TerraTec iQuader - boundary layer microphone

[Siutsch]

Hi,

after some days oft testing I can say that speech recognition works good with a TerraTec iQuader.
It's a boundary layer microphone actually made for conferences or interviews, but I thought it is also suitable as a room mic,
because I really do not want to sit in the living room with a headset! 

The normal price is 249 € but I have found it used (but it was new) on amazon.de for 35 € (plus delivery) and at this price I thought, I can test ist. 

I sit about 4.5 meters away from TV and currently the microphone has the same distance.
It is connected via USB to an Acer Revo 3610 with Win7 x64.

As long as it is quiet and no film or music is playing, the recognition is quite good, better than I had hoped.
When the ambient noise is too loud, because, for example music plays, the voice recognition works then unfortunately only very poorly.

I already ordered a 5m USB extension cable to bring the microphone closer to me, the recognition will be safe even better, I hope, I will report then.

An idea:
It would be really cool if you can eliminate the sound which comes from the pc, which is also recorded by the microphone, by "suppression of ambient noise" to improve speech recognition (I hope you understand, what I mean).
But this is certainly very complicated, I think ... 

I look forward to the new version ...

Siutsch.

[jitterjames]

Welcome Siutsch!

that microphone sounds amazing, if you get good results at 4.5 meters.  And that was a really good deal you got on amazon.de !  I looked on amazon.com but there is nothing at the moment.  I have never heard of boundary layer microphones before.  I will have to look into it more.  Too bad it is so expensive at normal pricing.

Maybe when you have your usb extension you could find a way to mount the microphone on the ceiling pointed down at the couch!   I am thinking about doing this with my ps3eye.  For now I have it mounted on a tripod near my recliner.  I think the best real world solution for the media room is to use a remote control, and have one remote button to mute and make VoxCommando listen for a command.  This is possible with EventGhost, but the feature is broken in the new version.  I am changing the way VoxCommando listens for external commands, but I will fix it soon, and then explain how to use it.  I am also thinking about other ways to use it without requiring EventGhost, but because EventGhost already has support for a number of remotes this is the easiest solution for me.  For situations where you have medium volume levels, using prefix mode can sometimes work well, but you need to change your phrases for the listen command to one or two phrases that you would not trigger by accident.

thanks for you input! 

[Stockinger]

...
It is connected via USB to an Acer Revo 3610 with Win7 x64.
...

Hi Siutsch,

did you have to install a special driver or is it plug and play?
I thought this microphone was exclusively designed and built for Mac users!?

regards,
Stockinger

[Siutsch]

No, no special driver.

USB, so plug and play, works perfect with Win7x64.

Siutsch.

[jitterjames]

So I guess the overall results are:

- Works well, even from a distance

- Probably doesn't work very well if there are other sounds (noise) in the room.

Are you using some kind of remote button to mute your htpc and get VC to listen?

[Siutsch]

Perfect description!

Yes, I have a Logitech Harmony and only have to klick the Mute-Button.

Siutsch.

[Stockinger]

Hi Siutsch,

thank you for your quick reply - I just ordered one via amazon :-)

Stockinger

[FLuX0r]

Hi everybody and thank you for this promising software, James !
Perhaps one of my longtime dreams will finally come true.

Round up of the good review, i have purchased a TerraTec iQuader on eBay.
I got a good offer, it cost me only 30 €.

It is connected via USB to my PC with Win7 x64.

I have some experimenting near and far and with different recording level, but unfortunately the voice recognition is still very poor.
Maybe it's a combination of settings that leads to a good result.


Siutsch seems to have good results, so I have some questions:

@Siutsch:

1. What value does your windows recording level for the TerraTec iQuader have ?

2. What value does the recording level control dial on the TerraTec iQuader have ? (I know, you can only estimate this.)

3. Where is the microphone ? (Bottom, Desk, TV-Rack, Wall ?)

4. Did you do some training to the buildin windows7 voice recognition before ?

5. Some other clues ?


@JitterJames

6. It plays a role for VoxCommando, whether the buildin windows7 voice recognition was trained before or not?
  
7. It uses these results or not ?

8. Off Topic: Is a new version of VoxCommando released this week still ?


It would be great if I could still achieve good results...

[jitterjames]

Welcome FLuX0r

I can't answer questions specific to the iQuader but I'll tell you what I can.

1-5:
Your volume meter on VC should peak at less than 1/2 way up.  Any higher and you probably are too loud.

I'm not sure how the terratec connects to the pc (mic jack?) but you could try playing with the windows enhanced settings for the recording device.  Try different combinations of noise cancelling and acoustic echo cancellation.

Try using windows sound recorder and then listening to your voice on the recording to see what it sounds like.  Experiment with volume doing that first to make sure you are loud and clear but with no distorsion.  It is possible you have a noisy line in or mic jack on your computer.  If you do you will be able to hear it in the recording. Pay attention to sounds like "sat" vs. "fat".  If you can hear the difference clearly in your recording then probably your mic is set up properly.

6-7:
Yes, setting up your microphone and doing training in windows control panel will definitely help improve VC because it uses the windows speech engine and the current speech profile.  Training will especially help if you have an "unusual" accent.  I am not 100% sure how it works but I think just using it in VoxCommando will also train it to some extent.  It is difficult to find specific information on this topic.

8:
I am planning on releasing the new version today.  I'm just trying to check for last minute bugs before I post it.

[FLuX0r]

Wow, that was a really fast answer !  

1-5:
I'm not sure how the terratec connects to the pc (mic jack?)...

Sure you know...  
Unfortunately there are no such settings with usb, like noise cancelling.
But your tips are very helpful anyway, i will try it.

6-7:
Training will especially help if you have an "unusual" accent.

I am from germany but the phrases in VoxCommando are english, so i think for the windows speech engine my accent must be really "unusual".  
Changing all phrases to german would be a lot of work. I would only do so if it were absolutely necessary.
So i will train the windows speech engine and see, if i can get better results.

8:
I am planning on releasing the new version today.

Great News !
I read a lot of posts in the forum a few days ago and got a hint on that. In one post you statet "I'll be uploading a new version within the next week".
Nice to hear that everything goes as planned. I am hoping for some improved overall capabilities and for XBMC, for what I want to use voxcommando.

So i will continue my testing with the new version.

I look forward and hope, Siutsch is reading my post and can give me some more answers. Thanks.

[Siutsch]

@Siutsch:

1. What value does your windows recording level for the TerraTec iQuader have ?

Under Win7x64 I have only 5! (Max. is 100).


2. What value does the recording level control dial on the TerraTec iQuader have ? (I know, you can only estimate this.)

It's also very low, perhaps 1 cm to the right (I have made an Edding line to find the position again).



3. Where is the microphone ? (Bottom, Desk, TV-Rack, Wall ?)

Right beside me in about 70 cm disctance on a table. But it worked also in 4,5m distance near my TV (before I bought an 5m USB-Kabel extension)



4. Did you do some training to the buildin windows7 voice recognition before ?

Yes.



5. Some other clues ?

No!



And I'm from Germany too. 

[FLuX0r]

Siutsch, thanks for the fast response.   

I will try your settings over the weekend.

[FLuX0r]

Here is a short feedback from my testing over the weekend:

The low-settings are the key to success, thanks Siutsch !

Or to answer my own questions:   

1. What value does your windows recording level for the TerraTec iQuader have ?

Under Win7x64 I have 10 atm.


2. What value does the recording level control dial on the TerraTec iQuader have ? (Please estimate...)

It's average, perhaps 3 cm to the right. The blue activity-LEDs are still off, even when there is a quiet humming from another pc.


3. Where is the microphone ? (Bottom, Desk, TV-Rack, Wall ?)

In front of me in about 70 cm disctance on a table. But it also works, if i stand in 4m distance near my TV.


4. Did you do some training to the buildin windows7 voice recognition before ?

I started to do so...


5. Some other clues ?

Meanwhile the recognition of words often pronounced is quiet well, especially longer phrases.
But when it is noisy or music is playing, there is no recognition at all.   
The advantage of the boundary layer microphone, to pick sound up even in a distance, is it's biggest disadvantage when it is noisy.

Another idea is to change the phrases in VoxCommando to my native tongue.   

[jitterjames]

If it is that sensitive, you probably need to use a 1 button remote approach, that mutes your media and tells VC to start listening, then after receiving a command, restores volume and stops listening.  For low sound levels it may be sufficient to use prefix mode in Standby as long as your prefix and  "listen" phrases are chosen carefully so as not to be triggered by accident.