MediaPortal Configuration for 0.912

[edalex]

I want to test it in Mediaportal, especially if it can understand russian language. But I can't start voxcommando.exe anymore. At first time I choose xbmc plugin without xbmc itself and now nothing happens if i click exe file. How could I reinstall voxcommando or clear this settings?
btw, is there any system requirements? Is XP OK for tests?
And why don't you make thread on MP forum? It was hard for me to find out that wifiremote can access voice commands. I did this after finishing my own speech recognition plugin baased on google voice search api.
Thanks.

[jitterjames]

Hi edalex.

Thanks for your interest in VoxCommando.

VoxCommando can only use the speech recognition engines supported by windows speech recognition.  Russian is not one of them, but you could still use another language for the engine and try to train it to understand Russian words.

http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Languages

VoxCommando does not work on XP, you need Vista or Windows 7.

I have not started a thread on the mediaportal forum because support for mediaportal is not finished and I have not had time to work on it, with too many other things to work on.

[Bleazle]

Hi

I've just come across VoxCommando in the WifiRemote thread of the MediaPortal forum and was keen to give it a go but I'm not having any luck   I have installed WifiRemote (V 0.5) & VC 0912 MediaPortal test but as per the following screenshot nothing is showing in the "Plugins" tab   Note: I'm running MP 1.2.2  - W7 - English.

Cheers

Bleazle

[jitterjames]

the plugins tab on the main window shows installed and enabled plugins only.

To enable a plugin open VC Options, go to the plugins tab there, and place a checkmark next to it the plugins you want to use, then save and restart.  Then they will appear in the plugin tab of the main window.  You should enable MpWifiRemote and MpScan

[jitterjames]

I just read your post again.  If you are using "VC 0912 MediaPortal test" the plugin should already be enabled.  Make sure you have installed in a non-protected folder, or disable uac.  Don't try to install it into program files unless you are admin and have UAC disabled.  You are best to create a folder like c:\voxcommando and install it there.

[shango]

The Mp plugins didnt apear in the plugins tab of my version of VC mediaportal test either, I had to go to the plugins section from the options menu, both the MP plugins were in that list and both checked, I un checked them, re checked them and saved, they then both appeared under the plugins tab.

[Kalle]

The Mp plugins didnt apear in the plugins tab of my version of VC mediaportal test either, I had to go to the plugins section from the options menu, both the MP plugins were in that list and both checked, I un checked them, re checked them and saved, they then both appeared under the plugins tab.

Do you have restart VC?

[Bleazle]

the plugins tab on the main window shows installed and enabled plugins only.

To enable a plugin open VC Options, go to the plugins tab there, and place a checkmark next to it the plugins you want to use, then save and restart.  Then they will appear in the plugin tab of the main window.  You should enable MpWifiRemote and MpScan

Thanks! Could you add something like this to the top of your 3rd post in this thread? - that was the "missing step" for me  :

To enable plugins: Select "Options" -> Open options -> Plugins Tab -> select MPScan & MPWiFiRemote,  then save and restart VC.

Now that I have VC working I'm having mixed results - probably to do with mic quality but even when I use a USB mic which works well with Dragon Naturally Speaking (the worst named programme ever imho!) but I'll play around with the settings when I get a chance. One quick question, how do I jump to "Music" for example? or should I just be able to play an Artist or Album etc from any screen by saying "Play Artist Destinys Child"? (nothing happens at the moment)

Hope to get this working 

Cheers

Bleazle

[jitterjames]

In the next test release of VoxCommando I will include a configuration for MediaPortal, and I'll try to do a bit more testing too.

When I tested the zip from this thread the plugins are there without having to go to options, so I'm not too sure what is going on.  Make sure you are not using VC in a protected area of your file system, like program files.

[jitterjames]

Now that I have VC working I'm having mixed results - probably to do with mic quality but even when I use a USB mic which works well with Dragon Naturally Speaking (the worst named programme ever imho!) but I'll play around with the settings when I get a chance. One quick question, how do I jump to "Music" for example? or should I just be able to play an Artist or Album etc from any screen by saying "Play Artist Destinys Child"? (nothing happens at the moment)

Did you follow the steps outlined in the following post?: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=614.msg4437#msg4437

If you want to see a list of available commands, from the main VC window click "help" > "Generate Help Menu" and a web page will open with all the commands on it.

Yes you should be able to say "Play Artist Destinys Child" once it is set up correctly.  But you need to scan your MP library and rebuild grammars.  See the link above.

If you are able to do dictation with Dragon fairly accurately then you can expect to get very good results on VC with the same equipment.  It helps to do a quick training session using windows speech recognition control panel.  Also make sure the default input level on your microphone is not set too high.  I don't know if dragon uses the default level like VC does or sets its own levels.  If you have more than one microphone on your system, make sure the default device is set correctly.

Please be patient.  I assure you it can work extremely well, but I haven't spent that much time ironing out the kinks for MediaPortal yet.  The more people are using it and posting here though the more attention I will give it.

[Bleazle]

In the next test release of VoxCommando I will include a configuration for MediaPortal, and I'll try to do a bit more testing too...

Great 

..Make sure you are not using VC in a protected area of your file system, like program files.

Installed in C:\VoxCommando as per the instructions that show during installation 

Did you follow the steps outlined in the following post?: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=614.msg4437#msg4437

Yep 

..If you want to see a list of available commands, from the main VC window click "help" > "Generate Help Menu" and a web page will open with all the commands on it.

On to that too 

Yes you should be able to say "Play Artist Destinys Child" once it is set up correctly.  But you need to scan your MP library and rebuild grammars.  See the link above.

Done - the first example it gives me in the Commands Help file is Destinys Child 

If you are able to do dictation with Dragon fairly accurately then you can expect to get very good results on VC with the same equipment.  It helps to do a quick training session using windows speech recognition control panel.  Also make sure the default input level on your microphone is not set too high....

I don't use Dragon on my HTPC client but the windows speech recognition works well on it.

..Also make sure the default input level on your microphone is not set too high.  I don't know if dragon uses the default level like VC does or sets its own levels.  If you have more than one microphone on your system, make sure the default device is set correctly....

Done and done   

...Please be patient.  I assure you it can work extremely well, but I haven't spent that much time ironing out the kinks for MediaPortal yet.  The more people are using it and posting here though the more attention I will give it.

Fair enough! VC seems to be pretty much unknown on the MP forum - I'm off to change my forum signature to help rectify that 

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses for MP - to be honest I don't need it, but if I can get it to work effortlessly it's just cool haha.

Regards

Bleazle

[shango]

Im not 100% but I would imagine Mediaportal uses the iD3 tags in your MP3 files to build its database so make sure they are correct, if your artists all appear correct in MP music section then you should be ok (asuming you arent using the shares view)

Play artist X, for me works perfectly, all my mp3s are taged with artist AND album artist tag as i use the album artist view in mediaportal.

[bodiroga]

Hi James!

First of all, let me say that you have done an INCREDIBLE and AWESOME job with VoxCommando, I've been playing with it for the last couple of days and it's amazing. I love it!

I'm planning on buying a license soon (1-2 days, when I finish configuring my system), but I have a question about the two types of license:

Which are the main differences? Beta Releases are included in the standard version? What about small jumping release (0.933 -> 0.934)? I suppose that at the end I will buy the 35 dollars license (you deserve it without any doubt), but I prefer to ask it first ;-)

And talking about MediaPortal... man, you should open a post in MediaPortal's forum NOW! Until Shukuyen wrote the program name when announcing the new version of WifiRemote I didn't know that this kind of program even exist! It's so flexible and configurable, you can do million of things with it. MediaPortal users will love it, I'm sure, and you will sell more licenses ;-) The integration with WifiRemote works perfectly and if you could contact with MPExtended developers that would make the whole MediaPortal - VoxCommando experience wondeful. You can contact to Oxan and DieBagger (great guys and very helpful) in MediaPortal's forum or in #mp-extended channel at freenode.

If you don't mind, I'm going to make some feature request for the program. Can you add the following options of WifiRemote?

- Send powermode options. I'm using VoxCommando in my home server to control my HTPC and, although I can wake up the client using the WOL feature of VC, I'm really missing the option to suspend/restart/shutdown the HTPC with my voice. For now I do it using .bat file launcher, but it's working slowly and I think that using WifiRemote (WF in the future ) is more elegant.
- Send position options. WR offers the option to jump to a specific position of a video file, so it would be cool if you could incorporate it to VC.
- Send playchannel command. Ideal to jump to a specific TV channel just with your voice.
- Send Nowplaying command. Really powerful as it offers the option to get different information depending of the media type: tvshow (series name, season number, episode number, episode name, episode director, episode plot,...), movies (title, year, tagline, plot, genre, director...).

Ummmm... in fact, I would really love to see as much as commands that WR offers included in VC   Here you have the list of command available:

http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_MEDIAPORTAL_1/17_Extensions/3_Plugins/WifiRemote/Commands

Oh, god, as I can see in tvseries section, you can send a command using WR to play a specific TVShow episode (you can even play the next unwatch episode of a series)! That would be awesome ;-)

I know that I'm asking too much (please, forgive me), but just take your time and add the options that you consider more interesting, at least WR offers a great API and I'm sure that Shukuyen will help you. If you need someone to test future additions contact me.

Congratulations again for the program and many thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Aitor

PS: Sorry for my level of English (I'm Spanish) and for the length of my post, but I'm very excited with VC.

[jitterjames]

Hi Bodiroga.  Happy new year and welcome to VC and the forum.

Thanks for your suggestions, and your generous praise.  It is wonderful to be appreciated, and it's very nice that you notice the flexibility since that is one of my primary goals.

As for the mediaPortal forum, I prefer to wait until I have had a chance to polish things off a little before making any kind of big announcement.  The addition of MediaPortal to our list of plugins is pretty new and it still needs lots of work.  WifiRemote is expanding and we are waiting on some improvements to the TVSeries plugin too.  When new users try to use something that doesn't work, we often never see them again.

As for licenses you can upgrade to all the updated releases for at least 6 months from the time of purchase if you buy the regular license (it doesn't matter if they are major, minor, beta etc) though obviously I prefer if you buy the full license

I will look at all your suggestions for sure and will probably use most of them.  It is just a matter of time.  I already have a few other things keeping me busy with VC but I am planning on dedicating a good chunk of my time to the MP stuff very soon.  I don't have any particular dates in mind but I hope to make some improvement before the end of January for sure.

[Bleazle]

OK, mic is sorted and I things are looking good  Now that I've got VC running quite well I can see that it would actually be very handy - I'm running it on my client which is in the kitchen so having the ability to pause TV, scroll the TV Guide etc while cooking dinner (unfortunately my wife doesn't let me spend ALL of my time tweaking my HTPC!) would be great 

I do have a "bit" of a problem though... when VC is running I don't get any sound when music is playing  TV/Video is fine though  To get sound to work again I have to close VC, then restart MP - are there any log files I can give you that will point to the problem?

@bodiroga: Some great suggestions there, +1 to all of them 

... I'm really missing the option to suspend/restart/shutdown the HTPC with my voice...

What skin are you using? I agree that a specific commands for power options would be good but for the moment I select the "Power Off, Reboot, Close" menu from BasicHome menu which isn't too bad (I'm using Avalon)

...but I am planning on dedicating a good chunk of my time to the MP stuff very soon.  I don't have any particular dates in mind but I hope to make some improvement before the end of January for sure.

 Great!

A "Hidden Menu" command would also be handy - I can get it to show by using "Go right 1" for example but that's a bit clunky - "Hidden Menu" would be better 

Looking forward to the next release - looks like VC will be on my shopping list very soon!

Cheers

Bleazle