AudioPad

Introduction

This module is designed to teach correct pronunciation. With the help of the AudioPad you can listen to original speech spoken by a professional native speaker and also record and listen to your own speech. In addition, each sound fragment is graphically displayed which makes practising more vivid. A unique feature of the AudioPad is that it has two modes: Mixed Playback and Full Duplex Recording.

The mixed (synchronous) playback mode enables you to listen to your own recorded speech at the same time as the speech of the native speaker. This enables you to hear where your pronunciation differs from the original. The Full Duplex (synchronous) Recording mode allows you to record your own speech at the same time as the native speaker pronunciation is being played back. This enables you to imitate all the nuances of the pronunciation with the utmost precision. Please note that the Full Duplex Recording mode can be used only if there is a corresponding sound card. In addition, for some sound cards you must activate full duplex mode in the system driver properties. To set up all the necessary parameters correctly, refer to your sound card documentation. It is also advisable to use headphones instead of speakers in this mode so that the sound being played back from the native speaker pronunciation does not interfere with the recording of your own voice.

Toolbar buttons

	Original sound playback - Spacebar
	Record your own speech - R
	Play back your own speech - P
	Synchronous playback - M
	Synchronous recording - D
	Recording properties - Backspace
	Help - F1
AudioPad recording properties

Pause after start signal - sets the length of the pause (in milliseconds) between the start signal and full duplex recording.

Stop after pause - sets the length of the silence (in seconds) before the automatic recording stops.

Noise level - sets the level of noise, which is considered to be silence and is clipped before and after the recorded voice. The noise level is shown as a percentage of the maximum signal level.

Recording level - sets the recording level of the signal from the microphone.

Do not use recording level control - this option should only be activated if the control does not function correctly.

Do not use full-duplex mode - this option should only be activated if problems occur with the sound recording.

Use 8-bit mode - this option should only be activated if the sound card does not support 16-bit sound recording.


Microsoft ADPCM Audio CODEC

To play back the compressed sound you must have the Microsoft ADPCM driver in the operating system. This is provided as part of the standard Microsoft Windows distribution. If this feature is not installed, it should be installed from the Windows setup files.

Windows 95/98/Me

1. Click Start" / "Settings" / "Control Panel

2. Double click "Add/Remove Programs"

3. Click "Windows Setup", select "Multimedia", click on "Details"

4. Select "Audio Compression" and click "OK"

5. Click "OK" again

Windows NT 4.0

1. Click Start" / "Settings" / "Control Panel

2. Double click "Multimedia"

3. Click "Devices", then click "Add"

4. Select "Microsoft ADPCM Audio CODEC" and click "OK"

5. Click "OK" again

If necessary, during the setup procedure insert a Microsoft Windows CD in the CD-ROM drive or select the location of the setup files.