A Voice-Controlled TV Remote

Pankaj Arora writes "California-based Agile TV aims to 'change the way people watch TV' via the creation of its voice-controlled TV remote, Promptu. From the article: 'The Promptu remote is designed to replace a conventional remote control and includes a "Talk" button and a built-in microphone, together with an infra-red receiver used in conjunction with an existing cable box.' Personally, I'm waiting for the version that interfaces with your brain."

Comments

voice control

[Richard Allen]

I've noticed that voice commands seem to take more energy than pushing buttons. Why present it like it's an advancement?

Re:voice control

[KiloByte]

I played with IBM's ViaVoice several years ago. It's next to useless.

For regular text, the results don't even resemble whatever was said. Getting a single sentence right is a major feat, even after a number of repetitions. And this was not just me, none of my friends was able to make the damn thing work.

For simple commands, it often worked. There were frequent mistakes, but generally, it looked like it might be an idea worth pursuing.

However, every time you try talking to your computer, everyone in your vicinity looks at you weird way. Sure, getting accustomed to such gizmos would shake off this reaction pretty fast, but even then, it wouldn't be treated any gentler than it's the case for a cell phone going off in a bus. Talking to a machine makes you stand out.

Re:voice control

[ConceptJunkie]

I want to say "Find me something good to watch." but since I can't do that often myself, I don't think the smart TV will be able to.

Re:voice control

[kfg]

For the makers that is easy to answer, because they wish to sell it. They don't give a damn about whether it's an advancement or not. They care about transfering your money from your pocket to theirs. For some reason companies think we're going to go all ga-ga over voice control. We never do. We never will. It sucks. It will continue to suck. Mostly because it means you have to talk just to do some simple, quiet little thing. It doesn't matter how well it understands you and responds, it's the sheer act of having to vocalize a command that is the innate source of the suckitude.

In this case the application isn't even correct. As poster below suggests the correct way to impliment TV voice control would be to build it into the TV, so you don't even need to have a remote, but you couldn't sell remotes that way, now could you? You could, perhaps, sell set top boxes though, then at least it would be functional for those who need an access device (I need voice control because my arms don't work, so all I have to do is pick up this voice control remote and. . .).

Why Slashdot might present it as an advancement, let alone present it at all, particularly given the standard response of "Noooooooo!" that rings out every time some such device comes up, is beyond me.

KFG

Worthless...

[Dan East]

Excuse my cynicism, but if I have to push a button in the first place, why shouldn't I just press the appropriate button to perform the desired command?

Dan East

Re:Best feature

[Infinityis]

Which, of course, becomes useless if you apply it to a number of devices. Might work better if it responds to "Where are you, remote control?"

In Soviet Russia

[yahyamf]

the television programs voice command YOU oh wait... actually that's true in Democratic USA too

Better yet

[bonch]

Let's make the remote control pointless and have the TV itself be voice-activated.

Need programmable surfing by time

[Anonymous Coward]

On my wish list would be the ability to change available channels by time of day. Some channels offer nothing bout infomercials during certain hours. With smart channel surfing, your TV would skip these channels. Also it could help you avoid accidently stumbling onto Larry King or the Teletubbies.

"German Shizer Porn"

[t_allardyce]

All I want to know, is which retard invented a voice-controlled remote but put a button on it that you have to press before you can actually talk? What would have been useful is a remote control that would make a beep when you called it after you had lost it down the sofa. They could have put all these search features on a device with a screen or just taken any PDA with an infra red port and written some software.

Verdict: no one is using it now and no-one will be using it in 6 months time..

Anyone remember

[Rasta_the_far_Ian]

the old remote controls from the '70s? They had two buttons that made a loud clicking noises. With just a little practice, one could made similar mouth generated sounds that would make the TV either turn on/off or change channels. We've gone full circle!

Re:Old Technology

[RichardX]

When I was a kid, we also had something called "spanking".

It's still around these days, just a bit harder to find.. and kinda pricey.
Usually costs me about $10 to $20 a time, depending on quality, avaliability, etc..