BS: Voice Recognition Software

Subject: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: gnu
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 01:50 PM

I am just getting Dragon Naturally Speaking, Version 8 Preferred, up and running.

I decided to start this thread as a help thread for users of VRS. If it helps anyone, great. If not, no harm done.

Okay... here is my first big revalation. I must have been stunned when I told Dragon I wanted to use UK English. I guess I just figured that since I write and spell the Queen's English, this should be my choice. Stupid move. REALLY stupid. The VRS is attempting to discern a proper English accent and speech pattern from a Canuck. Now, I sound a slight bit more Yankee than Brit.

So, I added a new user and went with US English.... zzzoooommmmm.

And, BTW, a question I asked recently on another thread regarding multiple users is also answered above. I, and Clinton, can create a separate user for those times when we are inbibing. Of course, it might not work very well, but, then again, it might, with enough Chretians, errections, crushings, crocheting, corrections, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 02:40 PM

Just about to install DNS for one reason and another - so will be interested to hear of experiences.

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 02:54 PM

Contact Don Firth--he has been using software of this sort for several years. You can do a search as well--we've talked about it here several times.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: vectis
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 03:50 PM

I use Dragon 7 and love it . Once you've trained it it is really fast BUT not idiotproof so get it to read baxck what it has written and spot the hilarious typos.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: gnu
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 06:18 PM

x on that!

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Mr Red
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 06:23 AM

er...... trained the software? Call me a pedant but - I think it is training you despite what the Dragon tells you. Certainly that was self-evident in the early days of VRS. It is no different from any other software - there is a learning curve. But the learning is innate and unconcious.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 01:54 PM

Actually, Mr. Red, you do train the software. The best way to use the program is to speak at your normal pace, normal volume, and normal pronunciation (don't try to be overly precise like separating syllables or you'll "confuse" the program—it may try to interpret them as separate words), so that it can get used to the way you speak.

Dragon Naturally Speaking has a whole training routine. Its training program consists of a list of documents (provided) that you read so that it can become familiar with your way of speaking. It also reads documents that you have written (it scans your "My Documents" and e-mail folders) so it can learn your vocabulary and writing style (now, how it learns your style, I really don't know). The more training sessions you do, the more accurate the program gets. Another very important part of training is to make use of the "correct that" feature as you're dictating, rather than simply going back and typing in corrections. That way, it learns your way of pronouncing those particular words. It can get used to mispronunciations as long as they are consistent, and it can also get used to various speech impediments.

In short, you train it. Otherwise, having separate files for each user would not be necessary. It is a two-way street, of course. You do have to speak clearly and use consistent pronunciations. I haven't tried it, but I imagine that if you suddenly start speaking with, say, a French accent, you'll thoroughly confuse the program and it will start making mistakes.

To say that the program "learns" may sound sort of anthropomorphic, but not so. Some programs are getting pretty sophisticated. Still as dumb as an earwig, but good at specific things.

More later.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 03:25 PM

I've been using Dragon NaturallySpeaking off and on for a few years now. I started with version 6, upgraded to version 7, and just a few weeks ago, I upgraded to version 8. When working on my book or writing articles, more often than not I just type. This is probably just habit, or more what I'm used to. I should probably use NaturallySpeaking a whole lot more than I do for this sort of thing.

I do have an occasional primitive streak. Sometimes, just for a change, I shut off the computer and write with a Dixon Ticonderoga No. 2 pencil on a yellow legal pad. I'm even tempted by a set of quills and and ink-well that I saw in one of those "for the person who has everything" catalogs. But. . . .

One thing I find it particularly useful for is entering articles or passages from books that I want to keep just by starting NaturallySpeaking, then reading the article into the computer. I'm also trying to get the songs I sing into a notebook, and sitting and typing all that can be a real hassle. It's a whole lot easier just to recite the words into the computer and watch them appear on the screen.

I find that the text-to-speech feature is very handy for more than just having what I've written read back to me. It can read any piece of text to you, not just what you've dictated. Sometimes I'll want to read a fairly lengthy article that I get in an e-mail newsletter or that I find on the Internet. Often for an article on the Internet, I cut and paste it into a Word document (I may not actually have to do this, but there's still a lot about DNS that I haven't learned yet), say "Read document," then sit back and twiddle my thumbs or do something else while "Jennifer," in her somewhat stilted but otherwise fairly natural sounding voice, reads the article to me. Neat!

Considering the sort of manuals that you get with software these days --- or sometimes the complete lack of a manual --- I have high praise for the one that comes with Dragon NaturallySpeaking. It's clear, well organized, well indexed, and packed with information. Very useful.

Don Firth.

P. S. Dictated with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 03:30 PM

Just got it and have been training it or vice versa and I love it, esp. on my laptop. It seems to do better on it, I think because my office is still in the kitchen and so, it's nosier. The laptop is back in the bedroom, where it is quieter.

BTW, I chose UK English because I use that method of spelling for many words. It seems to recognise my speech okay and I'm not using any accent 'cept for an occasional slip into a Western Colorado drawl.:-)LOL!

Thanks for the recommendation, Don. I really do love it!

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 06:45 AM

I've only been using it DNS7 for about a year, but I find it a godsend.

I'm just about at the stage of being ready to try it on Mudchat, where my "two finger" typed responses mean that the other guy has gone home before I enter a reply.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 06:57 AM

Yes, I use DNS (version 7, Essentials) and think that it's excellent. Most people who I've heard dismissing it seem to do so because it's not 100% accurate. This seems to me to be a preposterous attitude - the fact that you can buy this software, for a fairly modest price, and that, with a bit of an effort, it works 99% of the time is amazing!!
The only problem that I have with mine is that the "correct that" feature only seems to work either very slowly or sometimes doesn't work at all (I've tried re-installing the package but still get the same result) - anybody had a similar experience? Perhaps I need a higher spec computer - although a 2.17GHz processor and 1000MB of RAM should be more than enough(?)

I believe that the most expensive 'Preferred Edition' comes with a digital voice recorder so that you can dictate notes, away from your computer, and then later plug the recorder into your machine and turn your verbal notes into text. As I had an Olympus voice recorder I thought that I would see if it would work with my 'Essentials' edition. I bought a short length of cable with a jack plug on each end. I then set up a new voice file on DNS and plugged the recorder into the line-in (microphone) socket on the sound card - it seems to work pretty well - I'm still experimenting.

I've heard that the latest edition of Microsoft Office has voice recognition included as standard - does anyone know anything about this?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: gnu
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 10:23 AM

Yes... I am having problems with "correct that". Spoken and keyed. Sometimes, I select and correct "A" and then try to select and correct "B" but the correction box goes back to "A". I haven't had the time to figure out what I am doing wrong. When I do, I will post it.

I bought DNS 8 Preferred... no DVR with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Cats
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 11:52 AM

Some of my studentrs in school use the mobile version where you only have to carry the recorder with you as the microphones are too sensitive to use in class with the general noise around you and it picks up too much background. I have been using VRS in school for about 12 years, initially with a student with cerebral palsy who had little speech, so, it just goes to prove, you do train the software to your voice pattern and not the other way round.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Jul 06 - 11:51 AM

None yet made can deal with my mother's accent, unfortunately, she's the one who really needs it in the family!

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 06 - 02:02 PM

I was training mine, yesterday, by reciting a couple of my granddad's poems. I practised by reading the Mark Twain speech on fear which came with the program. THAT worked like a champ. When I started the poems, it did okay, except that it suddenly didn't want to recognise my "go to bottom" and I am having a lot of trouble getting it to recognise when I say "e" it thinks I am saying "d/c/t!" I did finally get that it worked better if I pronounced "the" with a long "e" as in "thee." I had to do a lot of "select that/spell that." It was frustrating, but I did notice a slight improvement as I went along. Don, I am glad you warned us about needing patience in training it! Any tips gratefully received.:-)

kay-ay-tee

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: SharonA
Date: 03 Jul 06 - 06:11 PM

GUEST< DB sez, "Most people who I've heard dismissing it seem to do so because it's not 100% accurate. This seems to me to be a preposterous attitude..."

Not really. I have a friend who is blind, and is understandably frustrated by the inaccuracies in all voice recognition software. 100% accuracy would be ideal (nay, essential!) in her situation. I can't imagine having the patience to "train" such software if you can't proofread what it writes!

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 08:39 AM

This seems to be the best price I can find in the UK. {they are waiting for stock at the moment!}
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: gnu
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 11:01 AM

Good price. At a retail store, I paid 75 pounds ($150 Canuck) on sale... regular 100 pounds.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 03:31 PM

Someone who is blind would indeed find DNS a problem to use. Even at its best, it needs some editing. But it can be a real boon to quadriplegics. I've seen people without the use of their hands typing with a "typing stick" held in the mouth, laboriously pecking away at the keyboard. Voice recognition software would make a world of difference to these folks.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 05:02 PM

Dear SharonA,

I certainly sympathise with your friend and agree that 100% accurate software would be the ideal in her case because it would help her to express herself effectively in writing.

In my particular case I still think that it's pretty amazing that I can speak into a microphone, attached to my computer, and something closely resembling my spoken words appears on the screen.

Roll on the day when it is 100% effective and proves to be useful to everyone - irrespective of any disabilities that they may have.

I suppose that enthusiasts, like many of the posters to this thread, need to go on using the software. Abandoning it, because it's not perfect yet, will do nothing to ensure it's continuing development.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jul 06 - 05:50 PM

Don Firth

I still say the user has to be careful. And that means training. You can't change your speech and expect perfection. Colds, booze, dental treatment - all affect speach. And a first time user still has the concious learning curve as well as the unconcious one.

The human mind is a wonderously adaptive thing - especially at kidding itself.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 05 Jul 06 - 06:07 PM

The essential problem I see for any voice-recognition system is that it tends to relieve one of the necessity of thinking before producing a document.God knows there' too much of that going around without the means of automating it. I refer you to anyone who's had to deal with a dictaphone-originated memo.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Jul 06 - 01:16 PM

True indeed, Mr. Red. As I said, it's a two-way street.

And Dick, this may be true for some. But when I use DNS for serious writing, I regard what I produce with the program as first draft. For articles and for the book I'm working on, I do a lot of editing and re-writing (and sometimes even on Mudcat posts). I do this with a combination of using DNS and using the keyboard, sometimes even printing out a copy and editing it with a yellow wooden pencil. I think that those folks who consider themselves relieved of "the necessity of thinking before producing a document" are going to crank out garbage no matter what method they use. Voice recognition software just makes it a bit easier. Or, for that matter, have you read any good e-mails lately?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: gnu
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 02:05 PM

Well, I have to tell you. This Dragon Naturally Speaking 8 is excellent. I would recommend it to anyone.

It just takes practice..... and more practice.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Cllr
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 07:23 PM

Currently using dragon ( preffered i think it came out fairly recently cllr

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Cllr
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 07:24 PM

errm i was typing this and missed out the version 9 bit he he Clr

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Bert
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 12:43 PM

Does anyone know of any free voice recognition software?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: olddude
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 12:49 PM

bert for linux there is GVoice don't know if there is a windows version from ibm or not

Dan

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Bert
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 01:55 PM

Thanks, I couldn't find a Windows version though.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 02:17 PM

Amazon has Dragon 10 standard for 58 dollars, Preferred for 119, no dvr mentioned. Is there any reason to spend 2 times as much on preferred?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Amos
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 02:29 PM

Dragon makes a free App for iPhones which allows you to dictate text or emails. It does its translating in the cloud, but is very efficient and pretty darned accurate.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 04:32 PM

I'm looking at the feature matrix, still trying to decide.

Can anyone review these features?

1. Create custom "Text-and-Graphics Commands" to automatically insert unlimited boilerplate text and graphics

2. Audio Playback of what you dictated in the open document.

3. Allows transcription from digital recorders, Pocket PC, PalmOne Tungsten

4. Text-To-Speech in editable text: a synthesized voice reads out text you designated.

What is the difference, if any between 2 and 4?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 07:18 PM

Yeah, Jack. You can highlight a piece of text on a website (say, something in print that you find too bloody small to read—lots of that out there) and say "read that," and "Jennifer" will read it to you in a rather stilted but surprisingly natural sounding voice.

My aging eyes are rather fond of this feature.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Mrrzy
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 09:39 PM

Does anybody know of a system that can deal with foreign accents in English? Dragon couldn't...

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 09:46 PM

Hmm. It should be able to. Maybe it depends on how strong the accent is.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 11:24 PM

A recent email offering for a special price on DNS included:

IMPORTANT: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10.1 is the only release of Dragon designed to run on Windows 7. As a result, previous versions of Dragon may fail to install, will not operate properly, and most importantly, are not supported on Windows 7. If you plan to upgrade your operating system to Windows 7 now or in the future, you should take advantage of this limited opportunity to order Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10.1 at this very special price.

The offer, unfortunately, expired 31 December 2009.

I have never used DNS, and the offer was based on my purchase of an upgrade version of Nuance OCR a little over a year ago. The Nuance OCR was surreptitiously deleted (without informing me and without asking permission) when I installed a new HP multi-purpose machine that included IRIS OCR.

Since the IRIS program does perform better-integrated conversion of scans to editable PDF than the prior program I haven't made an issue of the deletion; but it appears to have something to do with an HP "assholeier than thou user" attitude (also apparent in some other evidences). It might also suggest that the Nuance (and DNS?) program might have some difficulty "playing well with others." (???)

For refernce, for those interested, the offer showed a list price for DNS 10.1 of $199.99 (US) and was offered at $99.99. This may give some indication of what sort of "bargains" are available for those who qualify for an upgrade or other special offer, or might find a discounter from whom to purchase DNS(?).

The features claimed for DNS 10.1 were extravagant; but since I haven't followed claims made for prior versions I can't comment on whether anything new (other than Win7 compatibility) is actually claimed.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 10:36 AM

"Does anyone know of any free voice recognition software?"

Windows Vista (and presumably Windows 7) has voice recognition built in - although you have to dig around a bit to activate it (I can't remember the details at the moment). I have DNS on my laptop, and I'm not terribly impressed with it, but I have recently launched the Windows software on my Vista desktop and it seems to work better than the DNS on the other machine. I think that voice recognition was also available on XP, but you needed to have access to the original disk.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 11:36 AM

OK. So having ordered Dragon Naturally Speaking,v10 yesterday and having read Shimrod's post a couple of minutes ago, I just did the tutorial for Vista's name recognition software then I tried to use it.

I hope to God that DNS is better.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 02:13 PM

Jack, don't be too dismayed if it doesn't seem to work well right off. It does need to get used to your voice, pronunciation, speech mannerisms and all that, and the more you use it, and patiently correct it as you go along, the better it gets.

I've found that, even now, having to correct it from time to time can get a bit exasperating and I sometimes wonder if it's worth it, but when I'm working on articles and other writing projects, I'm cranking out about twice as much copy as I used to. And even when I was just typing, I had to go back and make corrections and carefully proof-read.

You might think of it as having to deal with an idiot child, but one that learns very fast. And once it gets the hang of it, it's very helpful.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 11:10 PM

Is there a substantial difference between DNS and Vista?

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 11:24 PM

Couldn't tell you. I don't have Vista, I'm still using XP.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 11:52 PM

The Vista speech recognition is so bad it is unusable. But I was using the built in mic. The DNS comes with a noise canceling mic.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Bert
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 02:48 AM

The question was...

Does anyone know of any free voice recognition software?

Dragon isn't free, so don't tell me how good or bad it is 'cos I can't afford to buy a replacement for the copy I lost.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 04:03 AM

It is built into windows vista. I found it through the help file. Maybe it is in your version of Windows.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 04:46 PM

This is a test of the voice recognition software from Dragon. Man it's brilliant! It's working very very well. I am happy.

It is about 1 billion times better than the Microsoft version. The tutorial is easy-to-follow. the number of errors the software makes its way lower. I can see myself using this for dictation and being successful with it.

My questions about Vista versus Dragon have been answered. The noise canceling microphone that came with the software works very very well. The tutorial for the Microsoft product is very difficult to use and frustrating. The tutorial for the Dragon product on the other hand which consisted of reading from the Dilbert manual was a lot of fun and worked very well.

I can see this product brings problems with my cat because my ability kibbles it has been magnified greatly.

Let me try that one again.

I can see that this product will bring problems for the Mudcat. My ability to bull shit will be greatly enhanced by my not having to type.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 06:06 PM

Excellent!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 06:58 PM

By the way, when Dragon does goof, sometimes it can get pretty funny!

My wife, who is a writer, uses her maiden name for professional purposes. It's Paleèek (pronounced PAH-luh-check--Czechoslovakian ancestor). Dragon really freaked out with that one, coming up with all kinds of interesting alternatives. That is, until I put it into Dragon's internal dictionary, complete with correct pronunciation. Now, no problem.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 07:02 PM

Hmm. The special symbol didn't take. That "e" with the accent should be a "c" with a little eyebrow over it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 07:54 PM

&#X00E8;        è
&#X0109;        ĉ

?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Voice Recognition Software
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 10:58 PM

Aha! Thank you, John!

Don Firth