VoiceAttack not listening

[shalloa]

So after installing and sorting out all the speech config from windows i wanted to start working on some commands.

I use it with Elite Dangerous and was testing out a simple Ligh function.
how ever.. the VA is not recording anything i say.
windows is running without any problems and i can use it for opening calculators and stuff.

im running with windows 10 and have the trail version of VA (wanted to see if it works first..)

The volume bar on the buttom of VA is not moving or showing up.
if anyone has any suggestions it would be verry appriciated

Audio input and output in Windows is somewhat of a maze, but makes sense after you learn your way around.  As with everything, you set something once and then forget how it's done.  This is here for both you and me

Firstly, VoiceAttack uses Windows' built-in speech recognition to do its thing.  Out of the box, the speech engine uses the default recording device to receive input.  The recording devices can be accessed by right-clicking on the, 'Speakers' icon in the system tray and selecting, 'Recording Devices'.  Right-clicking on the desired microphone/headset and selecting, 'Set as default device' will do just that.  You will know your device is selected as default by the green check mark appearing over the device's icon.  This works for most, since we've usually only got one device on our machines that we primarily use.

For those that have multiple microphones/headsets/webcams, the default device is sometimes not what you want selected.  To change the recording device that the speech engine uses, just open up Control Panel and choose the Speech Recognition applet.  Click on the, 'Advanced speech options' link and then click on the button at the bottom labeled, 'Advanced...'.  This opens up the, 'Audio Input Settings' dialog.  There are two choices in this dialog : 'Use preferred audio input device' and 'Use this audio input device'.  The first choice allows you to continue to use the default input device (whatever that device might be).  Choosing, 'Use this audio device' lets you choose a specific device from the dropdown (default recording device is ignored).

Hope that helps some!
Gary

I have tested this and did not helped me. VA is still not working.
I have posted this same on Steam and there i got told to check it here, i was notified about the third-party apps that might use same recording channel but im unable to find the one i use.

[Gary]

VA generally will work right out of the box, however, due to the eight billion things that can be configured on a PC, there may be some extra legwork that needs to be done.  Basically, and very simply, there is going to be something on your system that is impeding the audio from getting from your mic to the speech engine.  That could be hardware and/or software and/or drivers.

Normally, it's just a matter of setting up the right audio channel (the thread you included in your post that you've checked).

Less frequently, but far more annoying is the third-party app that's got a hook into the recording channel in a manner that totally disrupts the speech engine (SonicStudio (Asus) and Nahimic (MSI) take the top spots for this).  VA will tell you if you have either of those running in a log entry on startup.  You've checked for these and have not found instances of them, so, we gotta keep searching.

Have you tried reinstalling VA just in case something got fried in the install?

You may want to try updating your audio drivers.  This has been an issue, although it's very rare that this is the cause.

It is also possible that your speech engine is borked up on your machine.  You can always try a different speech engine and see if that works for you.  Here is a link to setting that up:  http://www.voiceattack.com/alternate
It's just two small files (that can be uninstalled)

Anybody else that wants to chime in can do so if you've got a suggestion...

[shalloa]

Hello Gary,
thank you for your reply, i have ben reading your reply a few times to see what else i could find.

When i start up VA i received a error about the channel being used by Windows speech, when i restart it without having windows speech active i receive no errors or message.

i have ben looking over all my apps, programs and all stuff i could find that in anyway connected it self to sounds or recording, but i came up empty.
The only thing i just found (5 min ago) was the hardware section of sound and controllers.
i have disabled everything except the headset as i use that most of the time.

https://gyazo.com/eeb0c6697160a0165088cb287303637f

Lets see.
i have followed up your advice to try to reinstall and tested this, i already had installed the 2 files from the alternate link and i tested it but no results.

I will now reboot and reinstall VA again as i disabled all the hardware items and removed the 2 alternate files, i hope this will help as im slowly getting fet up with it, as you said eight billion things can be changed and i lost track of what i have all changed in the past.
Guess at some point it will bite me in the ass after all.

My audio drives are as far as i can see updated, no updates are needed on any section as far as i can tell.

O one last thing i just found i think this came with the lasted update a few days ago,
its called..
Spatial sounds (windows)
I think it has to do with sounds only and not recording but im not 100% sure, i cant seem to find out what it does or were its for.

I will keep searching as i believe this program is a game changer, so if you have anymore suggestions pleas share!

[Gangrel]

So when you don't have Windows speech active, does VA actually recognise any commands?

[shalloa]

No, it does not recognise any commands.

the voice volume is not reacting and not moving at all.

[Gary]

Do you have an Asus or MSI computer or motherboard?  Those will sometimes have SonicStudio or Nahimic bundled (shoveled) in with their software.  If you pull up the recording devices screen (like you showed in your image), and the level meter on that screen moves when you speak, you *may* have something hijacking the audio (software), or, the inputs are not set up right - as indicated in this thread:  http://voiceattack.com/SMF/index.php?topic=63.0

Something else I forgot to have you try is a system file scan to make sure things are square.  Take a look at this:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929833/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system

It's good to do that from time to time anyway.

Have you tried another microphone?  Forgive me if you've already said so.

[shalloa]

I have a Asus sytem, but im unable to find anything like SonicStudio or Nahimic Bundled.
If your able to point me in the right direction of were to look for these programs i might be able to located them.
I have read that link for the inputs but as you can see on the screenshot with the level meter, i only have 1 headset/recording device connected.

The level meter of the recording device (windows) moves when i speak.
its not much but everyone is able to hear me clearly. 
for some reason i cant increase it, the microphone boost is already max.

I have tested a old headset i have but its the same result.
I have read that it could be because there USB connected?

I have completed the scan and it came back clean.
https://gyazo.com/a278b7908bee6f7bfa9672d8e2653cea

- Checked input, working.
- scanned my pc for errors, completed.
- installed the alternate speech, did not changed anything. 

How can i dubble check if i have a program like SonicStudio or anything from Asus running?
i have checked task manager but i could not find it on there.

[Gary]

Since I don't have that software (in your case, possibly SonicStudio), I can only describe how to identify the process and how to kill it (and not how to open it and configure it, other than to press the Windows key and type in Sonic and see if anything comes up... if it does, you'll want to go into that and see if it can be disabled fully somehow).

If you are using Windows 10, you'll need to open up task manager and find the processes.
Right click on your task bar (at the bottom of your screen) and then click on, 'Task Manager'.
Go to the, 'Details' tab.
Find either of these processes in the list:
ss2svc   or    ss2uilauncher  (or anything that may be labeled, 'SonicStudio' in whole or in part).
Right click on each and select, 'End Task'.

Restart VoiceAttack and see if that works.

Wondering if that's something that VA should offer to do on startup o_O (not just warn, but offer to kill).


If you are not getting a log entry to indicate it's running, it's probably not running and may be something else.

[shalloa]

So i typed in Sonic in the start bar as you suggested, no result.
i have googled to find anything about Sonic in task manager, no result.
i have ben google around for anything else related to Sonic studio and i found it its related to Realtek, i search for that on my computer but again no result..

search for some otherstuff that might have looked like ss function in task manager but was unable o find anything.

Normally when i have windows speech running, VA does offers to kill it when its running, not only the warning.
so with that i assume nothing is really blocking VA for recording my mic.
im just not sure where or how to find the problem.

I have read that people with a USB connection have problems..?
maby this could be something? i rly got no clue anymore were to look.

[Pfeil]

Do you have anything running in the system tray(bottom right of the screen by default, left of the clock) related to audio(Aside from the default windows volume mixer)?

Any type of settings application that allows you to switch inputs or, especially, apply filters and effects could either be Sonic Studio in disguise or cause conflicts by running in the background.

[shalloa]

protection, Nvidia, joystick controller, dropbox, steam, logitech gaming software.
i am using a logitech headset but its not connected to the software, only my keyboard and my mouse are.

nothing else, i had Gyazo running but as it had a recording sytem for video's i killed it and tested VA again, did not work.

[Pfeil]

Someone did have audio-related issues with a Logitech headset in the past, though on the output side.

Logitech Gaming Software did used to come with "Screaming Bee", which does offer microphone effects, but that part was removed shortly after Windows 10's release in 2015(in LGS version 8.70.315), so unless your install dates back that far it's unlikely to still be an issue.

Have you tried stopping all Logitech software, both through the tray icon and task manager/services, just in case?

[shalloa]

I got the computer new somewhere in 2016 so i believe the software should be good.

No i haven't tested it without the Logitech running, il test this tomorrow.

[shalloa]

Morning all,
So i have killed/disabled all Logitech software that i could find running, but as with all the rest, it did not mather.
VA still does not react, volume bar is not moving at all.

i read the link provided by Pfeil but as it looks my currect headset 'Logitech H600' wireless headset is a simple plug and play, not much to work with software wise. i did checked for any updates but are unable to find any.
The latest update i could find from Logitech it self is from 2012.

im still have no clue were the problem is coming from so any suggestions are very welcome!

[shalloa]

I added a jpg of my current VA settings, i dont think there is anything rong with this but i want to make sure its not something silly.

i will have to go over most if not all of my settings at some point to find out what the problem is.

Attachment added:
VA Options jpg.

[Gangrel]

The last tab: Why is "Disable speech recognition" ticked?

[shalloa]

  well simple because im a bloody idiot that was asking something that was just really simple but i never really checked..

i thought it had to do with my computer were it was just a simple check box that i have to uncheck..

Thank you all so much for your patients and your assistance, i will now go sit in a Conner be very quit and cry out of shame..

Its now working.     
Thank you again! i really feel like a idiot right now..

[Pfeil]

The last tab: Why is "Disable speech recognition" ticked?

Its now working.     

The mystery has been solved, at least