Copyright: ViaVoice (tm) Help 7.0 (c) 1998-1999  International Business Machines Corporation  All rights reserved.


Tested Sound Cards

A Microsoft Windows 95/98, or NT compatible 16-bit sound card, with a microphone input jack and good recording capability, such as the Creative Labs SoundBlaster 16 and 100% compatible sound cards, support ViaVoice. Some sound cards that claim to be 100% compatible with SoundBlaster 16 do not have a recording quality equal to the SoundBlaster 16.

The sound cards that were tested and found to work with ViaVoice are listed on our web site at:

http://www.software.ibm.com/speech/support/support_tested.html

The recognition rate highly depends on the recording quality of the sound card. You should record your voice and verify your sound card is working properly. Record your voice using Windows Sound Recorder. Make a 15 - 20 second recording, rewind it, and then listen to the playback.

- If there is no sound, contact your computer or sound card dealer.

- If you hear a constant buzzing or clicks and pops, your sound card may be defective.

- If the sound card is working and your voice is clear, you may need to update your audio driver.

 The type of computer a sound card is in and the placement of the sound card within the computer can affect sound quality. The sound cards listed at the above web site were not tested on all computers. Therefore, these sound cards are not guaranteed to work with ViaVoice on your particular computer.

SoundBlaster is a trademark of Creative Labs.


Ordering a Battery Adapter

A few sound cards and some laptop computers do not provide microphone power. For those computers, you must use a battery adapter. If you require a battery adapter, please contact Andrea Electronics or visit our web site:

http://www.software.ibm.com/speech/support/support_tested.html

If you require a battery adapter, restart the Audio Setup Wizard, and it will help you install

and test the adapter.

To restart the Audio Setup Wizard:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Point to Programs, select IBM ViaVoice VoiceCentre.

3. Click the ViaVoice menu, select Audio Setup.

  - Be sure you go through all of the troubleshooting steps before deciding whether you need a battery adapter.

- Some sound cards can provide microphone power, but this feature may be disabled. To enable the feature, carefully read the documentation that came with your sound card; you might need to set a jumper or run a setup utility. If you do not have the documentation for your sound card, contact your computer or sound card manufacturer to find out if your sound card can provide power to microphones. If so, you can avoid using the battery adapter and you will not need to buy batteries.

- If you do require a battery adapter, do not forget to install two new AAA batteries, in the correct orientation, into the battery adapter before using it.


Ordering a Microphone

You can use many microphones for speech recognition; however, not all microphones will produce satisfactory results. Several microphones have been tested and found to produce dictation accuracy consistent with the microphone included with the product. You can purchase different microphones to fit your particular environment. For example, a quiet home environment or a loud office environment. Listed below are some of the microphones you can purchase:

Manufacturer                 Models

Andrea Electronics
	ANC-100
	ANC-200
	ANC-300
	ANC-500
	ANC-600
	ANC-700
Andrea Electronics
	NC-8
	NC-12
	NC-50
	NC-50u
	NC-60
	NC-61
	NC-80u
Knowles Electronics
	VR-3264
	VR-3185
	VR-3310
Labtec
	LVA 8420L ***
Philips
	SpeechMike (1)
Plantronics, Inc.
	CAT51VR ***
Telex Communications
	Nomad 300270
	Verba Pro - Dictate
	Verba Pro - Voice
VXI Corporation
	Parrott 4TR ***

 *** These models may only be available through OEM purchase agreements.

(1) IBM and Philips have approved the Philips SpeechMike for use with IBM ViaVoice products in quiet room environments, and also in office type environments with standard amounts of noise as long as appropriate care is taken to hold the microphone approximately 3" away from the user's mouth.


Order a Signal Adapter
Ordering a Signal Adapter

A signal adapter reduces the microphone signal. It is used with sound cards that require a lower microphone signal. You appear to require this adapter to help you achieve the best recognition accuracy. You can purchase one by contacting Andrea Electronics.

You can also purchase a signal adapter from many electronics parts stores. It is commonly called a Signal Attenuator. You should bring your microphone with you to ensure you get the proper type.


Ordering a ThinkPad Adapter

Most IBM ThinkPad computers require an inexpensive adapter to provide microphone power. The ViaVoice shrinkwrap, Standard, Web,or Pro from IBM includes a blue coloured ThinkPad adapter. If you did not purchase did not include an adapter and you require a ThinkPad adapter, please contact Andrea Electronics. To verify if your computer requires a ThinkPad adapter visit our web site at:

http://www.software.ibm.com/speech/support/support_tested.html

To exit the Audio Setup Wizard, click Finish.

When you have a ThinkPad adapter, restart the Audio Setup Wizard and it will help you install

and test the adapter.

To restart the Audio Setup Wizard:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Point to Programs, select IBM ViaVoice VoiceCentre.

3. Click the ViaVoice menu, select Audio Setup.