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Technical Support Information
CONTENTS
- Installation of Latest Version of VSS Software Products from CDROM
- About Recording a Signal using a PC
- Procedure to Record a signal on a PC
- Procedure to Record using MS Windows Sound Recorder
- Simple and Quick Check of HW Connections and SW Settings
- Frequently occuring mistakes in Set-up (Connections and Signal Level)
- Can user make use of Multi-media microphone? Is SIU-D required?
- How to make recording in fields, camps etc?
- Transferring analog tape recorded data into PC
Free Downloadable Software To Test Signal Recording :
Instructions: Click on the link above to download the Software. Select 'Save' from the IE popup dialog. Once downloaded, open the 'Setup.exe' file from your desktop to install the Software.
To Download Reference Manual for Sound Blaster Card right click on the link and select 'Save Target As' :
- About SPL, dB Scale and Calibration
- Some Problems with Older Versions of VSS SW Products
- Upgradation
- Registration Error
- Opening Error
- Recording Error
- Overflow Error
- Analysis Error
- How to set the path in Windows 2000 / Windows XP?
I. Installation of VSS Software products
Installation procedure is explained with respect to VagPro_SB_Therapy. Similar procedure is to be followed for installation of other SW as well.
Procedure to Install VagPro_SB_Therapy :
Insert the CD-ROM. After a short delay, meant for loading, an Auto Run Program begins to execute.
If Auto Run Program DOES NOT execute then browse the CD to locate and click on
 setup_therapy.exe file.
A Welcome dialog box appears as show below. Click on Next Button to continue.
After carefully reading the license agreement, select ‘I accept the agreement’ and click on the Next Button.
Check 'Create a desktop icon' and click on Next Button.
A Progress Window appears displaying the installation process.
A dialog box appears. Select VB5 Run Time DLLs.
Select Hardware Lock Driver for Parallel Port or USB Port depending on the type of lock supplied to you. Click on Finish Button.
A dialog box appears. Click on Yes Button.
A dialog box appears. Click on Install button to Install the driver.
 
Now you have successfully installed VagPro_SB_Therapy.
Plug in the 'hardware lock' to either Parallel Port or USB Port.
Installaion is complete.
Caution: 25 pin female connector at the back panel may not always be a standard parallel port.
To Run the Vaghmi software:
Click on the icon on the desktop to run the therapy program.
Note1: If the user is installing more than one VSS SW product then the last step of VB5 and hardware lock installation needs be done only once.
Note2:If error message like 'path not found' pop up after u click on the Vaghmi icon then refer how to set path.
Procedure to Uninstall VSS SW Products:
Uninstallation procedure is explained with respect to VagPro_SB_Therapy. Similar procedure may be followed for other products.
Click on Start->Control Panel. Wait till a new window appears. Then Click on 'Add Or Remove Programs'
A window appears with a list of installed programs. Select VagPro_SB_Therapy and click on Remove Button.
Now click on YES button to continue.
A progress window appears displaying the status of the uninstallation.
A dialog box appears .Cilck on OK button.
Delete 'C:\Program Files\VagPro_SB_Therapy' Folder.
In case of diagnostics, delete 'C:\Samples' and 'C:\Vaghmi' Folders.
Un-installaltion is complete.
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II. About Recording a Signal using a PC
A. Procedure to Record a signal on a PC
The procedure for recording a signal on a PC is independent of VSS SW Products like Vaghmi, SSL, AudioLab.
It is very important to understand the procedure for effective use of VSS Products.
If recording setup is incorrect then signal will not be acquired.
Recording Setup consists of HW connections and
SW Settings with Recording Control.
In VSS Products the following menus are provided:
'Help->How to Record? HW' explains procedure for HW connections.
'Help->How to Record? SW' explains the procedure for selecting Recording Control.
HW Connections:
1. Sockets on PC for Hardware connections
These sockets may be located in the front panel or back panel of PC.
Note the color code displayed on the panel.
(a) Connect Speaker/HeadPhone to socket marked 'Speaker' or 'Headphone'.
(b) Connect Multi-media Mic (that usually comes along with the Headphone) to 'Mic In' Socket. Though this is a stereo socket it only records a mono signal.
(c) Connect SIU-D output or tape recorder output or any other electrical signal of appropriate voltage to Line-in. Line-In can record a stereo signal.
 
2. SIU-D Connections
SIU stands for Speech Interface Unit. It is a two channel balanced amplifier.
- Connect the SIU-D Output to the 'LINE-IN' Blue color socket
- Connect the Dynamic Mic and Oral-Nasal mic to the SIU-D.
- Toggle the switch to left if you are using Dynamic Mic
- Toggle the switch to right if you are using Oral-Nasal Mic set.
- In the latest model of SIU-D, provision is made to connect Electret condensor Mic to SIU-D.
Not shown in the Figure. The Electret condensor is similar to Multi-media Mic. This avoids frequent invoking of Recording Control.
SW Settings:
There are two SW controls: Volume Control and Recording Control.
Volume Control is a MIXER - That is, it can add signals from several sources and play it on the headphone or speakers.
For example, when you are playing music from a CD or website, you can also play a wave file. Both signal are heard superposed.
Figures below show two methods on how to open: Volume Control.
Click on Start->Programs->Accessories->Entertaintement->Voulme Control
Or
Right Click on Speaker Icon in the Task Bar
Volume Control is meant for controlling the play back level of each of the sources.
Note that there is a slider for each signal source. Balance is meant for controlling the output of Left/Right channels for a stereo signal.
This is not relevant for Microphone.
Note that there is an option called 'Mute' at the bottom of each of the panels.
When 'Mute' is checked the output from the checked source is switched-off.
Recording Control
The following figure shows the procedure to open Recording Control.
Open Volume Control as shown above. Then select Menu 'Options->Properties'
Select 'Recording'. Check 'Microphone' and 'Line'.
Recording Control SELECTS only ONE SOURCE at a timefor recording.
Sliders are software gain controls. The position of the sliders must preferably be at the middle.
Balance is meant for controlling the relative gains of Left/Right channels for a stereo signal.
This is not relevant for Microphone Input.
Balance must be at the middle for a good recording.
Check 'Select' box in 'Microphone' panel when using Multi-media Mic.
Check 'Select' box in 'Line' panel when using SIU-D.
Figure below shows the input source is from 'Line', i.e., from SIU-D.
Signal Paths:
There are two possible Signal Paths.
Signal Path 1: Connect Multi-Media Mic to Mic-In Socket->In Recording Control Check 'Select' box in 'Microphone' panel - >Set Software Gain using the Slider.
Signal Path 2: Power On SIU-D -> Switch on Dynamic Mic -> Toggle Switch to Left OR Use Oral_Nasal Set-up -> Toggle Switch to Right ->
Connect cable from the Back Panel of SIU-D to Line-In Socket -> In Recording Control check 'Select' box in 'Line' panel -> Set Proper HW Gain on SIU-D and SW Gain using the Slider in 'Line' panel.
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B. Procedure to Record using MS Windows Sound Recorder:
If there is a doubt that VSS products are not recording the signal properly then the user can bypass VSS products and record the signal using MS Windows Sound Recorder program. This also ascertains if the HW connections and SW Settings are correctly made.
1. To Open Sound Recorder Program:
Click on Start->Programs->Accessories->Entertainment->Sound Recorder
2.Select 'Properties' from the File Menu
3.Click on 'Convert Now' button
- Select '16.000 kHz,16bit mono'
- Click 'Save As' Button and type 'VAGHMI'
- Cilck 'Ok' Button
- Next time you may directly select 'VAGHMI' from 'Name' combo box
4. Now click on 'Record' Button and record a phonation or an utterance.
Click on 'Stop' Button after recording
Click on 'Play' Button to listen the recording
Select 'Save' from File Menu
Select Folder and give appropriate file name
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C. Simple and Quick Check of HW Connections and SW Settings:
a) Open both Recording Control and Volume Control.
Use Multi-media Microphone. Select 'Microphone' on Recording Control.
Keep slider in mid position.
In Volume Control, Un-Check the 'Mute' for Microphone. Keep slider in mid position.
Now speak into multi-media microphone. You will hear echo over speakers or headphone.
If you do not hear the echo then some thing is missing in the links of the Signal Path. Check again.
When recording a signal for analysis, 'Mute' must be checked to avoid recording echoes.
b) Open both Recording Control and Volume Control.
Use Oral-Nasal Microphones. Switch on SIU-D. Put toggle switch to Right.
Select 'Line' on Recording Control.
Keep slider in mid position.
In Volume Control, Un-Check the Mute for Line-In. Keep slider in mid position.
Now speak softly into Oral (lower) microphone.
You will hear (strong) echo over the Left speaker or headphone. Strictly speaking you must hear only over one channel. Since the upper nasal microphone also picks up the signal while speaking into oral microphone the signal is heard over the other channel.
If you do not hear the echo then some thing is missing in the links of the Signal Path.
Check again .
Now speak into Nasal (upper) microphone. You will hear strong echo over Right speaker or headphone. Strictly speaking you must hear only over one channel. Since the lower oral microphone also picks up the signal while speaking into nasal microphone the signal is heard over the other channel.
If you do not hear the echo then some thing is missing in the links of the Signal Path.
Check again for hardware connections and software settings.
When recording a signal for analysis, Mute must be checked to avoid recording echoes.
Hidden Special Effects:
Under the microphone panel in Recording control, click on "Advanced'. Uncheck all special effects (like boost) while recording.
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D. Frequently occurring Mistakes in the Set-up:
a) Cable from SIU-D is given to MIC-IN socket - How to detect this mistake?
Ans:
(i) Select 'Line' from Recording Control. Try recording a stereo signal using Oral-Nasal Microphone set-up.
If both oral and nasal channel levels are always the same then it is likely that the SIU-D output cable from the back panel is given to MIC-In.
(ii) Second method requires some experience in interpreting the signal waveform. Record a sustained vowel 'aaa..'. Display the signal using any of the VSS Products.
The signal waveform appears with a flat top.
b) Multi-media Mic-In jack (pink) connected to Line-In socket (blue)- How to detect this mistake?
Ans:
Switch-off SIU-D. Select 'Microphone' from Recording Control. Speak through the Multi-media microphone.
If the signal is not recorded then the above mistake has occurred.
Multi-media microphone requires DC voltage supply which is provided through the Mic-In socket.
Though multi-media jack and socket are stereo, the signal is mono and the other channel is used for DC supply.
c) Connections are correct but signal is not recorded
Proper selection is not made in the Recording Controls
OR the gain setting on the slider is in a very low position (very low gain).
Toggle switch on SIU-D is to the right while using dynamic microphone
or Toggle switch is to the left while using Oral-Nasal Microphones.
d) Signal Level is very low
Q: How to detect the mistake?
Ans:
Recorded Signal level will be very low under the following possible situations:
a) Mic-IN and Line-In cables are interchanged.
Amplified signal from SIU-D is fed into Mic-In socket.
When the user is speaking into
multi-media microphone the distant microphone connected to SIU-D picks up the user's spoken material (acoustic signal) and amplifies and feeds to live channel of Mic-In. Hence signal level will be low.
b) Mic-In and Line-In connections are correct but Toggle switch on SIU is to the Right and the User is speaking into dynamic microphone but the distant Oral-Nasal channel microphones pick up the signal. Hence level will be low. Or Vice-Versa, i.e., Toggle switch on SIU is to the Left and the User is speaking Oral-Nasal channel microphones but distant dynamic microphone pick up the signal.
c) The gain setting on the slider bar of Recording Control is in a low position.
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E. Can the user make use of Multi-media microphone? Is SIU-D required for a recording?
User can make use of one of two possible options
- to make use of multi-media microphone.
- to make use of dynamic microphone and SIU-D.
Which of the options to be preferred?
Multi-media microphone is to be preferred if the user is interested in interpreting the inverse filtered signal.
The disadvantages of multi-media microphone are:
(a) Extremely sensitive to low frequency signals – Hence it picks up the slightest physical movement of hand holding the microphone. This results in incorrect shimmer measurements. A large low frequency component may affect the accuracy of analysis.
The thin foam cover is to prevent picking up breath and other low frequency components such as air blown from a fan.
The client must hold the microphone steadily but not rigidly.
If used with a head gear, client must not move the head while speaking or phonating. A high chair with head rest is to be preferred.
Extraneous low frequency disturbances such as from fan, Air conditioner, strong wind currents must be avoided.
(b) The multi-media microphone has too much of low frequency gain compared to high frequency components. Hence it may not be very suitable for fricative therapy.
Dynamic microphone with SIU-D is to be preferred for
(a) Articulation therapy and
(b) For voice therapy other than glottal waveform and
(c) Voice diagnosis if inverse filtering signal is not used.
For nasalence measurement Two Microphones Setup with SIU-D has to be used.
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F. How to make a recording in fields, camps etc?
User can utilize a lap top computer and a multi-media microphone for recording. Certain precautions are to be taken while using multi-media microphone as discussed above in E.
Digital tape recorders may be used. However, user has to make sure that the quality of recording is good, frequency response is acceptable, desired sampling frequency is available. Else, sampling rate conversion programs have to be used.
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G. Transferring analog tape recorded data into PC:
The analog tape recorder must preferably have ‘Line-Out’ socket and an appropriate stereo cable to connect from ‘Line-Out’ of tape recorder to ‘Line-In’ socket on the PC. In case the tape has to be played and the acoustic signal has to be transferred to PC, then a microphone must be keep very close to the speaker of the tape recorder. The microphone signal must be amplified using an amplifier such as SIU-D and the output of the amplifier must be fed via ‘Line-In’ socket on the PC.
Tape recorded signal can be used for voice analysis except for the interpretation of inverse filtered signal.
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III.About SPL, dB scale and Calibration
User must distinguish between SPL and dB level.
SPL is in dB scale but dB does NOT imply SPL.
The physical acoustic signal heard as sound has a certain ‘level’.
One has to distinguish amongst (a) physical acoustic signal, (b) recorded electrical signal, and (c) digitized signal in computer memory.
The physical acoustic signal heard as sound has a certain ‘level or intensity’.
For a pure tone, ‘intensity’ is proportional to the amplitude squared of the pressure wave captured over unit area.
Intensity is indepedent of frequency.
When the sound wave is not a pure tone, a concept called ‘mean squared value’ is used.
Mean squared value of a complex sound wave has the same energy as a hypothetical pure tone of certain
amplitude called the root mean squared (RMS) value.
Sound pressure level (SPL) is the ratio of the RMS value of the sound wave to a standard value expressed
in logarithmic scale. 10 times (deci) the logarithm of the ratio to base 10 is called deci-Bell or dB.
The amplitude of the pressure waves decreases with distance as per the inverse square law.
Hence the measured level depends on the distance between the source and the measuring apparatus.
SPL is measured at 1meter distance. But in clinical practice this is not feasible.
For close speaking condition the dB level is about 20 dB higher compared to the microphone held at 1 meter distance.
Engineers use dB scale in a different manner. The unit deci-Bell can be applied to any positive number.
For example, the number 1000 is 10log(1000) = 30 dB.
One has to distinguish between dB scale and SPL though the unit for later is also dB.
When a signal level is said to be of certain ‘dB’ level it need not necessarily mean that it refers to its SPL.
Hence the situation in which ‘dB’ is used has to be carefully noted.
A digitized signal in computer memory is stored as numbers.
As per the engineering definition, a pure tone of peak amplitude, say, ‘200’ will have a line spectrum of level of 43 dB.
Here the amplitude ‘200’ is of arbitrary unit and not the peak amplitude of the pressure wave.
When this pure tone is played via a sound card the output will not correspond to 43 dB SPL.
It also does not mean that the signal corresponds to the recording of a pure tone is done at 43 dB.
In fact, the pure tone may be a synthetic tone. Hence it is very important to distinguish between SPL and dB scale.
When a sound signal is recorded on a computer, the reference datum is lost.
A microphone picks up the sound wave.
Sensitivity of a microphone is the voltage produced for unit pressure intensity of the sound signal.
To retain the original sound pressure level, one has to know accurately the sensitivity of the microphone
and its frequency response.
A standard distance between the microphone and the source must be maintained (one meter).
Usually the microphone signal is amplified.
The amplification factor must be well controlled.
If the gain of the amplifier is continuously variable then it is difficult to monitor the gain.
Further, if the signal is transferred to a computer via digitization, additional variable factors determine the amplitude.
Calibration:
Standard equipment can be used to measure SPL.
The cost of the equipment can range from a few thousand to few lakh rupees
depending on the accuracy and sophistication.
The level of a signal in computer memory can be stated in SPL
only if SPL is simultaneously measured along with the recording and this information is
saved along with the recorded signal.
If SPL is measured for one signal of known RMS value then the SPL for other signals can be
computed provided the recording conditions are identical.
This is the principle used in calibrating of VSS SW products.
Calibration information is saved in a file called 'calib.txt'. This consists of 4 lines of information
- 2000 (RMS Value)
- 100 (dB level read on SPL meeter when the RMS was 2000)
- 80 (background noise level in dB)
- 112 (clipping level in dB).
Note: The level of 100 dB is measured with close speaking microphone instead of standard 1 meter distance.
Actual value would be 20 dB less. That is, 80 dB.
The background noise level includes electronic noise of PC bus and amplifiers.
CAUTION
If the entries in the above file are corrupted then unexpected errors may occur in VSS SW products.
Though there is a provision to change the calibration (RMS and its corresponding dB value) via 'Calibration menu' option, it has to be done with caution along with a SPL meter.
However, the user may measure and change the background noise level as per the recording environmental conditions.
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VI. Problems with Older Versions of VSS SW Products
a. Upgradation:
Microsoft Operating Systems (OS) has undergone a series of revisions:
DOS to Windows95 to Windows 98 (First Edition) to Windows98 (Second Edition) to Windows XP to Vista.
Also VB and VC of MS also has undergone many revisions.
VSS products have been developed using VB and VC of Microsoft.
At VSS we strive to keep up with the latest changes.
Many of our customers have not upgraded VSS software products and hence may be facing problems. We strongly recommend the users to upgrade their software to the latest version. We offer attractive prices for upgradation.
Also, exchange offer to change over to rental scheme is available.
Problems in running the Older Versions of Software:
The user must be thorough About Recording a Signal using a PC
It has been noticed that some of the support files are corrupted or have improper entries. This makes the product not perform as expected or suddenly close giving 'File Not Found' or 'Run Time Error' etc. The most common type of problems encountered and the remedies are given below:
Definition:
Application Folder
VSS Software is usually installed under 'C:\Program Files\' Folder.
Thus VagPro_SB_Therapy will be installed in the folder 'C:\Program Files\VagPro_SB_Therapy'.
This is called Application Folder.
Sub-Folders
There are many support files that are required to run the EXEcutable file.
These are saved in sub-folders under Applications Folder. Example: \User\, \Misc\ etc.
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b. Registration Error
Condition: When a file or a client is to be registered and the registration date or date of birth has to be entered an error occurs.
This error may occur in Vaghmi Advanced Diagnostics, Vaghmi Basic Diagnostics and SSL.
Requirement: The file MSCAL.OCX has to be manually registered.
Locate the file 'mscal.ocx' .
For example: assume that the file is located in the
path1=C:\Program Files\VagPro_Diagnostics2v3\Misc\MSCAL.OCX.
Action: Due to version difference this file has to be specifically registered.
Click on 'Start', select 'Run' , enter regsvr32 "path1" or regsvr32 /i "path1".
(path1 is the string shown in bold in the italics example).
A message mscal.ocx has been successfully registered must appear.
Bypass MSCAL.OCX?
If problem with mscal.ocx persists then it can be bypassed.
Action:
Open the file C:\Program Files\VagPro_Diagnostics2v3\User\USECAL.TXT.
Change the entry from 1 to 0 and save the file.
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c. Opening Error
Condition: Program was working fine till the last usage, but, suddenly, as soon as Vagpro_Diagnostics or VagPro_Basic_Diagnostics or SSL_Pro is opened an error occurs. A message missing folder or directory may appear.
Requirement:
Information on the folder or directory last opened is saved in the file defaults.doc in the applications folder.
When the program is opened, if the folder or directory last used is missing then this error occurs
Or An error may occur when 'defaults.doc' is 'Read Only' as the program attempts to write in to this file.
Action:Delete the file 'defaults.doc' and restart the program Or
Right click on 'defaults.doc', select 'Properties' from the pop up menu and un-check 'Read Only'.
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d. Recording Error
Condition: When user clicks on 'Run' in Therapy or clicks on 'Record' in 'Acquire Signal' option
then error occurs with the message 'File is busy' or 'Missing file' or a run-time error may occur'.
Requirement: Older version of programs uses files with names beginning with 'samp_16_16_*' or 'samp_16_8*' with extension bak or wav etc.
If these files are missing or if these have been marked as 'Read Only' then an error occurs.
Action: The missing files have to be copied from the original CD.
Right click on the file, select 'Properties' from pop-up menu and un-check 'Read Only'.
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e. Overflow Error
Condition: In Therapy program, when the user clicks on 'Run' the signal is acquired but immediately there after an error occurs.
Requirement: There exists a support file 'calib.txt' in \Misc\ sub-folder. This would have been corrupted.
Action: Please enter 4 lines with default values in 'calib.txt' as follows:
2000
100
80
120
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f. Analysis Error
Condition: When a phonation signal is analysed it is marked as 'All Silent' though the signal is audible.
Requirement: Diagnostics program uses entires in calib.txt.
If the background noise level (third line) has a high value or
the RMS value and its corresponding dB level are improper then this type of error may occur.
Action: Enter default values in 'calib.txt'. Run 'Calibration' and check background noise level.
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g. How to set the path in Windows 2000 / Windows XP.
- From the desktop, right-click 'My Computer' and click 'properties'.
- In the System Properties window, click on the 'Advanced tab'.
- In the Advanced section, click the 'Environment Variables' button.
- Finally, in the Environment Variables window, highlight the 'path' variable in the Systems Variable section and click 'edit'. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you wish the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon as shown below.
Add or modify the path lines with the paths you wish the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon as shown below.
C:\Program Files;C:\Winnt;C:\Winnt\System32
Any Other Problems:
You are encouraged to send your queries to tva_vss@yahoo.com or vagmi_vss@yahoo.com to register your problems.
We will promptly reply and solve your problems.
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