I would like to find a way to use my boom headset to handle both incoming and outgoing calls as well as use Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I understand that I cannot do both things at the same time, I just want to be able to handle phone calls without switching headsets.

 

I know that there are several headsets available at the Knowbrainer store that would allow me to do this. I have looked at several and tried a few and for various reasons I much preferred to work with my boom headset. I have also tried using a zoom switch but I can never get that to work more than once or twice.

 

Google voice will also allow me to do what I want to do. It will allow you to make and receive phone calls. However, the main reason I want to do this is for use at work this I would like to make it seem as if the phone calls are coming from and going to my work phone number that the Google voice phone number.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

We see 2 possible scenarios that incorporate theBoom line of microphones

1. A VoIP application such as Google Voice or Skype would be ideally suited to any headset microphone but we know of no way to fudge (for lack of a better term) your actual phone address without hacking.

2. Use your computer's built-in modem or a $20 USB modem to place phone calls with KnowBrainer 2011. After triggering 1 of the numerous KnowBrainer phone call commands, disconnect the 1st theBoom cable from the 2nd cable and plug it into any wireless phone.

Obviously neither 1 of the previous choices are very good. We prefer the following method:

We spend approximately 4 to 6 hours on the phone daily and over time, we have developed a system that we believe works best for us. Rather than requiring a single microphone to pull double duty, like the Jabra Pro 9470 (which is specifically designed for this type of work) we chose to combine 2 microphones so that we can deploy commands in the middle of a phone conversation without having to put our client on hold. 2 microphones are also handy for Echo Dictation such as taking down an address. We originally used the 9470 for both speech recognition and telephone calls but eventually relegated it to just phone use. The 9470 is a fantastic telephone headset but it probably doesn't justify the cost. You can do nearly as well and save some significant coinage by purchasing a number of alternative wired or wireless telephone headsets as long as you don't need to use your headset for speech recognition. Having said that…

The SpeechWare 3-in-1 TableMike is our microphone of choice for speech recognition use for a number of reasons including not having to wear a headset. We take every phone call that comes in but if we get stacked up, we will take down numbers and return calls. This is where KnowBrainer 2011 comes in. If we are busy, when a call comes in, we will record the clients name and phone number in Microsoft OneNote (because it's convenient). When we finish our original phone call, we deploy the KnowBrainer Call Back command which copies the entire note to the clipboard, opens Windows Dialer, types 1 (for long-distance), pastes the phone number into the dialing box, presses the Dial button, waits 7 seconds, verbally tells us to pick up the receiver and exits Dialer. A few seconds later, a message appears on the screen asking us if we would like to delete that note and if we reach the client, we just click the {Enter} Key to acknowledge the message and delete note. We also have commands for dialing Outlook contacts, global frequent calls (like Call Dominoes) or just highlighting an overseas phone number saying Call International. If you receive or place a lot of phone calls, 2 separate microphones will allow you to take notes and automate phone dialing.

Caveat: This system will not work with a standard business phone but will work on any analog phone system, VoIP for hybrid systems such as Vonage. We utilize these phoning commands on our PBX system which incorporates 1 landline and 2 Vonage lines.

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Is it possible that this would work? Using Google voice and having the calls forwarded from my office phone to my Google voice phone.

This way I would be able to deploy speech recognition commands while I was on the phone. Theoretically all I would have to do when I received an incoming call would be to hit the plus button to stop the microphone for Dragon. I am not completely sure if this solution would work because I am not completely familiar with call forwarding and I do not know how easy it is to enable or disable it on the typical office phone.

It seems like it might be the easiest solution if it will actually work of course :-). Has anyone ever had success with the zoom switch? I purchased it some time ago but I was not able to get into consistently work with my laptop

 

We can't answer your Google voice question because we already have a viable solution in place. You'll probably have to test this for yourself but the ZoomSwitch will neither help or hinder because it is nothing more than a USB soundcard that includes an RJ 11 input Jack which will allow you to utilize non-speech recognition microphones, such as the wireless Plantronics CS540, as a speech recognition or VoIP microphone.

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Actually, if you get an RJ nine switch for the boom you are able to connect it to the zoom switch. I have talked to  tech support for both theboom and the zoom switch and neither of them have been much help to me. I was able to get the switch to function with the boom headset once, but then I unplugged everything and I haven't been able to make the switch fully functional since then.

Tech support assures me that it should work but when I tell them are having problems they just keep sending me more of the same cables.

 

We have experienced a fair amount of trouble with the USB ZoomSwitches and only recommend them as a last resort.

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I may have found the answer to my speech recognition/telephone problem with these two products.

http://www.vxicorp.com/products/contact-center-and-office-solutions/corded/talkpro/

http://www.vxicorp.com/products/contact-center-and-office-solutions/amplifiers-dialpads/ct-computer-telephone-switch/

I'm not exactly sure which of the headsets they offer is compatible with the switch but I would imagine that one of the new models is compatible with the computer telephone switch.

There are actually a lot of wired headsets that will work with the telephone but it is nice to find one that should work well for speech recognition as well.

If anybody has tried out a combination of these two products successfully please let us know.

We discontinued selling the wired telephone/computer version of the TalkPro microphone quite a while ago because they're still utilizing the TalkPro Xpress headset which is notably inferior to the newer line of TalkPro microphones (that include USB soundcards). This product also never sold and is the only wired telephone headset we have come across. All others are wireless but 1 nice feature is that you can talk to your computer and telephone simultaneously, if you press and hold the button down. It's not just an on off switch, it's also a combination “push to talk” switch. Also note that the CT Computer Telephone Switch is scheduled to be eliminated and we believe the product has already been discontinued.

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Thanks for the information. For a moment there I really thought I will find something. I hate to be a bother but from your post I couldn't quite tell. Do this new talk pro headsets work with the CT switch?

Also from your post I couldn't really tell. Do you recommend the new talk pro headsets? It seems like you have rated them fairly highly of the microphone comparison matrix. Again, I hate to be a bother with all this I really just want to find some sort of wired solution or soft phone that would work for me.

The thing that I really don't like about the wireless headsets is that it seems to me like most of them need to have their receivers plugged into the wall. I use a power wheelchair and it is often times difficult for me to get to the outlets. So that is why I am searching for a wired solution.

Thank you very much for all the information and advice you have been a great help.

 

With the exception of the TalkPro Xpress all of the new TalkPro headsets are excellent. Note that the TalkPro SC1 will eventually become the replacement for the TalkPro Xpress. They look virtually like except that SC1 includes the newer technology.

Unfortunately the CT Switch is proprietary to a specific TalkPro Xpress microphone that is outdated. However, VXI makes another switching device that will accept any headset microphone including the competition such as theBoom “O” microphone although interestingly enough, will not work with any of the new TalkPro USB (fused together) microphones but would work with the TalkPro SC1. This product is called the PCTI 2 but you probably won't find this device because it's also been discontinued. The PCTI included a three-way switch which would allow you to switch to the computer, switch to the phone or optionally talk to your computer and telephone simultaneously. We had to stop selling the PCTI because it lacked proper shielding and we suspect it didn't sell well enough for VXI to invest additional R&D to take care of the problem.

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Lunis, thank you for the information. 

Do you have any experience using this switch?

http://shop.andreaelectronics.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=P-C1-1020700-1

 I ordered one last night before I saw your reply. It seems to have the same name but it is made by Andrea Electronics, not vxi. I will give it a shot and report back on how it works for me.

Thanks for all the information I really appreciate it

 

 

We stopped selling the PCTI 3 on our website because 75% of our customers returned it. We informed Andrea Electronics that their units included unacceptable shielding ranging from buzzing to picking up a gospel station (lower FM frequencies). Without exception, every PCTI switch we tried resulted in lower accuracy. However, we haven't tested a unit in at least 6 years so perhaps you will have better luck

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I hope I have better luck. I suppose that something could have changed quite a bit in six years. Of course this may just be wishful thinking. I was hoping that since it was made by Andrea and not by VXI there may be some improvements that have been made to the device.

Andrea has been innovating but most of their R&D has been put into the soundcard and music headphone department. From a speech recognition point of view, there had been no improvements in well over a decade. By comparison, VXI has released what we consider to be the world's best Bluetooth microphone (keep in mind that we are not impressed by any Bluetooth microphones) and more importantly, revamped their entire speech recognition microphone line with a vastly superior product, over the last few months. It should also be noted that VXI has always included a two-year warranty. Most microphone manufacturers only include a one-year warranty.

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Thank you for the information. I ordered the switch but when it arrived it was defective and I wasn't even able to turn on the device. I have requested an RMA and I am hoping to receive and other functioning item. I will write back and let everyone know how it goes. Hopefully something has changed over the years and this device can be useful for myself as well as other people.