BXVC (Bill's X10 Voice Commander) (JScript version)

[TakeTheActive]

Hopefully not OT for this forum BUT both HAL and Homeseer use the unused pair of phone wires for voice communication to the modem (Voice Portal)...

IIRC, the HAL Voice Portal Modem needed the 2nd pair (or a 2nd run) as a RETURN to the DEMARCATION POINT. I'll explain:

The HAL Voice Portal Modem allows one to pick up any touchtone telephone in the home and, IIRC, press a certain key to tell the modem "Listen up - this is going to be a HAL Voice Command, not an outgoing call". Thus, if where your phone line enters the house (aka Demarcation Point, IIRC), you're running parallel lines all over to your extensions, that won't work any more. Your phone line from the street must go *ONLY* to the HAL Voice Portal Modem, then the output jack on the modem goes back (over BLK/YEL) to your Demarcation Point and *THAT* connects to all of your telephones (putting the modem in SERIES with all of them and the Phone Co.).

[TakeTheActive]

The only problem I can see is possible power interfirence in the phone lines...

The output from an unamplified microphone is *VERY* low - maybe microvolts? IIRC, the Off-Hook voltage on the phone line is ~5V. I'd worry about CROSSTALK when the phone was in use.

If you want to use phone wire for voice communication for BXVC, pull separate cables for it.

With all the inherent problems of "Voice Training", etc..., I'd want to keep the microphone wire *BOTH* separate and SHIELDED.

[Tuicemen]

glt:  
Those links bring up another good option! I wasn't crear on using the extra lines .
Although BXCV can't use a modem yet! the idea of using a cordless phone is cool!
you'd need a voice modem to do that though 
humm maybe another option for you guys to play with

[HA Dave]

Thanks for on the feedback guys!!!!

Though I had thought of using the "no longer needed" 2nd phone line (once for the modem) and separating it at the phone junction box, which is (handily) located near the rear door (garage) entrance. I decided against that. After some consideration I decided it would be better to just run a new line (of CAT5).

Though where I need the microphone to be, is only about 12 feet from the computer, I had to run about 60 feet of CAT5 to get there. I ran the wire then soldered the male and female stereo plugs (from RS) to the ends.

I installed a desktop computer microphone (slightly modified) at the ceiling, near the bottom of a flight of stairs. Near the top of the stairs is a landing with a door to the garage, (the stairs continue up to the main floor).

It works! However not as well as the microhone at the desk. It's not as sensitive, I have to speak louder, and I get some errors. I think if I get matching microphones (replace that mic with one as good as the one on my desk) I will be OK.

I can now come home and as I enter the house say "computer" (hear the chime wav) and say "lights on". The lights above the landing come on.
If I am descending the stairs to the home theater I can say "theater on" and lights come on in the theater.

After I create some macros, so as to activate a series of events, based on these commands, this should be awesome.

I love BXVC

[KDR]

Dave, good to hear!

I installed a desktop computer microphone (slightly modified) at the ceiling, near the bottom of a flight of stairs. Near the top of the stairs is a landing with a door to the garage, (the stairs continue up to the main floor).

I think that this might be just a freak thing that its working. I was going to try it then came to the conclusion its not going to work. I don't have stairs and a landing by any of my garage doors. NOW WHAT?

[Puck]

Dave: That's great you were able to extend your mic.... did you parallel the extended mic with the input of your PC mic?

Since I ALSO have a landing by my garage door, I want to try it. 

[HA Dave]

That's great you were able to extend your mic.... did you parallel the extended mic with the input of your PC mic?

I just used a little one male to two female's adapter. I plugged both Mic's in and then plugged it into my computer.

[Puck]

That could be why your extention mic is less sensitive... with the 2 in parallel the impedance is now 1/2 of normal and the resistance of the longer wire now can become a factor.

Maybe build a small op-amp mixer for all the mics:

[TakeTheActive]

Maybe build a small op-amp mixer for all the mics:

That is such a nice diagram! What software do you use?

What about adding pots on the 3 inputs to compensate for variable microphone sensitivity?

[Puck]

That is such a nice diagram! What software do you use?

Thanks.... but it was easier to find it on the NET than to draw it. 

(Here is the site the drawing came from: The Op-Amp   Look for Audio Mixer near the bottom.)

What about adding pots on the 3 inputs to compensate for variable microphone sensitivity?

I would go one step farther with that suggestion and give each input an adjustable amplifier.

[HA Dave]

That could be why your extention mic is less sensitive... with the 2 in parallel the impedance is now 1/2 of normal and the resistance of the longer wire now can become a factor.

Maybe build a small op-amp mixer for all the mics:

I was thinking of a small pre-amp like this. I would modify it to except two, or three inputs. Then feed the (amped) output to the line-in on my PC. Then change my computers microphone settings to except line-in (sound card).

I think a small pre-amp would give me all the sensitivity (ampliifition) I would need. However, I like your idea of a mixer much better. I am short on skills though as far as designing and building a mixer from scratch. Have you found any kits or finished products? Or could small pre-amp be somehow "gang connected"?

[Puck]

Dave: Maybe something like this would work best for the microphones UK495 - Electret Microphone Pre-Amp (Assembled)

This ECM microphone pre-amplifier incorporates a sensitive PC board mounted electret condenser microphone and two transistors. It will amplify the microphone signal and will provide an output that can be connected to any audio amplifier with standard input sensitivity like our model numbers UK153 and UK193.

(You can also do a search on the site your provided for UK495.)

Then the simple mixer circuit above could join each one and provide a line-level output.


(Update: CK495 is the cheaper do-it-yourself kit version.)


[TTA Edit: Added Cana Kit description, since, when I first read this post, I thought the LINK was just for a Pre-Amp. )

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Boy you guys have been busy and there are a lot of interesting ideas!

Microphone level signals sent over old phone lines will probably pick up a good bit of interference.  Older phone lines had little "twist" to them and parallel conductors side by side like that tend to pick up "noise" from each other and are pretty vulnerable to outside signals too (even someone's bad car ignition).

Cat 5 has much more twist and helps to cut down on outside noise, but at microphone levels, I'm not sure it would work terribly well either.

The best bet is to amplify the signal as close to the microphone as possible and even then there may be matching issues.

Tuicemen, yes you can substitute pots for the fixed resistors, but a better idea is to put a pot in series with the fixed resistors, thereby using the fixed resistor as the lowest possible resistance value.  If you turn the pot down to zero resistance, the fixed resistor insures that the resistance is never lower than the fixed resistor's value (never a short-circuit).

[TakeTheActive]

Microphone level signals sent over old phone lines will probably pick up a good bit of interference.  Older phone lines had little "twist" to them and parallel conductors side by side like that tend to pick up "noise" from each other...

Crosstalk?

Tuicemen, yes you can substitute pots for the fixed resistors...

Tuicemen?

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

OOPS! Sorry TTA... got my T's crossed!