Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Roger Butenuth]

Hello,

I have just seen some questions about speech output for Linux, I am
currently working on a solution. My plan is to fetch the screen content
from /dev/vcsa0 and to use a software synthesizer (hadifix/mbrola) with a
soundcard for speech output. It seems I have to hack into the kernel for
reading the keyboard input, but that should be no problem.

Expect a "alpha test version" early next week,

Regards,

	Roger

--
Roger Butenuth
University of Paderborn
FB 17, Mathematik-Informatik
33095 Paderborn
Tel.: 05251/60-6611
Fax.: 05251/60-6619

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[stp]

Actually somebody beat you to it allready, that's what screader's for, but
if you would like to work on my problem, ya can. Just send a message to my
private e-mail and I'll send you the manual for my synth because it has
some stuff in it that deals with programming specifically for the
doubletalk.

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Nicolas Pitre]

On Wed, 10 Jun 1998 stp@shell.flite.net wrote:

> Actually somebody beat you to it allready, that's what screader's for, but

Screader is more or less an interim solution as it relies on the "screen"
package.  It is also a good solution for lightweight screen reader
package able to run on other UNIX platforms.  

However, as the other guy says (don't remember who he is), a screen reader
that reads the screen from the /dev/vcsa device is much better as it will
reads any of the Linux virtual consoles with their scroll back buffers,
etc.  You will even be able to read your BIOS startup messages...  That's
how BRLTTY is working now.  The only problem is to intercept the
keyboard's keypresses from within the kernel in an elegant fashion.


Nicolas Pitre, B. ing.
nico@cam.org

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Roger Butenuth]

Hello,

On Wed, 10 Jun 1998, Nicolas Pitre wrote:
> On Wed, 10 Jun 1998 stp@shell.flite.net wrote:

> However, as the other guy says (don't remember who he is), a screen reader
> that reads the screen from the /dev/vcsa device is much better as it will
> reads any of the Linux virtual consoles with their scroll back buffers,
> etc.  You will even be able to read your BIOS startup messages...  That's
> how BRLTTY is working now.  The only problem is to intercept the
> keyboard's keypresses from within the kernel in an elegant fashion.

I figured out how to add a kernel patch to intercept key presses, this
patch will be ready (hopefully) begin of next week. The rest of the work
should not be too difficult, some integration. The first release will be
with german speech output.

	Roger

--
Roger Butenuth
University of Paderborn
FB 17, Mathematik-Informatik
33095 Paderborn
Tel.: 05251/60-6611
Fax.: 05251/60-6619

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Nicolas Pitre]

On Wed, 10 Jun 1998, Roger Butenuth wrote:

> I figured out how to add a kernel patch to intercept key presses, this
> patch will be ready (hopefully) begin of next week. The rest of the work
> should not be too difficult, some integration. The first release will be
> with german speech output.

Great!  We have limited speech support in BRLTTY but didn't push it very
far because of the key interception problem... and I didn't had a look at
it yet.

Tell me when it's ready!

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Kirk Reiser]

Actually, I have written a prototype speech kernel for linux version
2.1.90.  I have just a little more work to do and it will be ready for
general use.  i am looking for a number of people that have a fair
amount of kernel building experience to help test it out.  If you are
interested in being part of the test group please send me mail.  I
will also be setting up a mailing list for development and user
discussions.  The package is called speakup.  I hope to have this
updated to kernel version 2.1.105 or what ever is the going
development kernel when I release it.  If anyone has any questions
they can write me and ask.  It is basically working now.  I still have
to work out some bugs and add more features but it seems pretty good
so far.

  Kirk

-- 

Kirk Reiser				The Computer Braille Facility
e-mail: kirk@braille.uwo.ca		University of Western Ontario
phone: (519) 661-3061

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[www.borg-graz.ac.at/~mlang]

Hi
I'm new to this list. I'm using Linux since december 1997 with BRLTTY
1.0.2 and a Powerbraille 40 braille display. It works great for me. 
I'm interesting in getting speech feedback in addition to braille output.
But I currently cannot afford a hardware synthesizer.

On Wed, 10 Jun 1998, Roger Butenuth wrote:

> I have just seen some questions about speech output for Linux, I am
> currently working on a solution. My plan is to fetch the screen content
> from /dev/vcsa0 and to use a software synthesizer (hadifix/mbrola) with a
> soundcard for speech output. It seems I have to hack into the kernel for
> reading the keyboard input, but that should be no problem.
Would that mean that no additional hardware would be needed to run the
software? If so, I would be highly interested in betatesting and
information like what languages are supported. Would be interested in
helping programming C either. I'm currently switching from Borland Pascal
to C and i'm just busy with getting familiar with the language.
So some help for the free software movement would be nice practice. 

> Expect a "alpha test version" early next week, >
BTW: We could force the patch for the kernel to be included in a hacker
kernel and therefore be included in 2.2.0. 

    CYa,
        Mario <mlang@netway.at> 
 delYsid CyberMediaa@http://www.borg-graz.ac.at/~mlang

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[wlestes]

you might have a look at the following packages:

rsynth, screader, mbrolla, festival, emacspeak

the blinux ftp site is a good place to look for all these. there is an
mbrola_server package in pre-alpha stage for emacspeak too.
good luck.

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Michael P. Gorse]

What's "rsynth"?  Haven't heard of that one before.

--------------------------------------------------------------
|DO what you think is right, not what society expects of you.|
---------Michael Gorse / http://www.wpi.edu/~mgorse/ ---------


On Thu, 11 Jun 1998 wlestes@hamlet.uncg.edu wrote:

> you might have a look at the following packages:
> 
> rsynth, screader, mbrolla, festival, emacspeak
> 
> the blinux ftp site is a good place to look for all these. there is an
> mbrola_server package in pre-alpha stage for emacspeak too.
> good luck.
> 
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
> 
> 

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[wlestes]

rsynth is a public domain software speech synthesis pachage. I
personally dont like the way it sounds, but that might just be me.

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Jos Lemmens]

I mostly use rsynth (say) with screader. Truely it is not a very
beautiful voice, but it is very fast and you'll get used to the voice.

    Jos.

wlestes@hamlet.uncg.edu
>
> rsynth is a public domain software speech synthesis pachage. I
> personally dont like the way it sounds, but that might just be me.
>
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
>


--

   -------------------------------
   Jos Lemmens
   The Netherlands
   E-mail: jlemmens@inter.NL.net
   Homepage: www.inter.nl.net/users/jlemmens

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[John Covici]

Can you get it to speak all the punctuation -- I can't get festival or
mbrola to do that?

on Fri, 12 Jun 1998 13:04:54 +0200 (CEST) Jos Lemmens <jlemmens@inter.NL.net> in
<199806121105.NAA01255@jojo.inter.nl.net> wrote:
>I mostly use rsynth (say) with screader. Truely it is not a very
>beautiful voice, but it is very fast and you'll get used to the voice.
>
>    Jos.
>
>wlestes@hamlet.uncg.edu
>>
>> rsynth is a public domain software speech synthesis pachage. I
>> personally dont like the way it sounds, but that might just be me.
>>
>> ---
>> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>> with subject line: unsubscribe
>>
>
>
>--
>
>   -------------------------------
>   Jos Lemmens
>   The Netherlands
>   E-mail: jlemmens@inter.NL.net
>   Homepage: www.inter.nl.net/users/jlemmens
>
>---
>Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>with subject line: unsubscribe


-- 
         John Covici
          covici@ccs.covici.com

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Steve Holmes]

Can Screader be used with external synthesisers such as a speakout
over a serial line?

On Fri, 12 Jun 1998 13:04:54 +0200 (CEST), Jos Lemmens
<jlemmens@inter.NL.net> wrote:

>I mostly use rsynth (say) with screader. Truely it is not a very
>beautiful voice, but it is very fast and you'll get used to the voice.
>
>    Jos.
>
>wlestes@hamlet.uncg.edu
>>
>> rsynth is a public domain software speech synthesis pachage. I
>> personally dont like the way it sounds, but that might just be me.
>>
>> ---
>> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>> with subject line: unsubscribe
>>

--
<Steve> Holmes
Tempe, Arizona  USA

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Jos Lemmens]

Hi Steve,

yes screader can be used with external synths, please look at: 

    ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux/square1

    Regards,
    
       Jos.

>
> Can Screader be used with external synthesisers such as a speakout
> over a serial line?
>
> On Fri, 12 Jun 1998 13:04:54 +0200 (CEST), Jos Lemmens
> <jlemmens@inter.NL.net> wrote:
>
> >I mostly use rsynth (say) with screader. Truely it is not a very
> >beautiful voice, but it is very fast and you'll get used to the voice.
> >
> >    Jos.
> >
> >wlestes@hamlet.uncg.edu
> >>
> >> rsynth is a public domain software speech synthesis pachage. I
> >> personally dont like the way it sounds, but that might just be me.
> >>
> >> ---
> >> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> >> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> >> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> >> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> >> with subject line: unsubscribe
> >>
>
> --
> <Steve> Holmes
> Tempe, Arizona  USA
>
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
>


--

   -------------------------------
   Jos Lemmens
   The Netherlands
   E-mail: jlemmens@inter.NL.net
   Homepage: www.inter.nl.net/users/jlemmens

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Martin Courcelles]

I'd be interrested to see this.  The present speech package is not quite
automatic.  Screader that is.  You have to hit keys to make it talk, while
with the old dos screen readers, they would speak whatever scrolled down
the screen.  I don't see why this could not be accomplished wiht Linux.
Good Luck
Martin


----------
> From: Roger Butenuth <butenuth@uni-paderborn.de>
> To: blinux-list@redhat.com
> Subject: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon
> Date: Tuesday, June 09, 1998 11:13 PM
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I have just seen some questions about speech output for Linux, I am
> currently working on a solution. My plan is to fetch the screen content
> from /dev/vcsa0 and to use a software synthesizer (hadifix/mbrola) with a
> soundcard for speech output. It seems I have to hack into the kernel for
> reading the keyboard input, but that should be no problem.
> 
> Expect a "alpha test version" early next week,
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 	Roger
> 
> --
> Roger Butenuth
> University of Paderborn
> FB 17, Mathematik-Informatik
> 33095 Paderborn
> Tel.: 05251/60-6611
> Fax.: 05251/60-6619
> 
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
> 

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Jos Lemmens]

Hello Martin,

Screader can speak automatically. If you press alt-i screader will
speak every time the pointed line has changed. 
In the next version of screader this will be default. I'd better 
realized that this is important.
Stupid me!!!

     Best regards,
     
         Jos.

>
> I'd be interrested to see this.  The present speech package is not quite
> automatic.  Screader that is.  You have to hit keys to make it talk, while
> with the old dos screen readers, they would speak whatever scrolled down
> the screen.  I don't see why this could not be accomplished wiht Linux.
> Good Luck
> Martin
>
>
> ----------
> > From: Roger Butenuth <butenuth@uni-paderborn.de>
> > To: blinux-list@redhat.com
> > Subject: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon
> > Date: Tuesday, June 09, 1998 11:13 PM
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have just seen some questions about speech output for Linux, I am
> > currently working on a solution. My plan is to fetch the screen content
> > from /dev/vcsa0 and to use a software synthesizer (hadifix/mbrola) with a
> > soundcard for speech output. It seems I have to hack into the kernel for
> > reading the keyboard input, but that should be no problem.
> >
> > Expect a "alpha test version" early next week,
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > 	Roger
> >
> > --
> > Roger Butenuth
> > University of Paderborn
> > FB 17, Mathematik-Informatik
> > 33095 Paderborn
> > Tel.: 05251/60-6611
> > Fax.: 05251/60-6619
> >
> > ---
> > Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> > Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> > Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> > To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> > with subject line: unsubscribe
> >
>
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
>


--

   -------------------------------
   Jos Lemmens
   The Netherlands
   E-mail: jlemmens@inter.NL.net
   Homepage: www.inter.nl.net/users/jlemmens

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[John Covici]

But the screader option alt-i doesn't work if you enter a command and
its output scrolls which would be very nice -- also you still have to
turn it off when you type.
on Fri, 12 Jun 1998 12:31:27 +0200 (CEST) Jos Lemmens <jlemmens@inter.NL.net> in
<199806121031.MAA00370@jojo.inter.nl.net> wrote:
>Hello Martin,
>
>Screader can speak automatically. If you press alt-i screader will
>speak every time the pointed line has changed.
>In the next version of screader this will be default. I'd better
>realized that this is important.
>Stupid me!!!
>
>     Best regards,
>
>         Jos.
>
>>
>> I'd be interrested to see this.  The present speech package is not quite
>> automatic.  Screader that is.  You have to hit keys to make it talk, while
>> with the old dos screen readers, they would speak whatever scrolled down
>> the screen.  I don't see why this could not be accomplished wiht Linux.
>> Good Luck
>> Martin
>>
>>
>> ----------
>> > From: Roger Butenuth <butenuth@uni-paderborn.de>
>> > To: blinux-list@redhat.com
>> > Subject: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon
>> > Date: Tuesday, June 09, 1998 11:13 PM
>> >
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > I have just seen some questions about speech output for Linux, I am
>> > currently working on a solution. My plan is to fetch the screen content
>> > from /dev/vcsa0 and to use a software synthesizer (hadifix/mbrola) with a
>> > soundcard for speech output. It seems I have to hack into the kernel for
>> > reading the keyboard input, but that should be no problem.
>> >
>> > Expect a "alpha test version" early next week,
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > 	Roger
>> >
>> > --
>> > Roger Butenuth
>> > University of Paderborn
>> > FB 17, Mathematik-Informatik
>> > 33095 Paderborn
>> > Tel.: 05251/60-6611
>> > Fax.: 05251/60-6619
>> >
>> > ---
>> > Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>> > Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>> > Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>> > To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>> > with subject line: unsubscribe
>> >
>>
>> ---
>> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>> with subject line: unsubscribe
>>
>
>
>--
>
>   -------------------------------
>   Jos Lemmens
>   The Netherlands
>   E-mail: jlemmens@inter.NL.net
>   Homepage: www.inter.nl.net/users/jlemmens
>
>---
>Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
>Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
>Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
>To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
>with subject line: unsubscribe


-- 
         John Covici
          covici@ccs.covici.com

Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Martin Courcelles]

Hello There:
	I would like to be a beta tester for your speech program.  I, however have
no experience in programming the kernel.  I, however have done much beta
testing for other projects such as the simply talker 95.  I would much
rather use a talking terminal under linux though.  
Martin


----------
> From: Kirk Reiser <kirk@braille.uwo.ca>
> To: blinux-list@redhat.com
> Cc: Roger Butenuth <butenuth@uni-paderborn.de>; stp@shell.flite.net
> Subject: Re: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon
> Date: Wednesday, June 10, 1998 1:09 PM
> 
> Actually, I have written a prototype speech kernel for linux version
> 2.1.90.  I have just a little more work to do and it will be ready for
> general use.  i am looking for a number of people that have a fair
> amount of kernel building experience to help test it out.  If you are
> interested in being part of the test group please send me mail.  I
> will also be setting up a mailing list for development and user
> discussions.  The package is called speakup.  I hope to have this
> updated to kernel version 2.1.105 or what ever is the going
> development kernel when I release it.  If anyone has any questions
> they can write me and ask.  It is basically working now.  I still have
> to work out some bugs and add more features but it seems pretty good
> so far.
> 
>   Kirk
> 
> -- 
> 
> Kirk Reiser				The Computer Braille Facility
> e-mail: kirk@braille.uwo.ca		University of Western Ontario
> phone: (519) 661-3061
> 
> ---
> Send your message for blinux-list to blinux-list@redhat.com
> Blinux software archive at ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux
> Blinux web page at http://leb.net/blinux
> To unsubscribe send mail to blinux-list-request@redhat.com
> with subject line: unsubscribe
> 

RE: Speaking Linux, solution coming soon

[Dave Hunt]

Yes, external synth's can be used with Screader.  I believe the latest 
version's documentation has examples of use with the Doubletalk LT and the 
Accent SA.

--Dave--