HCS Voicepacks Issue - Sorted and UPDATED

[Para Handy]

Yeah, I'll ask in their fora as well but since there are so many well-informed users on here I am asking in here too.

I took advantage of the £10-off offer from HCS to grab another of their voicepacks - all well and good. Only problem is that they keep talking to each other. (No I am not on any funny chemicals. )

The issue is that my mic (either my lavalier or my neck-yoke one) picks up from my sound-system their responses to my commands and this often triggers some funny actions as they misinterpret what they are hearing from the computer speakers. So far they have not fired a weapon in the station nor boosted me into the real wall but I can see that happening before too long.

Now I don't want to be reduced to playing in headphones, I would rather keep Elite rocking my 5.1 surround system. So I was wondering how others deal with this issue - I don't want to pay a fortune for a decent shotgun mic (and the concomitant phantom power supply etc) so am looking for any sensible suggestions please.


EDIT - this is now sorted thanks to LeeG - see post #20. [up]

(inserthappybunnyemojihere)

 

[Flimley]

My first step would be to baffle the mic in order to make it more forward directional ? And therefore less sensitive to surrounding noise.
You could use toilet rolls, sticky tape and suchlike, just like in blue Peter !

Additional... I have done this myself to prevent cross noise contamination.

Flimley

 

[disorganise]

Replying so I get sub'd
Interested in this too..... I had a similar issue ages back, before landing gear up and down were separated. Each time time 'Leo' said 'landing gear up/down' it would trigger the toggle.

I have several packs but haven't used them in over a year cos I also don't like being forced into headphones.
Long way to say in interested in seeing if there's a fix I can copy

 

[Rock Hunter]

I tried various mics having had very similar issues. I now use headphones which I’m happy enough with but would also much rather make use of my 5.1 surround system. The best I had was a mic only headset, much like you’d expect to find in a call centre which had the benefit of sitting very close to my mouth and when I set up the mics volume after some trial and error worked very well and very rarely picked up the sound from my speakers.

Unfortunately it was on a mic jack rather than USB and so would suffer connection issues occasionally. Then, being a cheap EBay buy from China, it clapped out on me completely and I ended up back with my headphones for pure ease. If I could find a USB based version I’d be happy to try again.

Not overly helpful I’m afraid but I’m also someone who’d be glad to hear of a workable solution to this.

 

[Lightspeed]

Is the microphone in direct line of receipt from the speakers? In other words, are the speakers in front of you, which the mic 'sees' as well? Moving the speakers should help.

 

[CMDR Redcrest]

Replying so I get sub'd
Interested in this too..... I had a similar issue ages back, before landing gear up and down were separated. Each time time 'Leo' said 'landing gear up/down' it would trigger the toggle.

I have several packs but haven't used them in over a year cos I also don't like being forced into headphones.
Long way to say in interested in seeing if there's a fix I can copy

Is your Leo as huffy as mine? He just stops responding sometimes. A quick jingle with the mic lead seems to work though.

 

[VR CobraCommander]

Hi,

I don't have the HCS Voicepack but I am considering getting it.

So I'm only guessing here, but is there not an option to set up a button for "push to talk" ?
If so then unless your AI spoke just as you pressed the button it wouldn't trigger any commands.
Not sure if this suggestion will be of any help or not, but worth a try.

 

[leeG]

I’ve set up Voice Attack so I have to say “computer” first, immediately followed by the command I want to execute. This should filter out spurious commands being issued from background conversations.

 

[Para Handy]

Is the microphone in direct line of receipt from the speakers? In other words, are the speakers in front of you, which the mic 'sees' as well? Moving the speakers should help.

That would kind of defeat the object of a 5.1 system, moving the speakers about so they were not giving the surround-sound effect. The mic is close to one's face, in the case of the Bluetooth yoke system it is in one of the arms of the yoke, whilst the lavalier clips to clothing in the same general area (I don't have lapels on my tee shirts ). So re-positioning of the speakers is not going to help really.

I have cardioid mics but they would be even worse since they very sensitive and I'd either have to desk-mount one or use a cantilevered arm to get the forward-facing polar diagram and they tend to pick up through conduction anyway. A lot of mucking-about just to use voicepacks.

I have one of those head-mounted mics that you see stage performers use but it seems to be hiding in all my ham-radio junk as I can't find it at the moment. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had success with one of these.

 

[Para Handy]

.
So I'm only guessing here, but is there not an option to set up a button for "push to talk" ?
If so then unless your AI spoke just as you pressed the button it wouldn't trigger any commands.
Not sure if this suggestion will be of any help or not, but worth a try.

Of course one could use a desk mic with a PTT (or mute) switch / button - but that kind of defeats the object of using voice commands to have actions carried out and so leaving your hands on the HOTAS. So yes it would work.

I’ve set up Voice Attack so I have to say “computer” first, immediately followed by the command I want to execute. This should filter out spurious commands being issued from background conversations.

I'll have to find out how to do that and if it is viable with the HCS voicpack - sounds like it could be the ideal solution.

 

[Para Handy]

My first step would be to baffle the mic in order to make it more forward directional ? And therefore less sensitive to surrounding noise.
You could use toilet rolls, sticky tape and suchlike, just like in blue Peter !
.

Yeah I have considered making a baffled tube to mount a lavalier in - will have a play with some of my ham-radio stuff to see what I can do.

 

[VR CobraCommander]

Of course one could use a desk mic with a PTT (or mute) switch / button - but that kind of defeats the object of using voice commands to have actions carried out and so leaving your hands on the HOTAS. So yes it would work.

Yes, that would defeat the purpose.

I was thinking more of a software solution. If there was a choice in the options/setup to assign a button on your HOTAS as a "push to talk"

 

[Rock Hunter]

That would kind of defeat the object of a 5.1 system, moving the speakers about so they were not giving the surround-sound effect. The mic is close to one's face, in the case of the Bluetooth yoke system it is in one of the arms of the yoke, whilst the lavalier clips to clothing in the same general area (I don't have lapels on my tee shirts ). So re-positioning of the speakers is not going to help really.

I have cardioid mics but they would be even worse since they very sensitive and I'd either have to desk-mount one or use a cantilevered arm to get the forward-facing polar diagram and they tend to pick up through conduction anyway. A lot of mucking-about just to use voicepacks.

I have one of those head-mounted mics that you see stage performers use but it seems to be hiding in all my ham-radio junk as I can't find it at the moment. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had success with one of these.

I tried various mics having had very similar issues. I now use headphones which I’m happy enough with but would also much rather make use of my 5.1 surround system. The best I had was a mic only headset, much like you’d expect to find in a call centre which had the benefit of sitting very close to my mouth and when I set up the mics volume after some trial and error worked very well and very rarely picked up the sound from my speakers.

Unfortunately it was on a mic jack rather than USB and so would suffer connection issues occasionally. Then, being a cheap EBay buy from China, it clapped out on me completely and I ended up back with my headphones for pure ease. If I could find a USB based version I’d be happy to try again.

Not overly helpful I’m afraid but I’m also someone who’d be glad to hear of a workable solution to this.

Not the best description I could have given admittedly but essentially the same thing I believe.

 

[Chris Simon]

I think the only two things will mitigate this issue completely - buy a directional mic that doesn't pick up sounds from behind it, or use headphones.
I chose the latter.

 

[Lightspeed]

Yes, that would defeat the purpose.

I was thinking more of a software solution. If there was a choice in the options/setup to assign a button on your HOTAS as a "push to talk"

As LeeG suggested, the word "computer" would be the trigger for "push to talk" and is a very good idea.

 

[Para Handy]

Not the best description I could have given admittedly but essentially the same thing I believe.

Yes exactly, that is why I mentioned it, sorry about not quoting you as with the others.

 

[Para Handy]

As LeeG suggested, the word "computer" would be the trigger for "push to talk" and is a very good idea.

Excuse my ignorance but is that easy to do in VA? - I have not had time to research LeeG's method as I know next-to-nothing about VA.

(Forgot to do the multi-quote thing so ended up with two posts, sorry - I don't know why it doesn't automatically add them together every time. )

 

[Lightspeed]

Excuse my ignorance but is that easy to do in VA? - I have not had time to research LeeG's method as I know next-to-nothing about VA.

(Forgot to do the multi-quote thing so ended up with two posts, sorry - I don't know why it doesn't automatically add them together every time. )

I'm no VA expert, but I hope LeeG posts an example coding to set you on your way to adapting all your other VA instructions.

 

[Wasp0]

OP, consider using Voicemeeter Banana (https://www.vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/banana.htm ).

It's free (You can pay if you want), it works, as you can set Mic sensitivity and set a Microphone 'gate' up to only let in sounds you want, and there is a whole heap of setup help on YT. It is quite easy to setup once you get your head round what the settings are

 

[leeG]

I think this is all I did, use at your own risk.

First I set up a Global Hotkey.

-----In voice attack options (wrench icon) select Hotkey tab.

----------Recognition Global hotkey, click on change box to open Global Hotkey window.

--------------- Check box for enable global hotkey.

--------------- Set a key or key combination for the global hotkey (I use LALT F12)

---------------Select Voice Attack listens while keys are down option.

----------------Click OK to close window.

----------Click OK to close option window.

Then edit the Singularity profile.

-----In the Voice Attack window, click on the pencil icon beside the profile name.

----------In the Edit a Profile widow, click on the check box beside the profile name.

---------------In the Profile Options window select the Profile General tab.

--------------------Check the box for “Override listening if my spoken command begins with:”

-------------------------Type the word or phrase you want to use (I use computer).

-------------------------Click Ok to close the window.

Apply change and restart voice attack.