the problem. I ordered the cable today. Once again thank you for your kind assistance.
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Ok, I finally got a little time (been working 7 days a week) to try the USB extension. There definately is an improvement in range by getting the dongle separated from the electronic equipment. I think I need to charge my remote for best results; however, I noticed at least a 10 foot increase in range and probalby more. Even if I do not get any further range by charging, it works satisfactorily for my purposes. Thank you James for the suggestion of purchasing the extension. Now if I could only get enough time to try out the new version of Vox Commando. :'(
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Hi folks,
A little bit of Amulet news to share: we've dropped the price to $149, just in time for St Patrick's Day.
Also, regarding range, the USB extension lead is a good way to improve range (as James suggested, and mclough6 confirmed). One other thing that can help is to align the USB dongle vertically rather than horizontally, if possible; this lets the antenna perform a little better. Obviously not too easily done when attached directly to a HTPC, but much easier with an extension cable!
Eddy
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Hi folks,
A little bit of Amulet news to share: we've dropped the price to $149, just in time for St Patrick's Day.
Also, regarding range, the USB extension lead is a good way to improve range (as James suggested, and mclough6 confirmed). One other thing that can help is to align the USB dongle vertically rather than horizontally, if possible; this lets the antenna perform a little better. Obviously not too easily done when attached directly to a HTPC, but much easier with an extension cable!
Eddy
Hi Eddy, the price cut is great, but unfortunately provides amuletdevice only in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Too bad, especially here in Europe is a great potential. I myself was still lucky and got one in the last year delivered to Germany. Where's the problem for the delivery to Europe? Amuletdevices has his headquarters in Ireland right?
Greetings Kalle
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Hi Eddy, the price cut is great, but unfortunately provides amuletdevice only in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Too bad, especially here in Europe is a great potential. I myself was still lucky and got one in the last year delivered to Germany. Where's the problem for the delivery to Europe? Amuletdevices has his headquarters in Ireland right?
Greetings Kalle
A few weeks ago I asked Eddy the same question in a PM. His reply :
Hi Auri,
Nice to hear from you. Unfortunately, we don't yet have regulatory approval to ship to Europe - we can only ship to the US, Australia or New Zealand.
If you happen to have a friend or colleague based in the US, you could get one shipped to them and they could then forward it to you in Belgium. You might also try one of the online resellers like http://www.remoteshoppe.com/ to see if they will ship to Europe (I'm not sure if they do).
Sorry for the inconvenience -- it's as frustrating for us as I'm sure it is for you!
Regards,
Eddy
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Here's my review and a couple of tips and tricks I found:
My setup - Nvidia ION HTPC, Windows 7, 64 bit, VoxCommano .875b (most current at this time), and the on-sale for $149 Amulet Remote. (Normal remote is a fully customized Logitech Harmony One).
Purpose for the Amulet - primarily to handle my 21,000+ music library. Using a normal remote blows goats quite frankly.
Physical design:
- A little too bottom heavy for my taste - but it has a very handy groove in the back of the remote that stops it from sliding down when you tilt it up to your mouth to use the microphone. I'd like to see it a little more curvy at the top so it fits in your hand more like a microphone - which is the main reason everyone's going to buy this remote.
- The directional section that surrounds the Ok button is a little too ridged for my taste - almost sharp.
(https://voxcommando.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amuletdevices.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fproduct_shots%2FIMG_0285.jpg&hash=19432a547a3280c01ba11f7d35b7ee949c33541f) - The red light that lights up when the microphone is very cool looking.
Usability out of the box with MCE - flawless. If you like MCE, which I don't.
Usability out of the box with XBMC and VoxCommando - I wasn't happy with it.
TIPS AND TRICKS!!!!
1. Follow this excellent guide - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JBI6FIh-bU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JBI6FIh-bU) for setting it all up. When you find as I did that the voice recognition accuracy was not good enough to run XBMC - have no fear.
2. Open up Amulet's speech training - Start/ All Programs/ Amulet Devices/ Speech Setup/ Speech Training.
If, like me, you have lots of visitors to the house, Click on New and create a new profile with your name. Then select it, and Train that profile.
Or don't and just use the default profile. That way when people go to use your remote, you can just laugh at them, and tell them that they have to be smarter than the computer.....
Anyway - you'll then find that voxcommando works FLAWLESSLY in XBMC. Two big thumbs up!
Even with the volume cranked up pretty high, the Amulet works very well to capture what you say - and VoxCommando handles XBMC.
On a side note - I am getting an error when I open VoxCommando:
error creating group: XBMC Request Music by Name - VoxCommando will continue to load, but commands in this group will not be available.
- So the command "Play hits by" artist doesn't seem to work....since this is key to my original purpose of handling my music library, I'll go hit up the right forums, and post back here with that final tip and trick.
EDIT: with JitterJames' help, I removed the Play Song command, and voxcommando started working. Link to forum here:
http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=438.msg3008#msg3008
I very happily just paid for the license and am now LOVING THIS!
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I have great news for owners of VoxCommando who have not already purchased an Amulet Remote. I have been discussing a deal with the folks over at Amulet Devices.
It is not 100% official yet, but I hope to be able to offer a coupon exclusively to owners of VoxCommando that will entitle them to a significant savings on the purchase of an Amulet Remote.
I will post more official details as soon as I have them!
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OK. Here are the official details.
If you own VoxCommando (or buy it) you are entitled to an exclusive discount off the purchase of an Amulet Remote. You will instantly save $40 off the retail price. Contact us for the coupon code. i n f o @ v o x c o m m a n d o D O T c o m
The current retail price (at the time of this post) is $149.00 USD As an owner of VoxCommando user you will save over 25%
If you don't own VoxCommando and you don't intend to buy it (madness! ::club), we can still offer you a special coupon worth $20 just for visiting our website, which you have already done!
I don't have the actual $20 coupon code at the moment but I'll post it today or tomorrow.
edit: coupon code to save $20 - AMDVOX2549
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The remote control by amulet is perfect for use with voxcommando, and this price is very good, very well done, Mr. James
;D
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OK the coupon code for a $20 discount is:
AMDVOX2549
If you own VoxCommando and you want the $40 discount, please contact me and I'll give you a coupon code.
Coupon codes can be applied when purchasing from their online site:
http://www.amuletdevices.com/index.php/Buy-Now.html
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That puts the Amulet at about 50% below where I bought it. :( However it is a great product and works very well with Vox Commando. It was worth the price I paid and a great value now! I hope they are giving you a cut, James. :D
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I believe at that price you are not paying all that much more than the actual cost to make it. I don't know how much it costs to make but it is expensive.
I am not getting a cut. However, the Amulet is such a great fit for VoxCommando that I am happy to promote it and happy to see the price come down to where more people are willing to buy it. Also the $40 coupon is a good incentive to buy VoxCommando (to get the extra $20 savings on the remote) so in that sense I stand to benefit directly from the promotion.
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Anyone had one shipped to the UK? Their wesite says shipping to US, Australia and New Zealand only :(
Might like to buy one but I'm in 2 minds, on one hand it seems pointless having voice control if you have to pick up the remote anyway, on the onther hand it is probably the only realistic option other than a headset which isn't practical and still picks up unusual commands when volume is loud.
If they don't ship to the UK then it's not really an issue anyway I guess.
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Anyone had one shipped to the UK? Their wesite says shipping to US, Australia and New Zealand only :(
Might like to buy one but I'm in 2 minds, on one hand it seems pointless having voice control if you have to pick up the remote anyway, on the onther hand it is probably the only realistic option other than a headset which isn't practical and still picks up unusual commands when volume is loud.
If they don't ship to the UK then it's not really an issue anyway I guess.
Hi shango, this link is the only way, if you do not plan to travel to USA or have a friend in it. ;)
http://www.bundlebox.com/
Kalle
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Anyone had one shipped to the UK? Their wesite says shipping to US, Australia and New Zealand only :(
Might like to buy one but I'm in 2 minds, on one hand it seems pointless having voice control if you have to pick up the remote anyway, on the onther hand it is probably the only realistic option other than a headset which isn't practical and still picks up unusual commands when volume is loud.
If they don't ship to the UK then it's not really an issue anyway I guess.
Hey Shango, bundlebox is probably your best bet. Don't forget you get a $40 coupon for amulet if you own a copy of VC.
Try contacting eddy from amulet. The company is based in Ireland, so it seems crazy that they don't ship to the UK, but I guess it all comes down to licensing costs for them.
My philosophy of VoxCommando and remotes:
I try not to view VoxCommando as a replacement for a remote, but as an extension of one. I still use my remote for the arrow keys and volume control all the time. It is WAY better than using voice control for those types of things. But adding VC is like adding 1000s of buttons on your remote, and you don't need to find them (just remember the words) it works in the dark and allows you to jump directly to the content you want. But when I don't know what I want, when I'm just browsing through my content, I always use the remote. Then there are the added features of VC that aren't necessarily directly related to speech recognition. The ability to create macros, control lights, get TTS feedback on the weather, email, now playing etc. It also allows you to do a lot of stuff that would otherwise be impossible with a remote, if you are in another room or you want to leave your TV off. I also think it's fun to use to try to find cool new ways to automate stuff. EventGhost is also a wonderful tool for that kind of thing, and VC and EG work well together. If you accept that you need a remote anyway, having the remote and the microphone in one device just makes sense. There are of course times when I wish I had a comfy headset (like when I'm doing the dishes and listening to music) and in those cases there are options, though none is quite perfect unless you want to spend a bundle.
In the end, I think we still need our remotes. People that want to use VC to eliminate the need for remotes will usually, ultimately, be disappointed. IMO. :)
* If you have a good remote anyway and a way to interface it with your pc, it is easy enough to create a mute/listen button for VC and use a good open air microphone like a conference mic
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Thanks guys, The double shipping costs using bundlebox will be countered with the VC coupon so not worried about that.
Will look at it some more once the next release comes out with a bit more Mediaportal control built in as this is my primery media center, have just been giving XBMC a try, while it has some nice sleek skins it's lacking in features compaired to Mediaportal and I've had a complete nightmare trying to get artwork recognised in it, Mediaportal handles artwork much better than XBMC so will be sticking with it.
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I think it's ultimately a matter of personal preference. I used mediaPortal for a long time, but switched to XBMC when the windows version of it came of age, because at the time it was a better fit for VoxCommando. I think if you use a TV tuner and want to record shows then yes, mediaPortal is the way to go. Since I don't use a tuner I'm not forced to use MediaPortal and I prefer XBMC, but that's just my opinion. Probably you find XBMC difficult to manage because it is less familiar. I feel the same way about MP.
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I agree, its just what you are used to. Mediaportal v XBMC discussion is as much good as a PS3 v XBOX discussion.
Got a message back from Eddie saying the Amulet hardware is only approved for sale in the US, Australia
and New Zealand and recommended bundlebox so may go with that once the next VC comes with better mediaportal support and the updated MPTVseries plugin.
Any idea of a time frame for your next release James?
Looking at your convo with damian on TV series project page "show unwatched episodes of X" wont be do-able but pretty much everything else should be there?
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I agree, its just what you are used to. Mediaportal v XBMC discussion is as much good as a PS3 v XBOX discussion.
Got a message back from Eddie saying the Amulet hardware is only approved for sale in the US, Australia
and New Zealand and recommended bundlebox so may go with that once the next VC comes with better mediaportal support and the updated MPTVseries plugin.
Any idea of a time frame for your next release James?
Looking at your convo with damian on TV series project page "show unwatched episodes of X" wont be do-able but pretty much everything else should be there?
Well, I'm not sure if it's safe to say "everything" but we will be able to jump to the top page of a show, or a particular season of a show, yes. Also I think we can directly play a random episode of a show, or play the next unwatched episode.
I'm also adding a few commands from MPWifi that were missing. I'm also adding a "serial" command where you can enter your custom JSON string for MPWifi in case anything is missing or something gets added to MPWifi. So for example if you want to send a key using the serial command you can do it like this:
MpWifi.Serial {"Type":"key", "Key":"h"}
edit: timeframe... soonish ;) I've set end of January as the abolute latest, but I hope to release something much sooner than that.
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I did do a test by going outside my house and down the street a bit, and I did not get too far before it died (maybe 40 or 50 feet from the receiver).
and it's -10 degrees Celsius out there!
:o
Actually I conducted the test when I first got the remote... >:D
Do your neighbours think you are some sort of nutter standing out in the icy street talking to a remote control? :)
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Do your neighbours think you are some sort of nutter standing out in the icy street talking to a remote control? :)
I think they already suspected... :P
One of my neighbors is the fire chief, so he's always talking into a little box too. :biglaugh
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just ordered mine, 90 of the finest UK pounds with the VC discount for the remote, ir reciever and shipping. + whatever Bundlebox gonna charge me to ship to UK, bout 100 quid probably. :-\
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money well spent :bignod
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Incase anyone is interested in using Bundlebox to ship an Amulet to the UK my total cost for the remote and IR reciever has come to £133
That included product price, shipping from Amulet to Bundlebox, shipping from Bundlebox to the UK and import duties and taxes.
Thats also with the $40 discount from Vox and 15% shipping discount from Bundlebox on my 1st shipping.
Not particularly cheap but I guess it's in the same area as a mid range Harmony remote.
Just hope it's not DOA ::hmm
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I think it is very unlikely to be DOA. The remote itself is fairly rugged and quality control seems to be good. The packaging it comes in is also pretty good, so unless it receives cruel and unusual abuse during shipping it should be fine.
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Long as the UK leg isn't handled by Royal Mail all should be well :)
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James, how do I configure the new executable file "Amulat USB Monitor" that is in the directory of the vox to work to integrate with the Amulet? I noticed this new executable file, it has to run before voxcommando? just set up and can be terminated? need to run every time you turn On the vox?
You just run it and leave it on. You can minimize it to the task-bar. It may need a bit of adjustment still. Once or twice I think it locked up after a suspend / wake. I'm not sure. If it happens you can end-task and run it again.
I will probably make it more customizable in the future. Currently it lowers the system volume. You can set it by how much, but some users might prefer to leave the system volume alone, and instead lower the volume of mediamonkey or xbmc so that the TTS volume is still loud... also some users might prefer to switch to 'standby' mode in stead of 'on' when the remote is lifted...
I thought it would be best to leave it as a separate program so that users who don't own the remote would not have to worry about the extra configuration or resources.
Hi, recieved my Amulet today, found the above in this thread but I don't see "Amulat USB Monitor" in my Vox folder, is this done differently now or just not included in the current version?
Thanks
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go to http://voxcommando.com/downloads.asp
click "DOWNLOAD EXTRAS"
it's in there.
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Hi
i have amulet remote but its not reduced the system volume when the microphone is on or held upright??
is there anyway to make it work?
thanks
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Hi bader500 and welcome to VoxCommando. ;D
Good question. This should really be information in our wiki. :-[ For now I've created a topic for Amulet support and included all the basic info to get you started.
If you have any questions please ask them on the following new topic:
http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=803.0
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Hello! Recently discovered VoxCommando and, being a programmer myself, think it's really great work!
But I was wandering if the discount for Amulet Remote still applies if I buy VC?
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Amulet Devices has assured me that they will let me know if the promotion ends.
So... as far as we know, yes it is still in effect. If for some reason you have any problems, let us know and we will take care of it.
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James and team.. good job on a fantastic software. I was recently introduced to Voxcommando via a member on youtube who has been using it for XBMC, and then saw a couple used for homeautomation as well.
Love the idea, and i myself want to take a plunge into voice recognition, and see what possibilities this brings to our family.
I have a URC remote for most of my home theater needs, plus recently i have started using iRule.. which i have started using recently for controlling the theater and lights.
Would like to add voxcommando as well. Things i would like to do is primarly xbmc, wmc and a little bit of home automation if possible.
Well, all that to say, i am posting in the Amulet thread, cos i was looking for a decent piece of hardware that i can attach to my htpc thats sitting on my AV rack.
Do i have to have the amulet remote all the time with me if i have to send voice commands and lift it up near my face? I dont really want to be adding a second piece of remote and trying to find each time i want to send voice commands. Can i place it in some nearby location and still be able to send commands? Will it pickup commands within 15ft of the sitting area and the amulet remote?
Sorry to be posting this on the amulet thread, but if there is anything else that i can use if amulet is not ideal in my case? I was also looking at some people using ipad/iphones/android devices to send commands.. what about that?
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Hi MANswers
Welcome to the forum.
Do i have to have the amulet remote all the time with me if i have to send voice commands and lift it up near my face?
Yes you do
Can i place it in some nearby location and still be able to send commands?
No, in order to send voice commands you wll need to pick it up.
Will it pickup commands within 15ft of the sitting area and the amulet remote?
If its with you i think it should.
but if there is anything else that i can use if amulet is not ideal in my case? I was also looking at some people using ipad/iphones/android devices to send commands.. what about that?
when you mean send commands do you mean by voice or buttons ?
either way the device has to be with you, also take a look at voxwav for android devices works in a similar way to the Amulet remote.
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Hi Manswers,
Welcome.
Any microphone that can pick up your voice up from 15 feet away that is active all the time, is going to hear everything that goes on in your home. It is probably not a realistic expectation to think that this can be done without some complications. In theory you can leave VoxCommando in standby mode and use a long enough command to get the computers attention that it is not likely to be activated by accident. Even so, you will not be able to speak to your computer unless the room is quite silent. That is why any really reliable solution will involve a microphone held close to your mouth so that your voice will be louder than everything else. Amulet works well and avoid false commands because it is only on when you pick it up, and because you hold it close to your mouth.
If you have an Android phone you can try VoxWav which is similar in the way it is used.
If you really want to use a hands free microphone you should at least try to mount it as close to your sitting position as possible, like in the ceiling over your couch. If you listen to loud music or movies though, you will probably still have problems.
The way I see it, the voice commands are not so much to eliminate the need to use your hands, but to give you access to those extra 1000 buttons that you can't fit on the remote.
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Thanks for your reply James. Nice to see your prompt response, i am assured VoxCommando is one of the top noch softwares in the market today. You are true about external factors affecting the effectiveness of voice commands and microphones reception. I just want to be sure that whatever technology is present today I am able to take full benefit of it, am sure in the future there will be more add-on hardware's available in the market that will identify human sound and automatically reduce the sound of audio on the speakers.
I have spent a couple of hours going through this entire microphones section of the forum, including the wiki.. having understood my requirement.. i realize that an open mic, such as the array microphone will be best suited for my scenario. I did some research on the internet to see what people use with dragon speech recognition (as a lot of people use them for writing novels and all), i see multitudes of product, and one product does stand out is "Acoustic Magic Voice Tracker I Array Microphone". I dont see anyone has posted their experiences about this product with voxcommando, however i am planning to drop the ball on this, and if it does not turn out to be that good i can always return it and get something else.
The list of universities in here does say that the product is capable enough. Also many govt agencies use it too.
http://www.acousticmagic.com/university-list.html
Another quick question is, how hard is it to integrate VC with Vera 3 home automation controller. All the switches, and other components on my home network is based of Z-Wave.
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Thanks for your reply James. Nice to see your prompt response, i am assured VoxCommando is one of the top noch softwares in the market today. You are true about external factors affecting the effectiveness of voice commands and microphones reception. I just want to be sure that whatever technology is present today I am able to take full benefit of it, am sure in the future there will be more add-on hardware's available in the market that will identify human sound and automatically reduce the sound of audio on the speakers.
I have spent a couple of hours going through this entire microphones section of the forum, including the wiki.. having understood my requirement.. i realize that an open mic, such as the array microphone will be best suited for my scenario. I did some research on the internet to see what people use with dragon speech recognition (as a lot of people use them for writing novels and all), i see multitudes of product, and one product does stand out is "Acoustic Magic Voice Tracker I Array Microphone". I dont see anyone has posted their experiences about this product with voxcommando, however i am planning to drop the ball on this, and if it does not turn out to be that good i can always return it and get something else.
The list of universities in here does say that the product is capable enough. Also many govt agencies use it too.
http://www.acousticmagic.com/university-list.html
Another quick question is, how hard is it to integrate VC with Vera 3 home automation controller. All the switches, and other components on my home network is based of Z-Wave.
Hi MANswer, if you test this voice tracker mic with VC, let us know how it works - we are curious about that.
To control your Vera3 with VoxCommando isn't hard - VoxCommando has a plugin for the Vera, we have tested it with VeraLite and it works perfekt.
Vera can send commands to VC and also VC to vera - we have realized some cool things with vera and VC (thanks again James :hugs ) so I can say: You are here on the right place ;)
Kalle
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Yes the voice tracker looks like a promising option, but we have not tried it yet because it is a bit expensive. I think you will probably be able to get good results from it from 15 feet away, however, don't take the "magic" part of it too seriously. You will probably still have problems if there are a lot of other sounds present in your room.
As Kalle says, Vera is supported. Kalle and I both have a VeraLite running UI5. It should work fine with Vera3 as well, if you are running UI5. If you are running UI4 or earlier, it may still work but I'm not sure.
The Vera plugin for VC is still in development and will continue to improve. Basic functions and events are there already, and more will be added. It is possible that some functions on Vera won't be supported right away. For example, I don't have any door locks to test with, so if they function much differently from other Z-Wave devices, then I'll need to work on it.
In terms of sending commands from VC to Vera, we can activate Scenes, Turn lights on / off, Set Dim level, etc. We can also read the status of lights. There is a Vera.Raw command which allows you to send any command to Vera, it is just a matter of figuring out the correct syntax. In this way the plugin is essentially "unlimited" in terms of sending commands to Vera.
It is also possible (with a bit of LUA scripting) for Vera to send commands to VoxCommando.
For example, I have a Z-Wave remote control. Button 5 is my "listen to music" button.
- When I press button 5 on the remote it activates a scene on Vera.
- This scene, first sends a WOL command to wake up my computer which is running VoxCommando.
- Vera then waits 20 seconds for my computer to fully resume from sleep.
- Vera then sends an event to voxCommando which triggers the command "Listen to Music".
- VoxCommando then does various things: turns my stereo on (using my Halx to send IR to the amp), launches MediaMonkey, sets my stereo to PLII - Music mode (using the Onkyo plugin), sets the volume to a moderate level, and finally asks MediaMonkey to play the playlist "mix".
Another example:
When I give VC the voice command "Go to Sleep"
- VC checks the time of day.
- If it is daytime, it just turns the TV and stereo and computer off.
- If it is night time (after 8:00pm) it first executes the "Sleep" scene on Vera, then turns the TV, stereo, and computer off.
- Since Vera is now running the Sleep scene, Vera turns the bedroom light on and then executes a number of actions over the next 15 minutes, gradually turning various other lights off so that I have time to get my teeth brushed and into bed, without having to turn any lights off, except the bedroom light, when which I turn off when I am ready.
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I have placed an order for voice tracker I, should be in my monday, i will definately post my feedback and will also do a youtube video demostrating the voice trackers capabilities and response, i am looking forward to doing a lot with voxcommando and eventghost.
All that you said above about automating your audio video using various plugins and evenghost isnkind of greek for me as i havent started using voxcommando and eventghost until now, waiting on the voice tracker mic. Gradually i will read through the forum and figure out how i can do all the magic as you stated above in your setup. Is this a good place on the forum to start reading about all these you mentioned above? Currently i use itach ip2sl and Ip2ir with irule.
I have a zwave kwikset doorlock, i will try my level best to test with voxcommando, i do some luup/lua coding aswell so i guess. Can custom do some work aswell
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The forum contains a lot of information but it is not well organised so it is mostly helpful later on when you are looking for something specific.
To get started, look at the wiki:
http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php
To get started with customizing commands, you can also watch these tutorials:
http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=1004.0
If you are using XBMC there is also a video tutorial on setting that up.
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My Voice Tracker I Array Microphone has arrived today, wanted to upload few pictures and initial impressions, although i am still in the process of configuring voxcommando and make even the basics work.. hence will take time to upload final details, although can i open a new thread with pictures and impressions, did not feel hijacking the amulet thread.
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Yes please open a new thread under "What is a good microphone for speech..."
I'm looking forward to seeing/hearing more.
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Ok, now that I've used Amulet Remote for some time, I can tell few things about it. So here's a little review.
First of all, the sound quality is really good. Recognition works ok, though my accent is the mix of Borat and supervillain Russian general who just stole a nuclear warhead and now threatens the world with it. When I tried some cheap multimedia microphones, the results weren't so good (more like not good at all).
As for universal remote properties, there are some problems.
The saddest thing is the battery charge. Even when I'm not using much of voice recognition, the charge holds for about 3 weeks. Maybe one of the reasons is too sensitive backlight which turns on when somebody walks by (couldn't find the way to turn it off completely). Discharged battery always comes as a surprise when you take your place in front of the TV with a glass of beer and then forced to run around the house looking for your old MCE Remote. The thing that is even more sad is that discharged Amulet Remote forgets all learned buttons.
By the way, I wasn't able to teach Amulet Remote controls of my Pioneer receiver - it learns something but these commands do not work. And there's nothing wrong with the receiver itself cause I'm able to learn and transmit these signals via USB-UIRT. The support of Amulet Remote didn't provide any answers to this. Something of a workaround is using Eventghost+USB-UIRT for receiver controls, only downside is that the volume can be changed only discrete (i.e. no fast change when holding the button - maybe someone has some advice on how to do this?).
So, as you see, its learning capabilities are totally useless. Don't count on it as a universal remote control. But still, I thinks it's the best solution for home voice automation at the moment.
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Nice to hear that you are happy with you amulet. A good chance to have a longer battery life is shut it complete off (for example over night) by press and hold the DVD menu and TV power button simultaneously for deep sleep. If you press the mediacenter button in the middle of the amulet it will awake. It is also possible to charge the amulet when the battery is no low (you can build your own cradle)
http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=514.msg3934#msg3934 (http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=514.msg3934#msg3934)
I hope this give you hint ;)
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Thanks for your review Phobophile.
I agree with everything you said, except for the part about the battery. 3 weeks is amazing, and it is very easy to charge the amulet. I just plug mine into a mini-usb cable with a wall charger (as you would for your phone) about once a week overnight. I think that most of the battery drain comes from the RF connection used to transmit audio data. I doubt that the backlight being on now and then uses much battery power by comparison.
I think we all agree that as a learning IR remote, the Amulet sucks. It is too bad, because they were not exactly breaking new ground in that respect and they probably could have used some very inexpensive existing technology that worked well. I wonder what went wrong?
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I think that most of the battery drain comes from the RF connection used to transmit audio data. I doubt that the backlight being on now and then uses much battery power by comparison.
You're right, that's pretty unlikely. But I didn't use audio transmission during those 3 weeks (just to make an experiment). Something drains the charge anyway and it makes me miss simple MCE remote - you know, when you forget the remote has any batteries at all. Maybe that's not a big deal. After all, we've got used to charging our fancy cell phones everyday and that would also seem very strange in the times of Nokia 3110. ;D
A good chance to have a longer battery life is shut it complete off (for example over night) by press and hold the DVD menu and TV power button simultaneously for deep sleep. If you press the mediacenter button in the middle of the amulet it will awake. It is also possible to charge the amulet when the battery is no low (you can build your own cradle)
Wow, thanks for the info about sleep mode. But I think that some switch for turning audio transmission on and off also would be a great feature. I wouldn't whine about battery life then. :)
Great cradle design, by the way!
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After all, we've got used to charging our fancy cell phones everyday and that would also seem very strange in the times of Nokia 3110. ;D
No kidding. Or in James's case, charging fancy tablets and laptops every day -- but no cell phones! (Which confuses Google to no end. Those guys refuse to accept that we don't have a cell phone number. :bonk)
Weird that your battery drained like that without audio use. We've had ours since 2010 (I think?) and haven't experienced that kind of battery problem. Not sure if James knows whether the hardware has changed much since that early batch of remotes.
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I don't think I've ever left it for 3 weeks without charging it, so I have no idea how long the batteries would last if not using it.
Even if you don't use it to actually speak though, I think that when it does light up it is also trying to establish an RF link with the USB dongle. I imagine that putting it somewhere where it won't get jiggled periodically will extend the life quite a bit.
BTW... I can't imagine going 3 weeks without using VC ! ! ! ::yikes
Compared to a wireless headset for example, which will maybe offer you hours of use, unless you are manually turning it on and off all the time, I consider the 3 week charge of the Amulet a total non-issue. If actually using it for voice intermittently every day the way we normally do, it probably lasts about a week, which is fine with me!
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Also of note. You can still use the Amulet while it is charging, for both IR and RF.
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I use my amulet not often and have the same problem - after 3 or 4 weeks the battery is empty :'( but if you shut it to deep sleep mode it will work after 2 month without charging. The tilt switch in the remote is a bit to sensitive that also drain the battery :bignod
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I know I'm late to the game for the amulet but I am thinking about revisting this.
Do most VOX users get the OEM version?
Also is the code(s) that used to be available via partnership via VoxCommando still available?
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1 - Yes get the OEM version if you still can.
2 - I don't think the discount codes ever applied to the OEM version but in any case you would need to check with Amulet devices to be sure.
$69 bucks for this device is pretty reasonable. I still use mine as my primary voice input. VoxWav is great but having this dedicated thing always in the living room and not having to turn it on or make sure an app is running means that it just gets used the most often.
Just don't expect too much from it as a learning remote. I just use it as an MCE remote with EventGhost and it's just fine for that.
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I've started to compile a rather extensive list of reasons why I need to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to the vastly superior Windows 7.
But chief among them, at least for me personally, is that Windows 10 breaks my Amulet. I still rely heavily on my Amulet Devices microphone and this is a major deal breaker for me. ::saddest
A little more detail about the issue:
The Amulet remote's microphone actually works fine at first, but as soon as I put my machine through a sleep cycle the microphone stops working. After that happens the only sure fire way to get the microphone working again is to do a full restart. Even unplugging/replugging the RF dongle does not work, although moving the dongle to a different USB port might work. In any case neither method is an acceptable solution for me.
I never turn my machine off completely unless there is a problem but I put it to sleep all the time, so basically, I have to choose between Windows 10 and the Amulet remote. It would be an easy choice for me since there are many other things that I dislike about Windows 10. The problem I have is that I have set this up as my Windows 10 test development machine on which I had hoped to code a bit with Cortana. There is absolutely no way I would even consider installing Windows 10 on my regular work machine, because I need to be able to actually work on that one. What to do what to do?
Anyway, I thought I would just give anyone with an Amulet a heads up on this issue, in case you are considering "upgrading" to Windows 10.
Is anyone else using an Amulet with Win10? If so, do you see the same behaviour? I have tested with two different Amulets and another USB microphone. The problems occurs with both Amulet, but not with the other USB mic (Samson GoMic)
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Even unplugging/replugging the RF dongle does not work, although moving the dongle to a different USB port might work.
Actually this only seemed to work once. Perhaps you always need to move it to a USB port that has never been used before?
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A clean install of Windows 10 seems to have resolved this particular issue.
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Thanks for the update, I was looking into ordering an Amulet Remote, but this was a concern. Also, for anyone interested in ordering a remote from Amulet soon, they are waiting for some parts right now which is causing a short delay in shipping, see the email below:
Thanks for the enquiry.
We normally dispatch orders within 24 hours from our European facility and shipping time to California is typically 5-6 days.
However, we are awaiting delivery of a component at the moment so orders received this week will not ship until next Monday (17 August). An Amulet shipped to you on Monday 17 should arrive no later than Monday 24 August.
I hope this helps; please let me know if I can assist with any other queries.
Kind regards,
Eddy Carroll
Amulet Devices
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Has anyone tried using the Amulet Remote with a FLIRC ( https://www.flirc.tv/ ). I currently use this to interface with the universal remote than an Amulet would be replacing. It's a pretty neat device if you haven't heard of it, it translates IR signals into keyboard commands.
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A clean install of Windows 10 seems to have resolved this particular issue.
Actually I am still having the problem but it seems to be caused by the AmuletUSB notification program which sends events to VoxCommando. We are looking for a solution, but in the meantime the solution is to not run the AmuletUSB program and just to leave VC always in the "On" state.
Then again, this problem may be specific to my system. I have not had any reports from other users.
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Has anyone tried using the Amulet Remote with a FLIRC ( https://www.flirc.tv/ ). I currently use this to interface with the universal remote than an Amulet would be replacing. It's a pretty neat device if you haven't heard of it, it translates IR signals into keyboard commands.
I'm not familiar with FLIRC but I don't recommend you try to replace a universal remote with an Amulet. It is not a good universal remote IMO.
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Thanks James, I'm still on the fence about the Amulet, I'd prefer an all-in-one solution... maybe a tablet with Yatse and VoxWav Pro running in the background...
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I use a FLIRC with my amulet and it's alright. The usb motion activated mic is just great for issuing commands to Vox - *but* its function as a universal remote just isnt very good. I hate to bag on it, because I really appreciate this kind of kit, but it should be better. Hell, even an updated model - I'd buy a couple! New features! Some kind of development! Price is more than fair though, and and if you just program the flirc to pickup the default keys it's pretty reliable.
Don't think there really is an all in one solution but flirc and amulet well worth the cash - and both have lasted through a pretty fair amount of abuse over the years, and no problems.
I'd love Amulet developer to chime in... another model one day? Got any plans or is it pretty much what it is? We want MOAR!
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Just to say after reading this thread yesterday I googled, amazon'd & ebayed but couldn't find this mic anywhere & the companies home page doesn't want to work.
Something like this would be very useful for when music or video is playing but instead I have bought an HP RF Media remote which as well as being useful for programming my harmony one I'll tie it into a one button press to mute volume & resume VC.
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http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=2356.msg20287
I'm not sure why their website hasn't been updated at all. Oh it's completely offline now? That's actually an improvement since you can't buy one from them anymore.