There are better alternatives.
Written: Nov 11 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Headset is very comfy. Controller allows you to hook up additional audio output.
Cons: Controller is hardly useful, especially when your hands are full. GameVoice software useless.
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| JamesWong's Full Review: Microsoft Sidewinder Game Voice |
The Microsoft Game Voice package is for those of you who want to have designer hardware without actually using it. While the headset itself is very comfortable, the "controller" that it comes with is something I have never used (other than to switch between headphones and speakers).
The Headset
The headset is not only very comfortable, but it looks nice as well. One will immediately notice the Plantronics and Microsoft logos on one 'ear' of the headset (immediately giving me the impression that Microsoft threw a nice suitcase of cash to the headset maker). The audio output from the headphones offer a decent amount base and treble. In fact, I use the headset not only for talking to friends, but also just to listen to my MP3s, play single-player games, etc. The headset microphone is easy to adjust, as it is hooked to the main headphones by a (for lack of better words) ball bearing type of mechanism.
The headset has audio/microphone jacks so you can hook it up directly to the controller or straight to your PC.
The Controller
The Game Voice controller features a "command" button (toggle it on and you can say keywords that will, in turn, execute a function in a game; more on that later) in addition to "ALL", "TEAM", and numbered buttons so that you can speak to specific members of your team or everyone, depending on what you toggle.
The controller hooks up to your PC via a USB port. One nice feature is that the controller has an additional audio out for another set of headphones or speakers. This was very welcome indeed, as I have a pair of speakers that I didn't want to shelve. I just hooked the speakers up to this extra output. There is a switch on the controller that lets you switch between your headset and the other audio source that is hooked up (in my case, my comp. speakers).
Game Voice Software
The Game Voice software offers presets for popular games. For instance, in Unreal Tournament, I can say "impact hammer", and I will hear a brief acknowledging beep. Next thing you know, my character's holding the impact hammer.
This is somewhat useless. In the time it takes me to say "impact hammer", someone's going to have shot my head off. There is no substitute for mouse scrolling or hitting a key while you're controlling characters in first person games with the keyboard and/or mouse anyway.
I've seen some gaming communities use the software creatively to create their own presets (Counter Strike players, for instance, hate to buy weapons and armor every time a new game starts up, so they would create a voice command that would buy everything for them with just one spoken word).
After using the Game Voice software for about a week, you're going to realize that you can do without it. Alternatives like the more popular Roger Wilco ( www.rogerwilco.com ) are free, and allow you to communicate with other players who have any headset.
My roommate and I who both have the Game Voice headsets actually had trouble using the Game Voice software. Whenever we went into a game of Half Life: Counter Strike or Unreal Tournament, the audio would drop out. This could be an isolated incedent, but we found a solution: just use MSN Messenger's "call" function. As long as we had the call going, we could run our games in the foreground and play without ANY problems.
Overall
If you are a casual gamer, save your money and look around for other headsets. I'm sure Plantronics makes standalone headsets that are just as comfortable as the one packaged in the Game Voice box. Grab your headset, download Roger Wilco, and you have a much better and less expensive alternative.
Miscellaneous Tips
Whether you have this headset or another, use Dialpad (dialpad.com) or MSN Messenger's calling function to make free calls anywhere in the United States through your headset. With both you can either talk to other Dialpad or MSN Messenger members respectively, or actually dial to your friends' phone.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 49.99
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Epinions.com ID:
JamesWong
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Location: California
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 39 members
About Me:
Video/PC gamer, video editor.
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