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โOS X Setup
Unless you keep reading, OS X will use the iPhone-style recognizer that transmits all speech waveforms to Apple for analysis via the internet; this is neither fast nor usable.
OS X (Mavericks/later) offers a better-quality speech recognizer available via free optional download from Apple: it does not require a live internet connection and does not have a recognition time limit and other issues. You do initially need a live internet connection and some time to set it up:
โข Open System Preferences
โข Go to Dictation and Speech
โข Turn on Dictation
โข Click "Use enhanced dictation"
โข Wait for download and install, approximately 1 GB.
Use the Text to Speech tab to select the speaking voice, such as Alex or Vicki.
To activate speech recognition, click in Synthiaโs text input box, then click the function key or right command key twice (or whatever sequence you have set up in the OS X Dictation preferences).
OS X 10.9 and earlier: OS X disables speech synthesis during dictation, which is backwards and extremely unfortunate. (At most, it should disable recognition during synthesis, and even that is unnecessary when a headset is being used.) So either you must forego speech responses from Synthia, or you must click Done, click Synthiaโs Send button, then double-click Fn for each interaction. Apple fixed this in Yosemite. :-)
ยฉ2026 Boris FX, Inc.ย โย UNOFFICIALย โย Converted from original PDF.
