Re: placing microphones...

["psghome2002" <psghome@xxxxxxx>]

I don't think anyone who's actually tried it would disagree! It's 
definately not ready for 'prime-time domestic use'. But is a great 
toy/wow factor if you're interested in technology (which I guess 
most in this group are?) and can live with the limitations.

It depends on you're life style as well - I don't have kids and 
don't often listen to loud music, especially when working (which I 
do a lot from home). For me, it's great to be able to turn lights 
on/off and be able to do the other stuff I've planned when all my 
programming is complete (switch TV to security cameras, request 
temperature readings, have email read out when in the bath, etc etc).

I put my hardware in with a view to changing the software when and 
as it matures. I strongly suspect the hardware won't change much 
over the next few years, but the software will.

I guess it all comes down to one thing - I'm addicted to gadgets! Is 
there a national support group for that? :)


--- In ukha_d@y..., "PatrickLidstone" <patrickl@t...>
wrote:
> I hesitate to stir things up, but I think that siting of mics is 
> largely irrelevant given the current state of speech recognition 
> technology. I know (have commercial experience of...) the issues 
> involved in non-trained speech recognition in confined quarters. 
It's 
> hard to do without a limited grammar and shed-loads of hardware, I
> really doubt that it's ready for prime-time domestic use coupled 
with 
> all kinds of extraneous background noise. I'd love to hear from 
> anyone who can contradict me and has a 90%+ reliable system, cos 
then 
> I could embrace an awesome technology completely :-)
> 
> > > Did you ever consider placing wireless microphones, instead
of 
> > wired ones,
> > > so you can place more of them, at more appropriate
places?
> > 
> > I use (and own) wireless mics a lot as I'm involved in Video and
> > media production. There are a few problems with this method 
> although 
> > the quality is very good with a good mic: 1 - They're expensive;
2 -
>  
> > Battery life is relatively short (8Hrs or so - depends on 
> > manufacturer); 3 - Hassle of wearing them - I can guarantee that
> you 
> > wont after a while (unless you're a huge Big Brother fan!)
> 
> Wireless mikes for the hard-of-hearing will run for 40-50hrs 
> continuously between charges, covering an area equivalent to a 
> football pitch. I suspect the workable solution with today's 
> technology is a freestanding cordless mic unit in each room, on a 
> Pronto style docking station,  which occupants pick up to issue
> commands -- or the equivalent functionality using a wireless 
enabled 
> Ipaq and VOIP.
> 
> Patrick

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