Post by Owen Y on Jun 17, 2019 12:29:19 GMT 12
John DARKO explains how to use the nifty 'Alexa' voice-controlled, AMAZON Echo-Dot device, together with AMAZON's mid-fi Echo-Link receiver box, to enable voice-controlled home HiFi fun for the whole household / family. You can also use your smartphone to control things via this AMAZON Echo-Link set-up. Amazon Echo Dot - NZ$59 Amazon Echo Link - US$199
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Post by michaelw on Jun 17, 2019 15:15:33 GMT 12
do you trust amazon, google, apple etc. to keep your info secure ? 
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Post by jon on Jun 17, 2019 15:48:50 GMT 12
No trust, which is why I do not have have a Facebook account
I am always logged out of my Google account
Do not use Alexa - my daughter does, and has stopped after I showed her what traffic was going to Amaxon.
My wife is comfortable with Apple, but wary.
I run ad-blockers and cookie killers as standard.
Am I missing anything? No, I'm happy.
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Post by Citroen on Jun 17, 2019 17:51:25 GMT 12
Does your phone have location setting on?
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Pundit
Post by garym on Jun 17, 2019 19:26:49 GMT 12
We have a Sonos One with Alexa. She listens all the time. To all our secrets. Amazon can do what it wants with my info. Google too. I find Google's location tracking fascinating. I like being able to look back and see exactly where I went in any given month. The only thing I protect with zeal are all my passwords. And I have a Yubikey. It's a new world.
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Post by Owen Y on Jun 18, 2019 16:01:28 GMT 12
I'd love to have Alexa controlling our family/kitchen/dining music system, but I'd be worried that Amazon/Google/Zuckeberg might steal my special sourdough bread recipe 
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Post by colinf on Jun 18, 2019 21:48:52 GMT 12
I thought so...the last bread I bought was inspired by a recipe from a guy down under...👻
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 10, 2020 20:15:53 GMT 12
Lots of folks are using them these days, but is 'voice control' a useful convenience for serious hi-fi? A couple more vids on Voice-control for you music system: First, an general introduction & comparison of the AMAZON ECHO DOT & the GOOGLE NEST - by 13th Note Reviews. This is a DENON video showing how their HEOS multi-room system can work with the AMAZON ECHO DOT ('Alexa') device: PS. If concerned about privacy, the mic can be turned off when not in use.
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Pundit
Post by cartridge on Jul 11, 2020 18:17:34 GMT 12
Pretty much all multi-room audio system can work with either Amazon or Google (remembering that Google Home Assistant isn't technically supported in NZ at this point).
But voice is simply a substitute for a remote control or an app - however it's a pretty poor substitute at this point.
For most audiophiles it's still considered a lifestyle audio type toy - but for the general public it's part of the 'good enough' solution... a solution that includes sound bars and bluetooth speakers.
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 11, 2020 20:35:41 GMT 12
Has anyone used one of these, for any duration at home?
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Member
Post by chilli on Jul 12, 2020 18:06:14 GMT 12
The link, or the echo, Owen?
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 12, 2020 20:38:35 GMT 12
Sorry.... either of the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Google voice control devices.
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Member
Post by chilli on Jul 17, 2020 0:03:10 GMT 12
I've had an echo for about 18 months. My brother bought me an IR box which takes commands from the echo to send out IR commands to my Tv and air con. In a hurry or if the kids are naughty then Alexa can turn the TV off. Alexa can tell the kids to go to the toilet.
We mostly use it to play Spotify. The Spotify app interface is quite useful and we use it to play the selected tracks or albums. The sound is OK for a tiny thing but it's not anything like a decent stereo. But it's not terrible either. It has a tweeter and a small driver that probably has some decent excursion. The sound is unbalanced or uneven but OK for background listening.
There is a 3.5mm output but it's filled with both noise and ground loop. My tvc fixes that but the sound is rather flat or compressed and lack life even when played into an ncore nc122mp to mirage speakers. I gave up on it recently when I tried a ground loop isolator that helped but didn't fix it. Tvc is much better.
I might be more interested in the link since it doesn't use voice control, I wonder if I could just use the link and control it via the Spotify app. I do not like the echo recording everything we say. It's almost ridiculous they can get away with that.
The Amazon owner holds the Washington poste, apparently, and they have a contract with the see I aye. Holy crap.
I suppose Facebook is listening and Google is as well. I trust my Huawei more than these dodgy boogers!
So,the echo is fun, but it's not the kind of sound we are used to listening to. But it works as a very well controlled streamer.
Perhaps I could get a link and output the sound digitally to a dac and that might improve the sound and integrate it with a proper 2ch setup.
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 17, 2020 15:44:55 GMT 12
OK, you could use an Echo or Echo Dot to voice-control a main music system via Bluetooth - given a suitable Bluetooth integrated amp or Bluetooth active speakers. And use your smartphone as a remote-control to do so - with the appropriate app installed.
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Post by Citroen on Jul 17, 2020 18:24:12 GMT 12
I've played with speech recognition programs on PCs since the early days in the 80's/90's. Not very reliable and needed many many hours of "training". And software wasn't cheap either.
Today's accuracy in voice control was only something that was dreamed about way back then.
Fast forward a few decades and I've tried voice control, and talking to google search and while it has an initial impressive novelty value, I still find it just a bit strange...
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Post by michaelw on Jul 18, 2020 17:55:58 GMT 12
i remember one from the '90s called dragon natural speaking (?)
varied between good and hilariously bad.
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 18, 2020 20:21:35 GMT 12
I have a close relative who was once representing Dragon(?) voice recognition word-processing software here.
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Post by Citroen on Jul 18, 2020 20:51:30 GMT 12
Yep, Dragon's the one I used.
Also used various beta products for handwriting recognition on the good old "PDA". Back then Google translate was only a thing to aspire to.
My how far we have come...
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Post by Owen Y on Jul 18, 2020 21:03:20 GMT 12
I was a bit sad when I had to mothball my Palm PDA....
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Post by michaelw on Jul 18, 2020 22:21:04 GMT 12
Fired up Google and Dragon is still around !
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