Steve,
I think Debbie gave us the solution which works with versions of JAWS prior
to the addition of the sound card manager. So, as they used to say in an
old TV commercial, "Stop, you're both right!"
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Forst" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 13:36
Subject: Re: SignaLink and JAWS
> I'm sure this will work, but it is a lot easier to just open JAWS, then
> in the drop down menu go to "utilities", then "sound card". "default"
> will probably be checked. This means that whatever device windows sees
> as the default, JAWS will try and use. Arrow down the list till you see
> the name of your on board sound card and select it. Now JAWS will
> always use that sound card, no matter what other sound devices are
> installed.
>
> I don't remember what version of JAWS added this feature, but it has
> been a few years.
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
> On 6/5/2013 1:22 PM, Deborah Armstrong wrote:
>> I love my Signalink. I mostly use it with AGW (sound card packet) but
>> have
>> tried other modes.
>>
>> There are things you can do to ensure your screen reader never tries to
>> use
>> the card. (The SignaLink is a USB sound card, and by default, once you
>> plug
>> it in, the screen reader may try to speak through it, which you do not
>> want.)
>>
>> For example, This works for JAWS and any sort of secondary sound device
>> you
>> want to ensure JAWS never uses.
>>
>> Find the exact name for your primary sound device, or any device you want
>> JAWS to consistently use. For example, in XP, I go to volume control, and
>> in
>> its menu, select Options and properties. There is a list of "mixer"
>> devices.
>> My particular choices are "Sound Max HD Audio" and "Microsoft Sound
>> Mapper",
>> and since I want the first choice, I use the virtual buffer in JAWS
>> (Insert-Alt-W) to capture the exact text of that "mixer" name. Note that
>> some Windows programs, for example Studio Recorder, call it a "Wave
>> device"
>> but mixer, sound device and wave device are synonymous Windows terms.
>>
>> If you use something occasionally, like a Plantronics headset, bluetooth
>> speaker or Skype USB phone, when it's not connected it doesn't appear in
>> the
>> list.
>>
>> In Windows 7, with some generic USB speakers connected, I find the mixer
>> name by typing Sound in the search box, and from the results list, I
>> select
>> "change sound card device". It takes me to control panel's "Sound applet"
>> on
>> the playback page, where a list of devices is displayed. In my case, I
>> have
>> a device named "speakers" and another device called "Speakers,
>> 3-D-Flex". I
>> had to unplug and plug back in both sets of speakers to figure out which
>> was
>> which. The 3-D flex were some generic things I picked up at a swap meet
>> which make JAWS sound awesome and music sound dreadful.
>>
>> Once I've got the exact string with proper spelling,spacing and
>> punctuation, I open JFW.ini or synth.ini.
>>
>> Go to Jaws, Explore JAWS, Explore program Files, and if it's JAWS 14, you
>> want synth.ini. If it's an older JAWS, you want jfw.ini.
>>
>> Inside JFW.ini, find the entry for eloquence:
>> Synth1Name=eloq
>> Synth1LongName=Eloquence Software
>> Synth1Driver=eloq
>>
>> And below that add:
>> Synth1Port="Sound Max HD Audio"
>>
>> .. Or whatever string you discovered is the exact name for your mixer
>> device. Put it in quotes, with only spaces inside the quotes if spaces
>> are
>> part of the string. No spaces on that line outside of the quotes. If you
>> make a mistake, you loose speech -- so be warned!
>>
>> On one of my machines, the actual audio device is called "RealTek
>> High-Definition Audio" but on another, that's simply a comment in the
>> list
>> of devices, the actual mixer name is "Speakers".
>>
>> If you use JAWS 14, the synth.ini is a bit different:
>> [Eloquence Software]
>> ItemLong="Eloquence Software"
>> ItemDriver="eloq"
>> ItemShort="eloq"
>> ItemType="Driver"
>> ItemPortString=""
>>
>> Synth.ini already has an entry under eloquence labeled ItemPortString so
>> you
>> just put your mixer name inside the quotes. For example:
>> ItemPortString="Speakers, 3-D-Flex""
>>
>> Notice that in this last example a comma was actually part of the mixer
>> device name. Be super careful to get the exact string correctly nestled
>> between those quotes! Don't mindlessly cut and paste from instructions on
>> the net!
>>
>> If you like to use the JAWS voice profiles, you can actually configure
>> different voices to use different sound devices. In my case, I've got my
>> laptop set so that no matter what I plug in,JAWS wil always, always use
>> the
>> built-in speaker.
>>
>> It's a very good idea to back up those ini files first, and to have an
>> alternate screen reader available, such as NVDA if you mess something up
>> and
>> loose speech, or if my instructions, which work great on my machines,
>> fail
>> to work on yours. I can use my Braille display to bail me out when speech
>> goes south, and I've got a sighted hubby who will rescue me if all else
>> fails, but you might not have these advantages.
>>
>> Last disclaimer: I'm not a JAWS tech support person; just a hobbyist who
>> likes hacking JAWS, so there are no guarantees here!
>>
>> --Debee [KF6BKR]
>>
>>
>>
>
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