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Using Speech-to-Text Dictation with EN for Windows -How?


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I'm using EN version 6.16.4.8094 (308094) Public (CE Build ce-58.1.6897) on a 64bit Win10 Laptop.

Occasionally when using EN on my iPad, or Android phone, I really love the ability to dictate text via the microphone icon/speech-to-text functionality.

Even when using Google search, I tend to mostly dictate my search queries rather than typing.

So today I felt it was time that I once-and-for-all get this functionality working on my EN for Windows app.  Up until now, when I've had large amounts of text to enter into a note, and wanted to use a dictation feature, I used a 2-step process of 1st going to my other desktop app 'Voice Notepad' (dictation.io)... but having to 1st go to this app, then copy and paste into EN minimised the time saving benefits.  Whereas on iPad and Android the feature is right there ready to use, and it works great.

I explored EN Help Article How to use speech-to-text to dictate notes but that didn't work.  Win-logo + CTRL+H just doesn't work on my machine.  I read some other MS Articles, turned speech recognition on etc, trained my PC to my voice, but nada.

So anyone out there figured this out???  If yes, please let me know, cheers

 

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  • Level 5*

Hi.  I don't have this working,  but if I wanted to look into it I'd try using Cortana (or any other personal assistant you might have) to create a note in Evernote.  If that's not possible you might look at other automation options - like if your 'voice notepad' app generates a text file,  Dropit can move or copy that file into an Evernote Import Folder which would automatically create a new note.  The note might have the file as an attachment,  or show it as the note body,  depending on the format.

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7 hours ago, gazumped said:

look at other automation options - like if your 'voice notepad' app generates a text file,  Dropit can move or copy that file into an Evernote Import Folder which would automatically create a new note.

Awesome, once again @gazumped  Seriously I don't bother with generating tickets to EN, due to the big gun moderators/gurus/contributors on this Forum like yourself giving the gold... I reckon EN should remunerate the top 5 or 10 of you guys just because of the amount of time/money you save them.  maybe a feature request!? 😉

Anyway, your suggestion works great, and the 'dropit' app was not needed, as once the dictation notepad resulting .TXT file was saved in to an 'Add to Evernote' folder on my PC, and a subsequent Import Folder setup on EN... EN created a new standard Note automatically (no attachments) very nice... i didn't know such a feature existed.

And when exploring Cortana, I discovered another gold nugget for dictation in Outlook, irrelevant here, but another great find, thanks to you...cheers again mate 👍

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 5/2/2019 at 2:25 PM, RavBoy said:

Whereas on iPad and Android speech-to-text dictation is right there ready to use, and it works great

Today I once again revisited this issue (or indeed feature request), of not being able to speech-to-text dictate into a Note when using EN Windows.  I'm currently in the midst of going through this educational video course, for which no transcription exists... and so I'd like to dictate key contents of it, into my study notes.

I prefer working at my desk with PC and multi monitor setup... rather than pulling out an iPad or Android Smart Phone just to be able to dictate text into a note (a solution I found previously).  And until now I have not been able to get MS speech-to-text working in EN, and so I have continued to rely on other dictation websites such as SPEECHNOTES or DICTATION

But like I mentioned before those sites still require me to copy-paste the resulting text into the EN Note... so time wasted doing that.  So I started looking for a Chrome extension that lets me dictate text anywhere on any webpage, thinking I could use it with EN-Web open, instead of EN-Windows.

And I found the Chrome Extension Speech Recognition Anywhere ...and it works perfectly with EN-Web. 

I just open EN-Web, and then open Speech Recognition Anywhere in another Chrome browser tab... and immediately start dictating text into any note (or other website).  And the accuracy is awesome.  I'm using a free 30 day trial of this extension, but am confident I will pay the one-time lifetime fee of $45 AUD when the trial finishes... hope this helps someone.

 

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Hi @RavBoy - You are not the only one who is looking to use speech-to-text tech to dictate notes on PC. There are many Evernote users who are looking for a similar functionality. On Android, its extremely easy to dictate notes using voice typing in Gboard  (Google's keyboard app for Android). On iOS, you can use Apple's dictation feature for the same. It's only on Windows, we don't have a good speech-to-text capabilities built into the OS. The one that comes in Windows 10 built-in is terrible, and is no where close to the accuracy of Google and Apple's offerings. (Fun fact- Even dictation.io uses Google Speech Recognition to transcribe your spoken words into text)

I you want to use speech-to-text often on Windows 10, you should look into Dragon naturally speaking software from Nuance. It's expensive but is the absolute best in speech recognition. It's even better than what Google offers and works without any internet connection. It allows you to use voice to type wherever there is a text field in Windows, so its not limited to just one or two apps.

Some Evernote users have been asking for better integration with Dragon naturally speaking in another thread, but unfortunately we haven't seen any progress in this regard. Even with what we have today, Dragon naturally speaking software is your best bet if you want to use speech to text extensively on Windows

 

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Hi @Narnk Thanks for the heads up re Dragon... I think the last time I actually bought/used Dragon was 2011 and I was impressed back then.

I read that thread you referred to, the other day.  Dragon would be the ideal solution (if it's as good/easy as they promise), but in my case $300 USD (wow these guys worked inflation to their advantage since my last purchase) more like $360 AUD for me, combined with having to train it, combined with the apparent existing integration issues in EN, means I will be sticking with the solution mentioned above, and for now it does the job.  Otherwise and outside of transcribing my education courses, or composing long form emails here and there, I mostly rely and enjoy smashing away at my keyboard.  But at some time soon, think I will need to once again re-visit the value-proposition of controlling apps and data entry via voice... they just need to make it easy and reliable....cheers again

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  • 3 weeks later...

There is another free and built-in Windows 10 option you can try @RavBoy. Apart from the crappy offline voice to text feature in Windows 10, Microsoft also offers a newer cloud-based dictation feature that's far more accurate (less accurate than Google's offering though). To use it, you have to just open the Touch Keyboard (not the old on-screen keyboard) in Windows 10 (maybe available even in Windows 8) and hit the microphone key whenever you want to dictate something.

Check this link - https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4028719/windows-10-open-the-touch-keyboard

 

 

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Cheers @Narnk ...I read the link and 1st activated or made sure the touch keyboard for my Win10 PC was displayed on the taskbar, but no 'Mic' Icon was given at top left on the touch keyboard. I played with all settings I could see, but nothing.  The link you provided does say "when using PC in Tablet Mode" perhaps that's the issue, as I'm using my PC/laptop in regular PC mode. If you have a sec and know the issue, would be great to hear from you, cheers again

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Not sure why you are unable to see the 'Mic' icon on the keyboard @RavBoy. I got it by default without enabling any special option in settings (I tried it just now once again to verify). A simple google search for "microphone icon missing windows touch keyboard" is showing many results from Microsoft Answers website. Please see if any of those posts can assist you in this.

Once it starts working, check out this article for the various voice commands you can use - https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/86424-use-dictation-desktop-touch-keyboard-windows-10-a.html

While searching about this, I also came to know you can just use Windows + H shortcut to directly open the Mic option without opening the keyboard. Very handy if you can get it working.

 

Mic Option 2.png

Mic Option.png

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  • 9 months later...
On 5/25/2020 at 7:33 PM, Narnk said:

Not sure why you are unable to see the 'Mic' icon on the keyboard

 

On 5/25/2020 at 7:33 PM, Narnk said:

you can just use Windows + H shortcut to directly open the Mic option without opening the keyboard

Hello @Narnk both of the above, are now working for me on my Win10 PC, and when creating/editing a note in EN-for-Win v6.25.1 (or any other Windows app or even Google search/browser).  I love WINkey+H to activate and start dictating straight in EN...awesome.

Everything turned on when I was activating and enabling all permissions in MS Cortana.  So don't know forsure but it appears like something here was preventing WIN+H or the mic icon on the keyboard from being active.  Anyway its all working fine now.  So for others that may read this try enabling/activating Cortana if like me you had turned it all off...cheers

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