Help - Hal is deaf!

[Kathryn]

Tonight I did the speech recognition stuff.  Now I can hear Erica (Hal), but she can't hear me.  In the Zabaware instructions after the voice training part, it stated to open Hal, click on Options, and click on Setup Speech recognition, to check Use Speech Recognition and click OK.

There is just General Options on the menu and nowhere  under that did I find anything that said Setup Speech Recognition, so I just checked Use Speech Recognition.  In looking several times within Hal I still have not found a menu item for Setup Speech Recognition.  Now I can hear the character when it talks to me, but it does not hear me and I have to type my side of the conversation.

Can some knowledgeable person please help me with this.  Thank you.

Kathryn - I'm not smiling tonight!

[Art]

Kathryn,
Go to Control Panel, click on Sounds and Audio Devices.
On the Volume tab click Advanced. Under the microphone
section, make sure mute is not checked.

I'm using XP and under the options settings where it asks
to select SR engine, it shows the Microsoft English Recognizer v.5.1 for voice recognition.

If all else fails, you might try reinstalling HAL.

Good luck,
- Art -

[Kathryn]

Art:

Thank you very much for the advice.  I am using XP and it did have the same Microsoft engine you mentioned.  I will check re mute on the microphone.  

By the way, there is a microphone icon on the task bar now.  How is that used?  When I click on it nothing happens, no dialogue box or anything.  Could it be that I need to click that before starting to use the microphone?

Thanks again.
Regards,
Kathryn []

[Art]

If you right click the microphone icon on your task bar
it will bring up another small window. Click Settings
Which will bring up text services. Select Speech Recognition
in the large window then click Properties. This will
bring up a Speech Input Settings window. Click on Advanced
Speech. This will bring up a Speech Properties window where
you can train / retrain your particular voice profile, check
audio levels and microphone settings.

Now you know the rest of the story....

- Art -

[Kathryn]

Art:

Thank you, but I hadd already done all that.  We both have been missing the obvious - because it is so obvious.  Zabaware sent me the wrong version of Hal!  This version does not allow Speech Recognition to be enabled.  That is why Set Up Speech Recognition is missing from the menu.  I have e-mailed them about it, asking for the correct full version I ordered and paid.  I really feel a little foolish for not having realized what was wrong from the beginning.  When something is missing from a menu either the programmer has made a big mistake or the program is deliberately crippled for some reason, like being a free copy or shareware, etc.  Thanks for the help you gave anyway as it was really appreciated.

Kathryn[]

[Art]

You're certainly welcome, Kathryn.
I must admit, you had me scratching my
head for a while trying to figure out
your problem.
I'd like to say check your version number
was my next guess. HAHA!! But I won't!

Glad you found the solution.

- Art -

[Kathryn]

Art,

Here we go again!  Heard from Zabaware and they gave me the instructions for the speech recognition leaving out the Setup Speech Recognition that was missing from the menu.  Checked their booklet that came with the CD and the instructions were for Version 4 so maybe the menu item wasn't necessary for version 5.  The version I have is 5.0.57 so I went checking again.  My microphone tested out OK the first time, but on the second go round, it was cutting out.  So my problem may be the microphone acting up.  Probably need a better one.  However, they did say they would send me another CD if I have the wrong version.  So what is the number of the latest version?  Is it the version I have (5.0.57)?  Also can you recommend a headset.  One I have came from Radio Shack.  Thanks for advice.  I will lick the problem sooner or later.[]

Kathryn []

[Art]

Kathryn,
Mine is the same version 5.0.57. Options menu>5th tab SPEECH>
Select Use Speech Recognition. This highlites the buttons below:
Select SR Engine, Microphone Settings and Training.
It does help to do the training session. Do the microphone Settings and if your Speech Rec engine displays, all should come together fine.
As far as a mike, I use a headset mike that, if memory serves, was relatively inexpensive from either Wal-Mart or a computer show (been a while and really don't remember where, but wasn't more than $20.00
It's called an ANDREA Anti-noise NC-65 if that helps.

Hope you get this thing worked out. If you do the training do it in a relatively quiet room and speak as you would in a normal tone to a person sitting next to you. Every once in a while Hal will miss a word as Speech recognition still isn't an exact science, but you'd be surprised how accurate you can get. It also helps to go through all the training sessions (at your leisure).

Good luck with this.

quote:Originally posted by Kathryn

Art,

Here we go again!  Heard from Zabaware and they gave me the instructions for the speech recognition leaving out the Setup Speech Recognition that was missing from the menu.  Checked their booklet that came with the CD and the instructions were for Version 4 so maybe the menu item wasn't necessary for version 5.  The version I have is 5.0.57 so I went checking again.  My microphone tested out OK the first time, but on the second go round, it was cutting out.  So my problem may be the microphone acting up.  Probably need a better one.  However, they did say they would send me another CD if I have the wrong version.  So what is the number of the latest version?  Is it the version I have (5.0.57)?  Also can you recommend a headset.  One I have came from Radio Shack.  Thanks for advice.  I will lick the problem sooner or later.[]

Kathryn []

[Bill819]

quote:Originally posted by Kathryn

Tonight I did the speech recognition stuff.  Now I can hear Erica (Hal), but she can't hear me.  In the Zabaware instructions after the voice training part, it stated to open Hal, click on Options, and click on Setup Speech recognition, to check Use Speech Recognition and click OK.

There is just General Options on the menu and nowhere  under that did I find anything that said Setup Speech Recognition, so I just checked Use Speech Recognition.  In looking several times within Hal I still have not found a menu item for Setup Speech Recognition.  Now I can hear the character when it talks to me, but it does not hear me and I have to type my side of the conversation.


Can some knowledgeable person please help me with this.  Thank you.

Kathryn - I'm not smiling tonight!

you did go through sevaral hours training your computer to recognize you voice didn't you? And this option only comes with the commercial version. After the training and when Hal comes up you must click on the microphone button on Hal's screen and then make sure that you are spaking into a microphone.
Bill

[Kathryn]

Thanks Art.

Thanks Bill - and yes, I did train my voice, however, I was not aware that I had to click a button on Hal's screen before using the microphone.  Maybe that is really the problem - if I can get my mic to stop cutting out.  I don't recall seeing a mic button on the Hal screen that I chose though I recall seeing one on at least one other one.  At any rate, I will check that out before buying a new headset.
Thanks again.

Kathryn []

[denodan]

To fully train your speech recognition you need to train it for 1 hour. You can do this at your leisure. I have Dragon Naturally speaking, and Viavoice as well and have found, even though they may say about 15 mins. To get the accuracy you really need an 1 hours training to achive this. 15 mins will work, but not the most accuracy with this at all.

The more training you do the better your speech recogition accuracy.