SoundSentry (XP and Vista)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer users who have difficulty hearing sound.

SoundSentry provides visual cues on the screen when a sound is generated.

In XP:
Access SoundSentry through the Control Panel under the “Accessibility Options.” SoundSentry is found under the Sound tab.

In Vista:
Access SoundSentry through the Ease of Access Center (Windows Logo+U) under the “Set up alternatives for sounds” option.

Screen flicker

Visual cues are quick in XP and
can go unnoticed if you are unfamiliar with the feature. The Visual cues in Vista last longer.

ShowSounds (XP)

Function

To Use

Indicator

Note

For computer users who have difficulty hearing sounds.

ShowSounds allows programs to communicate sounds with visual cues.

In XP:
Access ShowSounds through the Control Panel under the “Accessibility Options.” ShowSounds is found under the Sound tab.

Varies by
program

ShowSounds relies on the program to provide visual cues such as text captions. Not all programs do so.

In Vista, the functionality of ShowSounds has been included in SoundSentry as an option for text captions.