Google Now is giving me the silent treatment

[Kilgore Trout]

So, prior to updating to 4.3, when I gave Google Now specific verbal commands, it would return back with a synthesized voice. I notice that google now stopped doing that recently, following the update.

I currently have s-voice disabled, and google text-to-speech is on the phone.

Any ideas?

 

[mark5019]

where did you get 4.3 as its not shown yet?

 

[STSVA]

So, prior to updating to 4.3, when I gave Google Now specific verbal commands, it would return back with a synthesized voice. I notice that google now stopped doing that recently, following the update.

I currently have s-voice disabled, and google text-to-speech is on the phone.

Any ideas?

It's probably either a Google Now setting or something in your general Google settings that got changed when you updated. I disabled Google Now a long time ago so I'm not sure what its settings look like, but that's where I'd start looking.

EDIT: I'm updated to Android 4.3 and just turned Google Now on in my Google Search app. It has voice entry activated, so I'm not sure why you're having the issue. Do you have voice search available if you go to www.google.com in a web browser?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It's probably either a Google Now setting or something in your general Google settings that got changed when you updated. I disabled Google Now a long time ago so I'm not sure what its settings look like, but that's where I'd start looking.

EDIT: I'm updated to Android 4.3 and just turned Google Now on in my Google Search app. It has voice entry activated, so I'm not sure why you're having the issue. Do you have voice search available if you go to www.google.com in a web browser?

Just to be clear, I can speak to Google NOW, it just won't answer my inquiries with a synthesized voice. I first noticed this the other day when I read about an "easter egg" on Droid-life. Apparently, if you say "Beam me up Scotty" to Google Now it comes back with a cute line from the original Star Trek series which it speaks outloud with its synthesized voice. I tried it on my Nexus 7, and it worked like a charm. I then tried it on my S4, and nothing.

BTW, I greatly appreciate the help.

- - - Updated - - -

where did you get 4.3 as its not shown yet?

Verizon pushed 4.3 several weeks ago.

 

[STSVA]

Just to be clear, I can speak to Google NOW, it just won't answer my inquiries with a synthesized voice. I first noticed this the other day when I read about an "easter egg" on Droid-life. Apparently, if you say "Beam me up Scotty" to Google Now it comes back with a cute line from the original Star Trek series which it speaks outloud with its synthesized voice. I tried it on my Nexus 7, and it worked like a charm. I then tried it on my S4, and nothing.

BTW, I greatly appreciate the help.

- - - Updated - - -



Verizon pushed 4.3 several weeks ago.

I misunderstood your question. I just tried "Beam me up Scotty" - its computerized voice told me "I dunna have the power". I'll try going through settings and see if something will turn that off, which you could then use to turn it on.

EDIT: Here's the Google help section on Voice - take a look at "speech output" - maybe you have handsfree only turned on so the voice will only work if headphones are plugged in?

Voice settings

Voice settings control different aspects of speech input and output when you search by voice or use Voice Actions:

Language. The language you select here for Voice Search input and output can be different from the language displayed by your device.
Speech output. To turn on speech output only when you've got a headset attached to your device, select Hands-free only.
Block offensive words. Check to ensure that search results with offensive language are blocked.
Hotword detection. When this is checked, you can say "Google" when viewing the Google Now screen rather than touching the Microphone icon to initiate a voice search or action.
Offline speech recognition. Choose to select one or more additional languages for speech recognition when you don't have a network connection.
Google Account dashboard. Manage the data for your Google Account.
Bluetooth headset. Perform voice searches or actions using a Bluetooth headset.

 

[Drsous11]

I have the same problem on 4.2.2. I uninstalled the updated version going back to the factory installed version. I asked Google a question and it would read it out to me, fixing the problem. This was after I tried going into the settings and have speech output to "always" on the updated version. I'm not sure if on 4.3 if the updated version is now your factory default one? My factory version is 2.4.10.626027

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Odd, when I say "Beam me up Scotty" it does a google search, but the phone does not speak to me at all.

I checked all the settings, and can't find anything. Help!

The phone is at 4.3, whatever factor version came down from VZW.


EDIT: I am such a big rookie dummy!

Settings>Sound>Volume>System

When VZW pushed the update to 4.3, it somehow altered that setting. Now the damn voice is back!


Sorry to waste everybody's time.

 

[Drsous11]

That's exactly what the updated version would do to me. All work but no talk... Go into your Google Now settings > Voice > Speech output and tell me what yours is on. Mine is on "Only when informative" if its not working try setting it to always? and report back

 

[Kilgore Trout]

No, I had it set to "always speak." The problem was in the Samsung system options. When Verizon pushed the 4.3 update, it somehow set my "system volume" to nothing. I have no explanation for why that happened.


Thanks for the help either way! Appreciated!

 

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Gotta say it's not you who are the dummy, Kilgore Trout, but whoever set up this update to do that! Anyway, reading this thread I found out about "Beam me up, Scotty." Too bad the lady robot does such a poor job of imitating Scotty's accent!

 

[mark5019]

oh ok thank you im on t mobile

 

[pp4life66]

FOUND ISSUE AND FIX!!
I had this exact problem, Google now was no longer reading out search responses. I tried every fix I could find (changing languages, clearing cache, making sure speech output is on, media volume is on, etc...etc...) and nothing worked. FINALLY I found the problem. A few backs in efforts to fix an audio sync issue with youtube I had turned on (checked) Use NuPlayer (experimental) in Developer option>Media. I simply uncheck it and google now is responding in speech to all my searches as it did in the past. Very happy to hear her voice again (creepy). Anyways hope this helps anyone else with this issue.

 

[jhkn]

go to settings, sound and vibration, volume, turn on media volume. Fixed.