Frequently Asked Questions: Microphone

For a good experience it's very important to have your microphone set up correctly. Read through the questions below if you're unsure how to do this. If you still need help, then please email us directly and we will assist you.

Q: What kind of microphone should I use?

For best results, we suggest you use a headset microphone. For example, a low-cost USB headset will do really well.

Q: How do I set up my microphone?

You will only have to set up your microphone once. First, make sure it works with your computer:

1. Connect the microphone to your computer.
2. In your system settings make sure the microphone is selected and that you are getting a clear signal.

Then, select your microphone in our video player:

1. Open a video in the player.
2. Click on the "Microphone Setup" button below the video.
3. If asked to activate your microphone, follow the onscreen instructions, making sure to check "Allow" and "Remember".
4. Next, you will get the "Microphone Selection" screen. Choose the microphone you want to use and then click "Continue".
5. On the "Microphone Volume Settings" screen just the default selection so microphone levels are adjusted automatically whenever you record.

Your settings will be saved for future sessions.

Don't forget: when recording your voice, make sure to speak into the microphone.

Q: How do I adjust my microphone?

You shouldn't have to worry about adjusting the microphone as long as it is set up correctly and you speak at about the same volume and distance from the headset. The application automatically adjusts your recording level as needed, unless you have chosen the option to set the volume manually.

Q: I am getting the message: "Unable to connect to recognizer."

This means that there was something wrong with the network connection between our servers and your browser, and our web site was not able to connect to our recognition servers. Make sure you can connect to the Internet, reload the video, and try again. If you see this error message repeatedly, please email us the date and time when this happened so we can investigate it.

Q: I am getting the message: "Please try recording again. Several words were not heard."

The speech recognizer knows what words you are supposed to speak, and when it doesn't hear several of the words it's expecting, then it will ask you to record them again. This could happen for example if you stopped the recording before finishing a sentence, but it could also happen if you speak some words much more softly than others. Just try it again and see if it works the next time.

Q: I am getting the message "Please try recording again" followed by a microphone message.

Our recognizer was not able to understand your recording, and it's letting you know that this happened because your voice was either too soft, too loud, or there was too much background noise. If the volume was too high or too low the first time, then the application adjusts the microphone automatically, and is ready for your next recording.

Here are some of the messages you may see:

• "Please try recording again. Microphone was too loud. Mic volume has been lowered from original volume to new volume."
  • Just try recording again
• "Please try recording again. Microphone was too quiet. Mic volume has been raised from original volume to new volume."
  • Just try recording again
• "No audio received. Please check microphone setup, and try recording again. You may also want to check your system settings and mic hardware."
  • The application tried increasing your microphone volume to the maximum, but it still didn't hear anything. Make sure your computer's system settings for the microphone are correct and that you have the right device selected in the video player's microphone settings.
• "Too much noise in the background. Please make sure to record in a quiet environment."
  • If there is a lot of noise around you when you are recording our recognizer may not be able to understand what you said. It's best to try to record in as quiet an environment as possible.

If you have selected in the video player to adjust your microphone manually, then you may also get a message from time to time instructing you to lower or raise your microphone recording level. You adjust this level by clicking on the "Microphone Setup" button under the player and then adjusting the slider on the "Volume Settings" screen to the level that was recommended in the error message.