At IBC, TW Electronics is showcasing what it describes as a new generation of exciting new voice remote controls, which are enabled through the use of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) chipsets.
As content is now so widely available through the new generation of set top boxes and Smart TVs, the company said easy access to this content is critical, and requires a fast but accurate method. It claimed that voice offers that method of searching.
While a conventional up, down, left, right and select, process can still satisfy most ‘zapper’ applications, when searching for specific desired content, voice control offers a better user experience, claimed the company.
A simple key press and a spoken description of what the user is looking for will offer up not only stored content, but with the addition of internet access, a whole host of content. According to the company this allows set top box manufacturers and operators to build new innovative features into their offerings and increase revenue through wider content access.
There is a rapid change taking place in how end consumers are controlling their media equipment, according to TW Electronics. Until recently in Europe, infra-red remote control technology has been the accepted norm for controlling the majority of AV devices. When there were only a few channels and inputs, this satisfied the needs of the consumer; however, TW Electronics believes that, with the incredibly rapid increase of content available, the need for quick and accurate searching via the remote control is vital.
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