# Cheap and Dirty Voice



## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

I miss the voice search that Android, Amazon, and Apple offers, but understand voice is expensive if you don't already have the infrastructure of a Google/Apple/Amazon. So maybe leverage Apple and Google's voice technology in the mobile app's remote by giving it a dedicated button for voice searches (next to the keyboard).

Tap the button, speak a search string, which would then open TiVo search and plug the returned speech-to-text result directly into it. Sure you have to use your phone rather than the dedicated remote, but it is much better than nothing at all and pretty simple to do.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

You can already do that in the app. Touch the search button and when the keyboard appears touch the microphone icon. Then whatever you say will be typed into the search box of the app. If you find something you want to record you can do it from there. If you find something you want to watch you can send it to the TV. No need to transmit the dictated text to the TiVo itself.


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## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

Dan203 said:


> You can already do that in the app


I know... but that is more effort than just entering a few chars (usually all that're needed) from within TiVo search with the cursor keys.

What I have been used to in Android and Apple set top boxes is:

Touch
Say "Emily Blunt"
Bingo... results!

I am envisioning the same thing from the Remote of the mobile app to the main screen, not as a second screen tool.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There are some 3d party TiVo remote control apps, maybe one of them could add the feature.


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## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

Dan203 said:


> There are some 3d party TiVo remote control apps, maybe one of them could add the feature.


I could do it right now, but without an API to make this a bit less indirect, it'd be a bit of a kludge (TiVo>Search>type string). It would be so much nicer if this was just a simple function... then it could be tied into IFTTT, Amazon Echo, Tasker, etc.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There are network commands for typing on the TiVo and IIRC there is also one that takes you directly to search.


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## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

That's what I meant by "I could do it right now". I use these to automate TiVo to some extent, but it has gotten much more kludgey with the series 4 interface, i.e. navigating to a show to play.

It would be nice to see some functions added...

Search(searchString)

Play(prev|first|next|last, showName)

LiveTV(channelNumber)

Having an easily accessible API for SmartThings, Amazon Echo, and HomeKit integration should be pretty simple, and would further distinguish TiVo from the cable provided competition.

IIRC, the IRCODE network stuff was initially added for Crestron. Would love to see it expanded upon.


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