I'm trying to talk to HAL through a microphone, but it's not working.

Solution

Related Product(s): All HAL Software

Cause: HAL wasn't put into listening mode. HAL isn't responding because it doesn't know that you want to talk to it.

Solution: Verify that HAL is in listening mode. If HAL doesn't say "Yes?" and there are no sound waves moving next to the ear icon, then HAL isn't in listening mode so it doesn't know that you're talking to it.

Left-click on the ear icon to put HAL into listening mode. Try issuing commands.

If you're using an attention word to get HAL's attention, then make sure that:

The attention word mode is enabled (see the ear icon).

Make sure you're saying the right attention word and/or that you're saying it as HAL expects it to be said. To double-check, go to the Personal Assistant Configuration screen and look at what is assigned for the attention word. Click the SPEAK WORD button to hear how HAL expects that attention word to be pronounced.

If you're doing everything above but HAL still doesn't respond, then make sure that there isn't a problem with the microphone or sound card (see below).

Cause: Microphone is bad, of poor quality, or not installed correctly. If the microphone doesn't work or if it's of poor quality, then there may be no audio going into HAL from the microphone or the audio could be of such poor quality that HAL can't understand what you're saying.

Solution: Determine if there is a problem with the microphone. Run the Microsoft Sound Recorder program by going to Start… Run… Type sndrec32 and click OK. The Sound Recorder screen will appear. Click the record icon (circle), say a few sentences into the microphone, then click the stop icon (square). Click the play icon (right arrow).

If you don't hear what you just recorded, then the microphone may not be working or isn't installed properly. Make sure that the microphone is installed correctly (consult the computer's or microphone's documentation for information on installing the microphone). If the microphone is installed correctly but there's no audio, then install a new microphone.

If you can hear what you recorded, but the audio is scratchy, intermittent, or otherwise difficult to understand, then the microphone may be going bad or is of poor quality. Replace the microphone and re-run the Sound Recorder program to see if the audio has improved.

Cause: Sound card not working or not installed properly. If the sound card isn't installed properly, then audio may not be going into the sound card or the audio may be intermittent.

Solution: First determine if there is a problem with the sound card. Run the Sound Recorder program (see above). If you don't hear your test recording, but you can hear other sound files (music CDs, MP3 files), then the problem could be a bad sound card or a bad microphone. If replacing the microphone doesn't solve the problem, then install a new sound card.

Cause: HAL isn't running or the computer's power management is enabled. If HAL isn't running or the computer's power management is enabled (hard drive spins down when not in use), then HAL can't control lights or appliances, download information from the Internet, answer phone calls, respond to verbal commands, or anything else.

NOTE: A computer consumes very little energy and can be left on all the time. Computer monitors do not need to be turned on when HAL is running, unless the computer's microphone is part of the monitor or powered by the monitor, in which case the monitor only needs to be on when you're interacting with HAL through that microphone.

Solution: If HAL isn't running, then start it by double-clicking on its desktop icon, if available, or by going to Start… Programs… HAL… HAL.

Disable the computer's power management if it's enabled. To disable it, go to Start… Settings… Control Panel. When the Control Panel screen appears, double-click on POWER MANAGEMENT. In the Power Management screen, set the field "Turn off hard disks" to NEVER. If the computer's microphone is part of the monitor or draws power from the monitor and you want to be able to talk to HAL at any time through the monitor, then you must set the field "Turn off monitor" to NEVER. If the computer's microphone isn't connected to the monitor in any way, then you can set the "Turn off monitor" field to any option.

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