Review: Giving Voice To Windows Media Center
Enter One Voice Technologies, which aims to bridge the gap between the technophile and the technophobe with Media Center Communicator Version 2, an add-on utility to MCE 2005 that brings voice-command power to the entertainment PC.
Released in December, version 2 includes several new features, mostnotably enhanced voice recognition. Other additions to Media Center Communicator include support for Skype, a hosted VoIP product that allows users to place phone calls from their PCs over the Internet, all driven by voice commands. Another worthwhile enhancement is the integration of One Voice's mceSpeechTools technology, which allows third-party developers to add voice-recognition characteristics to their new or existing MCE 2005 applications.
Users will appreciate the inclusion of a "My Commands" feature, which allows custom commands to be defined and then launched via a verbal instruction. Aside from custom, user-defined commands, the product supports hundreds of predefined commands that enable users to eschew keyboards, mice and remote controls while still accessing most of the features of MCE. Key samples include the ability to schedule recordings, launch music applications and play video files.
But the real question here is how well does all of this work? The short answer is well enough, but there are some caveats.
For one, voice-recognition technology can be processor-intensive, especially when processing commands spoken by "untrained" voices. The company recommends a 3GHz or better processor for best performance, but the product screams for a dual-core processor implementation.
With that in mind, Digital Connect Lab engineers built a custom MCE system constructed around an Advanced Micro Devices Athlon 64 X2 dual-core 3800+ with 1 Gbyte of RAM. Media Center Communicator was installed on the system for testing. The utility comes with a USB-based desktop microphone manufactured by Logitech, which is the only piece of hardware included with the package. The CD auto-installs the application and a setup wizard is started automatically upon the first launch of the software. For Media Center Communicator to work properly everything has to be "just right." In other words, MCE and associated hardware must be set up properly before a digital integrator ventures into the setup.
Integrators will be impressed with how well the product works. Voice commands are readily accepted, and users can even dictate e-mail correspondence and instant messages to the system. The key to ideal functionality is placement of the microphone and the elimination of background noise. The system seems to work fine within 4 or 5 feet of the microphone; further distances and noisy environments decrease accuracy.
The integrated Skype functionality will be a boon to users looking to leverage VoIP services, and the product's integration with Windows Messenger enables basic videoconferencing.
While Media Center Communicator can make a Media Center PC much easier to use, professional help from a digital integrator will be needed to properly set up the product and demonstrate all of the key features to the end user.
Priced at $159, the utility proves affordable for end users, but product margins aren't the message here for digital integrators. Instead, they'll derive most of their revenue from setup and customization of the technology. As far as support from the vendor, One Voice offers a basic channel program that includes special discounts, dedicated service and support, along with monthly updates.
