Suhit Gupta
05-11-2004, 06:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-5202030.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=news' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-5202030.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=news</a><br /><br /></div>"Motorola and AgileTV on Thursday unveiled technology that gives digital set-top boxes the power to respond to voice commands. The voice-recognition technology enables people to "talk" to their TV sets via a microphone in the remote control, the companies said. Viewers can navigate through digital programming and activate on-demand services by naming shows, movies or actors.<br /><br />The companies are launching AgileTV's software with Motorola's DCT2000 cable box. To receive signals from the enhanced remote, customers need to install a small receiver on their set-top device."<br /><br />Clearly set top boxes are attracting attention from major players in the field. In the case of the DCT2000, I can only hope that the voice recognition is accurate enough so that consumers aren't stuck repeating commands again and again until frustration sets in. According to Motorola and AgileTV, the voice-command software is capable of recognizing more than 100,000 phrases and deciphering multiple languages.