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This chapter describes how to use the SpeechMike with Philips SpeechExec dictation software. If the SpeechMike is used with thirdparty software other than Philips SpeechExec, some features may not be present or function differently. For detailed information, refer to the documentation delivered with the software.

Using Voice Dictation. To use voice dictation in an application on your Mac, first select a text field in an application. Next, press the Fn (Function) key twice or click the Edit menu and select Start Dictation. Speak to your Mac and the words you speak will start appearing in the text field. If you’ve set up Enhanced Dictation, they’ll. I use a speech to text program called Dragon Dictation. I can use it for mouse clicks, but I have to say the word 'mouse click' or 'mouse triple click' which becomes very annoying after a while, I would like to just say click or triple. Click Enable Dictation. The default keyboard shortcut to begin dictating is to press your Mac’s fn key twice. If you aren’t using an Apple keyboard with an f. key, make note of or choose a.

1. The dictation microphone must be connected to the computer with the USB cable.

2. Start SpeechExec dictation software.

3. Press the g Record key to create a new recording and enter Record standby mode.

   • The recorder window is displayed.

   • The record indicator light flashes red (in overwrite mode) or green (in insert mode).

4. Press the e key and start speaking.

   • The record indicator light glows in red (in overwrite mode) or green (in insert mode) while recording.

5. For short pauses, press the e key. To continue recording, press the e key again.

6. To stop recording, press the g Record key.

7. Press the • EOL/• • PRIO key to mark the recording as finished.

   • The dictation file is moved to the Finished dictations folder.

   • The recorder window closes and the work list window is displayed.

8. To assign priority status to the recording, press the • EOL/• • PRIO key again within half a second.

Note

For best results, speak clearly and keep the microphone about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) away from your mouth.

• Press the scan button and scan the barcode. When a barcode is recognized, the SpeechMike will beep and the barcode information is inserted into the currently active application as if the barcode number is typed in digit by digit.

Note

The barcode scanner allows barcode scanning from a distance of up to 60 cm / 23 inches.

Use the Device Control Center software to customize the SpeechMike to suit individual user needs.

The software allows to assign different functions to each key, enable or disable certain features and also to start and control applications with the SpeechMike.

1. The dictation microphone must be connected to the computer with the USB cable.

2. Download and install the latest version of SpeechControl (Philips Device Control Center) from https://www.dictation.philips.com/speechcontrol.

3. If the option to start the Device Control Center automatically was selected during installation, open the program by clicking the icon in the notification area of the Windows task bar.

   To manually start the program, open the Windows start menu in Windows and select Philips Speech Control > Philips Device Control Center.

   The current settings are automatically downloaded from the connected SpeechMike.

4. On the Device tab, configure device settings and select the function to be assigned to each key.

5. Click the Upload button to save the new settings.

Note

The SpeechMike can be reset to its factory default configuration by clicking the Defaults button. Click the Upload button to save the default settings.

Tip

• To test settings and key functions, use the Device test section on the Device tab.

• Press and hold the left and right mouse button on the SpeechMike simultaneously until the LEDs flash to activate and deactivate all mouse functions.

The Device Control Center software allows to start and control other applications with the keys on the SpeechMike.

The Device Control Center software includes pre-installed profiles that make the SpeechMike ready for immediate operation with Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software and Microsoft Powerpoint. Additional profiles for other applications can be programmed.

1. Download and install the latest version of SpeechControl (Philips Device Control Center) from https://www.dictation.philips.com/speechcontrol.

2. If the option to start the Device Control Center automatically was selected during installation, the application icon appears in the notification area of the Windows task bar.

   To manually start the program, open the Windows start menu in Windows and select Philips Speech Control > Philips Device Control Center.

3. Right-click on the application icon in the notification area of the Windows task bar and verify that Acitvate application control is enabled. If the option is disabled, the configured settings and buttons will not function for any of the target applications.

Note

Exit Philips SpeechExec software when using application shortcuts to prevent unintentional recording when controlling other applications.

The default profile is applied automatically when there is no profile assigned to an application in focus. This profile is set up to control Dragon NaturallySpeaking with your SpeechMike. The following settings are defined:

Use this profile to control Powerpoint presentations with the SpeechMike. The following settings are defined:

Note

Philips cannot guarantee the proper function of all assigned shortcuts, since shortcuts can differ among versions and languages.

It is possible to program shortcuts for other applications to control application functions with the keys of the SpeechMike.

1. The dictation microphone must be connected to the computer with the USB cable.

2. Download and install the latest version of SpeechControl (Philips Device Control Center) from https://www.dictation.philips.com/speechcontrol.

3. If the option to start the Device Control Center automatically was selected during installation, open the program by clicking the icon in the notification area of the Windows task bar.

   To manually start the program, open the Windows start menu in Windows and select Philips Speech Control > Philips Device Control Center.

4. On the tab Application control, click the Add button to create a new profile.

5. Browse and select the application executable and click on Open. A profile for the selected application will be added to the list of profiles.

   Note

   Exit the target application during configuration. Open the application when the device configuration settings are saved.

6. Select a button from the button column and click the icon to assign a shortcut. You can assign different shortcuts for pressing and releasing a key.

   The shortcut editor window is displayed.

7. Enter name for the shortcut and click the Add button to add an operation for the shortcut. The following options are available:

   • Hotkey: Assign a keyboard shortcut

   • Text: Enter the text to be inserted when a key on the SpeechMike is pressed

   • Start application: Start an application by pressing a key on the SpeechMike

   • Mouse button

   • Dragon NaturallySpeaking command

   • Delay

8. You can add one operation or a sequence of operations for every shortcut.

9. Click the Finish button to save the new settings.

Note

The Device Control Center cannot be used to program application shortcuts for Philips SpeechExec software. Shortcuts for Philips SpeechExec can be configured in the General settings menu of SpeechExec. See the SpeechExec application help for more information.

Tip

Application control configuration settings can be saved into files and imported later to apply the same configuration settings to several devices.

The SpeechMike features an integrated motion sensor that detects when the device is put on the table and is being picked up again. The motion sensor can mute and unmute the microphone automatically or custom functions can be programmed, e.g., to pause and to continue recording. Use the Device Control Center software to enable automatic muting of the microphone (Device > Advanced settings > Microphone motion control) or to program custom functions (Application control tab).

How Use Mac Dictation For Mouse Click Keyboard

Tip

Press and hold the F2 and F4 keys on the SpeechMike simultaneously until the record indicator light flashes to activate and deactivate the automatic muting of the microphone using the motion sensor.

Your device is controlled by an internal program called firmware. As a part of ongoing product maintenance, the firmware is upgraded and errors are corrected.

It is possible that a newer version (an ‘update’) of the firmware has been released since you purchased the device. In this case, you can easily update your device to the latest version.

1. Download the firmware update for your SpeechMike model from www.philips.com/dictation.

2. The dictation microphone must be connected to the computer with the USB cable.

3. Download and install the latest version of SpeechControl (Philips Device Control Center) from https://www.dictation.philips.com/speechcontrol.

4. If the option to start the Device Control Center automatically was selected during installation, open the program by clicking the icon in the notification area of the Windows task bar.

   To manually start the program, open the Windows start menu in Windows and select Philips Speech Control > Philips Device Control Center.

5. On the Device tab, click on Firmware update.

6. Click the Import button and select the folder with the firmware files to be imported.

7. Click the Upgrade button to install the new firmware.

   • The firmware upgrade takes about 30 seconds.

   • During firmware upgrade the indicator lights of the SpeechMike will be flashing.

Caution

Do not disconnect the dictation microphone from the computer during firmware upgrade. This might damage your product.

The SpeechMike barcode scanner is preconfigured with the keyboard language US English and the suffix “carriage return” (CR). Before using the barcode scanner for the first time, it is necessary to adapt it to your local keyboard language:

1. Download the installation package from: https://www.dictation.philips.com/speechcontrol

2. Unzip the file and navigate to Tools > Barcode Configuration in the unzipped files.

3. To change the scanner configuration, start the application Barcodeconfig.exe.

For information about customizing the barcode module, refer to the Barcode Scanner configuration guide.

Typing is hard work, especially if you use a computer keyboard for a living. No wonder many typists eventually end up with carpal tunnel syndrome. So as voice dictation has improved by leaps and bounds, so has its popularity amongst users. As well as the industry-favourite Dragon, MacOS dictation is also really great to use.

Obviously you need a good microphone, as well as a clear voice. Strong accents and dialects can cause problems, especially for my Scottish accent, so speaking slowly is a must.

Setting Up MacOS Dictation

There really isn’t a lot of “setting up” to do, as the MacOS dictation feature is already baked into the operating system. But you do need to switch it on, as well as a few housekeeping tasks.

First, go to System Preferences.

Then in the settings window, choose Keyboard.

Then the Dictation tab.

Now let’s look at each thing in turn.

Switching MacOS Dictation On

This one is pretty obvious. Click “On” to turn it on. I would recommend however that when you are not using it, you leave it switched off. This is because it is easy to accidentally activate it when you don’t mean to, and it is simple to switch back on when you DO need it.

What Is “Enhanced Dictation”?

If Enhanced Dictation is not switched on, OS X transmits a recording of your dictation to Apple’s servers for processing. A few seconds later, the dictated text appears in your document. This means there is a slight lag before you see your text. If you are trying to get a document done quickly, that lag can quickly become annoying. Especially if you look back and notice a typo or two in the last paragraph.

With Enhanced Dictation enabled, you don’t have to wait for your dictation to be processed by Apple servers. This is because the dictation transcription is handled locally. This means there is no lag whatsoever, and your dictation will appear on the screen live and in real time.

So in other words, switch it on. There’s no reason not to.

When you switch the “Use Enhanced Dictation” option on for the first time, it will download and install a 800MB file, containing essential components. Then you’re good to go.

Choose Your Audio Device

Most people will probably use the internal microphone in their Mac for dictation. But some, including myself, also have an external USB microphone which can pick up better sound. If you have one too, by plugging it in, you can drop down the menu and choose the right audio device.

Pick Your Language & Dialect

Now you have to pick your language and dialect. Dialects are only available for some languages and not for others. For example, Italian is Italian and Turkish is Turkish. But other languages – especially English, German, and French – have various dialects you can choose from.

Drop down the menu by clicking the blue arrows on the right, and you will see a “Customize” option. Then you will see this:

This is all of the languages available from Apple. You simply choose the ones you want by ticking them, and the language packs will be downloaded. Untick the ones you don’t need to keep things tidy.

As you can see in the French and German section, there are different dialects to choose from. Although curiously, there is not an option for Austrian German.

Choose a Shortcut To Activate MacOS Dictation

This is vitally important, as you don’t want to choose anything which you are likely to activate accidentally.

I personally use the one above – pressing the Function key twice – but there are other options if you drop the menu. If you don’t like one of the ones on offer, you can specify one of your own.

If you choose to switch the shortcut off, you can access dictation from the Edit menu. But a shortcut is so much easier.

Required Keyword Phrase

If you have enabled MacOS dictation, you should now see a small microphone in the top right of your screen, next to your clock. Clicking on that will reveal something called the “Required Keyword Phrase“.

This is where you don’t even use the keyboard shortcut or the menu option. Instead, your computer listens out for you saying the word “computer” and then it dictates what you say from then on.

However, as you can imagine, everytime you say “computer” in another context, you’ll be switching dictation on all the time. So there is the potential for chaos here. For that reason, keep it switched off unless you really need to have it.

However, if you are a Trekkie, this will put you in Trekkie heaven.

Testing The MacOS Dictation Feature

Mac Dictation Software

Now that everything has been set up, let’s now test it out to see how accurate it is.

How Use Mac Dictation For Mouse Click To Download

Open up a word processing application (Notes, TextEdit, Pages, Google Docs….) then open MacOS Dictation by whatever method you chose in the settings. A small microphone will now pop up on the screen.

If you have more than one language pack installed, clicking on the language (or country) will give you the option to seamlessly switch languages.

Also bear in mind that as soon as that microphone pops up, it is now listening for something to transcribe. When you are finished dictating, press “Done“.

I started to dictate the start of this article, and it was 100% perfect.

Conclusion

Voice dictation is not for everyone as it requires you to think fast on your feet. Otherwise you will spend all of your time editing out all the ehms and errs.

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But if you can train yourself to use dictation quickly and effectively, you will not only save heaps of time, but your hands, wrists, and arms will thank you too.