InSync Buddy USB 6G. User s Guide

Transcription

1 InSync User s Guide

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Supported Operating Systems:... 4 Other Operating Systems:... 4 Supported Speech Software:... 4 Installing Adapter... 5 Audio Adapter Operation... 6 Making a Preferred Audio Device... 9 Installing in Windows Vista Using with Windows Vista Speech Recognition 12 Using Buddy Products with Dragon NaturallySpeaking Using Buddy USB with VoIP applications Troubleshooting Special Considerations for Speech Dictation Adapter not recognized - Manual Installation.. 17 Safety Precautions Limited Warranty TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Page 2

3 Introduction InSync Speech Technologies, Inc. has been developing innovative products for use with Speech Recognition for over 10 years. stands for 6 th generation of the USB interface. In other words this is the 6 th time we have improved the performance of this device since we first started making USB devices. If you are using a Buddy USB microphone, then that microphone includes electronics within and therefore this manual applies to that microphone as well. Our products have been called unusual because we think out-of-the-box and listen to our clients suggestions. For instance our Buddy Gooseneck was created with Quadriplegic users in mind. Its length allows the user to clamp the microphone to various surfaces convenient for our clients in wheelchair. Latest change to our DesktopMic came from suggestions from Motorola when our DesktopMic was selected for their Police and Emergency dispatch systems. Each of our microphones has been created primarily with Speech Recognition in mind. This also makes our microphones ideal for Internet telephony (VOIP), gaming and other computer multimedia applications. With the introduction of our USB devices, we have taken a step forward in achieving the best results in audio clarity. InSync Speech Technologies, Inc. will keep bringing you innovations to make your voice applications experience a more enjoyable one. Page 3

4 Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP (SP2 and above) Windows Vista Other Operating Systems: Although we have not tested, it has been reported to work with Mac OS 10 and higher Supported Speech Software: Dragon NaturallySpeaking Microsoft speech in Windows XP and Windows Vista. It may work with other speech software that has not been tested by InSync Speech Technologies, Inc. IMPORTANT NOTE about DRIVERS All drivers required to install our USB devices are included in Windows XP, 2003, Vista or Mac OS 10 and higher operating systems. Although we do not support the following operating systems; Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, you may be able to use our products with these using additional software and/or device drivers. Page 4

5 Installing Adapter Insert the USB plug on into an available USB port on your computer. USB port is one or more adjacent small rectangular slot in your computer as shown in picture below. All computers sold today have at least one of these ports. 7 USB PORTS If Windows is running, it will detect the device as soon as it is plugged into the port and start to install its supporting software using built in plug-and-play procedure. If you have the correct version of Windows installed with appropriate service packs and updates, you may not see any dialog or message unless there is a problem. Normally all you see is installation progress balloons in the icon tray. Once the plug-and-play procedure completes, Windows will include the as a new audio device and make it available to any software (such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking) that may be able to use it. You can use the with multiple USB ports, but the first time you plug this USB device into Page 5

6 a new USB port Windows will go through the fairly silent plug-and-play installation procedure and install its required drivers. In the event that your operating system does not recognize your USB Device, Go to Troubleshooting Manual Installation. WARNING While the USB protocol allows the hot swapping of USB devices, this is only true at operating system level. This is not true with speech recognition software. If you are using speech recognition or other software that is actively using USB device, you must turn off the software before unplugging this device. Speech software does not react well if you remove the sound system (this device) while you and the software are using it. Audio Adapter Operation To verify the operation, please proceed with the following steps: Testing Hardware 1 Go to Start Settings Control Panel Sound and Audio Devices Page 6

7 2 Click on Voice Tab. Verify that Voice Playback and Voice Recording are set to. If they are not the default devices, click on the down arrow and scroll to select it. 3 Once the option is set as the default device, click on Test Hardware button below. Note: In dialog above you see separate entries for playback and recording device. These settings are independent. You can choose to use a different sound card and /or USB adapter for each of these functions. Page 7

8 4 Click on the Next button to continue. The system will test your hardware. Once the test is complete, it will prompt you with the following screen 5 Click on the Next button once more and both Volume buttons will become active. Page 8

9 6 Now you will need to read the short paragraph in quotation marks. As you read the paragraph you will hear your voice in the attached speakers. If the volume is too low or too high you can adjust it with sliders on the volume meter. Making a Preferred Audio Device 1 To select your as a preferred device for sound playback or sound recording or both. 2 Click on Start Settings Control Panel Sound and Audio Devices then click on Audio Tab 3 The following screen will appear Page 9

10 If the is not the default device, click on the down arrow to select it and click the OK button. NOTE: Sound playback and Sound recording do not necessarily have to use the same device. You can choose a different device for your play back if you so desire. Installing in Windows Vista Once you plug your USB product, Windows Vista will automatically install all necessary drivers for the device to perform properly. Page 10

11 To verify that your device is properly installed follow these steps: Sound Devices for Playback and/or Recording: 1. Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sound 2. A new window will pop up (see page 10). You will see 3 tabs: Playback, Recording and Sounds 3. To select as a default playback device in Playback tab select it from the list and press the Set Default button. 4. To select as the default recording device, in the Recording tab, select Page 11

12 the device from the list and the Set Default button. Using with Windows Vista Speech Recognition If you are using your Buddy device with Microsoft Windows Vista Speech Recognition, you first need to set up the microphone with. Follow these steps: 1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Speech Recognition Options 2. If you are using Buddy USB6G, select the item with headset icon Set up Microphone. 3. Click Next > Next and start reading, once you finish reading the sentence click Next then Finish. Once you have installed the microphone, you can start using Microsoft Speech Recognition software. Page 12

13 Using Buddy Products with Dragon NaturallySpeaking Having made your Buddy product your preferred device in Windows is not enough for Dragon NaturallySpeaking to recognize it. You have to run the Audio Setup Wizard outlined here: 1. Open Dragon NaturallySpeaking 2. Click on Tools Menu > Accuracy Center > Check your audio settings 3. A new screen will pop up, select your device and run the quick Audio Setup Wizard. 4. Once finished you are ready to use your device and begin dictating. If your Accuracy Center menu is grayed, follow these steps: 1. Open Dragon NaturallySpeaking 2. Click on NaturallySpeaking Menu > Prepare User for Dictation 3. A new window will pop up advising you that the Audio Setup Wizard needs to be run 4. Another screen will pop up, Select your device and run the quick Audio Setup Wizard. 5. Once finished you are ready to use your device and begin dictating. Using Buddy USB with VoIP applications The procedure for setting up VOIP and other applications varies. In some applications simply Page 13

14 setting the microphone as default in the Control Panel will be sufficient. While in others you need to open an options dialog in the VOIP application and select the appropriate microphone as a default. Troubleshooting The USB (Universal Serial Bus) port has a great potential to avoid the variability of traditional computer sound cards. A USB adapter offers hotswappable, plug and play consistent audio quality that is highly portable. (See Warning on page 6 for additional information) Following are some procedural problems reported to us by our users. The following descriptions are what have been reported, but the problems may present themselves in slightly different ways. Speaker volume too low Dragon NaturallySpeaking and most other software take the default audio settings for playback. To adjust the default speaker volume do the following: Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Audio Tab > Click on Volume Control Page 14

15 Make sure that the current dialog is similar to the one shown above. Adjust the default volume via the slider. Microphone volume too low If you are using Dragon NaturallySpeaking or similar product, the following procedure will not have any impact. To adjust the volume for Dragon NaturallySpeaking, ViaVoice or similar products, you have to run their built-in audio set up wizard tool to do these adjustments. 1. Verify that the mute switch of is not active. The microphone input is muted when the amber light is blinking. If the light is blinking, press the mute button on the device to toggle it. 2. If the mute switch was not active, then go to Start> Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Audio Tab > Sound Recording > Volume Page 15

16 Adjust the slider for the microphone control 2/3 the way towards the top peak. Special Considerations for Speech Dictation When upgrading the sound system (sound card or USB Adapter) or a microphone for speech recognition applications, you must always run the audio setup wizard, and optionally a short training session for proper change over. Failing to do that, will almost certainly degrade recognition accuracy. As an option you can create a brand new user profile for you new audio system. It is important to position the microphone properly for best performance of the speech recognition systems. Page 16

17 Additionally you can do the following: a) When running a test for your microphone, put pauses in between phrases, for example: In this step (1 second pause) the computer checks the audio input (1 second pause) of your sound system Silence is sampled as well as speech, this allows to get true speech as well as the ambient noise. A pause of 1 second is usually sufficient. b) Speak clearly and evenly like newscasters. c) Wear the microphone close to the corner of your mouth consistently. d) Pinch to make sure the microphone tip is not tilted and (white dot if present) is facing your lips. Adapter not recognized - Manual Installation This problem rarely happens and it is an indication of a failed attempt to load a Driver for some reason. If Windows does not detect the USB Audio Adapter refer to the following instructions to manually install the proper drivers. Unplug your adapter. Right click on My Computer icon from your desktop and click on Properties, this will bring up System Page 17

18 Properties Dialog, click on to Hardware Tab, click on Device Manager and look for anything that has an exclamation mark with yellow background this usually indicates problem with drivers. If you see an icon like that, highlight it and right click on it and try to update driver. Restart your computer, once you log in wait another minute to allow the system to stabilize (i.e. allow the Operating System to load all necessary drivers). Plug in your adapter; wait to see if Windows finds the new hardware. Safety Precautions 1 Keep your USB Device away from heat sources, such as radiators, heat registers and other similar appliances. 2 Keep your USB device away from liquids 3 Protect your USB device from high humidity 4 Keep this device away from children. Page 18

19 Buddy Gooseneck A 30" Desktop Gooseneck microphone available with or without USB interface. Sensitive microphone can be used from 1" to 6" away from the microphone end. The Buddy Gooseneck microphone includes a clamp, which can be used to clamp the Gooseneck microphone to a surface with up to 2.25" thickness. Buddy Gooseneck microphones are in use throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Page 19

20 Buddy Desktop USB Buddy DesktopMic is a USB-interface high quality directional microphone that is specifically designed for speech recognition applications. Its speech-ergonomic features include a flexible gooseneck, a sturdy and weightstable base. Its casing design renders it remarkably robust to noise. It is designed for people who do not like to wear a headset microphone, while demanding audio signal quality like a headset. Page 20

21 Buddy FlamingoMic Buddy FlamingoMic offers the functionality of a heavier Desktop microphone in lightweight portable design. It is a highly directional microphone connected to a USB adapter with a long (24 inches, 60 cm) thin gooseneck. We use same technology as in it small USB adapter and same highly accurate microphone that we use in our Buddy DesktopMic. You can bend the gooseneck to fit your hands-free dictation needs. Page 21

22 Dragon NaturallySpeaking Complete Paperback Book + CD X Book on CD Emkay If you have questions regarding speech recognition, this book has answers. You don t need this book if you can be happy with 95% dictation accuracy. If you want to increase the accuracy a few notches this book will definitely help you. It tackles basic questions such as which product is right for you, what hardware you can use or what to do when things don't work. Although this book was written for Version 4 of Dragon NaturallySpeaking it was also written keeping the basics of speech recognition in mind. A tool for any speech recognition user. Page 22

23 Buddy Microphones Limited Warranty Information for Current Buddy Microphones sold and used in U.S.A. and Canada only. InSync Speech Technologies, Inc. warrants its products to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of (1) year from the date of original invoice. If the product proves to be defective in material or workmanship during the warranty period, InSync Speech Technologies will, at its sole option, repair or replace the product with a similar current product at the time. The repaired or replaced unit will be covered by the balance of the time remaining on the customer s original limited warranty. InSync Speech Technologies provides no warranty for third party hardware or software included with the product. Warranty does not cover: 1) Any microphone, on which the serial number has been defaced, modified or removed. 2) Damage, deterioration or malfunction resulting from a) Accident, misuse, neglect, fire, water, other damaging acts of nature, and product modification. b) Repair or attempted repair by anyone not authorized in writing by InSync Speech Technologies. c) Causes external to the product, such as electrical power fluctuation by the attached computer and its USB port. d) Normal wear and tear. e) Any other cause which does not relate to a product defect. 3) Removal, installation and set-up service charges. 4) Return shipping charges if microphone received for repair is found to be working correctly when received at our location. How to get warranty service Page 23

24 To obtain warranty service, you must first obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number from InSync Speech Technologies. To obtain an RMA online, visit our website at: Alternatively, you can request and RMA Number by , contact us at support@insyncspeech.com. Please include the following information: 1. A copy of original dated invoice. 2. Product serial number 3. Your name. 4. Your address. 5. Number and description of units shipped. 6. Name and daytime telephone number of person to call, should contact be necessary. 7. Reason for return and a detailed description of the problem. Once customer has received the RMA number, the product should be sent prepaid (collect shipment will be refused) to: InSync Speech Technologies, Inc. Customer Service RMA # Silver Maple Court Brampton, ON, L6T4N5 Canada (905) Please use the original container, or pack the unit(s) in a sturdy carton with sufficient packing material to prevent damage during shipping and handling. Include the following information: 1. A proof of purchase indicating model number and date of purchase. 2. The RMA number clearly visible on the outside of the shipping box. 3. Bill to Address. 4. Ship to Address. Page 24

25 5. Number and description of units shipped. 6. Name and telephone number of person to call, should contact be necessary. 7. All manuals and accessories and software (if applicable) TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Support is through ONLY. For support send to Page 25

26 InSync Speech Technologies, Inc Silver Maple Court Brampton, ON L6T 4N5 Canada