Voice Transcription or Dictation for Linux?

[ewanrg]

Linux ViaVoice used to be available from IBM - first as a paid product, and then later as a free download. However IBM evidently still was getting too much volume for too little return, and now you can't get ViaVoice in any directly runnable format. You can still get setup as an IBM developer to DL the Linux SDK for Via Voice, but then you have to go to a lot of additional effort to roll your own program to make the various pieces run together. The main Linux program I've been able to find (XVoice) still requires that you have a copy of the ViaVoice binaries to run, although their FAQ claims they are looking at other open source engines.

So I'm hoping there's something out there that has been built that I haven't found so far...

Alternately, if anyone knows of a USB foot pedal that can control playback of a WAV or MP3 file under Linux, that would be a "next best option". They make these for Windows, but haven't found one of those for Linux yet either...

Thanks,
Ewan

[Dolda2000]

If you're mainly looking for an auxiliary input device to control MP3 playback, then may I suggest a home-brew IR reciever and an IR remote control? I'm using that for all my MP3 playback along with my own lirccd.

See http://www.lirc.org/ for home-brew recievers and software.

[ewanrg]

Problem with remotes is they generally aren't designed for foot control...

In transcription, you want to keep your hands on the keyboard, and use your foot to control the playback (usually two pedals or one pedal that can be rocked).

Again, the "preferred" option would be something that can take my voice input and directly convert to text like Via Voice and other technologies for Windows allow. Then transcription becomes simply fixing the errors...

Thanks,
Ewan

[Dolda2000]

Oh, I see your point.

Well, I've been looking for something like that as well, although not as actively as you have. I seem to remember finding something, though. Unfortunately, it was such a long time ago that I can't remember quite clearly. I'll try to research it at come back.

[farnham]

I'm also interested in linux software that can control sound players-- for me, a "backspace" is necessary but not a foot pedal. I do quite well with function keys such as F2, F3, F4 to control playback. Please let me know if you've heard anything. Thanks ------ -------

By the way, the software that converts directly to text is better called "speech recognition" software to distinguish it from transcription or dictation or voice software. (:

Farnham