Voice Control or no Voice Control

[Augustus Caesar]

Hi all...

Since Hornby have been shouting about the new voice control system coming later this year I have been wondering just how good it will be.

All that is required, apart from the usual hardware is a headset (mic and earphones), which are easy

 

to buy and many different options are open to us.

However, I wonder just how many of us will take this up... has anyone got any thoughts maybe of its advantages or disadvantages?

Now I know we won't know EXACTLY what all its functions will be but at

 

least they should match those on offer already via the Elite and laptop etc.

So what are your thoughts? I'll put mine in later when I read those offered up...

[LMSTim]

Why speculate about something that doesn't exist and of which we know nothing about? I have seen this before ... speculation flowing left, right and centre about a new feature, then people latch on to something (believing it to be a fact rather than pure

 

speculation) and go off on one.

 

Why not just wait and see what happens. It seems to me that when the development guys bring out a new feature they do it properly and so there is no reason to believe that the voice control will not be good and useful.

 

I

 

see voice control as a useful totally hands-free way of operating a layout. All other methods, DCC controller, app and so on require you to operate with your hands so this is completely different. Voice recognition is now very powerful so I presume it will

 

be good, otherwise why bother.

 

[RDS]

I agree with LMSTim, wait and see.

[DCCTinker]

I agree too. Far too much speculation goes on within the forums, not just this one, and invariably people get hot under the collar ... and all based on something they have no idea about. Sometimes it's quite funny to read.

 

[Fishmanoz]

I'll speculate, even if only to provide a different opinion on whether we should - voice control to be implemented at least for all loco running and accessory operating commands, using the current command written wording and syntax or possibibly simplified

 

syntax.

[DCCTinker]

That info is already on the "latest news" page in the about screen on RailMaster.

 

This is part of what it already says .....

 

"Just talk naturally. There is no having to pause between words. You can also talk to the system in a variety of

 

ways, not having to remember precise commands. For example, you could say "Duchess of Sutherland forward shunt" or just "Duchess of Sutherland shunt" or "Duchess of Sutherland speed 10".

 

The system also remembers the last thing you were doing, be it

 

controlling a particular loco, point or signal so that you can speak part-commands without having to repeat the name or number of the item being controlled.

 

RailMaster's new Voice Control system will allow you to refer to locos by their name (if they

 

have one) or their class number. This makes the system as easy to use and intuitive as possible. You can also control functions on your locos by speaking their names e.g. "whistle", "horn", "coal", "sound on", "lights off" and so on. If you prefer you can

 

refer to functions by their number e.g. "Function 1".

 

You can also control points and signals, and once again, can use different phrases such as "signal three green" or "signal three clear" or "signal three go". This makes it as natural as possible

 

to control your layout, leaving your hands free to intervene if you need to. You can even control the plan itself, zooming in and out, scrolling and so on, just by telling RailMaster".

 

Just clicking on the latest news button will clear up most of the

 

speculation, I think.

 

[Augustus Caesar]

Well, I didn't expect a response like that from the first three posters... I know heated debate can result from folk not knowing about a product before release but if you read my post again it doesn't really ask you to consider the product and all its

 

possible functions etc...

"However, I wonder just how many of us will take this up... has anyone got any thoughts maybe of its advantages or disadvantages?"

The point here is to:

a. ask how many of you may take the option up

b. any thoughts about

 

the advantages and disadvantages

This thread was meant to be a little light hearted where maybe a disadvantage would be talking into a headset at two in the morning while one's partner is trying to sleep in the next room etc.

Without elaborating about

 

the whole system content it would be relatively easy to say whether or not we could be taking this option on. The question isn't a difficult one I hope and the intent was never to start a debate over technicalities etc... I agree - there is no point.

My

 

thoughts were maybe to see the benefits for shows where modellers could use voice control thus letting the public see how the system works and how the modeller actually runs their layout.

If I visit a show it is NOT always easy to see how the teams run

 

their layouts and to see or guess what their next operation is on their sequence. So this is a huge advantage. I often hear folk ask the guys how they work their layouts and give commands and what the commands actually mean in comparison to the real life working

 

railway.

So this is where I was coming from... apologies if I did not make that clear. So maybe we can give it another shot... or maybe not if you don't feel you should.

Mankind would get nowehere without debate and possible input to design etc of anything

 

to be produced shortly after a debate was started whereby that product and its details were discussed. Hope that makes sense... and I hope I ain't upset anyone simply by asking a question about a future product.

 

[96RAF]

Without breaking any NDAs I can say that I have trialled voice control software (not for Hornby I hasten to add) and it can be frustrating. Despite much voice training and using the latest Win7 & Win 8 recognition it is to my mind still far too unreliable

 

at present.

I found myself screaming at the layout many a time and accidents did happen despite the built in 'All stop' command.

The reasonably quiet environment of my layout room is worlds away from a busy exhibition hall, so expect so problems despite

 

all the 'talk naturally' and 'background noise cancelling' jargon.

Nice to see the regulars are still having a pop at each other.

Rob

[LMSTim]

Not all voice control systems are the same.

 

In other areas I have seen good ones and I have seen bad ones. Just because you have experienced a bad system doesn't mean Hornby's will follow suit.

 

I suggest we wait and see.

 

[96RAF]

Typo - '...so expect some problems...'.

 

@AC - are we talking constructive lively debate or candidates for anger management classes here.

 

@LMS - Its not a case of the extant system being good or bad as I presume without seeing the code

 

that Hornby will make use of Microsoft's or handheld OS voice recognition software, which in my opinion is flaky at best. It is possible of course that Hornby is writing their own embedded with RM....time will tell.

 

Another problem lies in the microphone

 

quality and whether it is noise cancelling, wireless, etc. Yes I know Hornby will have their own headset - when it comes, but people will be trying their existing kit first.

 

I presume you will have to write the loco or accessory calling details (address

 

or name, etc) to file. In my case I had to hand code that info, so it would only respond to the logged parameters, e.g Mallard or loco 7, fwd, rev, speed 20 percent, stop, etc.

 

I'm hoping Hornby will draw on the excellent database already in RM and

 

you will simply be able to select 'voice enable' via a tick box on the loco set up panel to set that ID into the file.

 

Wait and see - as if we had a choice. It would be nice to have a reliable timetable to wait on.

Rob

 

[LMSTim]

I think I'll just wait and see, rather than speculate on what it might or might not have. I'm not desperate. It's only toy trains, after all. Hornby are not curing cancer.

 

 

[stevecamden]

I don't 'get it' - why do you want to speak to trains - stop/start - accelerate to 30.... Clearly, if I was disabled in some way that made it impossible for me to operate the trains, then it would be a marvellous innovation. But, I suspect ( and I may

 

be wrong) Hornby's motive is not to service this market - perhaps kids like talking to objects? How long does it take before you get bored with such antics? I think I'll just go back to building a model and keep out of trouble.

[BigNoj]

I for one would never use voice control, it's bad enough talking to myself let alone my layout.

Seriously though I would much rather Hornby concentrate on loco detection.

[LMSTim]

I hear clockwork trains are really cool. I can't be doing with all this ... urgh ... 'innovation'. Who wants to mess about with that elec ... tric ... kery stuff.

 

Let's just wind up trains and watch them go round and round ... round and round ...

 

[stevecamden]

I have a clockwork train set - I love its simplicity. Now if there were Radio controlled battery operated trains - well that would be innovation! I might even speak to them nicely.

[Graskie]

Would it work if you said, "Cat get off layout!"

[Montywb]

Graskie said:

Would it work if you said, "Cat get off layout!"

Depends on whether or not you've fitted your cat with a decoder!!

[walkingthedog]

stevecamden said:

I don't 'get it' - why do you want to speak to trains - stop/start - accelerate to 30.... Clearly, if I was disabled in some way that made it impossible for me to operate the trains, then it would be a marvellous innovation.

But, I suspect ( and I may be wrong) Hornby's motive is not to service this market - perhaps kids like talking to objects? How long does it take before you get bored with such antics? I think I'll just go back to building a model and keep out of trouble.

Another

nail in the coffin of actually modelling and playing with trains.
Why not stop making models and just have virtual railways.
With voice activation you can switch on the virtual railway, tell it to play for an hour and go down the pub. Nightmare.

[poliss]

Don't think that's how voice operated layouts work WTD. From what I've seen on other voice control systems you give commands such as 'black 5...start... black 5..speed up..black 5...sound whistle.....black 5..slow down...black 5 stop.

This would be

 

a great boon for those with limited movement. I can't see any advantage for anyone else as voice control is much slower than turning the speed knob and it always will be, no matter how much the software improves in the future. I suppose you could teach it

 

to obey whistle commands like a sheepdog. That would be faster. You could even make it into a TV series. One man and his train.

[Graskie]

Montywb said:

Depends on whether or not you've fitted your cat with a decoder!!

Funnily enough, she is chipped at the back of her neck for identification if lost, run over (hopefully not) or whatever. There again, though, she has been

almost run over on my railway.

[Augustus Caesar]

Fitting cats with decoders, clockwork sets and talking nicely to the trains... great stuff. Just what this thread needed!

So, we have, after all the 'wait and see' stuff come up with a completely viable option for taking this on. As stevecamden mentioned,

 

if one was disabled then voice control would be a great innovation. And maybe, just maybe, Hornby have thought about this anyway. They obviously wouldn't make it a priority or advertise it with such spiel but it definitely does have advantages there. This

 

is one I had thought about but not in any detail until I read his post.

From a personal POV I don't think I could actually stand for very long and give out verbal commands. It would, as it stands now, seem a little awkward. Response times are more likely

 

to be slower but then again if any system is operated to scale speeds instead of having some operators 'race' trains around their track then voice control may have a window. In essence model railways are there for the fun and excitement of owning and operating

 

something where in reality they may have little chance of doing in real life, driving a train. There's always been something magical about watching trains go about their work and what makes it different is the obvious differing styles of trains and their working

 

life is never dull.

So in a modelling framework I see the hands on approach of using the controller or even a laptop(!) as the means to an end of actually 'getting close' to operating one for real.

Using voice control can, for me anyway, get boring after

 

a while. Listening to your own voice can be depressing at times for some and it naturally follows that others don't want to hear someone giving out monotone sounds of train operation.

I am not against the system by any means as it does have major advantages

 

(as Steve and I mention above) but I do feel that keeping model railwaying as close as possible to its original form of control is much better... and I don't mean clockwork!!!

If we all said 'wait and see' about everything that got put in a pipeline for

 

future development then nothing would ever be produced with the ideas from the likes of us. Manufacturers would throw any old junk our way and just rake in initial profits. Our input and ideas are an essential way for companies like Hornby to produce ideas

 

and eventual models for their production line and our ultimate benfit. This is why they have a suggestion 'box' for our ideas to be floated to their design team etc. Where would we be without it?

Anyway, don't stop there with the thoughts within this debate...

 

I'm sure we are all keen to add a few words... but in a postive way, whether or not we would take this system on.

Thanks for your input so far - very interesting!

[96RAF]

Hear Hear Aug-C

There's nothing like watching the trains go by.

 

Voice control was seen as a simple way of allowing the very young (or indeed the handicapped) work a model railway without having to know or be able to operate complex control systems

 

- just talk to it and it will do as you ask.

 

I remember an old company I worked at that had a suggestion box, but the owner took it down due to the large number of smart-alex notes people put in it telling him how to run him company better. That was

 

just afore the company went bust of course due to mismanagement.

 

The wider moral being that any company that doesn't listen to its customer base very soon won't have one.

 

I like to think Hornby is listening, but whether it is reacting quick enough

 

for many and in the right way remains to be seen. I also think that these forums are invaluable to both the customers and the firm both as a knowledge base and an attention getter.

 

Having posted what I think is a sensible point or two of discussion

 

I wait for the inevitable tantrum in response.

Rob

[The son of Triangman]

Voice control has it's place to be sure. but not my cup of tea.

 

The idea of just sitting drinking tea and watching your trains for hours on end run by a box of silicone sand and talking to them doesn't appeal. I prefer to operate signals and points

 

as they were meant to be in the full scale steam era, from a signal box lever frame, Hornby make this of course with the old lever switches. Voice control is great if you are disabled or carn't be bothered, or are at exhibition supping tea or running a very

 

big layout.

[The son of Triangman]

If you want voice and computer control then go for it, but it wasn't really protoypical on the real railway in steam days as a rule so is inaccurate.

[Fishmanoz]

Wasn't there a supervisor telling the signalman which point to change and signal to operate. If so, now you get to be supervisor.