A. This version of the PlainTalk™ speech recognition software (1.5) is compatible with Power Macintosh models only.
If you have a Quadra AV model on which you are currently running PlainTalk™ 1.3, do not install the new speech software from this CD. You should be able to use the speech features of this updated version of the Omnipedia with your current speech recognition software. There is additional information about this at the end of this document.
B. If you have a Power Mac, and want to use speech recognition, go ahead and install the new PlainTalk™ software on this CD. Read the "Read before Installing!" file in the English Speech Recognition folder for instructions.
C. Plug in a microphone. The Apple-supplied microphone is fine.
If you ever change microphones: Turn speech off from the Speech Setup Control Panel and then throw away the "Speech Preferences" file before changing microphones. Then restart your Mac.
"Speakable Items" should be OFF in the Speech Control Panel for the Omnipedia Voice Recognition to work.
D. Make sure your Microphone input is activated.
Open Sound Control Panel. Open the "Sound In" section.
Select "Built-in", "Options". Select "Microphone" and deselect "Playthru". Close the window.
Open the "Alert Sounds" window. Click "Add...". Talk into the microphone and notice if the speaker icon produces little curves. That indicates your Mac is hearing the microphone. That's good.
RUN THE OMNIPEDIA
If the program thinks you didn't install the Apple software correctly, the SPEECH button on the main interface will be greyed-out (the type will not be dark like the other buttons).
Once the interface is ready, you may click on SPEECH at any time. The status text field will indicate "Preparing Speech Recognizers". After that, being speaking. (Click on SPEECH any time to turn off Voice Recognition.)
The SPEECH button will display a "sound" symbol while the recognizer is listening. Speak only when you see the symbol.
HOW TO USE SPEECH RECOGNITION
STARTING SPEECH RECOGNITION
Once Omnipedia is ready, the "SPEECH" button will become available, if Speech Recognition was installed. Click the "SPEECH" button to activate Speech Recognition. If there are no errors, the button should turn yellow, and then show a speaker icon. The speaker icon means that the microphone is on, and Omnipedia is listening for your commands. Clicking on this button will now toggle the microphone on and off.
HINTS ON SPEAKING
Speak the phrase evenly and continuously. Don't pause, for example, between "Play" and "Video". The last syllable in the phrase is just as important as the first.
Pronounce each syllable slowly, clearly, and CONTINUOUSLY. Speech Recognition will get confused if you pause in the middle of a phrase.
Use inflection, rather than speaking in a monotone. An expressive, bubbly voice is more likely to be recognized.
Relax. Wait for the speaker icon to show that Omnipedia is listening.
You may only have partial success with the alphabet, since short sounds are hard to recognize.
If it seems that the computer did not respond to your command, try saying it again. Make sure that the microphone is listening, as evidenced by the speaker icon in the "SPEECH" button. Although we have employed state-of-the-art Speech Recognition technology from Apple Computer, Inc., the computer will occasionally mistake the command you spoke for something else. Patience is a virtue.
Vocabulary
Omnipedia will respond to the following spoken commands...
"Computer Next Entry", "Computer Previous Entry"
Chooses the next or previous entry in the index list.
"Computer Back"
Links to the last entry that you were viewing.
"Computer Play Video", "Computer Play Sound"
Plays a video or audio clip, if the current entry contains one.
"Computer Resources"
Links to a related resource, if the current entry has one.
Speak one of these phrases to switch to one of these modes.
"Computer Hyperlink", "Computer Link To"
Use these words in conjuction with a hot word to link to the specified entry. For eaxmple, if "Captain Picard" was in the entry text and bold, speaking "Computer Link To Captain Picard" would like to the entry for Picard.
This also works for titles in the index list. For example, if "Amok Time" (TOS) was an entry in the index list, speaking "Computer Link To Amok Time T O S" would link to that entry.
"Computer Deactivate Omnipedia"
This will launch "Deactivation Mode". Once you have entered this mode, say "Computer Confirm Deactivation" or "Computer Quit" to quit Omnipedia. Say "Computer Cancel Deactivation" or "Computer Resume" to exit this mode.
"Computer Select Letter A, Computer Select Letter B",. . . "Computer Select Letter Z"
In Encyclopedia Mode, say one of these phrases to view that section of the index.
"Computer Select Index All", "Computer Select Index T O S",..."Computer Select Index D S 9"
In Episode Mode, say one of these phrases to view that section of the index list. For "T O S", "T N G". and "D S 9", speak each letter distinctly, without pausing between letters.
"Computer Help"
Enters "Help Mode". Say "Computer Exit Help" to leave this mode.
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Enabling Speech Recogition on a Quadra 840av
(if you have never installed the speech software before)
1. Install the original Omnipedia
2. Install the Omnipedia Update
3. Do not install the speech recognition from the update CD
4. Place the original Omnipedia in your CD drive
5. Open the CD, highlight the "install 8MB" icon
6. Go to View pulldown menu, select "by Name"
7. Locate the folder called Extensions on the CD, open that folder
8. Locate the icon called Speech Recognition
9. Open your hard drive, look for your System folder
10. Drag the Speech Recognition icon onto the System folder on your hard drive
