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Which is best of the electronic voice controllers.

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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 20:14 - 04 Feb 2018    Post subject: Which is best of the electronic voice controllers. Reply with quote

Following on from the home automation thread because this is a much lower level question Laughing , Wifie and daughter want to play with voice control in the house. Bearing in mind I can't even get the voice thingy to work properly on my phone, how good are the offerings available.

If I understand it right there are 3 options for voice control, Alexa, Google and Siri, that are the popular choices.

Siri is by Apple so out of pure apple dislike it can go in the 'no' column.

So Alexa or Google? (or another idiot proof system?)

I'm siding with the Amazon version simply because I use Amazon Prime, have a fire stick and have seen it advertised more than any other but any recommendations?

Do I need more than one unit bearing in mind I just want to play at the moment and how easy is it to set up and use. Videos make it seem quite easy but then they haven't come across me Embarassed
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M.C
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PostPosted: 20:22 - 04 Feb 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can kinda see the point when you're searching for films etc. (on the TV stick), but realistically why do you need it? Beyond getting Siri to say funny things I got bored of voice control after 5 mins. Think I used it in the real world once to send a text whilst driving (Tut Tut).

However to answer your question you'd only need an echo dot to get started*

*in letting the government eavesdrop on your conversations.
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MahatmaAndhi
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PostPosted: 20:33 - 05 Feb 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went with Google Home. The big one. £80 from Argos.
I've used Alexa around a mate's and it works well. However, my sheer utter hatred for Amazon as a business swayed my vote.
Google knows more about me than I know myself. I imagine it knew I was going to purchase a Home before I did.

It works well with reminders, timers and general day-to-day questions (which my daughter uses more than me) as well as playing various playlists, songs and albums on Spotify.
However, I imagine to get the most out of it, you'd need to have more smart devices, which we're planning on doing as and when we require an upgrade (the kettle is next).
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bladerunner
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PostPosted: 23:38 - 26 Feb 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm a bit late to the party but alexa if you have amazon prime will at least have any music bought on amazon to play just like your fire stick does. Alexa seems to be the best for voice automation at the moment and google the best for internet searches.
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t121anf
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PostPosted: 10:08 - 27 Feb 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

What do you want to control?

I went Google as I have a google play music library (local not rented), Amazon can't play with that.

I do have Amazon Prime and therefore a subscription to Amazon Prime Music but the choice is limited, should I have wanted to rent music.

However, I use G-Suite for my Google Account, and it wasn't until after I committed to Google Home that I learnt Google are arseholes who don't support all of their account types, no calender/email support. This is possible with G-Suite on Alexa.

In the end the wifey attached Spotify to out Google Home so we do actually rent music, however sometimes we fall back to our Google Play Music library when Spotify is daft and offers a stupid version of a song (i.e. the little one likes Bad Blood by Taylor Swift, Spotify now plays a daft remix of it)

GH, is controlling my Hue lights, TP lights and switches, and soon my Nest. Alexa can also do all of this.

Sometimes GH can't understand us but I think we expect too much, speaking too quickly and not clearly enough, can't really comment on if Alexa would be any better, when I use voice on the firestick I speak clearly.

Generally the novelty of voice control has worn off, we mainly use them for streaming music, albeit voice control.

Don't be swayed by the Amazon Skills they are a gimmick, much like when smartphones were young and "there was an app for that", who cares if you can get a mobile friendly website in a dedicated app, just use your browser. What I'am saying is, yes you can voice order a Domino's but would you, I suspect you'll be back to your usual ordering method after 1 or 2 attempt.

Go for the one you find prettiest.

(I find the music better on the GH mini than GH, GH is a tad heavy on the bass)

Sorry for Tef style post.
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panrider_uk
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PostPosted: 17:17 - 27 Feb 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

t121anf wrote:


Sometimes GH can't understand us but I think we expect too much, speaking too quickly and not clearly enough, can't really comment on if Alexa would be any better, when I use voice on the firestick I speak clearly


Alexa has the same problem. It can usually handle it when you start asking a question and then someone else starts talking at the same time.

I guess that will improve as it learns to differentiate different voices better.

I have the Google Home too and agree about the bass heaviness of the speaker.

My preferred sound option is the Alexa linked to my surround system via bluetooth.
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