Via Voice Support
Support for IBM ViaVoice 98
for Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT

Technical support: frequently asked questions (Questions apply to all ViaVoice 98 Editions unless otherwise noted)
Click on the question number to see the answer
Section 1 - Installation and configuration
1.1   What releases of Microsoft** Word does ViaVoice* 98 support and how much memory does my system require to
run both ViaVoice 98 and a supported version of MS Word?
1.2   Does ViaVoice 98 support Windows NT**?
1.3   What is Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA)?
1.4   I just bought a new computer to run ViaVoice 98. I have all my user data from a previous speech product on my old computer. Can I take my user data from an earlier speech product on my old computer and restore it on my new computer to use with ViaVoice 98?
1.5   What user data is migrated and available to me on ViaVoice 98 using Migrate Users?
1.6   Can I install ViaVoice 98 over any of the previous versions of VoiceType* or ViaVoice on the same computer?
1.7   When I upgrade from a previous version of VoiceType or ViaVoice to ViaVoice 98 on the same machine, is my personal data (enrollment, added words, navigation and dictation macros and statistics) migrated as well?
1.8   I have partitioned my hard drive Can I install ViaVoice 98 on one partition and any other version of VoiceType or ViaVoice on my other partition?
1.9   I want to uninstall my previous version of VoiceType before I put ViaVoice 98 on my system. How do I delete the previous version?
1.10   How do I reinstall a previous VoiceType or Via Voice version after I have installed ViaVoice 98, VoiceType Simply Speaking, VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice and ViaVoice Gold?
1.11   How can I uninstall and reinstall ViaVoice 98 without losing my user data (e.g. enrollments)?
1.12   I deleted the files and program folders through the Windows 95 Explorer, but the product is still on my system.
1.13   Will additional vocabularies available with VoiceType Dictation 3.0.x and VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold work with ViaVoice 98?
1.14   When available, can more than one language of ViaVoice 98 be installed in the same system?
1.15   I have a sound card that is not advertised as a 100% Sound Blaster compatible. Can I still use it for ViaVoice 98?
1.16   I have Windows 98 and I'm getting a message stating that the "operating system does not support Voice Commands" when starting VoiceCenter.
1.17   Is ViaVoice 98 Year 2000 (Y2K) ready?
1.18   I have Windows NT and when I install ViaVoice 98 on my IBM ThinkPad, I'm getting a message stating that "the system failed to play a sound."

Section 2 - User Wizard
2.1   What is the User Wizard?
2.2   What is the difference between Microphone (Mic Jack) and Line In Device?
2.3   I have purchased a device which uses the Line In Jack. How do I switch devices from the headset that came in the box to my new device which now uses the line in jack?

Section 3 - Audio Setup Wizard
3.1   What is the Audio Setup Wizard?
3.2   When should I run the Audio Setup Wizard?
3.3   Can any other microphones be used?
3.4   I didn't get a power adapter (black) with my microphone.
3.5   Do I need to use microphone adapters for my microphone?
3.6   Can I use the microphone that shipped with my computer (or the built-in microphone, if there is one)?
3.7   How often should I change the batteries in the microphone battery adapter?
3.8   I have a Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 sound card and I am having a problem with microphone setup.

Section 4 - Enrollment
4.1   What is enrollment and is it required?
4.2   In the US English version, which script should I read for enrollment and when do I use the other scripts?
4.3   How many sentences should I read for Enrollment?
4.4   Does ViaVoice 98 continue to learn after I've completed the enrollment process?
4.5   What if I just retype the misrecognized words?
4.6   What if I do not speak with a native accent for the language version I have installed?
4.7   What shall I do if my screen turns dark while enrolling?
4.8   How do I add new users?
4.9   How do I create new enrollments?

Section 5 - General dictation and SpeakPad
5.1   How do I start and stop dictation in SpeakPad?
5.2   I want to stop dictation and perform other command and control type functions (e.g. File, Save, etc..) and then start dictating intothe same document again. How do I do this and how does ViaVoice 98 know when I'm dictating and when I'm issuing commands?
5.3   How do I correct errors in SpeakPad?
5.4   Can I just select misrecognized text and redictate or retype it?
5.5   I used to be able to double click on a word that I wanted to correct and hear it playback? How come this does not work?
5.6   Can I use commands to format my document as I speak?
5.7   What is the difference between isolated-word speech and continuous speech?
5.8   How does the system learn as I correct mistakes in SpeakPad?
5.9   Once I've dictated a document in SpeakPad, how do I transfer it to another application?
5.10   Is it possible to add an alternate pronunciation for an existing word in the vocabulary?
5.11   My recognition was good, but it now has deteriorated. Why?
5.12   How do I dictate numbers?
5.13   How can I improve my recognition performance with ViaVoice 98?
5.14   Can I save a voice session to a diskette or other removable cartridge like device such as an IOMega Zip or Jazz Drive?
5.15   I want to open a saved speech session but it takes a long time to load.

Section 6 - Dictating into MS-Office 97
6.1   How do I dictate into MS-Office 97?
6.2   How do I dictate into a earlier version of MS Word.
6.3   What are natural commands in MS Office 97?
6.4   How do I correct errors in MS-Office 97?
6.5   Occasionally, I do not want dictate support to automatically load in MS-Word. How can I stop this without having to actually uninstall dictation support?

Section 7 - ViaVoice Outloud - Text to Speech
7.1   Can I have text in files read to me?
7.2   When reading the dictated text in SpeakPad, the volume is extremely low compared to the volume of correcting dictation errors. How can I increase the volume?

Section 8 - ViaVoice Options
8.1   How do I change users if more than one user has enrolled?
8.2   What is the Recognition Sensitivity used for under the ViaVoice Options, Voice page?
8.3   What is the Recognition Performance used for under the ViaVoice Options Voice page?
8.4   What is the Topics field under ViaVoice Options, User tab?
8.5   Are the topics available every time I start the VoiceCenter?
8.6   What are the Formatting and Formatting-2 tabs used for in ViaVoice Options?

Section 9 - ViaVoice 98 Macros
9.1   I am a previous speech product user and I used the "Where Can I Go" command macro frequently. Why is it not being recognized? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.2   How can I view a list of programs that I want to navigate to by Voice? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.3   There are red x's next to some of my program names. What does that mean? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.4   How can I train or add program names that I want to go to by voice? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.5   I just installed a new software package and it is not listed in my "What Can I Say", "View", "Desktop" under Program Names. How do I add it? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.6   What is the difference between the View and Action items on the Menu bar?
9.7   What's the difference between dictation macros and navigation/control macros? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.8   Where are my navigation and control macros shown? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.9   What are Select Lists used for in What Can I Say macros? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.10   What are Actions used for in What Can I Say macros? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.11   What is the difference between an application macro and an always active macro? (Executive and Office Editions only)
9.12   Sometimes my commands are written as dictated text and my dictated text is executed like a command. Why?

Section 10 - ViaVoice Direct (Executive Edition Only)
10.1   I issued the command "Dictate Directly" and received a message to place the cursor inside an application that accepts text. When I place the cursor in the application, nothing happens.
10.2   I am having problems using ViaVoice Direct dictating into some applications. The information displayed in the application which I am using with ViaVoice Direct is not correct. What can be the problem?
10.3   When I dictate directly into an application using ViaVoice Direct, the system does not perform as well as when I dictateinto SpeakPad.

Section 11 - Vocabulary Expander
11.1   How can I quickly add words to my vocabulary and improve recognition?
11.2   When I analyze text the system hangs.

Section 12 - Vocabulary Manager
12.1   How do I see my added words, and when would I want to delete a word?

Section 13 - Hardware and software requirements
13.1   What are the minimum hardware and software requirements?

Section 14 - Known limitations
14.1   Are there any known limitations?


Answers to questions
Answers section 1 - Installation and configuration
1.1
What releases of Microsoft's Word does ViaVoice 98 support and how much memory does my system require to run both ViaVoice 98 and a supported version of MS Word?
MS Word release 8 (MS-Office97) is supported on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0 The minimum specification for running ViaVoice 98 with Microsoft Word 8 is 48MB under Windows 95 and Windows 98 (or 64MB under Windows NT 4.0). However, like with any software, increasing the processor and/or the memory will improve the speed of decoding, but will not improve the recognition performance.
1.2 Does ViaVoice 98 support Windows NT?
Yes. It supports Windows NT 4.0 You must have administrator privileges during the installation of ViaVoice 98 under Windows NT.
1.3 What is Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA)?
Microsoft Active Accessibility is a program interface that supports special needs applications such as screen reading or speech applications. It allows these applications to be more easily enabled for disabled individuals.
1.4 I just bought a new computer to run ViaVoice 98. I have all my user data from a previous speech product on my old computer. Can I take my user data from an earlier speech product on my old computer and restore it on my new computer to use with ViaVoice 98?
Yes, on most of the previous versions of the speech products, you will be able to migrate your user data from one machine to another. After you have installed ViaVoice 98, click Start> Programs>IBM ViaVoice>Tools, then click on Migrate Users and follow the directions in the window.
1.5 What user data is migrated and available to me on ViaVoice 98 using Migrate Users?
- VoiceType Simply Speaking 3.0.x, VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold 3.5. ViaVoice 98 will migrate your added words and dictation macros. Navigation macros cannot be migrated. You will need to enroll again. The reason for re-enrolling is because isolated speech is different from continuous speech and there are differences in the speech engine on both of the products.
- ViaVoice 4.1 and 4.1.1, ViaVoice Gold 4.3 and 4.3.0.1 will migrate your enrollment, added words and dictation macros. Navigation macros cannot be migrated.
- User data for VoiceType 3.0x and prior versions will not be migrated from another machine.
1.6 Can I install ViaVoice 98 over any of the previous versions of VoiceType or ViaVoice on the same computer?
Yes. It is possible to install ViaVoice 98 over
-VoiceType Simply Speaking 3.01, 3.02
-VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold 3.5
-ViaVoice 4.1 and 4.1.1
-ViaVoice Gold 4.3 and 4.3.1

For any other product, you have to uninstall the product first.

1.7 When I upgrade from a previous version of VoiceType or ViaVoice to ViaVoice 98 on the same machine, is my personal data (enrollment, added words, navigation and dictation macros and statistics) migrated as well?
-If you install ViaVoice 98 over ViaVoice or ViaVoice Gold, all user data (enrollment, added words, navigation and dictation macros, and statistics will be migrated during installation.
-If you install ViaVoice 98 over VoiceType Dictation 3.0.x, VoiceType Simply Speaking or VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold, your added words and dictation macros will be migrated. Your enrollments will be saved, but cannot be used in ViaVoice 98. You will need to enroll again. The reason for re-enrolling is because isolated speech is different from continuous speech and there are differences in the speech recognizer on both of the products.
-User data prior to VoiceType Dictation 3.0x will not be migrated from another machine.
1.8 I have partitioned my hard drive Can I install ViaVoice 98 on one partition and any other version of VoiceType or ViaVoice on my other partition?
ViaVoice 98 cannot coexist with other versions of VoiceType or ViaVoice on the same system because it uses common registry entries, the same speech engine, directory structure and program files. Unless you have two separate copies of the operating system (for example, two copies of Windows 95 each running in its own primary partition), you will not be able to run ViaVoice 98 and VoiceType or ViaVoice on the same computer.
1.9 I want to uninstall my previous version of VoiceType before I put ViaVoice 98 on my system. How do I delete the previous version?
IBM VoiceType Diction version 3.0.x, VoiceType Simply Speaking versions 3.0.x, Voice Type Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice, and ViaVoice Gold are equipped with an uninstall Program you can find in the tools folder of each of these products. You must run this uninstall program to successfully delete any entries that were made to the Windows 95 Registry. VoiceType Dictation version 1.32, and earlier versions, will have to be removed using the Add/Remove Programs icon in the control Panel of Windows 95. Be sure to select "YES" to delete all shared filed when prompted. Be sure to always reboot your system after installing and prior to reinstalling any speech software.
1.10 How do I reinstall a previous VoiceType or Via Voice version after I have installed ViaVoice 98, VoiceType Simply Speaking, VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice and ViaVoice Gold?
To reinstall Simply Speaking, Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice or ViaVoice Gold, uninstall ViaVoice 98, shut down and restart your computer, and then reinstall Simply Speaking, Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice or ViaVoice Gold in the same directory. Your enrollments and other personal data will be restored.
To reinstall VoiceType Dictation 3.0.x, uninstall ViaVoice 98, shutdown and restart you computer, then install VoiceType Dictation in its original directory (x:\ibmvtype).
1.11 How can I uninstall and reinstall ViaVoice 98 without losing my user data (e.g. enrollments)?
When you reinstall ViaVoice 98, be sure to specify the same drive and directory where ViaVoice 98 was installed previously. That way, you will not lose any user data or enrollments from the previous installation.
1.12 I deleted the files and program folders through the Windows 95 Explorer, but the product is still on my system.
You should not delete the files and program folders through the Explorer. Instead, you should use the uninstall program provided in the product. IBM VoiceType Dictation, VoiceType Simply Speaking, VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold, ViaVoice, and ViaVoice 98 versions are equipped with an uninstall program. You must run this uninstall program to successfully delete any entries that were made to the Windows 95 Registry.
VoiceType Dictation version 1.32, and earlier versions, will have to be removed using the Add/Remove Programs icon in the Control Panel of Windows 95. After uninstalling a version of VoiceType or ViaVoice, make sure you shut down and restart your system before installing any version of VoiceType or ViaVoice.
1.13 Will additional vocabularies available with VoiceType Dictation 3.0.x and VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold work with ViaVoice 98?
No. ViaVoice 98 does not support vocabularies which have been created for VoiceType Dictation 3.0.x and VoiceType Simply Speaking Gold. Isolated vocabularies will only work with discrete applications which are based on our isolated technology. Vocabularies that will work with ViaVoice 98 are planned to be available shortly (please refer to
http://www.ibm.com/viavoice for availability information).
1.14 When available, can more than one language of ViaVoice 98 be installed in the same system?
Yes, multiple languages can be installed. A user ID may have multiple languages under the same user ID by creating different language enrollments. However, only one language may be active at a time. To install an additional language, use the normal installation procedure. The order of installation makes no difference.
The following are restrictions for installing multiple languages on the same system:
  • One of the languages installed should be the same as the Operating System language in order for both navigation and dictation to work properly. Navigation will be restricted in languages other than the installed operating system.
  • Additional language installations must be installed with the same edition ie. a Home Edition of one language must be installed with the Home Edition of another. Mixing of editions is not supported.
1.15 I have a sound card that is not advertised as a 100% Sound Blaster compatible. Can I still use it for ViaVoice 98?
ViaVoice 98 uses a powerful technology. If your sound card and PC do not meet the minimum requirements, ViaVoice 98 will not work adequately on your PC.
1.16 I have Windows 98 and I'm getting a message stating that the "operating system does not support Voice Commands" when starting VoiceCenter.
Make sure that you have all of the Accessibility Options installed. To install, click start>settings>control program and then click on add/remove programs. Click on the Windows Setup tab.

1.17 Is ViaVoice 98 Year 2000 (Y2K) ready?
The ViaVoice 98 editions do not have date dependencies and are therefore year 2000 ready. When used in accordance with its associated documentation, each edition is capable of correctly processing, providing, and/or receiving date data within and between the 20th and 21st centuries, provided all other products (for example, software, hardware, and firmware) used with the product properly exchange accurate date data within it.

1.18 I have Windows NT and when I install ViaVoice 98 on my IBM ThinkPad, I'm getting a message stating that "the system failed to play a sound."
This is most likely due to a problem with your ThinkPad's mwave audio driver. A fix is available from the IBM ThinkPad Support Website. Before you leave this site, obtain your laptop's ThinkPad family name (ie. 760XD) and the model number (ie. F9E). Once you get to the ThinkPad site and select your family and model, click on downloadable files, and then Mwave. The Update should be found as "Mwave patch for ViaVoice 98 for Windows NT". Follow the instructions to download and install the fix. Click here to go to the IBM ThinkPad Support website.

Answers section 2 - User Wizard
2.1 What is the User Wizard?
The User Wizard is a tool that is designed to improve the out of the box experience. It will be started automatically
for you any time a new user is added to the system. The User Wizard basically collects information about new users, runs the Quick Tours to show you how to use the system, runs through the Audio Setup Wizard to help set audio levels and runs the mini-enrollment to improve initial accuracy and performance.
2.2 What is the difference between Microphone (Mic Jack) and Line In Device?
Microphones should not be plugged into a Line-in jack. Most microphones are designed to plug into the "Microphone Input" jack of your computer. Some devices use an external amplifier to increase the signal level of the microphone which should then be plugged into the "Line-in" jack of the computer. The Line In Device is only to be used with 3rd party software products.
2.3 I have purchased a device which uses the Line In Jack. How do I switch devices from the headset that came in the box to my new device which now uses the line in jack?
The base ViaVoice 98 product does not support line-in devices. If you purchased additional software which uses the line-in jack, please refer to the additional software documentation.


Answers section 3- Audio Setup Wizard
3.1 What is the Audio Setup Wizard? The Audio Setup Wizard is a tool located in ViaVoice 98 Tools folder that helps you connect the IBM ViaVoice 98 microphone headset to your computer and helps you configure your audio settings. The Audio Setup Wizard does the following:
  • Shows you have to connect the IBM ViaVoice 98 microphone headset to your computer.
  • Tests your existing audio setup.
  • Adjusts the microphone volume.
  • If you've changed your microphone.
  • Setting up your microphone correctly is the single most important thing you can do to enhance the use of ViaVoice 98. Proper microphone set up, and correct audio settings are required to achieve the highest recognition accuracy.
3.2 When should I run the Audio Setup Wizard?
You should run the Audio Setup Wizard:
  • BEFORE you begin your first ViaVoice 98 session.
  • If your recognition accuracy has deteriorated.
  • If you've changed your sound card.
  • If you've changed your microphone.
  • If you've switched users, and optionally, every time you put the headset on to ensure good mic placement.
3.3 Can any other microphones be used?
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. Please click an up to date list of tested microphones.
here to be linked to
3.4 I didn't get a power adapter (black) with my microphone.
Not all IBM ViaVoice 98 microphones require the power adapter (black). The NC-50u and NC-80u (also called NC-80) have the power adapter built-in to their tips. Therefore they are not supplied with a separate power adapter.
3.5 Do I need to use microphone adapters for my microphone?
The Audio Setup Wizard gives you instructions on what microphone adapters to use, depending on the sound card it detects.
-Signal adapter (light gray); this adapter reduces the microphone signal. It is used with sound cards that require a weak microphone signal. The Audio Setup Wizard will give you instructions if this adapter is required.
-Power adapter (black); if you have one of the ViaVoice 98 microphones Andrea NC-50 and ANC-500, you may require power. Most sound cards provide power to the microphone, but not all sound cards provide this power in the same way. This is why the power adapter (black) is necessary for some sound cards. For instance, the Sound Blaster ** cards usually require the power adapter (black). However, the other ViaVoice 98 microphones (Andrea NC-50u and NC-80u) have the power adapter built in to their tips and is therefore not shipped as a separate item in your microphone package.
-ThinkPad adapter - Most IBM ThinkPad models do not provide microphone power using the mic jack. An adapter is required to acquire the power from the small silver ring surrounding the mic jack. All Models of the 380, 385, 560, 760, 765 and 770 families of ThinkPads need a ThinkPad Adapter (blue) for use with the Speech Microphone. The only presently shipping model which needs no power adapter (blue) is ThinkPad 310. This adapter (blue) will only work on the IBM ThinkPad brand laptops and is included in the microphone package in the box.
-Battery adapter: A few sound cards and other laptop computers do not provide microphone power. For those, you must use the battery adapter. If you require a battery adapter, please contact Andrea Electronics (information included with the headset). Try the microphone both with and without the black power adapter (if supplied with your microphone), following the instructions in the Audio Setup Wizard, before deciding to use the battery adapter. Don't forget to install two fresh AAA batteries in the correct orientation into the battery adapter before using it. Even if it seems that your sound card needs the battery adapter, you may not, in fact, need it. Some sound cards have the ability to provide microphone power, but this feature is disabled. To enable the feature, carefully read the documentation for your sound card; you might need to set a jumper or run a setup utility. If you do not have documentation for your card, contact your computer or sound card manufacturer and ask if and how your particular sound card can provide power to microphones so that you can avoid using the battery adapter and having to buy batteries. Note: to increase the life of the batteries, unplug the microphone from the battery adapter when you are not using it.
3.6 Can I use the microphone that shipped with my computer (or the built-in microphone, if there is one)?
We recommend using the microphone supplied with your ViaVoice 98 product. This microphone has noise canceling capabilities and was specifically designed for speech recognition. However, if you have another microphone for your computer, you can use it
to make sure that the computer's sound system works before you plug in the microphone for ViaVoice 98. For this pretest, make a test recording of your voice in the Windows Sound Recorder found at Start>Programs>Accessories>Multimedia. Again, use this microphone only for testing the sound system -- not for ViaVoice 98 speech recognition. Some computers allow you to plug the microphone into your monitor. Do not use the microphone-in jack on the side of the monitor. Instead, make sure that you plug the microphone directly into your system unit or sound card's microphone-in jack. This will help avoid getting any interference from your monitor through the microphone.
3.7 How often should I change the batteries in the microphone battery adapter?
The microphone draws power from the battery adapter even when the microphone is off. To increase the life of the batteries, unplug the microphone from the battery adapter when you are not using it. If you leave the microphone plugged into the battery box or if you are using ViaVoice 98 on a daily basis, you should change the batteries every month or so.
3.8 I have a Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 sound card and I am having a problem with microphone setup.
If you Sound Blaster 16 has Auto Gain Control (AGC), you should make sure the box is checked. Please refer to the ViaVoice 98 README for complete instructions on how to do this. Note: Removing or disabling components in this manner may affect the functionality or performance of your sound card and other software.


Answers section 4 - Enrollment
4.1 What is enrollment and is it required?
Enrollment is the process of teaching ViaVoice 98 your voice so your speech can be recognized with greater accuracy and efficiency. Although ViaVoice 98 interprets speech accurately most of the time, enrollment is strongly recommended prior to using the product in order to improve your recognition accuracy and speed. The enrollment should not be confused with the short speech recognition task in the User Wizard where each user must speak only 2 sentences. The wizard is using a small sample of your speech to adapt to your voice. The enrollment process consists of reading a minimum number of sentences, depending on the script you choose to read.
4.2 In the US English version, which script should I read for enrollment and when do I use the other scripts?
You may choose any of the four scripts depending on personal preference. Each script will give you a brief description about what you are going to read and the level of reading difficulty. Depending on which script you choose, you will be given a minimum number of sentences to read before you can start training your enrollment. Reading all scripts does not improve your recognition accuracy. It is only necessary to read one script.
4.3 How many sentences should I read for Enrollment?
Although you can start using IBM ViaVoice 98 out of the box, we STRONGLY recommend that you do the short enrollment to improve recognition accuracy. The short enrollment requires that you read a minimum number of sentences, which varies depending on the script you choose to read. After reading the sentences, you will be prompted to select Train. Unless you have a heavy accent, the short enrollment should suffice. If you decide not to train and continue reading beyond the minimum number of sentences, you should then complete the full enrollment of the remaining sentences. The remaining number of sentences left to read will vary depending on the script you are using. For this reason, we suggest that you choose to train after reading the minimum number of sentences required by the script. You still have the option to do the full enrollment by going back and reading the remaining sentences later.
4.4 Does ViaVoice 98 continue to learn after I've completed the enrollment process?
Yes, but in a different way. After you have processed your enrollment, IBM ViaVoice 98 updates your personal voice model helping to improve your recognition performance. Whenever you use the error correction function ("Correct This") to correct recognition mistakes, IBM ViaVoice 98 will learn by updating your personal language model with the context of the corrected word. Essentially, doing word correction allows ViaVoice 98 to learn from its mistakes and recognize the corrected word next time you speak it.
4.5 What if I just retype the misrecognized words?
ViaVoice 98 will not learn its mistakes if you just retype the word. You should use the error correction function ("Correct This") to fix misrecognitions.
4.6 What if I do not speak with a native accent for the language version I have installed?
If you do not have a native accent for that language, or if you have a strong regional accent, and are frequently getting
"red" words while reading the enrollment sentences, decrease the recognition sensitivity as follows:

- Click "Options" in the Enrollment panel.
- Move the slider to the left in the "Match word to sound" section by clicking the "Approximate" arrow 3 to 5 times.
- Click "OK", then click "YES". However, do not forget that most times problems with "red" words occur because of incorrect positioning of the Microphone. Make sure that your microphone is positioned and adjusted properly by running Microphone Setup before you start the Enrollment.

4.7 What shall I do if my screen turns dark while enrolling?
As the enrollment process does not require you to touch your mouse or keyboard, your screen saver might become active. Please disable it while enrolling.
4.8 How do I add new users?
To add new users to your ViaVoice 98 System, please use the Add User... button in IBM ViaVoice Options. This can be found under: Start -> Programs -> IBM ViaVoice -> Tools -> ViaVoice Options. The Add User... button is under the User tab.
4.9 How do I create new Enrollments?
Having separate enrollments allow you to use the system in different environments or use different microphones, with the advantage of having one set of macros, added words and personal language model information. You can add new enrollments using ViaVoice Options under the user tab.


Answers section 5 - General dictation and SpeakPad
5.1 How do I start and stop dictation in SpeakPad?
If you are a previous speech product user, you will notice that in ViaVoice 98, it is no longer necessary to say "Begin Dictation" or "Stop Dictation". As a matter of fact, you will notice that those audio prompts that used to let you know when you could start and stop dictation, no longer exist. Instead, when you click the microphone to turn it on, just say the command "Dictate to SpeakPad". As soon as SpeakPad comes up, you may start dictating immediately. When you want to stop dictating, simply issue the command "Go to Sleep". This puts the microphone to sleep so that it does not process any commands or dictation. ViaVoice 98 is still listening for "Wake Up", so if you are not going to use the speech product for a long period of time (longer than 15 minutes), we recommend that you turn the microphone off by issuing the command "Microphone Off".
5.2 I want to stop dictation and perform other command and control type functions (e.g. File, Save, etc..) and then start dictating into the same document again. How do I do this and how does ViaVoice 98 know when I'm dictating and when I'm issuing commands?
You can issue commands and dictation without any special commands to change modes. This is otherwise known as modeless dictation. When you get to a place in your document that you want to stop dictating and use some command and control functions, (i.e. File, Save, etc..), pause slightly just before and after you issue your commands. This is how ViaVoice 98 determines the difference between dictation and commands. When you are ready to begin dictating again, issue the command "Go to SpeakPad" or click on the SpeakPad Window to make sure that it has focus, then begin speaking again.
5.3 How do I correct errors in SpeakPad?
With the microphone turned on, say "Select <text>", where <text> is the word or words that you see on the screen that need correcting. Say "Correct This". The correction window appears and the selection appears in the Correction window with a numbered list of alternative choices. If you see the correct word in the list, Say Pick <n> where <n> is the number of a word or phrase in the list, or if the word does not appear in the numbered list, do one of the following:
- Spell the word or words using letters or the phonetic alphabet, and then say Correct. - Type the correct word, and then say Correct.
5.4 Can I just select misrecognized text and redictate or retype it?
Selecting misrecognized text and redictating or retyping it is quicker than using the Correction window, but it does not update your personal language model and ViaVoice won't learn by using this method. Use this method if you don't want ViaVoice to add this word to your personal vocabulary or if you changed your mind about a particular word while proofreading. An example of this is, "I want to buy the green car". If you are proofing and decide you want to replace "green" with "blue", then you should redictate the word "green" or retype it.
5.5 I used to be able to double click on a word that I wanted to correct and hear it playback. How come this does not work?
  In ViaVoice 98, you can enable this feature by going into ViaVoice Options, Correction Tab and put a check mark in the box next to Playback on double click. This feature is disabled by default since playback requires the mic to be switched off for a few seconds.
5.6 Can I use commands to format my document as I speak?
Yes, you can now use inline commands to format your document as you are dictating. For example, you can say commands like "Bold This" to make the next word that you dictate appear in bold letters. You can also use commands like "Bold On" to make the words you dictate appear in bold until you say "Bold Off". You need to pause slightly before and after the command.
5.7 What is the difference between isolated-word speech and continuous speech?
Isolated-word speech is speaking with small pauses between your words. Continuous speech allows you to speak without pauses between your words, however you should speak at a moderate pace and pronounce each word clearly. It is important not to slur your words together. You should take the Quick Tour to learn how to speak when dictating with IBM ViaVoice 98.
5.8 How does the system learn as I correct mistakes in SpeakPad?
As soon as you correct a word, the correction is saved in memory and is available during your dictation session. Once you close your SpeakPad dictation session, the correction is saved to disk and your speech data is updated with the correct pronunciation of a new word and the context usage of the misrecognized word.
5.9 Once I've dictated a document in SpeakPad, how do I transfer it to another application?
First make sure the other application is active. Say "Dictate to SpeakPad". After you have completed a dictation session in SpeakPad and corrected any errors, you can transfer the text to the application which accepts text input (e.g. a word processor) by saying "Transfer", or with the left mouse button, click the Transfer icon in the icon toolbar (this will transfer the text automatically to the last application that you used) or click and drag the icon with your mouse pointer to the opened application window where you want to transfer the dictated text. The formatting of the document in SpeakPad WILL NOT be preserved in the other application.
5.10 Is it possible to add an alternate pronunciation for an existing word in the vocabulary?
No. Not directly, but ViaVoice 98 will recognize that you are having misrecognition problems after correcting the same word a few times and will prompt you for a new pronunciation for that word. There are exceptions to this rule for words such as 'a', 'an', 'the' and other very common words. You can also create a macro for this word and train it with an alternate pronunciation.
5.11 My recognition was good, but it now has deteriorated. Why?
Several factors could account for this problem:
- Although ViaVoice 98 automatically restores your audio settings, these settings might have been manually changed or you may have positioned your mic differently than the first time you ran through the Audio Wizard.

- Please re-run the Audio Setup Wizard. This will readjust your audio settings so that ViaVoice 98 will work correctly.

- You might not be using your own speaker model. Make sure you use the correct user name that contains your own personal voice model and language model. VoiceCenter displays the current user in the right side of the display. Hold your cursor over this name to get additional information about this user.

- You can use the IBM ViaVoice Options to check and change users. Never let anyone else dictate with your user name.

- You might be positioning your microphone incorrectly. The microphone boom should be angled toward the corner of your mouth (not up or down) so that the flat part on the microphone element under the foam faces the corner of your mouth. The Audio Setup Wizard illustrates the correct positioning of the microphone.

- Make sure that you are not breathing directly into the microphone mouthpiece or speaking too loudly when dictating. Also, make sure the foam microphone wind screen is attached and in place.

- The batteries in your battery adapter may be running low. If you are using the battery adapter, try using fresh batteries.

5.12 How do I dictate numbers?
In ViaVoice 98, you now have several options that you can choose from which allows you to select how you want your numbers to be displayed. In addition, it allows you to speak your numbers more naturally as you would in a normal conversation. See the ViaVoice 98 User Guide for instructions and examples of number dictation.

5.13 How can I improve my recognition performance with ViaVoice 98?
Here are some tips on how to improve your recognition performance:

- Use the Audio Setup Wizard everytime you put on your headset.

- Use speech correction to correct a word that ViaVoice 98 misrecognizes and teach it how to display the word. Speech correction adjusts your personal speech files so that ViaVoice 98 remembers the correction each time you say the word.

- There are several methods for error correction using ViaVoice 98. Please refer to your "How Do You Dictate and Correct Errors" in the on-line help.

- ViaVoice 98 is a continuous speech program. However, you will still need to ensure that you dictate at a moderate rate of speed and pronounce your words clearly. Do not slur your words together.

- It is important to speak in a normal tone of voice. If the audio level is low (not reaching the green in the microphone input level), move the microphone closer to the side of your mouth, or rerun the Audio Setup program to readjust your microphone settings.

- The microphone position is very important for good recognition accuracy. Be sure that the microphone boom bends toward your mouth. The microphone should be about 20 mm (3/4 inch) away from your face. It should be a little to the side of your mouth so that you do not breathe into it.

- If you have enrolled, use the same microphone and sound card that you used for enrollment when you dictate. Although you can move your speech data to another computer, your accuracy might not be as good as on the system you used to enroll. So if you switch computers, sound card, or microphone, and you want the highest possible dictation accuracy, rerun Audio Setup and re-enroll on the new system!

- If you want to interrupt your dictation, for example in order to answer the phone or talk to someone, first stop your dictation by saying "Microphone Off" or "Go to Sleep" or by clicking on the microphone to turn the mic off.

5.14 Can I save a voice session to a diskette or other removable cartridge like device such as an IOMega Zip or Jazz Drive?
One minute of dictation equals approximately 1MB of disk space, because ViaVoice 98 saves your original dictation audio. A two page document could be as large as 30-40MB of disk space. Therefore, you will be limited not only on the size of the document you want to save but also how many documents you could save as a result of the size. Since these files are so large, they can take a long time to save, especially if you are using a parallel port attached drive. We recommend that you save the file to your hard drive and then use a file copy command to copy them to your removable drive.
5.15 I want to open a saved speech session but it takes a long time to load.
A speech session contains a lot of information. Therefore it might take some time to open it. If you have to save very long sessions we would recommend to use SpeakPad rather than Word.

 

Answers section 6 - Dictating into MS-Office 97
6.1 How do I dictate into MS-Office 97?
From the VoiceCenter with the microphone turned on, issue the command "Dictate to Word".
6.2 How do I dictate into an earlier version of MS Word.
You can open MS Word, and then say "Dictate Directly".
6.3 What are natural commands in MS Office 97?
Natural commands are voice commands that enable you to use flexible style and everyday language to perform common word-processing tasks. An example of issuing a natural command would be:

SELECT LAST PARAGRAPH
CHANGE THE FONT TO ARIAL 10 POINT BOLD

Some people have difficulty making the system recognize their natural commands as commands to MS Word as opposed to dictate text. You can optionally use the attention word COMPUTER to let ViaVoice 98 know that what follows is a command and not dictated text. For example, COMPUTER SELECT LAST PARAGRAPH.

6.4 How do I correct errors in MS-Office 97?
Say "Select <text>", where <text> is the word or words that you see on the screen that need correcting. Say "Correct This". The correction window appears and the selection appears in the correction window with a numbered list of alternative
choices. If you see the correct word in the list Say Pick <n>, where <n> is the number of a word or phrase in the list.

or

If the word does not appear in the numbered list, do one of the following:
Spell the word or words using letter or the phonetic alphabet, and then say CORRECT.
Type the correct word, and then say CORRECT.

6.5 Occasionally, I do not want dictate support to automatically load in MS-Word. How can I stop this without having to actually uninstall dictation support?
While MS-Word is loading, hold the shift key. This will prevent dictation from automatically loading. Dictation will still be a menu item on the action bar, however, the support will not load. If you want to re-enable dictation support, close down MS-Word and then re-open MS-Word again.


Answers section 7 - ViaVoice Outloud - Text to Speech
7.1 Can I have text in files read to me?
Yes, ViaVoice 98 has a text to speech option, ViaVoice Outloud. Dictate some text or open a file using SpeakPad, say "Begin Reading". All of the text in the file will be read back. To have portions of text read instead of the complete file, highlight the portion you want read and then select "Begin Reading". The first time you do this, the IBM Text to Speech icon will appear on the right on the Taskbar. Right mouse click on the IBM ViaVoice Outloud icon and select Help to find out how you can use IBM ViaVoice Outloud.
7.2 When reading the dictated text in SpeakPad, the volume is extremely low compared to the volume of correcting dictation errors. How can I increase the volume?
You can use the Audio Mixer (by running the Volume Control applet in the Accessories/Multimedia folder) to increase the playback volume.


Answers section 8 - ViaVoice Options
8.1 How do I change users if more than one user has enrolled?
Start IBM ViaVoice Options located in the Tools folder within the IBM ViaVoice 98 program folder. You must click the User tab and select a new user from the drop down menu. If you have multiple enrollments for the same user (for example, one for a noisy environment and one for a quieter environment), or multiple languages installed, you can switch enrollments and languages from this menu as well. You can make these changes by clicking on "OK".

Note: If any speech applications are active, you will be prompted to close them before the changes take effect.

8.2 What is the Recognition Sensitivity used for under the ViaVoice Options, Voice page?
The recognition sensitivity slider does not affect the recognition for dictation. However, it is used to relax or tighten the acceptance of the pronunciation of words read during enrollment, and when you control your PC by voice with command words. If the pronunciation doesn't match the expected pronunciation of the word read during enrollment, ViaVoice will reject the sentence by highlighting this sentence in red. ViaVoice will be more likely to reject sentences when this slider is moved closer towards "Exact Match". If during enrollment you get a lot of red sentences, you can move the slider closer to "Best Guess". This will help reduce the number of red words. This is particularly important for people with heavy accents. This setting is the same as the Match Word to Sound setting under Options in Enrollment.
8.3 What is the Recognition Performance used for under the ViaVoice Options Voice page?
The Recognition Performance setting is used to increase performance or accuracy depending upon your system configuration. In general, if your system has a lower speed Pentium processor (166MHz, for example), ViaVoice 98 will AUTOMATICALLY adjust the recognition performance to "fast" or "balanced". This will speed up recognition processing at the slight expense of accuracy. If your system has a higher speed Pentium processor (200MHz, for example), ViaVoice 98 will again AUTOMATICALLY adjust recognition performance to "accurate". This will improve recognition accuracy with a small degradation of speed. In few cases, it may be necessary to make these adjustments manually, however, it is highly recommended that this option remain automatic.
8.4 What is the Topics field under ViaVoice Options, User tab?
A Topic is like a new type of "mini-vocabulary". Each topic will consist of words and pronunciations covering a specific subject. ViaVoice 98 contains two Topics - Computer and Business Finance. It is different from a Vocabulary in that it can be active along with the General Dictation Vocabulary installed in the system. In addition, you can have a number of topics active at the same time whereas before you could only have one specialized Vocabulary available at a time.
8.5 Are the topics available every time I start the VoiceCenter?
The Topics that you have activated are remembered from session to session. You do not have to activate the Topics every time you start the VoiceCenter. You can activate or deactivate Topics by going into ViaVoice Options, User tab, select (highlight) any of the available Topics to activate them or select any of the highlighted ones to deactivate them, then click OK. At this point, the Continuous General Dictation vocabulary and your selected Topics are active and available for use.
8.6 What are the Formatting and Formatting-2 tabs used for in ViaVoice Options?
The Formatting tab is used for selecting the way you want dictated numbers to be displayed. For example, if you dictate the number three, you can choose to have it displayed as the number 3 as opposed to the word three. Formatting-2 tab is used for selecting the way you want dates and times displayed. For example, if you dictate the date "May 1st", you can choose to have it displayed as May 1st or May first or 5/1. If you dictate 10:00 o'clock, you can choose to have it displayed as 10:00, 10:00 o'clock or ten o'clock.


Answers section 9 - ViaVoice 98 macros
9.1 I am a previous speech product user and I used the "Where Can I Go" command macro frequently. Why is it not being recognized?
The "Where Can I Go" command macro no longer exists in ViaVoice 98 because this new version of speech technology allows you to say what you see. For example, if you want to go to your inbox from the Desktop, you would just issue the command "Go To program Inbox" or "Go to program Recycle Bin". Another example would be if you wanted to go to one of your programs that is not on your Desktop (i.e. one of the applications listed under Start, Programs). For example, if you wanted to go to the Windows Explorer, you can issue the command "Go To program Windows Explorer".
9.2 How can I view a list of programs that I want to navigate to by Voice?
To view a list of programs that you can go to by using voice commands, say "What Can I Say", "View", "Desktop". There is a section called Program Names which gives you a list of programs that you can go to by issuing voice commands.
9.3 There are red x's next to some of my program names. What does that mean?
The red X indicates that you must train ViaVoice 98 to recognize the name of the program before it will be recognized by voice commands.
9.4 How can I train or add program names that I want to go to by voice?
In the "What Can I Say" window, "View", "Desktop", under Program Names, highlight the name of the application that has the red X next to it, then click on Action, Train.
9.5 I just installed a new software package and it is not listed in my "What Can I Say", "View", "Desktop" under Program Names.
How do I add it?
Close down the VoiceCenter and then restart it.
9.6 What is the difference between the View and Action items on the Menu bar?
The View menu shows a list of categories that the user can access. Each category contains a list of different command names. For example, if you select ViaVoice, this window gives you a list of commands that are available for the SpeechBar, such as Microphone Off and Go To Sleep. If you select to view Text Editing, this will show a list of commands available for text editing, such as Next Character, Previous Character, Next Word, etc... The Action Menu allows you to Train words, application names, etc.
9.7 What's the difference between dictation macros and navigation/control macros?
Dictation macros are used to substitute frequently used text for a short expression during dictation, e.g. "business address" could print off the details of your office address. Navigation/control macros are voice-command shortcuts for actions within applications and objects on your Windows desktop, e.g. "show calendar" to open the Lotus Organizer diary.

Note: The Users Guide and the on-line help gives further information and tips on dictation macros as well as navigation/control macros. The Dictation Macro Editor allows you to create dictation macros and voice templates. Note that although dictation macros are active in all methods of dictation, voice templates are only active in SpeakPad.

9.8 Where are my navigation and control macros shown?
ViaVoice displays macros commands in What can I Say whenever the commands are active. You can find your application macros in the Active Program view and the always active macros in the VoiceCenter view. When your macros are active, you can simply say the name of the commands, and the Navigation Macro Center automatically carries out the macro.
9.9 What are Select Lists used for in What Can I Say macros?
Macro select lists add useful function to command and control macros. For example, you can use macro lists in the "What Can I Say?" window to create a macro for creating a list of your colleagues' names (variables). Then create an application macro using the list to type a colleague's name into the name field of an email message, tab to the body field of the message, paste from the clipboard, and send the message. Name the macro appropriately (Send to <person>, where <person> is a name from the list). Please reference your User's Guide or On-line Help for detailed instructions on creating navigation macros.
9.10 What are Actions used for in What Can I Say macros?
You can insert pre-defined commands (actions) into macros which enable you to automate such tasks as starting an application after a series of keystrokes or mouse clicks, Variables may be added in the form of lists. For example, you could create an always active macro (named Copy for email) that selects the text in a word processing file and copies the text to the clipboard. Complete the macro by inserting an action to start your email application.
9.11 What is the difference between an application macro and an always active macro?
Application macros are commands that carry out a series of actions in a specific program. They are active only where the program for which they were created is the active program. Always active macros are commands that send a series of keystrokes to the active program or highlighted object. They are active whenever VoiceCenter is running.
9.12 Sometimes my commands are written as dictated text and my dictated text is executed like a command. Why?
With modeless navigation and dictation, you need to be aware of how you are issuing commands and how you are dictating text. When dictating text, remember that you are using continuous speech (i.e. you do not need to pause between words). When issuing commands, pause briefly just before and after issuing the commands. Some commands are not available for use at all times with all applications. For example, if you are in SpeakPad and you have not dictated any text yet and you issue the command "Show Correction Window", the command is recognized in the VoiceCenter; however, no action will take place as there is no text to correct.


Answers section 10 - ViaVoice Direct
10.1 I issued the command "Dictate Directly" and received a message to place the cursor inside an application that accepts text. When I place the cursor in the application, nothing happens.
Open the program that you are going to dictate directly into prior to issuing the Dictate Directly command. If you accidentally issue the command prior to opening the application, just open the application, make sure the cursor is in the application at the position where you want to start dictating, and then re-issue the Dictate Directly command.
10.2 I am having problems using ViaVoice Direct dictating into some applications. The information displayed in the application which I am using with ViaVoice Direct is not correct. What can be the problem?
If ViaVoice Direct is working correctly with other applications, but is doing strange things in one specific applications, try disabling infirm word display by removing the check mark from "Show Infirm Words" in ViaVoice Options, under the Dictation tab. During dictation, infirm words are tentatively recognized by ViaVoice as possibly fitting the context of the dictation. If "Show Infirm Words" is enabled, the infirm word is displayed in reverse video (highlighted), and may change as the dictation progresses, depending on the context of the words following the infirm word. With some applications the process of highlighting and modifying the infirm words may cause problems to that application.
10.3 When I dictate directly into an application using ViaVoice Direct, the system does not perform as well as when I dictate into SpeakPad.
Because SpeakPad is controlled by the speech engine in ViaVoice 98, you may notice that the words appear in SpeakPad faster than when dictating using ViaVoice Direct. However, the accuracy of the dictated text is the same in both methods of dictation.


Answers section 11 - Vocabulary Expander
11.1 How can I quickly add words to my vocabulary to improve recognition?
By using Vocabulary Expander, you can analyze text and add words to your current Added Words List. Vocabulary Expander also helps ViaVoice 98 learn your dictation patterns, and updates your personal language model via the "Words in Context" dialog. This helps improve dictation accuracy. To analyze text you can open a file which has previously been created (in text or MS Word Office 97 format), copy text from the clipboard, or create text in the Vocabulary Expander by using your keyboard. Vocabulary Expander will be able to analyze the text, allow you to select words you wish to add, and train the words you added. Most of the words you will add will be in the ViaVoice 260,000 word pronunciation/spelling dictionary and therefore, you will not be prompted to provide a pronunciation for them.
11.2 When I analyze text the system hangs.
Your system probably does not hang. Analyzing text is a very intense procedure. Please be patient until the system has finished the process.


Answers section 12 - Vocabulary Manager
12.1 How do I see my added words, and when would I want to delete a word?
The Vocabulary Manager utility is used to display words that were added to your personal added word list. On occasion, a word will be added to your personal added word list that will take the place of an already existing word. For example, if the word "comma" was inadvertently added during word correction, the word "comma" might appear instead of the punctuation mark ",". In your added word list, you can delete the word "comma" and the punctuation mark should appear during dictation. You might also want to delete misspelled words and words such as proper names that you know you will not use again.


Answers section 13 - Hardware and software requirements
13.1 What are the minimum hardware and software requirements?
To run IBM ViaVoice 98, you must be running Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0 and have at least the following hardware:
  • Pentium 166MHz with MMX and 256K L2 cache, or equivalent IBM 6X86MX PR166, AMD-K6 200 MHz, AMD K6 3D and AMD K6 166 MHz MMX Enhanced Processor
  • 32MB of memory of Windows 95 and Windows 98 (48MB if dictating into MS-Office 97). 48MB of memory for Windows NT 4.0 (64MB if dictating into MS-Office 97). These are the recommended minimum memory requirements. However, like with any software, increasing the processor and/or the memory will improve the speed of decoding, but will not improve the recognition performance.
  • 180+MB of available (non-compressed) hard file space.
  • Creative Labs** Sound Blaster 16 (or 100% compatible) or Mwave* sound card.
  • CD-ROM Drive.

    Refer to our list of
    systems tested with ViaVoice 98 for additional information.


Answers section 14 - Known limitations
14.1 Are there any known limitations?
Following are known limitations:
13.1 What are the minimum hardware and software requirements?
To run IBM ViaVoice 98, you must be running Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0 and have at least the following hardware:
  • Pentium 166MHz with MMX and 256K L2 cache, or equivalent IBM 6X86MX PR166, AMD-K6 200 MHz, AMD K6 3D and AMD K6 166 MHz MMX Enhanced Processor
  • 32MB of memory of Windows 95 and Windows 98 (48MB if dictating into MS-Office 97). 48MB of memory for Windows NT 4.0 (64MB if dictating into MS-Office 97). These are the recommended minimum memory requirements. However, like with any software, increasing the processor and/or the memory will improve the speed of decoding, but will not improve the recognition performance.
  • 180+MB of available (non-compressed) hard file space.
  • Creative Labs** Sound Blaster 16 (or 100% compatible) or Mwave* sound card.
  • CD-ROM Drive.

    Refer to our list of
    systems tested with ViaVoice 98 for additional information.


Answers section 14 - Known limitations
14.1 Are there any known limitations?
Following are known limitations:
  • A user must use the same application for retrieving deferred or delegated dictation as was used for saving it. For example, if SpeakPad was used to save a dictation, then you must use SpeakPad to retrieve and make corrections to that dictation.
  • In the "Text to Speech" function, the volume is lower compared to the volume when correcting dictation errors. Please note that ViaVoice Outloud (the text to speech function) is found under SpeakPad as "Begin Reading" as specified in the outline help. If you have VoiceCenter up, you can also say "Begin Reading" to read any text from any active window.
  • If "Check Grammar as You Type" option in Word 97 is selected, dictated word correction does not work. You can temporarily remove the grammar checking by right-clicking the underlined words and clicking Ignore Sentence.
  • On Windows NT, do not use an Audio Description on saved dictation sessions. You must answer "No" to the question "Would you like to record an audio description for this session?" when saving a dictation session.
  • If Word support is not working, please update your printer drivers. Uninstall Word support and reinstall it afterwards.
  • If you get square brackets around words when dictating in Word, please disable the view of bookmarks in the menu. To do this open the tools menu click Options select the View tab and uncheck the checkbox "Bookmarks".
  • Do not use VoiceCenter to navigate the User Wizard. As the User Wizard and the Audio Setup tool try to determine and set the audio parameters for your system, using VoiceCenter to navigate either of these program may cause problems. Therefore, close the VoiceCenter before starting User Wizard or Audio Setup.
  • When using an IBM ThinkPad, you must Turn Off the Microphone before you enter suspend mode.
  • I have an MWAVE adapter and have just upgraded my software from 28.8 to 33.6 ViaVoice no longer works since I have upgraded my modern software. The 33.6 modem software uses a lot of resources and may keep the modem on all of the time. This will prevent ViaVoice from being able to use audio and therefore, ViaVoice will not be able to run. You should use the 28.8 modem software to MWAVE with VoiceType.
  • Recently there has been a trend towards lower end, inexpensive consumer like PCs. One of these cost cutting methods is the elimination of L2 cache. L2 cache is used to buffer data into the main CPU (processor) to insure optimum system performance. This is also referred to as Pipeline Burst Cache or Processor Cache.
  • Systems without L2 cache will run slower with CPU/floating point calculation intensive applications such as speech recognition and other multimedia programs which may result in performance problems. Some systems have sockets where customers can add L2 cache by purchasing this feature separately.
  • Customers who experience performance problems should contact their place of purchase or system manufacturers for information on adding cache to optimize their systems to run these applications.

NOTE: If these Frequently Asked Questions did not help solve your problem, please refer to the on-line help, Readme file, the User Guide and other documentation in ViaVoice 98.
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS TECHNICAL SUPPORT WEB SITE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. You assume the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of the information contained herein.

(*) IBM ®, Mwave ®, Aptiva ®, ThinkPad ®, ViaVoice ® and VoiceType ® are IBM registered trademarks.

(**) Microsoft ®, Windows ®, and Windows NT ®, are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

(**) All other products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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