PlainTalk is a collection of software programs that let your Macintosh speak written text and respond to spoken commands. PlainTalk 1.5.4 includes English Text-to-Speech, Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech, and English Speech Recognition.
This document describes the PlainTalk software and discusses the differences between PlainTalk 1.5.4 and earlier versions of PlainTalk. For instructions on how to use the PlainTalk software, see the Using English Text-to-Speech, Using Mexican Spanish TTS, and Using Speech Recognition documents in the Mac OS Read Me Files folder on your computer's hard disk. You can also find speech information in Mac OS Help (in the Finder's Help menu).
For recent developments in Apple's speech technology, software updates, or links to third-party software sites, see Apple's Speech Web site at http://www.apple.com/speech.
English Text-to-Speech
English Text-to-Speech is installed with Mac OS 8.5 and later. English Text-to-Speech allows many programs to read English text out loud. In addtion, if you turn on the Talking Alerts feature (in the Speech control panel), your computer speaks the contents of alert messages to you. (An alert appears, for example, when your printer runs out of paper while printing.)
For instructions on using the English Text-to-Speech software, see the Using English Text-to-Speech document in the Mac OS Read Me Files folder on your computer's hard disk, or the Speech section of Mac OS Help.
Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech
You install Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech using the installer in the CD Extras folder on your Mac OS CD. Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech allows many programs to read Spanish text out loud.
For instructions on using the Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech software, see the Using Mexican Spanish TTS document in the Mac OS Read Me Files folder on your computer's hard disk, or the Speech section of Mac OS Help.
English Speech Recognition
You install English Speech Recognition using the Custom Install option in the Mac OS Installer (on your Mac OS CD). After you've installed the English Speech Recognition software and connected a PlainTalk microphone (or equivalent) to your computer, your computer can respond to spoken commands. For example, you can open your favorite application simply by saying its name.
For instructions on using the English Speech Recognition software, see the Using Speech Recognition document in the Mac OS Read Me Files folder. You can also find help in the Speech section of Mac OS Help.
What's new in PlainTalk 1.5.4?
PlainTalk 1.5.4 is a minor update to PlainTalk 1.5.3. It includes higher-quality voices, new speakable items, and several bug fixes.
PlainTalk 1.5.4 provides the following improvements:
* Support for new sound hardware, such as the sound hardware in the iMac
The new sound hardware on the iMac and other G3 machines digitizes sound at 44.1 kHz. Previous versions of the Speech Recognition extension did not allow recognition at this sampling rate. The extension now works at a higher sampling rate.
Important: You can use Speech Recognition software using your iMac's built-in microphone. However, you will achieve a higher level of recognition accuracy if you use an external PlainTalk microphone (or equivalent). See your authorized Apple dealer to purchase an external PlainTalk microphone, or visit the Speech Web site (http://www.apple.com/speech/) for a list of PlainTalk-compatible microphones.
* Elimination of acoustic feedback when quitting Speech Recognition
Closing all Speech Recognition clients no longer results in acoustic feedback-a problem with 1710 AV monitors. PlainTalk now correctly restores the gain on the input device to avoid this noise problem.
* The "Find by content" speakable item locates Sherlock
The Sherlock program was referred to as Find in the previous "Find by content" speakable item. This required the user to locate Find before proceeding. The software now looks for Sherlock.
Differences between PlainTalk 1.5.3 and PlainTalk 1.5
The speakable items in PlainTalk 1.5.3 have been modified to work with Mac OS 8.5 and later. These speakable items may not work correctly in pre-8.5 systems. If you want to install Speech Recognition on a computer that is running an earlier version of system software, go to Apple's Speech Web site to download the appropriate installer.
* In order to avoid conflicts with the Mac OS Setup Assistant, the PlainTalk Speech Recognition software is not automatically turned on after installation. To use Speech Recognition, you must turn it on in the Speech control panel.
* The default voice for speech is now set to "Victoria" and the default character in the speech feedback window is "Connie."
* Voices contained in earlier versions of Text-to-Speech software (MacinTalk 2s Ben, Boris, Brenda, Mariel, Marvin, Mr Hughes, Otis, Robovox, Votron, and Xero) are no longer supported. We recommend trying Trinoids or Zarvox.
* Higher-quality versions of the English voices and the Mexican Spanish voices are now installed. (These voices have the phrase "high quality" after their names in the Voices pop-up menu.)
* As a result of a survey of PlainTalk Speech Recognition users, the set of scripts and applications installed with Speech Recognition have changed, and some new scripts have been added. Many of the scripts have been optimized to run faster, and have more sophisticated use of speech synthesis for feedback.
* Problems when the Speech control panel was opened in some low memory conditions have been addressed.
PlainTalk 1.5.4 is dedicated to the memory of Bob Strong, primary author of PlainTalk. Bob pioneered the use of speech recognition and synthesis in the user interface in personal computers.
Last update:December 16, 1998.
Speech (n): Vocal articulation of thoughts and ideas.
