Tips for getting the best out of UmeSkype

Use a good headset

It is important to use a good quality microphone for speech recognition. A headset is ideally suited, since it facilitates the correct placement of the microphone relative to the speaker's mouth. A headset with a noise cancelling microphone is recommended, since this will allow the productive use of the software in the presence of background noise.

UmeVoice recommends theBoom O and theBoom Quiet, both top quality noise cancelling headsets.

Adjust your microphone

If you have not already done so, it is highly recommended that you run the microphone wizard. This step must be done every time you connect a new microphone or headset to the computer, if you intend to use it with UmeSkype.

To run the microphone wizard, go to the control panel and start the speech applet (double-click on the item labelled "speech").. Click on the button "Configure Microphone" to launch the microphone wizard. Complete all the steps in the microphone wizard.

Now your microphone should be adjusted for optimal performance.

Train the speech recognizer

Although this step is not mandatory, it is recommended that you train the speech recognizer at least with the first training session provided by Microsoft.

To launch the voice training wizard, go to the control panel and launch the speech applet (double-click on the item labelled "speech"). Select the desired profile (if you have more than one), and click on the button "Train Profile". Follow the steps and instructions for at least the "Aesop's fables" (the first item in the training) to completion.

Now the speech recognizer should be better adapted to your way of speaking, and you should get more accurate recognition.

Use easy voice aliases

When calling a skype contact by voice, you will use the "voice alias", as displayed in the contacts tab on the main screen of UmeSkype. You can set any voice alias you want for each skype contact. Choose aliases that are both easy to remember and easy to say. For instance, if you have a skype contact whose real name is Joseph/Joe Tate, and whose skype andle is joe_flomaho_197820, you can set his alias to joe or joseph.

To set/rename a voice alias, click on the voice alias and click again after a brief pause. It will allow you to type over the existing alias. Click off the alias with the mouse or press enter/return on the keyboard when you are done typing in the new alias.

Use correct language

It is critically important to speak exactly the correct sentences that UmeSkype understands. The words spoken as well as the order in which they are spoken must be as per UmeSkype's documented language, laid out in the "What can I say" tab on UmeSkype's main screen. For instance, if you have a contact named John, you can say "call john", but not "phone john" or "dial john". SImilarly, if you want to dial a skypeout number by spelling out the digits, e.g. 555-555-1212, you can say "dial five five five five five five one two one two", but not "call five five five five five five one two one two" or "phone five five five five five five one two one two".

You should become familiar with this language and refer to the help (What can I say) tab when in doubt. You can say "help" or "show help" to switch to this tab at any time when you are running UmeSkype.