Chapter 18

Improving Audio Input

In This Chapter

arrow Diagnosing an audio input problem

arrow Running the microphone check to test input

arrow Getting your microphone working well

arrow Getting a USB microphone

arrow Choosing a better sound card

arrow Keeping things quiet

The old expression “garbage in, garbage out” takes on a different twist when you talk about speech recognition. If garbage goes in, Dragon Professional Individual reconstructs it into perfectly good words. It acts like a trash compactor: It makes garbage look better.

Of course, you aren’t talking trash. Nonetheless, your words may be trashed on their way to the laptop. The microphone or audio hardware may not be quite right. Or the microphone may have moved when you chugged your coffee. Or your office mates, appliances, or kids may be contributing background garbage of their own to your audio. The result may sound okay to your ears if you play it ...

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