Anyone use the Rift Microphone for Voice Attack commands?

AstroCreep · Mar 8, 2017

I've done the Windows 10 Speech Recognition Program thing and I'm using Elite plus other programs for another game, I've now come to the conclusion either the Mic is rubbish or there's a setting hidden somewhere that would help, getting voice commands to work is very hit & miss.
Anyone else finding the same?
I've been using a webcam mic in the meantime without problems so also wondering whether the Rift Mic is positioned poorly or something.
Thanks

Paulusw · Mar 8, 2017

I have used it continually without any problems - in fact it seems to be a very good quality mike and used in Discord people hsve said that it is fantastic.

dogbite · Mar 8, 2017

I use Voice Attack all the time without any real issue. I did find I had to adjust it's sensitivity as I use an external 5.1 speaker system. It kept picking up sounds from the speakers. Pretty much found the right level now though.

I use ASTRA and Ivona Amy synthesizer as she sounds enough like the Astra voice for continuity. I think Amy is the best quality.

UniMag · Mar 8, 2017

No problems here whatsoever.

In fact, I tend not to even bother with my Astro 50's now.

AstroCreep · Mar 8, 2017

Ok thanks guys I shall I see if changing the volume setting makes it better, if not then I fear mine maybe defunct somehow!

TorTorden_VR · Mar 8, 2017

Poor VA response with mine.
And my group kept nagging on me to change back to my headphones, apparently 50% was utter garbage noise.
When I tried recording with it, it sounded almost as if it had either loose connection or corrupted drivers.

Kellan Fell · Mar 8, 2017

All the time, bever had a problem with it...

DaggerSnake · Mar 9, 2017

I've been using it fine, it's a great microphone actually. Maybe there are some driver issues you're having?

Meanstreak242 · Mar 9, 2017

I've found it has trouble in a noisy room. I have a button on my HOTAS mapped to hold down for voice attack commands. (The same button i have push to mute in Mumble so when I'm playing with friends they don't have to hear my voice attack commands.) When I had it continously listening, though, it would pick up a lot of extra noise as either further commands or just misunderstand me completely. (Even after voice training.) I would try that if you're having problems.

X-Terminator · Mar 9, 2017

I set mine to level 95 and use Headphone on Boost. It doesn't always pick me up first time due to the shear noise in my phones but I prefer this. I also found it best to set it and not shout above the background but not soft either but firm and calm. Some words it just can not decipher with noise around it so I alter some phrases e.g. "go" must now become "go fast". I DISABLE ADAPTIVE RECOGNITION in VA to allow for my headphones boost. It works best in 2.2 due to ROTATIONAL CORRECTION Sound can be switched off as it should do whilst in 2.3 Beta is just noisy always and rom all bugs lots. I made sure it is not my Communication Device so need to experiment with this again once Multi-Crew gets out.

vanfanel · Mar 9, 2017

The mic in the rift is actually pretty good (not me): https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/rift-mic-test

Franc Kaos · Mar 9, 2017

About 85% good for me (and that was training about 6 times), get's boring reading the same passages but the payoff is worth it. Seems to work best with a calm precise voice, like a news caster - it never understands me when I'm being attacked and panicking (I panic quickly).
The more you train the voice recog the better it gets (esp if you have a heavy accent). I also noticed if I pause my breath before speaking it picks things up better and the more unique the command, the better, like increase scanner range works better for me than zoom in.

Aldric · Mar 9, 2017

Yes i use voice attack with my rift mic all the time, it is very good, the microphone quality in the rift is superior to the vive according to all the reviews i read before making the choice between rift and vive, it was one of the main reasons i went for the rift instead, and now i have the touch controlers and 2 cameras roomscale work perfectely too so i often walk around the bridge of my Corvette.

Junky Juke · Mar 10, 2017

AstroCreep said:
I've done the Windows 10 Speech Recognition Program thing and I'm using Elite plus other programs for another game, I've now come to the conclusion either the Mic is rubbish or there's a setting hidden somewhere that would help, getting voice commands to work is very hit & miss.
Anyone else finding the same?
I've been using a webcam mic in the meantime without problems so also wondering whether the Rift Mic is positioned poorly or something.
Thanks

I'm in your same boat. I used to play VA with my microsoft headphones and it worked like a breeze, now with the rift's microphone it often does not recognize the commands. Anyway I have to say that it is on a fresh installation and (as I remember) the software needs to "learn" your voice. The more you play with it, the better the response.

TorTorden_VR · Mar 10, 2017

Junky Juke said:
I'm in your same boat. I used to play VA with my microsoft headphones and it worked like a breeze, now with the rift's microphone it often does not recognize the commands. Anyway I have to say that it is on a fresh installation and (as I remember) the software needs to "learn" your voice. The more you play with it, the better the response.

You should run the microsoft speech engine training, preferably a few times.
Not just for a fresh install, but with any new mic, at least if you have problems.

But my issue with the rift mic is mostly other couldn't understand me, and if I recorded audio from it, it was sounding more and more like a garbled drivers.

AstroCreep · Mar 11, 2017

Thanks all, I ran the training again and it got better so that must be the trick

Lee Ti · Mar 11, 2017

I received my rift yesterday and initially my microphone sound output was minimal Voice attack didn't even see an input. I re installed the Oculus rift sound drivers and all is now well. So if others have no / low sound volumes try that as well.

BaronVonDoon · Mar 11, 2017

I've been using the Rift Mic for months with Voice Attack, never had an issue with it, it's good.

Wasp0 · Mar 11, 2017

Just got my Rift and been playing with it for 2 days now, so Newb, but have been using VA for 18 months now. I thought i would have to keep on using my Logitech Headphone and Mic (Over a £100 worth), but the Rift ears and mic (Still don't know where the Mic is) work incredibly well with no really missed VA Orders, in fact i do prefer it not having the Logitech Headphones on as good as they where.

CMDRMalcomReynolds · Mar 15, 2017

When I first started using it after running through the Windows 10 Speech tool, it wasn't even getting close to what i was saying through the Rift mic. So I went back and did the speech test tool about 3 more times for it to have a chance to better recognize my voice. After that, relaunching Voice Attack and getting back into the game seemed to be a lot better. Now, outside of some minor words not being easily recognized and having to enunciate well on some words, it is working very well. The Rift mic is pretty decent and can be used just fine. Just takes a little bit of setup patience. It's probably the same with any mic and that speech recognition engine since the engine analyzes sound waves and anticipated responses that you have set up in the profile, rather than quality and clarity.