I still feel a bit ridiculous telling my TV to rewind when someone else is around. Half the time it doesn’t even pick up what I’m saying, so I end up repeating myself like a broken record.
That’s exactly it—sometimes I wonder if the convenience is worth the awkwardness, especially when the voice commands don’t work right. Out of curiosity, has anyone found a budget-friendly device that actually understands you the first time? I’ve tried a couple, but they all seem hit or miss.
has anyone found a budget-friendly device that actually understands you the first time?
Honestly, I haven’t had much luck. Even with the newer Fire Stick, it’s maybe 70% accurate if there’s background noise. The only consistent one I’ve tried is Google Nest Hub, but it’s not exactly cheap or TV-focused. Voice control still feels more like a gimmick than a real convenience most days.
Voice control still feels more like a gimmick than a real convenience most days.
That hits home. I tried setting up a “smart” living room for a client, thinking voice controls would impress, but it turned into a comedy of errors. The TV kept mishearing commands, and the lights would randomly dim if someone coughed. Honestly, nothing kills the vibe faster than arguing with your remote in front of guests. I still rely on the good old remote—at least it listens every time.
Honestly, nothing kills the vibe faster than arguing with your remote in front of guests.
I get where you're coming from, but I’ve actually seen voice control work pretty smoothly in some setups—especially when the acoustics are right and commands are kept simple. Maybe it’s more about fine-tuning the environment than the tech itself? Still, I agree, nothing beats the reliability of a physical remote... yet.
- Totally agree on the physical remote—never fails, even when the WiFi’s acting up.
- Voice control’s hit or miss for me. In my last place, open-plan living meant the TV picked up every random sound, so commands got weird fast.
- I’ve noticed some brands handle background noise better than others. Anyone else find certain systems just... don’t get your accent?
- Curious—has anyone actually set up dedicated mics or acoustic panels just for voice commands? Or is that overkill for a living room?
