Changing System Access's settings is quick and easy. All you need to do to get to the options menu is press Modifier+F. When you do this, you will be presented with several customization options that will allow you to specify how System Access speaks to you.
Note about System Access, and System Access Mobile Preferences
Note, the settings that you choose from within the SA Mobile Network preferences will be used for System Access, unless you make changes within System Access specifically. Settings that exclusively pertain to System Access are the following:
- Start System Access when I log into the System Access Mobile Network on my primary computer.
This check box determines whether System Access starts as soon as you log onto the SA Mobile Network on your own computer.
- Start System Access when I log into the System Access Mobile Network from my PassKey or USB flash drive.
If you are using the SA Mobile Network on the road you may or may not want System Access to start at the same time that you connect to the SA Mobile Network.
- Start System Access when I log in to Windows.
This option only appears on your home machine. Use this checkbox to have System Access start after the computer's boot process is complete.
- Start System Access when the Windows Log On screen appears
This check box will allow System Access to run at the Windows Log On prompt. If this is the only check box that is checked, System Access will only run automatically within this Log On screen.
- Start System Access button
This is used to start System Access from within the System Access preferences dialog.
- Optional Messages
This preference allows you to decide how FBSA gives you various types of information. For example, you may hear, "Desktop Recycle Bin; 1 of 10". The "1 of 10" message can be turned off, spoken in a different voice, or spoken in the same voice.
System Access Menu
Connect to the System Access Mobile Network
This is the first thing you will notice when you bring up the SA menu. This option allows you to connect to the SA Mobile network where you can have a lot of fun and meet new friends along the way.
Preferences
The preferences option houses all of the preferences that you will need for System Access. A description of these preferences is below.
The last option is a link that closes the preferences window, but you can also tap Escape from anywhere.
General Preferences
Enable speech synthesis
This check box just enables, or disables speech output. If you want speech, just leave this check box alone, otherwise, check it by tapping the space bar once.
Turn on NumLock At Startup
This option turns on, or off NumLock when you connect to the SA Mobile Network. By default, NumLock will be turned on automatically when you connect to the SA Mobile Network. When NumLock is on, the key pad will act like a regular calculator. When NumLock is off, the key pad will allow you to perform directional commands, such as moving you up, down, left, right, and so forth.
Speak item numbers in numbered lists
Many pages in the SA Mobile Network, as well as some pages on other sites, have lists in which each item is preceded by a number. If you don't want the browser to speak those numbers, you can turn this option off.
Key Echo
If this option is turned on, the browser echoes any letters, and or numbers that you type, but it will not echo sensitive information such as passwords.
Word Echo
If this option is turned on, the browser will echo words that you type. For example if you are editing an email and type the word, "Hello" the browser will say, "Hello" when you press the space bar, enter, or tab/shift+tab keys.
Link Alert Type
This setting allows you to specify how you want links to be indicated, while you are listening to a page read continually. By default, links will be indicated by a tone. The indicator will be heard before the actual text of the link is spoken. You can also have links indicated by word, by selecting "Word" from the drop down list box. If you do not wish to here any link indicator, just select, "None" from the drop down list box. By selecting none, you will not hear any textual, or auditory alert before the name of the link itself. As a result, it may be somewhat difficult to accurately determine when links are present. Note, if you are arrowing through the page, or tabbing/shift+tabbing through the page, the alert indicator will not be used, regardless of the setting you choose. The setting is only applicable while continually reading through a page, such as with the control+down command.
Text-To-Speech Preferences
Much of the way SA speaks to you is controlled through this menu item. When you access this area, you will be presented with several options related to the System Access voices, rate of speech, punctuation and so on. We will go through each item in this window now
Text to Speech Engine
This setting lets you choose your primary speech engine. Use alt+Down arrow to open the list box. The choices are: Dec Talk, NeoSpeech VoiceText, Microsoft speech API 5, and Microsoft Speech API 4. Note that you will only have NeoSpeech VoiceText voices if you have purchased them from Serotek. Use your up, and down arrow keys to move through these choices. When you arrow to the one you want just tab to the voice list box. The voices list box will let you choose the type of voice that you want to use with a particular engine such as Paul, or Kate. Use your up or down arrow keys to make your selection, and when you get to the voice you want, just tab and move on through the settings.
Voice Rate
You can also control the rate of speech. The buttons, faster and Slower, will do this for you. Just move to the button, and press it with the space bar. You will hear, "This is a test of your speech settings." each time the buttons are pressed.
Voice Pitch Control
Pitch control will let you change the pitch of speech. Again, you have two buttons, higher, for higher pitch, and lower, for lower pitch. Again, each time you press the buttons, you will hear, "This is a test of your speech settings."
Punctuation
You can also control the punctuation that is spoken. To do this, move to the Punctuation list of choices, and press alt+down to open the list of choices. The punctuation choices are: none, some, most and all. When you have made your selection, just tap the tab key to move to the next item in the preferences.
When you are done customizing the voice settings, you can tab to the OK button, and then press the space bar to activate it. You can also activate the cancel button, which will not save your changes, or the reset button, which will reset these settings to the factory defaults.
Screen Magnification Preferences
The magnify the screen check box turns on screen magnification if it is checked. Un checking this check box will turn the magnification feature off.
The larger button increases the power of the magnification, while the smaller button decreases the power of the magnification.
The invert colors in the magnified image check box will flip the colors. So if you normally have a white background and black text, checking this option will give you the reverse, a black background, and white text.
Startup Preferences
The start System Access when I log onto windows check box will start System Access as soon as you log onto windows, or as soon as the windows logon screen disappears.
The Start a temporary instance of System Access when the Windows Logon screen appears check box allows System Access to speak while the windows log on screen is visible.
Manage My HomeServer
This is not a preference it of itself. However, it is a link that allows you to enable the System Access HomeServer service. The shortcut will allow you to remove the service from your system, or stop the service. Note, when you activate this link, you will be taken to a new page.
Document Scan
Document scan allows you to scan paper documents on any computer with a twain compatible scanner. Once a document is scanned, you can access it anywhere! You can also email it right from the document-scanning interface.
Remote Control Another Computer
This option allows you to connect to someone’s computer if they are a subscriber to the SA Mobile Network, or use System Access. Of course, this can only be accomplished with the person’s permission.
Submit a Program That Works Well with System Access
This item allows you to send details about a program that you feel works particularly well with SA! Just fill out the small form that pops up, and Serotek can then pass this info along to the people who can use it the most.
Help and Tutorials
This is a one-stop shop to text, and audio tutorials on how to use the basics of System Access, and the System Access Mobile Network. Oh Yeah, thanks for reading me now.
Shut Down System Access
When you want to turn off System Access this is where you can go to do it. Note the keyboard command at the end of this menu item, Modifier+F4. This means that you can press is keyboard combination from anywhere within Windows, and turn off System Access without going through the menus first. Keep track of other hot keys within menus to make your computing life a bit easier.