Relative to:
All Versions
Accuracy below 90%
Updated 9/29/02
What to Expect Dragon NaturallySpeaking can easily provide 98% or better accuracy at 120+ words per minute immediately after creating a voice profile for most users. 
How to obtain it This performance, however,  is dependent on following conditions ranked in order of importance :
  1. The computer, microphone, and sound card are delivering a clear, static free signal to the Speech Recognition software.
  2. The computer must meet or exceed the minimum Recommended Requirements, not the minimum System Requirements listed on the box,  In general the these requirements go up with each new release of the software, so check prior to upgrading.  Keep in mind:
      3.  
      A minimum system will provide minimum performance and maximum frustration.
  3. The microphone must be consistently placed at the proper position and distance near the corner of the mouth.
  4. The speaker must speak at a natural rate and volume, pronouncing the words clearly.
  5. Speakers that have a "middle american" or "television newscaster" american english accent should obtain 98% accuracy or better immediately after the voice enrollment. Most users should obtain 90% or better accuracy "out of the box" regardless of accent or dialect. Accuracy should climb rapidly for most users to 98% or better with in 10 hours of use, IF corrections are made properly.
Common 
Problems		 If you are able to get the expected accuracy and/or performance, check the following:
  • Microphone placement. A substantial drop in accuracy can occur if the microphone has moved down under the chin, or is too close to the front of the mouth where it is being hit by wind from the mouth.  Microphone placement alone can reduce accuracy from 99% to less than 70%.
  • Try enunciating the words clearly, making sure not to run works together. Voice all of the consonants in the words. For example say "Go To Sleep", not "goeda sleep".
  • Check that you have adequate RAM.  This may take a professional Technician. If starting NaturallySpeaking is causing a large increase in the swap file, or virtual memory, there may be an inadequate RAM problem.
  • Recording quality.  Use the Microsoft Recorder and your microphone to make a recording at 11,025 Hz, 16 bit, mono.  Play the recording back to make sure it is easy to hear and has no static or other background noise.
  • Run the Microphone Setup to recalibrate the microphone.
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