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[HA Dave]

Can anyone suggest an affordable, always-on, omnidirectional room microphone?

I think... by now my BabyMonitor Microphone setup is well known. I've posted tons of links on-line about this. I've been Voice Commanding my home since 2006 with these (hidden in the corners) babymonitors. I even have several YouTube Videos (link below).

[aussie mate]

Can anyone suggest an affordable, always-on, omnidirectional room microphone?

.

It depends on how many microphones you want & what you are connecting them to.

If you want more than 1 microphone then you will need a microphone mixer with auto voice activation that will switch between the microphones.
I would also suggest using phantom powered ones as they are higher powered and provide better signal levels.

A good example of what you can do is http://www.james.lipsit.com/whole.htm


For my setup I am using 3 x Beyerdynamic MPC23 microphones mounted in the ceiling.
They feed into a voice activated mixer.
The mixer acts like a preamp and has a built in equalizer.
The output from the mixer then goes in as a line level signal to a USB sound card in my HA computer.
BVC then does it's job.

Overall given the rooms acoustics - the system works very well.







These Mic's are designed to be ceiling mounted

[dbemowsk]

Aussie,

I was checking your link and I see that they use the Shure SCM-810 SCM-410 mixers in their setup.  I use the SCM-810 at work and must say it is an EXCELENT mixer for this type of application although a bit on the pricey side.  I have seen used ones on ebay on occasion for $500 or less, but new these babies are over $1,000.  But like I say, if you are serious about this and don't mind paying for quality go for it.  Pump this through a compressor/limiter/gate and you should have a pretty sweet setup with just that. 

Some of us though, me included, like to see how we can do some of this on the CHEAP.  If I had a few thousand bucks to throw into just the mic equipment setup and wiring for BVC, I'd be on it.

Dan

[HA Dave]

........ If I had a few thousand bucks to throw into just the mic equipment setup and wiring for BVC, I'd be on it.

Audiophiles can spend a lot of money on quality audio. I often have joked that Home Theaters weren't invented for movie lovers. Home Theaters were created just so audiophiles would have another way to use audio. My hearing was damaged during the war (damned loud war music)... not badly but I can't appreciate the fine differences in quality audio.

The setup aussie mate has created represents the best of the best, world class, blue ribbon, top-of-the-line! And there is nothing wrong with doing things right.

But a single voice is just a simple mono. If presented to a computers speech recognition engine clearly... and not too loud or with too much background noise.. it will work reliably. I have had whole house speech recognition, using BVC since late 2006. I use the $18 modified Baby Monitors. Whereas I am proud of how much I have accomplished.... and on such an extremely tiny budget... I am sure it would give self respecting audiophiles nightmares.

[Brandt]

Seems like a cheap set of wireless speakers doesn't exist anymore and you all talk about having them in your homes!

[HA Dave]

Seems like a cheap set of wireless speakers doesn't exist anymore and you all talk about having them in your homes!

Cheap... is a relevant term isn't it. Back in the day... when Voice Controlling a Home was new and we were all trying new stuff and learning... I think it was Tuicemen that first found some really cheap RF wireless speakers. I did buy a set of SoundPower units when X10 was clearing them out... but haven't used them yet. I used a set of powered PC speaker as a preamp... then used additional sets of PC speakers.. running and conceiling the wires.

I wanted to use cheap wireless speakers... it just didn't work out for me. Power wired PC speakers... at $5 a set.. won the budget war.

If I was going for a REDO... I'd use two-way intercoms (with VOX). I'd have speakers and microphones all in one... quick and painlessly.

Or maybe I'd think ahead... knowing full well sooner or later I may want whole house radio or MP3's. In which case I'd use a real amplifier and hardwire a quality bunch of speakers. Or maybe.. I'd use a FM sending unit like those designed to be used with an ipod. Then I could use FM radios anywhere I wanted audio... or BVC speakers (that would be cheap and good).

[Brandt]

Well right now I have the sounds traveling over the unused telephone lines, so i can just make an adapter and plug a speaker into the telephone jack, but this limits where I can place the speakers.

I haven't really started it yet, but I wish I could get the AB8SS and a bunch of ELK-73's


http://www.hacs.com/ab8ss.php
http://www.elkproducts.com/_webapp_2981397/ELK-73_Echo%E2%84%A2_Series_Compact_Speaker,_20_Watt,_8_ohms


so i'd have to screw around in the attic for a while....