Dictation [talk to text] Software Recommendations?

[ThatPlace928]

I have a customer whose 96 year old mom just moved in with him. She loves corresponding with friends and handwrites everything. Lately, her handwriting, while it starts off nice and neat, becomes illegible by the end of the letter. My customer is looking for a good talk to text program so she can speak into the microphone, proofread and edit, then print and mail [via USPS] to friends and family.

I've turned the dictation app on in Windows 10 and did the Windows+H but, although the software says "initializing", it's not doing anything.

Does anyone use this feature? I'm not familiar with it. Any recommendations for using this or other software I can find online?

 

[britechguy]

Dictation under Windows 11 works quite well, and I thought I recalled it working under Windows 10 pretty well, too. If you're having issues I'd definitely follow the standard advice I offer when Windows Weirdness appears:
the two things I recommend doing, in order:

1. Using DISM (Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) to Repair Windows 10 & 11

2. Performing a Windows 10 or 11 Repair Install or Feature Update Using the Windows ISO file

If #1 fixes the issue, #2 is unnecessary.

But I really think this approach needs some careful consideration, as I sincerely doubt that you are going to get a 96-year-old anywhere near to mastering the skills with the PC she'd need to do what you propose (unless she has most of them already). For someone that age, and with the conditions you describe, I'd be more inclined to try to get her to write letters "in chunks," only going for however long the writing is legible (and this should be pretty easy to figure out), taking a break of however long is necessary, then picking up again. I just don't think that technological intervention of the type proposed will be successful, and it will likely leave this lady quite frustrated and forelorn if she does not already possess basic computer skills (and even if she does).

 

[ThatPlace928]

Dictation under Windows 11 works quite well, and I thought I recalled it working under Windows 10 pretty well, too. If you're having issues I'd definitely follow the standard advice I offer when Windows Weirdness appears:
the two things I recommend doing, in order:

1. Using DISM (Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) to Repair Windows 10 & 11

2. Performing a Windows 10 or 11 Repair Install or Feature Update Using the Windows ISO file

If #1 fixes the issue, #2 is unnecessary.

But I really think this approach needs some careful consideration, as I sincerely doubt that you are going to get a 96-year-old anywhere near to mastering the skills with the PC she'd need to do what you propose (unless she has most of them already). For someone that age, and with the conditions you describe, I'd be more inclined to try to get her to write letters "in chunks," only going for however long the writing is legible (and this should be pretty easy to figure out), taking a break of however long is necessary, then picking up again. I just don't think that technological intervention of the type proposed will be successful, and it will likely leave this lady quite frustrated and forelorn if she does not already possess basic computer skills (and even if she does).

I've got it to the point now where it will take dictation. But the only options for microphones are the kind you plug in, not the built-in microphone. Did you work around that or did you just plug in a headset?

 

[britechguy]

I've got it to the point now where it will take dictation. But the only options for microphones are the kind you plug in, not the built-in microphone. Did you work around that or did you just plug in a headset?

I honestly don't remember. I tend to use headset microphones or plug-in desk microphones for dictation anyway, as they tend to work better.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I honestly don't remember. I tend to use headset microphones or plug-in desk microphones for dictation anyway, as they tend to work better.

That's probably what I'm going to end up doing. It's not recognizing the built-in microphone on my laptop or the other laptop I'm testing it on.

 

[ThatPlace928]

Well, duh..... lol. I just watched a video and, in order to use dictation, you have to open a text or word document first. Then Windows+H and start talking. It is recognizing the built-in microphone, even though the selection wasn't there in setup, and works great on my laptop. The other laptop I was testing it on was full of speech errors, typing words it thinks I'm saying. I think, with a little practice at speaking slower, the other one will do better. I did notice there's a slide bar to regulate the speed. I'll fiddle with it and see what works best.

Now that I have something to practice with [that I know works], I have something to recommend to the customer. Then, I just need to set it up for his mom to use.

 

[ThatPlace928]

In case anyone is interested, here's the link to the video I watched. You do have to go through the steps to turn on dictation and speech recognition before using it. It was actually easy to use, after watching the video....

 

[Fred Claus]

I have a customer whose 96 year old mom just moved in with him. She loves corresponding with friends and handwrites everything. Lately, her handwriting, while it starts off nice and neat, becomes illegible by the end of the letter. My customer is looking for a good talk to text program so she can speak into the microphone, proofread and edit, then print and mail [via USPS] to friends and family.

I've turned the dictation app on in Windows 10 and did the Windows+H but, although the software says "initializing", it's not doing anything.

Does anyone use this feature? I'm not familiar with it. Any recommendations for using this or other software I can find online?

I've used a couple. First I tried the dictation function in Microsoft 365. When I started writing my doctoral dissertation though I switched to Dragon Home.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I've used a couple. First I tried the dictation function in Microsoft 365. When I started writing my doctoral dissertation though I switched to Dragon Home.

Thank you. I looked into Dragon, while I was searching. But, once I figured out how to use the Windows' built-in dictation feature, it was actually very easy.

 

[Fred Claus]

Thank you. I looked into Dragon, while I was searching. But, once I figured out how to use the Windows' built-in dictation feature, it was actually very easy.

I loved the built in one. The only reason I didn't use it was because of it's limitations. When dictating 20-50 pages at a time, the tool turns off and stops typing for me. I loved using it, because it was more accurate than Dragon, but it took me extra time because I couldn't go as fast and long as I wanted.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I loved the built in one. The only reason I didn't use it was because of it's limitations. When dictating 20-50 pages at a time, the tool turns off and stops typing for me. I loved using it, because it was more accurate than Dragon, but it took me extra time because I couldn't go as fast and long as I wanted.

There's a slide bar in the app to regulate the speed of dictation. I haven't really played with it much but maybe it would work for you, if you were to try it again.