Dictation not working on Mountain Lion?

@mmolson I can confirm that the VPN trick works.

I am located in Singapore and connected my MBP to a free UK VPN service. Once connected, dictation worked flawlessly. Once I disconnect from the VPN service, dictation goes back to its pause-blinking dots-trembling dots sequence with no translation done, along with the console error message.

As to why this happens on my MBP and not on my iMac despite the two being on the same network and router, I'm not sure. I am going to forward this information through AppleCare and hopefully we might get a permanent fix soon.

Problem Solved...

Go to System Preferences-> Network-> (Wifi) Advance-> DNS and enter/add in DNS Servers 208.67.220.220 then restart

Tadaaa....

This solved three dots negative wiggling:)

also do check input audio in sounds and under microphone in dictation prefs

Make sure you ALL have the setting set for input microphone - System Preferences - Sounds - Input tab - Internal Microphone -

Mine wasn't selected as I have a DUET audio controller 🙂

Should fix issue for those of us with other audio devices etc

Thanks

Rob

Ontario Canada!

Taking the summary from Raju K earlier on... Dictation does not work for a variety of reasons:

1) Using applications that uses secure keyboard input such as 1Password: Disabling the app restores dictation function to ML

2) Wrong audio device selected / inappropriate volume settings: setting the input source to internal microphone and adjusting the volume restores dictation function.

3) DNS settings issues: I am not sure whether if this is an Apple problem or DNS propagation issues but changing the DNS settings, either to Google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) or 208.67.220.220 / 208.67.222.222 seems to restore function. Switching back to your ISP's DNS settings disables dictation.

4) Connection issues with Apple's dictation servers / ? for users located outside the USA. Connecting to the internet via a VPN connection to a server in the USA/UK/Canada restores function. Turning off VPN disables dictation again.

I belong to category 4... Have yet to get a satisfactory solution without VPN. I have emailed AppleCare but haven't received any response yet. I hope to get a solution from them soon.

Using the Google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) worked for me - kept my previous DNS settings, just put Google's above them. I'm outside USA.

My Mac experience is becoming more and more like a Windows experience - too many fiddly little irritations that make me focus on the machine rather than what I'm trying to do with it.

@loyking best answer++

My Mac experience is becoming more and more like a Windows experience

Having to self resolve DNS on an first release of a new OS doesn't really make it like Windows.

VPN does temporally solved the problem

From Hong Kong

Which server did you choose? Im also in Hong Kong

I was having the same problem, and then I took it to the Apple Store. I had a technician look at it, and he found that the internal microphone was not connected. They plugged it back in and now everything works fine. Prior to that I tried every possible suggestion on the web and nothing. If you've tried everything, then make an appointment with the genius bar and they will fix it. The technician said that this is somewhat of a common problem.

Try greenvpn, it's free

hi

i have saim proplom in my i mac ... rely i do everythink put it not work .

i need some help from apple or freind .

FIXED

Look under the ICON GUYS!!! that little icon to left - it's tricky LOL

This also worked for me as well. I see my defaulted to the AUDIO CONTROLLER I have installed on my machine. Thanks for the tip buddy!

Working mint now 🙂

Rob

well , first you need to go to speech and turn it on , that would be a start

i do saim put stii not working 😟