[Camelot]

Is anyone actually using Speech Recognition in OS X?

I have it turned on, and the Speech Feedback application opens, but I can't seem to get any speech commands to work.

Yes, I'm holding the default Esc key to talk (changing the key doesn't have any effect), but there's no feedback as to whether the system is hearing me, and no commands ever work.

According to the Preference panel, the system should automatically detect an internal microphone (and Apple say my PowerBook G4 has a built-in microphone although, I confess, I don't know where it is)

In addition, under Mac OS 9.x, 'Speakable Items' were usually aliases or AppleScripts that were launched when you spoke their name. In OS X, however, these items are generic files of type 'sicf/siax', but are not associated with any application. Should they be? or does that not matter?
If they need to be associated with an application, what application should I associate them with?

Originally posted by Camelot:
<STRONG>Is anyone actually using Speech Recognition in OS X?</STRONG>

Yes, I tried it once and it sort of worked. Chess can work with the speech recognition to move pieces. I couldn't move anything other than pawns though.

<STRONG>(Apple say my PowerBook G4 has a built-in microphone although, I confess, I don't know where it is)</STRONG>

It's in the left hand speaker.

Ashley

[sordid]

doesn't work all that great with australian accents. speaking an american accent makes it work fine (where is the international support?)

[Camelot]

Is there supposed to be some feedback when the system recognizes a command (other than actually executing it)?

The reason I ask is that from what I can tell the system doesn't hear my commands. The so-called 'helpful hints' in the Speech Preferences implies that the feedback window shows the sound level, and I should 'keep it in the green'. I don't see any feedback in the window, green or otherwise.

Is my microphone not working? How can I tell?

[turtle777]

Originally posted by sordid:
<STRONG>doesn't work all that great with australian accents. speaking an american accent makes it work fine (where is the international support?)</STRONG>

There is NO SUPPORT at all for that old piece of crap called speech recognition.
AFAIK the software behind it has not been improved since it was first released a couple of years ago. I can't understand why Apple is still offering this junk, it's almost good for nothing.

Just my 0,02 $

-t

[bluedog]

Even if it worked as advertised, all the new Desktop models don't even HAVE a microphone or audio input without purchasing an external USB microphone!

Talk about 'dropping to ball' on technology. Steve Jobs said he didn't get CD-Rs into Apple hardware ahead of the game, why would Apple yank the microphone jack or built-in mic. that has been standard since the classic? It just baffles me...

[dogzilla]

Just wanted to let you know -

I'm a longtime Speech recog user, from back when I bought my brand-new 660av. SR works great on my Wallstreet through both an old Jabra EarPhone and a iParrot headset mic. From personal experience I can tell you that the SR engine under OSX is as good as the best on the Mac - as long as your mac model supports and has an external mic.

The guy who said SR sucks has no idea what he's talking about.

[Synotic]

I use it under OS X also. To see any feedback you should go to the System Preferences and click on Login and have Speech start up automatically when logging in.

[Richard Clark]

I did try the Speech Recognition when 10.0.0 first came out. For the most part it worked. The commands worked but it took two tries usually.

It did have have some hang up and did crash. Because of that I haven't mess much with it. After 10.1 comes out I'll try it again!

[Lolo from Paris]

Originally posted by Camelot:
<STRONG>Is anyone actually using Speech Recognition in OS X?

I have it turned on, and the Speech Feedback application opens, but I can't seem to get any speech commands to work.

</STRONG>

You can use speech recognition with Chess app and also to get your mail and many many purposes like opening Internet Explorer etc.


The main problem is that speech recognition doesn't recognize your voice but the words, you have to pronounce it as it should, if not it won't work :-(

I hope they will release european versions soon...

[ 07-03-2001: Message edited by: Lolo from Paris ]

[dogzilla]

Originally posted by Lolo from Paris:
<STRONG>The main problem is that speech recognition doesn't recognize your voice but the words, you have to pronounce it as it should, if not it won't work :-(</STRONG>

Have you ever tried ViaVoice or iListen? They recognize the speaker's voice, and get pretty accurate, but only after extensive training and about a week of use. And after that, it's only usable for *you*.

Apple made the conscious decision to go the speaker-independent route. This means you can sit down and start using it right away, aqnd that anyone who says the words in a manner that roughly match its prototype will be able to use it with no mdification. It also means that models need to be created for each different language, and that recognition doesn't improve over time.

The ideal system is a meld of the two, but that's unlikely to happen unless we as users demand it. For what it's worth, Apple's is one of the best (if not *the* best) speaker-independednt recognition system available. Either system is a tradeoff - I think Apple's made a good choice in terms of accessibility, but could improve in terms of real usability.

I am having the same prob as Camelot: Speakable Items is not recognizing input from the external mic.

It did work on my initial OS X install- much better than it worked in previous OSs.

It currently works when booting OS 9 on a separate HD.

Tried:starting up with speech enabled, disabling speech in the Chess app,
and hunting for a sound input controller on OS X.

This is driving me noots- anyone have a fix?

[Richard Clark]

Dogzilla mentioned Via Voice (IBM) and iListen (MacSpeech). Presently both will not work under OS X. iListen will only run under 9.0.4 solidly. There have been reports of it working ok in 9.1. I haven't been able to run it in 9.1. MacSpeech is working on an OS X version but no other information is available at this time. (beta tester)

I'm not aware of IBM's plans.

It was thought that there would be a bigger presence of voice recognition software with OS X from Apple but so far there hasn't been.

[Lolo from Paris]

Originally posted by dogzilla:
<STRONG>

Have you ever tried ViaVoice or iListen? They recognize the speaker's voice, and get pretty accurate, but only after extensive training and about a week of use. And after that, it's only usable for *you*.

.</STRONG>

Yes I have. I used Via Voice under OS 9 a lot but now I can't because I don't have any audio input on my new Mac and Via Voice doesn't run under Classic...

Yes it needs extensive training but it is VERY accurate. I use it for sciences and technical documents and it was GREAT.

The main problem I have with Apple Speech Recognition it is that it's made for English...I'm sorry to say that but in Europe except England we speak French, German, Dutch, Spanish etc.

So we don't have the same voice print as you or as any english speaking man. That means that Speech Recognition is almost useless for us :-(

And I'm sure Apple won't never do french or spanish versions of this app because it's too expensive etc. So we won't be able to use it...

If it was a real speech (voice) recognition application, we could teach it our voice and accent, so we could actually use it !

I think it's a great app, it has a lot of features but once again it's only for USA...Europe can't die waiting for an update...It was the same for speaked text (???), we never had a french of german version.

So, I really hope Apple/IBM will team together to make a good voice recognition for european users. I'm waiting for Via Voice for OS X in 2002...

[ 07-05-2001: Message edited by: Lolo from Paris ]

[Lolo from Paris]

Originally posted by Richard Clark:
<STRONG>
I'm not aware of IBM's plans.

</STRONG>

I've read that IBM will release Via Voice for OS X (English version) before the end of the year, european versions will follow later (March 2002...)...

I hope it's true !

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by turtle777:
<STRONG>

AFAIK the software behind it has not been improved since it was first released a couple of years ago. I can't understand why Apple is still offering this junk, it's almost good for nothing.

Just my 0,02 $

-t</STRONG>

That's not true at all. I was very impressed by the Speech Recognition in OS X when I was using it in 10.0.0. It's certainly vastly better than it was in OS 9, and I think it works very well.

[FAerrorTAL]

i have the same input problem... once in a while the mic levels on the speech recognition circle will be colored, but only after sleep or something (aka glitch) it just doesn't hear my mic!!

lots of people have the problem, but noone knows why? help!!

aaron