Speech to text software

[alanrf]

A friend wants to find some speech to text software and asked my advice.  However, I have never researched this area.  While Google is my friend ... the answer seems to be Dragon (rather expensive) or conflicting reports on other less expensive products with no free recommended offerings.

So, does anyone here have experience of products in this area and any recommendations?

[YoKenny]

Isn't there a built in one with Windows in the Accessibility options?

The Accessibility options come with screen magnifiers, on screen keyboard and speech to text.

[bob3160]

Isn't there a built in one with Windows in the Accessibility options?

The Accessibility options come with screen magnifiers, on screen keyboard and speech to text.

Your correct Kenny however, in this type of application, you usually get what you pay for.

The best free one I've used is available at:  (IMHO)
http://www.naturalreaders.com/free_version.htm#

[rdmaloyjr]

Opera has text reading ability, it isn't by default though, you have to download it.

http://www.opera.com/browser/tutorials/voice/

Tools>Preferences>Advanced>Voice 

Opera also has voice-controled browsing.

http://www.opera.com/browser/tutorials/voice/using/

[alanrf]

Sorry if I was not clear in the title.  This person needs to reduce the amount of typing to try to alleviate repetitive injury issues so this is the need to have voice converted to text rather than have text made audible. 

Thanks for the input so far ... this is a need to be able to create text by speaking rather than typing ... a bit more than voice controlled actions.

in this type of application, you usually get what you pay for.

thanks Bob, I am beginning to think you are on the money ... as are they.  

[bob3160]

Sorry if I was not clear in the title.  This person needs to reduce the amount of typing to try to alleviate repetitive injury issues so this is the need to have voice converted to text rather than have text made audible. 

Thanks for the input so far ... this is a need to be able to create text by speaking rather than typing ... a bit more than voice controlled actions.

in this type of application, you usually get what you pay for.

thanks Bob, I am beginning to think you are on the money ... as are they.  

Alan,
The only app. that I know works is Dragon Naturally Speaking.
We used it to transcribe recorded Association meetings into transcripts.
It was quite accurate but, there is the price factor.

[CharleyO]

***

I have not used any of these but perhaps you can find what you need at the links below.

http://www.newfreedownloads.com/find/speech-to-text.html

http://www.consumersearch.com/voice-recognition-software

http://www.linc.org/voicesw.html

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Misc__Utilities/e_Speaking_Voice_and_Speech_Recognition.html

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Shell_and_Desktop/Desktop_Toolbars_and_Launchers/Say_Now.html

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Multimedia_and_Graphics/MPEG_Audio_Players_and_Editors/IVOS___Intelligent_voice_operating_system.html


***

[YoKenny]

I used to use IBM ViaVoice 10 Standard and it worked well for me:
http://www.consumersearch.com/voice-recognition-software/ibm-viavoice-10-standard

[onlysomeone]

In Windows Vista and Seven this is already included... (but needs some training to work properly)
You can tell the computer what to do (open/close/copy/paste/set/... things/programs/texts...)and of course dictate texts.

Controlpanel --> simple handling --> speech recognition (this is a free translation from german, so the real names could be different...)

yours
onlysomeone


EDIT: Here's a link to an information site from Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsvista/speech.aspx