To get VV 10.5
Submitted by crivon1 on Tue, 06/28/2005 - 16:19.
First of all make sure you have your ViaVoice serial number to hand. The serial number is at the back of the instruction manual. You will be asked for this.
Log-on to the ViaVoice section of ScanSoft, go to support, contact Technical Support, send an e-mail using the Problem Report Form. Tell them that you want ViaVoice 10.5 to replace your VV 10 .
You should then get a response as I did as follows:-
"Thank you for contacting ScanSoft Technical Support regarding ViaVoice Pro.
.
There is now an updated version of ViaVoice available, which supports Office 2003 (ViaVoice 10.5). However, this version is not available for download. If you wish, we can exchange your ViaVoice Version for a new ViaVoice CD free of charge. In order to do this, please send your old ViaVoice 10 CD."
Simply follow the instructions in the response, and it appears that they will exchange your old CD for the new one.
I have tried it and I can confirm 10.5 is compatible with Office 2003.
It would appear that ScanSoft wants $30 for the exchange in the US. Personally I think that the $30 is worth it.
The UK ScanSoft are not looking for payment (at the moment).
Quentin
Is there a way to send the
Is there a way to send the email without paying $9.95? I am not even sure they will exchange mine. I have everything (manual, purchase receipt) except the original disks, which I lost. I do have backup disks.
Mitch
Why are they looking for
Why are they looking for $9.95?
If you refer to the main threads on this subject in via-...@yahoo.com, (search for 10.5) you'll see there was a long thread about this where ScanSoft US were being most uncooperative, and it looks as though they haven't changed.
You may well have a problem in not having the original CD. I would doubt if they would accept a copy.
You could try telephoning them, but it would appear that the experience had by others would require you to have the utmost patience and time to do this.
Quentin
I will check out the thread
I will check out the thread you mention. It costs $9.95 to send them an email (via their website).
Mitch
Bloody cheek ! ScanSoft UK
Bloody cheek ! ScanSoft UK never did that. Try getting on on to the ScanSoft UK Site. the version they have has both UK and US on the one disc. You might find the more accommodating, as I did.
Quentin
Tried the UK site. Takes you
Tried the UK site. Takes you to the same page, requiring $9.95.
Thanks
Mitch
Well, I just found the 800
Well, I just found the 800 Number on the yahoo group site (1-800-654-1187). I called and ordered 10.5. Wasn't asked to provide proof of ownership for V 10. Also realized after I hung up that the CSR never asked if I need Pro, advanced, etc. Does 10.5 only come as Pro?
Mitch
PS
The CSR called back and asked for my serial number.
I have absolutely no idea as
I have absolutely no idea as to whether the versions below Pro USB have come out of 10.5.
As far as I'm aware, all of Speech Computing VV members are using Pro USB.
However you will know when you receive it, and perhaps you would let us all know which version you received.
Quentin
When the CSR called back for
When the CSR called back for my serial, he told me it was Pro. The serial I gave him was the tech support ID from the back of the manual. I received an email today saying that that was not the correct serial, but since it was proof of purchase they generated a new serial for me. So far they have been very helpful.
Mitch
crivon1 wrote:First of all
First of all make sure you have your ViaVoice serial number to hand. The serial number is at the back of the instruction manual. You will be asked for this.
.
Log-on to the ViaVoice section of ScanSoft, go to support, contact Technical Support, send an e-mail using the Problem Report Form. Tell them that you want ViaVoice 10.5 to replace your VV 10 .
Quentin;
Slight correction to your excellent advice. Go to Customer Service not Technical Support. There is no charge to e-mail Customer Service. There is a $9.95USD charge for e-mailing Technical Support. At least that seems to be the way it works in North America. I did this, gave them my serial number, paid $30USD as requested, and received my CD about two weeks later after some confusion over Canadian postal codes. As with you there is no printed reference on the CD to V10.5 only V10. However the read me files etc. do refer to V10.5.
Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Tim.
Out of curiosity, is this a
Out of curiosity, is this a US edition only, or have you got the UK option as well?
Quentin
Both seem to be there. Tim.
Both seem to be there.
Tim.
Tim, Do let us know how
Tim,
Do let us know how you're getting on with it and how much you think it has improved over VV 10.
We VVers have to stick together and show that VV 10.5 is the equal of DNS 8
Quentin
crivon1 wrote:Tim, Do let
Tim,
Do let us know how you're getting on with it and how much you think it has improved over VV 10.
We VVers have to stick together and show that VV 10.5 is the equal of DNS 8
Quentin
Quentin,
Skip, our administrator, indicated in a previous post that it was time to put to rest this battle of the “SR” products once and for all. Therefore, I want to add a couple of observations about the improvements in SR products over the years.
First, several years ago L&H conducted a significant piece of research in conjunction with ZD Labs, currently a subdivision of VeriTest and owned by Lionbridge. L&H spent $50,000 plus to design and conduct and accuracy comparative analysis between DNS, ViaVoice, and L&H VoiceXpress. The primary purpose of this research was to determine which product had the better accuracy. The results were as follows:
1. There was no significant difference between these 3 products in terms of accuracy. However, L&H VoiceXpress and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® did tend to fare slightly better.
2. The most surprising result was that there were some inconsistencies, which upon a more detailed analysis revealed that personal preference tended to be the most significant determinant of satisfaction.
3. The conclusion that was drawn from that study was that, given that all the test machines were identical, including sound cards and microphones and that this study was conducted with precise controls on all variables, there was no significant difference in accuracy or performance overall between the 3 products. Obviously, L&H VoiceXpress no longer exists and DNS and ViaVoice have improved over the years. However, the study also concluded that personal preference and perception of each product was the primary determinant in terms of whether or not the test subjects regarded any product as being better than the other.
This was a significant discovery.
In addition, over the years up through and including DNS version 8 and ViaVoice version 10.5, it appears that this conclusion has tended to persist and continues to be as valid today as it was then.
Lastly, the only difference between version 10.0 and version 10.5 are some basic improvements in the overall functionality, as well as support for Microsoft Office 2003. There were no significant improvements to the speech engine and/or the speech models which would account for ViaVoice 10.5 being any more accurate are performing better than version 10.0.
In addition, I did the original competitive/comparative analysis between Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and ViaVoice 10.0. In that competitive/comparative analysis I drew the following conclusions:
1. The features and functions of both products offer some advantages over the other. I also indicated that there were a number of features a ViaVoice that should be included in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, and which were extremely well-designed, functional, very practical. One of the nicest features was the ability to dictate into SpeakPad and automatically transfer such to any word processor without having to cut and paste. One of the other features that I indicated was superior to Dragon NaturallySpeaking® was the manner in which ViaVoice, at a much lower cost and some significantly better than Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Preferred, was the macro capabilities.
2. On the other hand, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® had a number of advantages over IBM ViaVoice. I won't go into significant detail here but one of these was the more functional capability of being able to use digital voice recorders, automatically transcribe from wav files, and the addition of a more complete, even though more complicated, said of macro capabilities.
During the course of this competitive/comparative analysis I drew the conclusion that there was no significant difference in accuracy between the 2 product and the primary advantage of either depended principally upon personal preference.
I have always indicated throughout my entire experience with all of the speech recognition products that it is more important whether or not the user is comfortable, prefers the interface, and finds the particular speech recognition product which they have chosen to be most effective for them, that it is whether one is better than the other.
The bottom line is this, there is no evidence or research that demonstrates any significant difference in accuracy or performance between Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and IBM ViaVoice. In addition, comparing all of the SR products, including Microsoft speech, requires an underlying understanding of how each product is designed and the audience for whom each product has been developed. Arguing that one product is better than the other is moot. Simply put, it is a non sequitur. More importantly, it is unimportant. If you like Dragon NaturallySpeaking® then use Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. If you like ViaVoice, then use ViaVoice. If you like MS speech, then use MS speech. All that matters is does it work for you and do you like it. Anything beyond that is unimportant and irrelevant.
Chuck Runquist
Chuck, I had no intention
Chuck,
I had no intention of and reopening the debate.
The only reason why I said " We VVers have to stick together and show that VV 10.5 is the equal of DNS 8
" is that the predominance in Speech Computing are DNS users. Very little is heard from VV users. You'll note that I did not say that one product was better than the other.
Your assessment is probably the fairest one I have ever seen on any of the old groups or this site.
As you have rightly said, personal preference is the determining key.
Enough said!
Quentin
crivon1 wrote:Chuck, I
Chuck,
I had no intention of and reopening the debate.
The only reason why I said " We VVers have to stick together and show that VV 10.5 is the equal of DNS 8
" is that the predominance in Speech Computing are DNS users. Very little is heard from VV users. You'll note that I did not say that one product was better than the other.
Your assessment is probably the fairest one I have ever seen on any of the old groups or this site.
As you have rightly said, personal preference is the determining key.
Enough said!
Quentin
Not intended to chastise. I apologize if it seemed that way. I just wanted to add some additional points to this issue in the hopes that everyone might better understand what's really important about speech recognition.
Chuck
Chuck wrote "On the other
Chuck wrote "On the other hand, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® had a number of advantages over IBM ViaVoice…………. one of these was the more functional capability of being able to use digital voice recorders, automatically transcribe from wav files…"
ViaVoice Pro USB 10.5 does also have this facility. I have never used it in 10 or 10.5, but I did used at some years ago in either 8 or 9 (I cannot remember which) when I used a standard mini cassette recorder which I trained as a user, and with a lot of tweaking, managed to get it to work.
However as has been said in other postings, accuracy with a transcriber can only be effective if the dictator is cognisant at all times of the necessary consistency of dictation to enable the SR program to recognise what is dictated. However, generally, people who use transcribers are inclined to dictate into them in the same way as they would if the dictation was being heard by a secretary who can adjust speed, volume and etc.
The general recommendation seems to be that you listen back to your dictation, and dictate directly into the computer whilst listening to the transcriber.
Quentin
Point of order, Mr.
Point of order, Mr. Chairperson:
While all the above is good info, especially re: (1) the proximate equal accuracy of all the products and (2) the importance of unmeasured idiopathic influences on product preferences, the debate was never about the quality but rather the viability of different SR products.
To suggest that a significant part of the debate was about quality is to completely misread the evidentiary trail.
Bruce
Point of clarification
Point of clarification
Yes I did get off the point a bit - mea culpa, but I have not been contradicted on what I said - so far!
Quentin
Let's move away from this
Let's move away from this topic, it's too inflammatory.
Thanks.
Good morning, Thanks for all
Good morning,
Thanks for all the insights. I have XP-home/SP2/Office 2003 Pro. I was thrilled to find this forum thinking I could finally solve my speech-to-text issues. I loved using VV 10 on Windows Me and hoped to transition to this machine.
I sent an e-mail to customer service a few days ago and have not received a response. Therefore, I called them this morning using the number provided here. Unfortunately, Via Voice 10.5 is not compatibile with XP SP2.
The MS-SR program on my computer is not responsive in Dication mode and limited in Voice command mode. So it's back to the drawing board. I am wondering if anyone has a recommendation for me. I've already posted to the MS-speech Yahoo group and tried their tips to no avail.
Thank you.
Rita
rwbogar wrote:
Unfortunately, Via Voice 10.5 is not compatibile with XP SP2.
Rita,
That is a load of rubbish. I have been using VV 10.5 with XP SP2 since last March without any problem. VV 10.5 is designed to work in Office 2003 and specifically Word 2003. (Admittedly I am still using Office 97
)
I suspect Nuance is trying to give you the brush-off, and push you into DNS.
As you will see from this thread, others have succeeded in getting 10.5 at a small cost. In my case, ScanSoft UK provided them free on sending them the old VV 10 disc with evidence of the registration number from the back of the manual.
I can only suggest that you keep at it, and with persistence you should succeed.
The other alternative is to buy it off the shelf at full-price. This is still the cheaper option than buying DNS.
Delighted to see another of VV lover on this site.
Quentin