Voice control

[Geordiekerryman]

Are there any opinions re Voice control Headsets

RE GOOD /  Bad  / Very Bad.

It would be very surprising if no one had any thing to say

Help please

Geordie Kerryman

[RB51]

What is it you want to know GKM? Do you have a headset in mind? Or are you asking how folk that have it get on with Voice Control via a headset? R-

[Geordiekerryman]

Are there any opinions re Voice control Headsets

RE GOOD /  Bad  / Very Bad.

It would be very surprising if no one had any thing to say

Help please

Geordie Kerryman

 

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Gdk, may I suggest for a start that you don't use the blue quote button, rather the box at the bottom of the page and its green Reply button, as I'm doing now, so we don't get the forum pages filled with unnecessary duplicates of posts.

 

Next, can I suggest you do a forum search using the Search Forums facility at the top of the page and enter Voice Control there.  You will find an extensive thread from the time of VC release with a lot of coverage of various headsets people have used.

[AlanBuzz]

I use a Logitech wireless headset and microphone and it works perfectly.  One must take the time and trouble to go through the Microsoft speech recognition system set up, and be aware that background noise can upset the recognition software.  I use voice control for preference and have no real problems with it, much preferring it to sitting at the lap top, as I can wander around freely as I control the layout.  Wouldn't be without it now.

[96RAF]

Having trained windows VC extensively per instructions for RM use , I still find that Cortana gets it right 80% of the time and RM about 50% of the time.

Headset I use is a 7-day-shop 'groove>>e' bluetooth and a bargain at around 14 quid. It has good quality sound and long recharged life And pairs up easily.

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

A £14 headset will never give you reliable Voice Control.  This is because the microphone (the key here, not the qulity of sound from the earphones) does not transmit the full range of frequencies to the PC.  In testing, we have also found that Bluetooth headsets do not work as well as dedicated 2.4GHz wireless sets costing from £35 upwards.

When using a decent headset, having trained the speech system (with the ambient sounds of your trains running in the background) and with the training having definitely been done in the same room as the layout, and speaking clearly you can expect accuracy rates of 95% plus easily.  In tests we carried out with Logitech and similar headsets we found near 100% recognition accuracy.  It really does work well if you apply the right resources and set the system up correctly.

[96RAF]

@HRMS

Spec of my cheap headphones (which were discounted from 40 quid):

BT on 2.402-2.480GHz,

Speakers 40mm diam 32 Ω impedance 30mW Freq respnse 20Hz - 20kHz

Mic Φ6 * 2.7mm, omnidirectional sensitivity -42+-3Db, Freq response 100Hz-10kHz

Would you consider these OK for RM use or not. If not what spec would you condiser as minimum for the mic.

Rob

 

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

Whilst not the best, that headset (microphone in particular) seems reasonable, however there are many factors which affect how well voice recognition works.  Assuming your headset is working as it should, then a 50% voice recognition rate in RailMaster means something is definitely amiss with your setup-up or use of Voice Control.

Factors include:-

1. How much training you have done on the Microsoft speech engine

2. Training the system in the same room as your layout is used

3. Training the system with your trains running as they normally would

4. Having a filter (sponge) over the microphone

5. The correct distance of the microphone from your mouth (and the same as when trained)

6. Speaking clearly (not slurring words - also when training)

7 No unnecessary background noise, e.g. radio or TV (believe it or not we had a customer whose Voice Control wasn't working and after several hours of diagnosing problem we discovered he had the TV on by his layout- staggering, but true)

8. No interference when using a wireless headset (e.g fan heater, lights, TV, radio close-by)

9. The timbre of your voice can also make a difference (e.g. high pitched or low pitched)

If the above are met and you have a good quality microphone then you must get a voice recognition rate in the high 90's %.  If not then something is at fault.

 

[96RAF]

@HRMS

1. I obviously need more...

2. Tick.

3. Its an end to end so I cant concentrate on trains and training so I make do with rolling road for motor noise and stationary sound locos for background racket.

4. Mic is in the ear phone.

5. Ditto.

6. Geordie accent with a slight lisp - ho-hum.

7. No TV/Radio.

8. IR Heater, air-con, halogen lights.

9. Medium.

I'll take note of all the suggestions and lock myself in the train room for a long time.

[Chrissaf]

6. Geordie accent

.

Your absolutely stuffed then Rob........

.

PS - my family hail from Sunderland, so my ears are tuned to it.

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

You really need a headset where the microphone can be placed in front of the mouth.  The earphone/mic system is no good.  We can't imagine such a headset could ever have retailled for £40 - no wonder it was discounted!

You should be able to buy 2.4GHz (not bluetooth) wireless headset from £30 on Amazon where it has a boom microphone that can be positioned correctly.  Combined mic/earphone headset are seriously bad at picking up directional voice commands.  They listen to everything in the room.

Therefore, we are 90% certain your problem stems from your choice of headset.

[96RAF]

@HRMS

I will go back to my old wired h/s c/w boom mic - (ancestory unknown).

[96RAF]

.

.

PS - my family hail from Sunderland, so my ears are tuned to it.

My wife hails from Fulwell, well within the range of the Roker Park roar, in times afore the Stadium of Light.

I'm not really a Geordie as I was born and raised in Murton, Co.Durham afore joining the RAF as a brat straight out of school - not even a Mackem at that range.