Mic not Active

[wfrayer]

Every time I update the VoiceAttack app, I lose the mic. It shows in red which means it's not active. I do not know how to make it active again. I usually begin changing mic settings in windows until it magically reappears, but this new update has stopped any of my chances trying to turn the mic on. I use a USB SOundCard (Focusrite Scarlett 2X2)? Any suggestions are welcome!

[Pfeil]

Make sure the "Disable Acoustic Echo Cancellation (could help with recognition)" option on the "Recognition" tab of the VoiceAttack options window is enabled (checked).

Then, you can either set the "Windows Speech Recording Device" option on the "Recognition" tab of the VoiceAttack options window to your microphone, if you don't want the speech recognition engine to use the Windows default multimedia recording device
Or, you can set it to the entry prefixed with "Default - ", and make sure the Windows default multimedia recording device is set to your microphone.

The latter can be done a number of ways, including holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, clicking the wrench icon on VoiceAttack's main window (while no other VoiceAttack windows are open), after releasing the Ctrl key clicking your microphone in the list on the "Recording" tab of the "Sound" applet, clicking "Set Default", and finally clicking "OK".

[wfrayer]

I've done all that and it still shows a red mic and it does not recognize my voice. This occurred after the last update. I am confused!

[Pfeil]

Click the wrench icon on VoiceAttack's main window, and on the "General" tab of the VoiceAttack options window click "System info >", choose "Generate Settings Summary", then "Write to File"; Save the file and upload it here.

[wfrayer]

VASettings is attached.

[Pfeil]

The recording device you have assigned to the speech recognition engine is muted. Is that intentional?

[wfrayer]

No, I did not mute that. Now, I guess, I need to unmute it. I will look to see how to do that.

[Pfeil]

One method is to hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, click the wrench icon on VoiceAttack's main window (while no other VoiceAttack windows are open), after releasing the Ctrl key double-click your microphone in the list on the "Recording" tab of the "Sound" applet, then on the " Properties" window that opens, navigate to the "Levels" tab and click the button that has a speaker and a red symbol on it (it should then show a speaker with sound waves instead). Finally click "OK", then "OK" on the other window.

[wfrayer]

Ok, this idiot (me!) discovered that after the last update my system was reverted back to using both my onboard audio driver and my Scarlet 2X2 sound driver. Oops...So I disabled the onboard audio driver and set the Voice Attack to the Scarlett 2X2 and now everything seems to be working fine. The old adage "too many cooks spoil the broth" comes to mind. Thanks for your help and insights.

Best regards,
Bill

[wfrayer]

HELP! Well, I spoke too soon... I get it to work now, but I get my voice echoing over the Headset speakers when I talk into the mic. Drives me crazy. I don't know how to turn off the echo (repeats what I say). Is there a way to not have the mic send output to the local speakers and headset? In my business, we called it feedback...

[Pfeil]

Do you have the "Listen to this device" option enabled for that device?

Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, click the wrench icon on VoiceAttack's main window (while no other VoiceAttack windows are open), after releasing the Ctrl key double-click your microphone in the list on the "Recording" tab of the "Sound" applet, then on the " Properties" window that opens, navigate to the "Listen" tab and make sure the "Listen to this device" option is disabled (unchecked)

[wfrayer]

Pfiel, Thanks - back in business. Really don't know how I got so messed up... but it's working now. Thanks to your help! Only problem (and it is small) I can hardly hear the co-pilot's voice/ It is very soft! Again, Thanks!

[Pfeil]

"co-pilot" is not a term used by/in VoiceAttack itself; are you referring to a feature of a third-party addon?

If you are referring to an addon that plays back sound files or uses text-to-speech, its output volume may be affected by the "Sound File Volume Offset" and "TTS Volume Offset" options on the "Audio" tab of the VoiceAttack options window.
It may also be affected by the application volume for VoiceAttack itself, as set in Windows (E.G. through the Windows Volume Mixer; hold the Alt key on your keyboard and click the wrench icon on VoiceAttack's main window to open it)