plan for software dectalk?

plan for software dectalk?

[jacobs]

Hi speakup developers:
Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless by
some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?

Thanks

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Tyler Spivey]

most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada it's
doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
the windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
good.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
Subject: plan for software dectalk?


> Hi speakup developers:
> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
> of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
> good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless
by
> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
> support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?
>
> Thanks
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Patricia Logan]

Hi, Tylor,

    Is the Canadian dollar really worth only half as much as the U.S.
dollor now?  Since I know someone who just paid--what is it?--$1000 for
JAWS $50 doesn't sound like a lot.

     Having just spend several hours at the library using the Kurzweil
reader I have to say that I like the older Dectalk voices and would love
to have access to good Spanish speech.  I would also enjoy the luxury of
being able to listen to books read by a female voice.  But it certainly
isn't a necessity.  And when I have sufficient living room to have a
scanner at my side I expect I'll be using OCRshop for linux.

     Pat Logan

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Buddy Brannan]

According to the currency conversion at xe.com:

Live mid-market rates as of 2003.06.13 02:19:48 GMT.
   1.00 CAD
   Canada Dollars   =   0.741820 USD
   United States Dollars
   1 CAD = 0.741820 USD 1 USD = 1.34804 CAD
-- 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV/3   | "And if the ground yawned,
Phone: (814) 455-7333     | I'd step to the side and say,
Email: davros@ycardz.com  | "Hey ground! I'm nobody's lunch!"
http://www.ycardz.com/    | --Eddie From Ohio

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Doug]

The loonie is at its highest rate in quite some time.
It's at 74 cents versus the greenback, not 50 cents.

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Kenny Hitt]

The Linux demo works fine here.  I have it working with emacspeak and
gnopernicus.  It's the best software synth I've found so far in Linux.
$50 for a Linux version beats the $300 I payed for the Windows version
in 1998.

          Kenny

On Thu, Jun 12, 2003 at 12:54:58PM -0700, Tyler Spivey wrote:
> most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada it's
> doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
> the windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
> good.
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> 
> 
> > Hi speakup developers:
> > Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
> > of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
> > good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless
> by
> > some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
> > support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Ryan Mann]

What is the difference between the Demo and the product that you pay for?


On Thu, 12 Jun 2003, Kenny Hitt wrote:

> The Linux demo works fine here.  I have it working with emacspeak and
> gnopernicus.  It's the best software synth I've found so far in Linux.
> $50 for a Linux version beats the $300 I payed for the Windows version
> in 1998.
>
>           Kenny
>
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2003 at 12:54:58PM -0700, Tyler Spivey wrote:
> > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada it's
> > doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
> > the windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
> > good.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> >
> >
> > > Hi speakup developers:
> > > Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
> > > of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
> > > good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless
> > by
> > > some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
> > > support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Speakup mailing list
> > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Kenny Hitt]

Don't know.  I didn't know there was a demo until he started complaining
about it.  I bought the and haven't had any problems with it.

          Kenny
	  
On Fri, Jun 13, 2003 at 12:42:02AM -0500, Ryan Mann wrote:
> What is the difference between the Demo and the product that you pay for?
> 
> 
> On Thu, 12 Jun 2003, Kenny Hitt wrote:
> 
> > The Linux demo works fine here.  I have it working with emacspeak and
> > gnopernicus.  It's the best software synth I've found so far in Linux.
> > $50 for a Linux version beats the $300 I payed for the Windows version
> > in 1998.
> >
> >           Kenny
> >
> > On Thu, Jun 12, 2003 at 12:54:58PM -0700, Tyler Spivey wrote:
> > > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada it's
> > > doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
> > > the windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> > > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
> > > good.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hi speakup developers:
> > > > Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
> > > > of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
> > > > good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless
> > > by
> > > > some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
> > > > support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Speakup mailing list
> > > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Speakup mailing list
> > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Thomas D. Ward]

Hi, the demmo has a simple x-windows application which you start and it will
read a text file or speek to you.
Naturally, if you don't have access to Gnome the demmo is not much help.
However, the full version is allot more useful, and I think the full version
is worth the $50.

----- Original Message -----
From: Kenny Hitt <kennyhitt@knology.net>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?


> Don't know.  I didn't know there was a demo until he started complaining
> about it.  I bought the and haven't had any problems with it.
>
>           Kenny
>
> On Fri, Jun 13, 2003 at 12:42:02AM -0500, Ryan Mann wrote:
> > What is the difference between the Demo and the product that you pay
for?
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 12 Jun 2003, Kenny Hitt wrote:
> >
> > > The Linux demo works fine here.  I have it working with emacspeak and
> > > gnopernicus.  It's the best software synth I've found so far in Linux.
> > > $50 for a Linux version beats the $300 I payed for the Windows version
> > > in 1998.
> > >
> > >           Kenny
> > >
> > > On Thu, Jun 12, 2003 at 12:54:58PM -0700, Tyler Spivey wrote:
> > > > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in
canada it's
> > > > doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > > > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
> > > > the windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > > > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe
the
> > > > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not
very
> > > > good.
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > > > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > > > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Hi speakup developers:
> > > > > Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux
version
> > > > > of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really
the only
> > > > > good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho,
unless
> > > > by
> > > > > some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there
plans to
> > > > > support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is
designed?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Speakup mailing list
> > > > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Speakup mailing list
> > > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Speakup mailing list
> > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Charles Crawford]

Are you talking about dectalk32?
On Thu, 12 Jun 2003 jacobs@surferie.net 
wrote:

> Hi speakup developers:
> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux version
> of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's really the only
> good software synth for linux as far as voice quality goes, imho, unless by
> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans to
> support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is designed?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 

-- 
-- Charlie Crawford

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[jacobs]

Hi
I'm talking about software dectalk for linux. You can think of it as dec32
for linux if you want to, I guess. They just don't call it that anymore.

On Fri, Jun 13, 2003 at 06:29:38AM -0400, Charles Crawford wrote:
> Are you talking about dectalk32?

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[White, Matt]

$50 does not seem like a lot of money to have quality, hardware free
speech.  Hardware synthesizers are a lot more (at least $200) and you
don't get the portability that software synthesis offers.

Matt

<quote who="Tyler Spivey">
> most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada
> it's doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it. the
> windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
> good.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> Subject: plan for software dectalk?
>
>
>> Hi speakup developers:
>> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux
>> version of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's
>> really the only good software synth for linux as far as voice quality
>> goes, imho, unless
> by
>> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans
>> to support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is
>> designed?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Speakup mailing list
>> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
>> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup


-- 
Matt B. White
Tel: 508.969.2836

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Tyler Spivey]

i downloaded the demo, and the quality doesn't seem that great.
dectalk is natorius for mumbling at high rates of speech.
and software dectalk's demo doesn't even sound like a dectalk - it sound
rather more winy, if you know what i mean.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "White, Matt" <mattw@cotse.net>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 4:56 AM
Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?


> $50 does not seem like a lot of money to have quality, hardware free
> speech.  Hardware synthesizers are a lot more (at least $200) and you
> don't get the portability that software synthesis offers.
>
> Matt
>
> <quote who="Tyler Spivey">
> > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada
> > it's doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it. the
> > windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not very
> > good.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> >
> >
> >> Hi speakup developers:
> >> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux
> >> version of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's
> >> really the only good software synth for linux as far as voice quality
> >> goes, imho, unless
> > by
> >> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans
> >> to support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is
> >> designed?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Speakup mailing list
> >> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>
> -- 
> Matt B. White
> Tel: 508.969.2836
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Thomas D. Ward]

I think the problem you are experience is do to the default speech settings.
If you used the full version with emacspeak and reset the speech values you
can get vary near the classic dectalk sound.

----- Original Message -----
From: Tyler Spivey <tspivey8@softhome.net>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?


> i downloaded the demo, and the quality doesn't seem that great.
> dectalk is natorius for mumbling at high rates of speech.
> and software dectalk's demo doesn't even sound like a dectalk - it sound
> rather more winy, if you know what i mean.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "White, Matt" <mattw@cotse.net>
> To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 4:56 AM
> Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?
>
>
> > $50 does not seem like a lot of money to have quality, hardware free
> > speech.  Hardware synthesizers are a lot more (at least $200) and you
> > don't get the portability that software synthesis offers.
> >
> > Matt
> >
> > <quote who="Tyler Spivey">
> > > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in canada
> > > it's doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
the
> > > windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe the
> > > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not
very
> > > good.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> > >
> > >
> > >> Hi speakup developers:
> > >> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux
> > >> version of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's
> > >> really the only good software synth for linux as far as voice quality
> > >> goes, imho, unless
> > > by
> > >> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there plans
> > >> to support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is
> > >> designed?
> > >>
> > >> Thanks
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Speakup mailing list
> > >> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Speakup mailing list
> > > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> >
> > --
> > Matt B. White
> > Tel: 508.969.2836
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Tyler Spivey]

possibly. i don't have a credit card, or any way to pay for it - and i can't
fork out that sort of money yet.
i've got the linux version capturing the emacs manual through vsound - at a
speech rate of about 350. i had to rewrite all the punctuation settings.
it's topping 1.2 gigs when i left home - been going for 12 hours now.
not sure how long it's going to take, and it's at 22050 hz or about that.
i'll probably abort the thing - since it is way, way too big for an mp3
file.
but i had nothing to do, and some space to burn, so decided to do that. it
doesn't seem to take up much of the CPU time, even on a p2-200.
well, not sure about that, but the operation hasn't been affected of the web
browser, or anything else.
was thinking of converting the bible, but it's twice as big as the emacs
manual, even with all punctions hcanged to spelling equivalent.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas D. Ward" <tward1978@earthlink.net>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?


> I think the problem you are experience is do to the default speech
settings.
> If you used the full version with emacspeak and reset the speech values
you
> can get vary near the classic dectalk sound.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tyler Spivey <tspivey8@softhome.net>
> To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 12:08 PM
> Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?
>
>
> > i downloaded the demo, and the quality doesn't seem that great.
> > dectalk is natorius for mumbling at high rates of speech.
> > and software dectalk's demo doesn't even sound like a dectalk - it sound
> > rather more winy, if you know what i mean.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "White, Matt" <mattw@cotse.net>
> > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 4:56 AM
> > Subject: Re: plan for software dectalk?
> >
> >
> > > $50 does not seem like a lot of money to have quality, hardware free
> > > speech.  Hardware synthesizers are a lot more (at least $200) and you
> > > don't get the portability that software synthesis offers.
> > >
> > > Matt
> > >
> > > <quote who="Tyler Spivey">
> > > > most of us can't afford software dectalk. $50 is a lot, and in
canada
> > > > it's doubled since it's probably in american dollars.
> > > > the linux demo doesn't work, so i don't have any good way to try it.
> the
> > > > windows demo is... so-so, but very limiting.
> > > > i hate having to load windows. i only use it for games, and maybe
the
> > > > occasional test of a new screen reader  that i find - which is not
> very
> > > > good.
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: <jacobs@surferie.net>
> > > > To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 12:22 PM
> > > > Subject: plan for software dectalk?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> Hi speakup developers:
> > > >> Just wondering if there are plans for speakup to support the linux
> > > >> version of software dectalk, or whether it's even possible. It's
> > > >> really the only good software synth for linux as far as voice
quality
> > > >> goes, imho, unless
> > > > by
> > > >> some miracle festival develops a sudden improvement. Are there
plans
> > > >> to support it at all? Is it even possible, given the way speakup is
> > > >> designed?
> > > >>
> > > >> Thanks
> > > >>
> > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > >> Speakup mailing list
> > > >> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > > >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Speakup mailing list
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Re: plan for software dectalk?

[Adam Myrow]

I'm curious if anybody else has had problems with speaking of longer text
files with the software Dectalk.  If I feed it a long text file with the
"say" command that comes with the full version, It will sometimes break up
into weird gibberish consisting of lots of accented characters and at the
very end, it will repeat part of the text.  It never happened in my tests
with Gnome, so I'm not sure if it's a problem with the "say" command or
something else.

The Dectalk voices don't sound like the Dectalk PC or express to me.  The
inflection is about right, and Paul and Harry's voices are close, but the
others are way off.  On the other hand, I never cared for the other
voices, so this isn't much of a problem.  At least it doesn't have that
raspy sound of the old Dectalk Access 32 for Windows.  That thing sounded
like it had a bad cold.