Comments on: MacSpeech Dictate: Solid Voice Recognition http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/ Mac Apps, Reviews, Previews, Interviews, and Giveaways. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:39:05 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: me http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-157488 me Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:08:12 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-157488 200 dollars is too much for a toy. can it be gotten cheaper elsehwre? 200 dollars is too much for a toy. can it be gotten cheaper elsehwre?

]]> By: sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-157452 sam Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:52:19 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-157452 What version is your MacSpeech, Steve? Is it 1.5? And where did you purchase it? Is it the basic one or does it have some other name like Educational or Medical etc? Wanna sell it? I'm a gambler if the price is right. What version is your MacSpeech, Steve? Is it 1.5? And where did you purchase it? Is it the basic one or does it have some other name like Educational or Medical etc? Wanna sell it? I’m a gambler if the price is right.

]]> By: Steve Harris http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-157449 Steve Harris Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:23:46 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-157449 I just recently entered the MacWorld after being a PC user for decades. Through much of that time I have used Dragon Naturally Speaking. I have grown used to how easily the program navigates through documents. You can simply tell it where to go and it goes there. After you make corrections, you can tell it to go back... and it does. You can just tell it what to correct and it jumps right to the proper place. When I bought my Mac, the salesman told me that Mac Speech Dictate was the "equivalent" of DNS. Yeah, right. MSD is not nearly as self-aware. It can completely lose its place if you, heaven forbid, type in a few words through the keyboard or try to navigate manually. It doesn't seem very comfortable with programs other than its own notepad. I tried using it to do this post, and it simply stopped inserting text. And watch out if you use MS Word for Mac... even after installing the most recent update to MSD, it'll work for a while, then unexpectedly crash. If you've been spoiled by the solid performance and flexibility of Dragon, you'll be sorely disappointed by this program. I just recently entered the MacWorld after being a PC user for decades. Through much of that time I have used Dragon Naturally Speaking. I have grown used to how easily the program navigates through documents. You can simply tell it where to go and it goes there. After you make corrections, you can tell it to go back… and it does. You can just tell it what to correct and it jumps right to the proper place. When I bought my Mac, the salesman told me that Mac Speech Dictate was the “equivalent” of DNS. Yeah, right. MSD is not nearly as self-aware. It can completely lose its place if you, heaven forbid, type in a few words through the keyboard or try to navigate manually. It doesn’t seem very comfortable with programs other than its own notepad. I tried using it to do this post, and it simply stopped inserting text. And watch out if you use MS Word for Mac… even after installing the most recent update to MSD, it’ll work for a while, then unexpectedly crash. If you’ve been spoiled by the solid performance and flexibility of Dragon, you’ll be sorely disappointed by this program.

]]> By: peter tamas http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-156212 peter tamas Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:37:40 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-156212 It is a great application standalone. It does not play nice with Skype. If you are dictating, and you switch to Skype to voice chat, and then you switch back, the mic is dead. Skype still owns it. The only way out is to quit macspeech or Skype and start them again. This is really nasty. It is a great application standalone.
It does not play nice with Skype.
If you are dictating, and you switch to Skype to voice chat, and then you switch back, the mic is dead. Skype still owns it. The only way out is to quit macspeech or Skype and start them again.

This is really nasty.

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154771 Sam Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:29:24 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154771 I suspect MacSpeech does not have the resources to make the product truly useful for most. Sad. I really had hoped they could pull it off. No reliable speech to text for my Mac yet. Will continue to use Vista Speech still, oddly enough, the best speech to text product around. A true jewel Microsoft has allowed to go all but unnoticed. Cheers Sam Windows2Apples I suspect MacSpeech does not have the resources to make the product truly useful for most.

Sad. I really had hoped they could pull it off. No reliable speech to text for my Mac yet. Will continue to use Vista Speech still, oddly enough, the best speech to text product around. A true jewel Microsoft has allowed to go all but unnoticed.

Cheers
Sam
Windows2Apples

]]> By: Daniel Child http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154770 Daniel Child Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:13:04 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154770 Recent updates (as of April 2009) have made Dictate almost useless. Recognition quality seems to have gone down, not up. Training is still not really working. Spelling mode is totally useless. I used to be able to use Dictate to (slowly) get out my translations when my fingers were too tired to type. Dictating with Dictate is slower than typing because of the frequent need to correct errors. But now I find Dictate totally useless. Note that I use it almost exclusively with the setting tilted towards "accuracy". That clearly doesn't help. In fact, the dictate screen sometimes types things backwards. They claim to be "fixing" the problem. Grammatically, it also seems to make very dumb choices, choosing the wrong homonym in cases where the syntax should make the correct word obvious. It works OK if you are dictating mindless drivel for an email, but anything serious or technical will cause Dictate to fall apart. And, no matter what you do, always dictate into a buffer application like Text Edit and copy paragraphs or sentences over to the main document. Otherwise, when Dictate goes berserk, which it often does, previous text can get messed up pretty badly. Recent updates (as of April 2009) have made Dictate almost useless. Recognition quality seems to have gone down, not up. Training is still not really working. Spelling mode is totally useless.

I used to be able to use Dictate to (slowly) get out my translations when my fingers were too tired to type. Dictating with Dictate is slower than typing because of the frequent need to correct errors. But now I find Dictate totally useless. Note that I use it almost exclusively with the setting tilted towards “accuracy”. That clearly doesn’t help.

In fact, the dictate screen sometimes types things backwards. They claim to be “fixing” the problem. Grammatically, it also seems to make very dumb choices, choosing the wrong homonym in cases where the syntax should make the correct word obvious.

It works OK if you are dictating mindless drivel for an email, but anything serious or technical will cause Dictate to fall apart. And, no matter what you do, always dictate into a buffer application like Text Edit and copy paragraphs or sentences over to the main document. Otherwise, when Dictate goes berserk, which it often does, previous text can get messed up pretty badly.

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154415 Sam Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:58:16 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154415 The current release is better. It now includes a learn mode and better corrections but I find it too inaccurate for me to use and it still gets lost when making corrections. Not only lost but will make a mess of your work if not very careful. The company recommends that you either correct manually or by voice but not both. I continue to use Vista Speech because it is so much easier to make reliable corrections. Mind you, more corrections are needed because is in not as accurate as MacSpeech but only marginally so. I had very high hopes the new release would work for me but can't deal with the funky lost cursor issue. The current release is better. It now includes a learn mode and better corrections but I find it too inaccurate for me to use and it still gets lost when making corrections. Not only lost but will make a mess of your work if not very careful. The company recommends that you either correct manually or by voice but not both.

I continue to use Vista Speech because it is so much easier to make reliable corrections. Mind you, more corrections are needed because is in not as accurate as MacSpeech but only marginally so. I had very high hopes the new release would work for me but can’t deal with the funky lost cursor issue.

]]> By: Anne http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154414 Anne Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:48:50 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154414 HI Laura, I had planned to use it for my thesis but then didn't. If I had a copy from a torrent site to test before buying then maybe that would have convinced me that the bugs were something minor. You may want to email the company to see if any fixes have been released. HI Laura,

I had planned to use it for my thesis but then didn’t. If I had a copy from a torrent site to test before buying then maybe that would have convinced me that the bugs were something minor. You may want to email the company to see if any fixes have been released.

]]> By: Laura http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154413 Laura Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:14:39 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154413 So.... opinions seem to have slowed and stopped. Should I buy this? I spent 2007 basically "armless" due to spinal problems and if I live to be a hundred, I never EVER want to have to use iListen again - but is MacSpeech Dictate's current version (this is February 09) worth buying? I'm on a 3-yr-old iBook G4 on OS X, trying to get most of a 90,000-word doctoral thesis from head to screen in Microsoft Word. I can type for about half an hour twice a day which is going to take quite a long time to type a thesis, really... I need advice, guys! Some are saying "wondrous!", some are saying "bugs and more bugs!" and meanwhile I have no income to spare, two dodgy arms and a thesis to write... Laura So…. opinions seem to have slowed and stopped.

Should I buy this?

I spent 2007 basically “armless” due to spinal problems and if I live to be a hundred, I never EVER want to have to use iListen again – but is MacSpeech Dictate’s current version (this is February 09) worth buying?

I’m on a 3-yr-old iBook G4 on OS X, trying to get most of a 90,000-word doctoral thesis from head to screen in Microsoft Word. I can type for about half an hour twice a day which is going to take quite a long time to type a thesis, really…

I need advice, guys! Some are saying “wondrous!”, some are saying “bugs and more bugs!” and meanwhile I have no income to spare, two dodgy arms and a thesis to write…

Laura

]]> By: Squarenine [Sq]9 » MacSpeech Dictate: Solid Voice Recognition | MacApper http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-154063 Squarenine [Sq]9 » MacSpeech Dictate: Solid Voice Recognition | MacApper Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:39:15 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-154063 [...] MacSpeech Dictate: Solid Voice Recognition | MacApper. [...] [...] MacSpeech Dictate: Solid Voice Recognition | MacApper. [...]

]]> By: Bob Battle http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-153586 Bob Battle Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:29:35 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-153586 I am a long time Dragon NS user & recent convert to a Mac law office. I have been trying to create commands & can't figure out how to retain formatting. Thus, in Dragon I had created "Insert Letterhead," "Insert formal closing," and "insert signed formal closing." All I had to do was copy and paste into the command area and when I gave the command, it retained the formatting perfectly (i.e. with letterhead, firm name is a different color and larger font, plus everything is centered.) When I try in MacSpeech, the pasted version is not centered, not different colors, etc. Basically useless for me. Does anyone know of a cure? Thanks. I am a long time Dragon NS user & recent convert to a Mac law office. I have been trying to create commands & can’t figure out how to retain formatting. Thus, in Dragon I had created “Insert Letterhead,” “Insert formal closing,” and “insert signed formal closing.” All I had to do was copy and paste into the command area and when I gave the command, it retained the formatting perfectly (i.e. with letterhead, firm name is a different color and larger font, plus everything is centered.) When I try in MacSpeech, the pasted version is not centered, not different colors, etc. Basically useless for me.
Does anyone know of a cure? Thanks.

]]> By: Dan Thies http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-153101 Dan Thies Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:50:06 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-153101 No you can't load audio files into it. See my comment above - with a bit of audio editing work, you can use Soundflower to mimic a live input. Even if you could load an audio file directly that wouldn't do much good. Most spoken conversation is way too fast for any speech recognition. Unless you're recording with the pacing you need for speech recognition to work, you've got some audio editing to do, to have a chance of getting a transcript. No you can’t load audio files into it. See my comment above – with a bit of audio editing work, you can use Soundflower to mimic a live input. Even if you could load an audio file directly that wouldn’t do much good.

Most spoken conversation is way too fast for any speech recognition. Unless you’re recording with the pacing you need for speech recognition to work, you’ve got some audio editing to do, to have a chance of getting a transcript.

]]> By: giovannie http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-153099 giovannie Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:23:46 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-153099 Can you use this with hand held recording devices and upload the mp3 into the program? Can you use this with hand held recording devices and upload the mp3 into the program?

]]> By: Graeme Codrington http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-153044 Graeme Codrington Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:04:10 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-153044 I have spent a few frustrating hours trying to get my new MacSpeech Dictate to stop crashing when the first user profile is created. Their tech support helped me out - it required that I use their USB based headset. So, if you're having the hassles listed on this forum, try using a USB headset (the one they provide in the box has a USB adaptor!!). It would be nice of them to tell you all of this, seeing as how big a problem it is. Just a note in the box, boys! I have spent a few frustrating hours trying to get my new MacSpeech Dictate to stop crashing when the first user profile is created. Their tech support helped me out – it required that I use their USB based headset.

So, if you’re having the hassles listed on this forum, try using a USB headset (the one they provide in the box has a USB adaptor!!).

It would be nice of them to tell you all of this, seeing as how big a problem it is. Just a note in the box, boys!

]]> By: Dan Thies http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-152832 Dan Thies Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:27:29 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-152832 Scott, You'll probably have a tough time with that. Speech recognition relies heavily on pacing & pauses. Scott,

You’ll probably have a tough time with that. Speech recognition relies heavily on pacing & pauses.

]]> By: Scott Palmer http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-152428 Scott Palmer Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:26:41 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-152428 Does anyone know if Dictate works with digital voice recorders? I have to make a lot of notes on the fly, using an Olympus WS 110, and I'm looking for some way to avoid having to type the notes out afterward. Does anyone know if Dictate works with digital voice recorders? I have to make a lot of notes on the fly, using an Olympus WS 110, and I’m looking for some way to avoid having to type the notes out afterward.

]]> By: MDoc http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-152278 MDoc Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:58:24 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-152278 I've just installed Dictate and after 5 minutes of training it transcribes complex medical terminology spoken at natural speed with near flawless accuracy. Incredible. I’ve just installed Dictate and after 5 minutes of training it transcribes complex medical terminology spoken at natural speed with near flawless accuracy. Incredible.

]]> By: Dan Thies http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-147981 Dan Thies Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:43:37 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-147981 Re: the comment on using Dictate for transcription. I installed Dictate yesterday, and tested it while recording a podcast with Audacity, using Soundflower and the "Software Playthrough" feature (look in Audio I/O prefs) on Audacity. I first had to set up a profile with Soundflower (2ch) as the audio device, but Software Playthrough made that work just fine. I was able to read the text in the Dictate window into Audacity, and Dictate picked it all up seamlessly. Simultaneous recording of the podcast along with transcription worked just fine using a Dictate notepad, but playing back older podcasts through Soundflower seemed to give Dictate more than it could handle. Adding approx. 5 seconds of silence at the beginning & end of the audio file and adding a couple seconds of silence every 30 seconds or so, appears to improve the results so far. Dictate worked well enough that I will be able to generate transcripts with about the same amount of editing time as I spend with my transcription service's output. Next test is the "analog" one - podcast playing through speakers next to the mike. So far, Dictate has been far and away the best speech recognition software I've used, and I'm now just one good Mac app away from retiring my (virtual) PC for good. Anyone know a good replacement for EDGE Diagrammer? :D Re: the comment on using Dictate for transcription.

I installed Dictate yesterday, and tested it while recording a podcast with Audacity, using Soundflower and the “Software Playthrough” feature (look in Audio I/O prefs) on Audacity.

I first had to set up a profile with Soundflower (2ch) as the audio device, but Software Playthrough made that work just fine. I was able to read the text in the Dictate window into Audacity, and Dictate picked it all up seamlessly.

Simultaneous recording of the podcast along with transcription worked just fine using a Dictate notepad, but playing back older podcasts through Soundflower seemed to give Dictate more than it could handle.

Adding approx. 5 seconds of silence at the beginning & end of the audio file and adding a couple seconds of silence every 30 seconds or so, appears to improve the results so far.

Dictate worked well enough that I will be able to generate transcripts with about the same amount of editing time as I spend with my transcription service’s output.

Next test is the “analog” one – podcast playing through speakers next to the mike.

So far, Dictate has been far and away the best speech recognition software I’ve used, and I’m now just one good Mac app away from retiring my (virtual) PC for good. Anyone know a good replacement for EDGE Diagrammer? :D

]]> By: Alan Foster http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-146295 Alan Foster Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:16:28 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-146295 I posted a rather negative review on May 14 (still no response to my e-mail) but I was able to get the program working and it is good. It's accurate. It's fun and I think anyone who wants to try voice recognition should give it a chance. I posted a rather negative review on May 14 (still no response to my e-mail) but I was able to get the program working and it is good. It’s accurate. It’s fun and I think anyone who wants to try voice recognition should give it a chance.

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-141786 Sam Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:24:50 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-141786 Sad but true. I had hoped MacSpeech would have at least released fixes for the killer bugs. I have given up on it and now use Vista Speech exclusively. I am taking an inexpensive Vista laptop (<$600) on a trip and spent 15 minutes training the free Speech software and it is almost as accurate as my Dragon 9.5. (P.S. Using a cheap ($20) headset and internal sound chip ... no expensive USB audio interface needed. Hopefully MacSpeech has the resources to follow through in these difficult times. Sam Windows2Apples Sad but true. I had hoped MacSpeech would have at least released fixes for the killer bugs.

I have given up on it and now use Vista Speech exclusively. I am taking an inexpensive Vista laptop (<$600) on a trip and spent 15 minutes training the free Speech software and it is almost as accurate as my Dragon 9.5. (P.S. Using a cheap ($20) headset and internal sound chip … no expensive USB audio interface needed.

Hopefully MacSpeech has the resources to follow through in these difficult times.
Sam
Windows2Apples

]]> By: Big Cloits http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-141777 Big Cloits Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:39:03 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-141777 I have tried to use Dictate regularly since it was released. It has too many limitations and stability problems to list. It is beta software, for sure. I started complaining to the MacSpeech about my concerns on April 22. I have never received a meaningful response, just those lame tech support replies that show that they didn’t read more than the first line of your message. MacSpeech Dictate is the worst software purchase I’ve made in recent memory, and I will never buy from them again. Their customer service is a joke, particularly when compared to so many other Mac developers that I really enjoy working with. I have tried to use Dictate regularly since it was released. It has too many limitations and stability problems to list. It is beta software, for sure. I started complaining to the MacSpeech about my concerns on April 22. I have never received a meaningful response, just those lame tech support replies that show that they didn’t read more than the first line of your message.

MacSpeech Dictate is the worst software purchase I’ve made in recent memory, and I will never buy from them again. Their customer service is a joke, particularly when compared to so many other Mac developers that I really enjoy working with.

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-138528 Sam Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:26:43 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-138528 MacSpeech has become mute! Where are the bug fixes and needed correction options. MacSpeech release Dictate as a full release product yet it is clearly more like a work in progress Beta. Time is a wasting. Sam Windows2Apples MacSpeech has become mute! Where are the bug fixes and needed correction options. MacSpeech release Dictate as a full release product yet it is clearly more like a work in progress Beta.

Time is a wasting.

Sam
Windows2Apples

]]> By: Walter Mitty http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-137664 Walter Mitty Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:55:43 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-137664 @ihf: I can open Adium by pronouncing Adium as "Ah-dium". @ihf: I can open Adium by pronouncing Adium as “Ah-dium”.

]]> By: Fnarrg http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-102001 Fnarrg Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:21:27 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-102001 Some hyperactive ThoughtPig altered my post above with a nonsensical bitchy grudge against torrents ?? OK, Porky, this is NOT a link ... just go to thepiratebay and type 'MacSpeech', then struggle briefly to resist temptation If it works and you really have too much money, maybe buy it - otherwise, it's free ;0) Some hyperactive ThoughtPig altered my post above with a nonsensical bitchy grudge against torrents ??

OK, Porky, this is NOT a link …

just go to thepiratebay and type ‘MacSpeech’, then struggle briefly to resist temptation

If it works and you really have too much money, maybe buy it – otherwise, it’s free ;0)

]]> By: Fnarrg http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-99485 Fnarrg Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:30:43 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-99485 go to this link to test the beta software <b>NO LINKS TO TORRENTED SOFTWARE!</b> All praise to the H4XX0r's who cracked this puppy! go to this link to test the beta software

NO LINKS TO TORRENTED SOFTWARE!

All praise to the H4XX0r’s who cracked this puppy!

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-98105 Sam Fri, 30 May 2008 16:23:42 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-98105 I am using an Intel Mac running Tiger and VMWare Fusion 1.1.2. It has 2 gig of ram and a 2.16 Core 2 Duo processor. Vista runs beautifully in the VMWare virtual configuration. We have posted several youtube videos made while running Vista Speech in this configuration. Our videos can be found with a youtube search for inetsynch. Lets hope MacSpeech comes through with the needed fixes and correction options soon. It would be nice to have a well designed Native Speech to Text product for the Mac. I still hold out hope that Apple will extend its speech control to include Speech to Text. Please let us know how it goes. Sam Windows2Apples I am using an Intel Mac running Tiger and VMWare Fusion 1.1.2. It has 2 gig of ram and a 2.16 Core 2 Duo processor. Vista runs beautifully in the VMWare virtual configuration. We have posted several youtube videos made while running Vista Speech in this configuration. Our videos can be found with a youtube search for inetsynch.

Lets hope MacSpeech comes through with the needed fixes and correction options soon. It would be nice to have a well designed Native Speech to Text product for the Mac. I still hold out hope that Apple will extend its speech control to include Speech to Text.

Please let us know how it goes.

Sam
Windows2Apples

]]> By: anne wallace http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-98099 anne wallace Fri, 30 May 2008 15:55:04 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-98099 I appreciate the info Sam and Tomasz. I will skip MacSpeech then altogether. Maybe in time they will enhance the product and get it up to speed with Vista Speech to Text. Thanks for the suggestion of using Vista Business version with VMware Fusion. VMware has a free 2.0 beta version on their site now for download for the brave at heart. I will go with that over Parallels. From comparison reviews I have read VMware is not as sluggish as Parallels. Can anybody confirm that VMware is the way to go versus Parallels to maximize ease when using Vista Business Speech to Text? I don't want to have my computer bogged down. I have one of the first version's of MacBookPro :( I appreciate the info Sam and Tomasz. I will skip MacSpeech then altogether. Maybe in time they will enhance the product and get it up to speed with Vista Speech to Text.

Thanks for the suggestion of using Vista Business version with VMware Fusion. VMware has a free 2.0 beta version on their site now for download for the brave at heart. I will go with that over Parallels. From comparison reviews I have read VMware is not as sluggish as Parallels.

Can anybody confirm that VMware is the way to go versus Parallels to maximize ease when using Vista Business Speech to Text? I don’t want to have my computer bogged down. I have one of the first version’s of MacBookPro :(

]]> By: Tomasz Stasiuk http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-98005 Tomasz Stasiuk Fri, 30 May 2008 01:22:36 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-98005 @Alice Wallace: I have tried NatSpeak in Parallels but 1) it is pretty resource heavy and 2) it caused problems with other applications - it has been a while, so I cannot recall the specific problems, and 3) it only lets you dictate on the PC side. Personally, I feel that NatSpeak is the superior piece of software, but running on a virtualized pc, is not without it's own share of problems. @Alice Wallace: I have tried NatSpeak in Parallels but 1) it is pretty resource heavy and 2) it caused problems with other applications – it has been a while, so I cannot recall the specific problems, and 3) it only lets you dictate on the PC side.

Personally, I feel that NatSpeak is the superior piece of software, but running on a virtualized pc, is not without it’s own share of problems.

]]> By: Sam http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-97970 Sam Thu, 29 May 2008 23:46:15 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-97970 Actually, if installing VMWare I would skip the overhead and cost of Dragon and use the excellent and free Vista Speech to Text software. Despite the botched demos by Microsoft it works exceptionally well. I have and continue to use Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.5, Vista Speech and MacSpeech Dictate. Although Dragon is marginally more accurate, Vista has a far better interface and corrections option unrivaled by any of the other products. I usually end up using Vista Speech and skipping Nuance. XP does not have this version of the Speech engine and you would be disappointed in it. Install Vista Business, try the free Speech to Text and if not happy install the Nuance product. We have several videos under inetsynch on YouTube illustrating the Vista option ( BTW the Vista Business install and speech engine work exceptionally well on my Intel Mac). Cheers Sam Actually, if installing VMWare I would skip the overhead and cost of Dragon and use the excellent and free Vista Speech to Text software. Despite the botched demos by Microsoft it works exceptionally well.

I have and continue to use Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.5, Vista Speech and MacSpeech Dictate. Although Dragon is marginally more accurate, Vista has a far better interface and corrections option unrivaled by any of the other products. I usually end up using Vista Speech and skipping Nuance. XP does not have this version of the Speech engine and you would be disappointed in it.

Install Vista Business, try the free Speech to Text and if not happy install the Nuance product. We have several videos under inetsynch on YouTube illustrating the Vista option ( BTW the Vista Business install and speech engine work exceptionally well on my Intel Mac).

Cheers
Sam

]]> By: anne wallace http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/comment-page-2/#comment-97954 anne wallace Thu, 29 May 2008 22:57:08 +0000 http://macapper.com/2008/03/16/macspeech-dictate-solid-voice-recognition/#comment-97954 Hi there, First off, thanks for posting all this info. So, I am wondering why everyone doesn't just install VM on their macs and use Dragon Naturally for Windows platform? Wouldn't this be better than going with Dictate considering the comments made here? Mind you, I have not used VMware Fusion but it seems this might be a better solution. And, I am looking into voice recognition software to assist with documenting my master's thesis. I have carpal tunnel. Will either MacSpeech Dictate or Dragon Naturally be able to handle citation formatting? Thanks, anne Hi there,

First off, thanks for posting all this info.

So, I am wondering why everyone doesn’t just install VM on their macs and use Dragon Naturally for Windows platform? Wouldn’t this be better than going with Dictate considering the comments made here?

Mind you, I have not used VMware Fusion but it seems this might be a better solution.

And, I am looking into voice recognition software to assist with documenting my master’s thesis. I have carpal tunnel. Will either MacSpeech Dictate or Dragon Naturally be able to handle citation formatting?

Thanks,
anne

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