calling all dectalk users

calling all dectalk users

[Gregory Nowak]

Hi all.

Just wanted to follow up. Can someone with a dectalk and who is
comfortable writing and reading
/sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct try the tests Samuel asked
for, and report back with the results:

<http://linux-speakup.org/pipermail/speakup/2020-April/062235.html>

I don't have a dectalk myself. If nobody here reports back, there is
one person who isn't on this list as far as I know, but has a dectalk
that I can ask if he could report back.

Greg


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Re: calling all dectalk users

[Chime Hart]

Hi Greg-and-All: Thanks so much for following up. When I first saw Sam's 
request, I didn't really know how to talk to the DecTalk? So this evening 1 of 
my Linux experts gave me a hand. Yes, all 3 commands work, but only the 3rd made 
the pitch any hier. My friend was looking in the DecTalk manual on how to 
increase intonation, but while it says its ajustable, we couldn't find it. 
Obviously, please inform if I can help more.
Chime

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Samuel Thibault]

Hello,

Chime Hart, le mer. 13 mai 2020 22:11:23 -0700, a ecrit:
> all 3 commands work, but only the 3rd made the pitch any hier.

That is expected.
The question is not about the pitch, but about the intonation. According
to the manual, the second command should have more intonation than the
first, and the thirs should have the same amount of intonation as the
second.

Samuel

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Chime Hart]

Hi Sam: I didn't notice any changes in intonation. I just ran them again.
Chime

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Samuel Thibault]

Chime Hart, le jeu. 14 mai 2020 03:22:34 -0700, a ecrit:
> Hi Sam: I didn't notice any changes in intonation. I just ran them again.

Do you know if your dectalk usually support intonation change? These
were really the documented way to change it. Perhaps you can emphasize
the change:

echo "[:dv ap 112 pr 50] First test [:dv ap 112 pr 200] Second test [:dv ap 113] Third test" >> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct

would make even more of a difference

samuel

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Chime Hart]

Well, Sam, with each of those 3, the pitch went up in stages. As to your 2nd 
question, later today I will reach out to the gentlman who sells these-and-I 
will report back. Thanks
Chime

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Karen Lewellen]

Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.



On Wed, 13 May 2020, Gregory Nowak wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> Just wanted to follow up. Can someone with a dectalk and who is
> comfortable writing and reading
> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct try the tests Samuel asked
> for, and report back with the results:
>
> <http://linux-speakup.org/pipermail/speakup/2020-April/062235.html>
>
> I don't have a dectalk myself. If nobody here reports back, there is
> one person who isn't on this list as far as I know, but has a dectalk
> that I can ask if he could report back.
>
> Greg
>
>
> -- 
> web site: http://www.gregn.net
> gpg public key: http://www.gregn.net/pubkey.asc
> skype: gregn1
> (authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
> If we haven't been in touch before, e-mail me before adding me to your contacts.
>
> --
> Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Didier Spaier]

Which Linux did you try?

Slint can be installed with a dectalk.

The installer starts talking using speakup a few seconds after booting.

Cheers,
Didier

Le 14/05/2020 à 16:24, Karen Lewellen a écrit :
> Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
>  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
> Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, 13 May 2020, Gregory Nowak wrote:
> 
>> Hi all.
>>
>> Just wanted to follow up. Can someone with a dectalk and who is
>> comfortable writing and reading
>> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct try the tests Samuel asked
>> for, and report back with the results:
>>
>> <http://linux-speakup.org/pipermail/speakup/2020-April/062235.html>
>>
>> I don't have a dectalk myself. If nobody here reports back, there is
>> one person who isn't on this list as far as I know, but has a dectalk
>> that I can ask if he could report back.
>>
>> Greg
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> web site: http://www.gregn.net
>> gpg public key: http://www.gregn.net/pubkey.asc
>> skype: gregn1
>> (authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
>> If we haven't been in touch before, e-mail me before adding me to your contacts.
>>
>> -- 
>> Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org
>> _______________________________________________
>> Speakup mailing list
>> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
>> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Karen Lewellen]

I was told  that only free speech sources  are the default meaning that 
dectalk had to be selected  after  an install attempt.
Given software speech  causes severe dizziness due to an auditory 
processing  condition I was not going to gamble.
What is the source of the dectalk  in this edition, it must be live, and 
where can one download the live cd?



On Thu, 14 May 2020, Didier Spaier wrote:

> Which Linux did you try?
>
> Slint can be installed with a dectalk.
>
> The installer starts talking using speakup a few seconds after booting.
>
> Cheers,
> Didier
>
> Le 14/05/2020 à 16:24, Karen Lewellen a écrit :
>> Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
>>  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
>> Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 13 May 2020, Gregory Nowak wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all.
>>>
>>> Just wanted to follow up. Can someone with a dectalk and who is
>>> comfortable writing and reading
>>> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct try the tests Samuel asked
>>> for, and report back with the results:
>>>
>>> <http://linux-speakup.org/pipermail/speakup/2020-April/062235.html>
>>>
>>> I don't have a dectalk myself. If nobody here reports back, there is
>>> one person who isn't on this list as far as I know, but has a dectalk
>>> that I can ask if he could report back.
>>>
>>> Greg
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> web site: http://www.gregn.net
>>> gpg public key: http://www.gregn.net/pubkey.asc
>>> skype: gregn1
>>> (authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
>>> If we haven't been in touch before, e-mail me before adding me to your contacts.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Speakup mailing list
>>> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
>>> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>>>
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Speakup mailing list
>> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
>> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Didier Spaier]

Hi Karen,

Slint is not provided as a live CD, sorry.

But you still can start the installer without actually installing (not
touching any drive) to at least check that you do have speech after the
installer has started.

Instructions for installation are here:
http://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/README.installation
But you just need to download the ISO:
http://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/iso/slint64-14.2.1.2.iso
The associated md5 checksum allow to check the integrity of the ISO!
http://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/iso/slint64-14.2.1.2.iso.sha256sum
then write it on DVD or an USB stick.

Information about Slint accessibility:
http://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/doc/Accessibility/Accessibility
Read just the part A Installation.

Indeed plug in and switch on the synthesizer before booting the installer!

If you don't want to actually install don't go further than logging in
when asked to.

I'd be interested to know if your DecTalk worked. If it did you
shouldn't have any issue using it in an installed Slint system.

Cheers,
Didier
 
Le 14/05/2020 à 21:12, Karen Lewellen a écrit :
> I was told  that only free speech sources  are the default meaning that dectalk had to be selected  after  an install attempt.
> Given software speech  causes severe dizziness due to an auditory processing  condition I was not going to gamble.
> What is the source of the dectalk  in this edition, it must be live, and where can one download the live cd?
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, 14 May 2020, Didier Spaier wrote:
> 
>> Which Linux did you try?
>>
>> Slint can be installed with a dectalk.
>>
>> The installer starts talking using speakup a few seconds after booting.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Didier
>>
>> Le 14/05/2020 à 16:24, Karen Lewellen a écrit :
>>> Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
>>>  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
>>> Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, 13 May 2020, Gregory Nowak wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all.
>>>>
>>>> Just wanted to follow up. Can someone with a dectalk and who is
>>>> comfortable writing and reading
>>>> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct try the tests Samuel asked
>>>> for, and report back with the results:
>>>>
>>>> <http://linux-speakup.org/pipermail/speakup/2020-April/062235.html>
>>>>
>>>> I don't have a dectalk myself. If nobody here reports back, there is
>>>> one person who isn't on this list as far as I know, but has a dectalk
>>>> that I can ask if he could report back.
>>>>
>>>> Greg

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Gregory Nowak]

You can also start with a dectalk by default in debian and most if not
all derivatives. At www.debian.org, follow the get debian
link. Probably the smallest image with speakup is the netinst iso
image. Grab that, and burn it to a CD, or write it out to a USB drive
using dd. More info on this process is in debian's documentation
section.

Then boot your PC from either CD, or your uSB disk, depending on which
you created above. Once you hear a beep from your PC speaker, press
tab, space, and type speakup.synth=dectlk and press enter.

This assumes your dectalk is connected to your first serial port. You
should then hear your dectalk asking you to select a language for the
installation.

Since you probably don't plan to install debian, (though you are
welcome to of course) press alt+right arrow, followed by enter.

You should now be at a command prompt, and able to echo commands to
/sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct, and see what your dectalk
sounds like. Hope that helps.

Greg


On Thu, May 14, 2020 at 10:24:37AM -0400, Karen Lewellen wrote:
> Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
>  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
> Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.


-- 
web site: http://www.gregn.net
gpg public key: http://www.gregn.net/pubkey.asc
skype: gregn1
(authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
If we haven't been in touch before, e-mail me before adding me to your contacts.

--
Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Karen Lewellen]

My goodness how complicated.
I wonder how Linux users discover all these steps, if not on this list?
Out of curiosity, the install would not find a dectalk connected via USB 
why exactly?



On Thu, 14 May 2020, Gregory Nowak wrote:

> You can also start with a dectalk by default in debian and most if not
> all derivatives. At www.debian.org, follow the get debian
> link. Probably the smallest image with speakup is the netinst iso
> image. Grab that, and burn it to a CD, or write it out to a USB drive
> using dd. More info on this process is in debian's documentation
> section.
>
> Then boot your PC from either CD, or your uSB disk, depending on which
> you created above. Once you hear a beep from your PC speaker, press
> tab, space, and type speakup.synth=dectlk and press enter.
>
> This assumes your dectalk is connected to your first serial port. You
> should then hear your dectalk asking you to select a language for the
> installation.
>
> Since you probably don't plan to install debian, (though you are
> welcome to of course) press alt+right arrow, followed by enter.
>
> You should now be at a command prompt, and able to echo commands to
> /sys/accessibility/speakup/synth_direct, and see what your dectalk
> sounds like. Hope that helps.
>
> Greg
>
>
> On Thu, May 14, 2020 at 10:24:37AM -0400, Karen Lewellen wrote:
>> Well, I have a dectalk, but cannot install Linux or speakup  because the
>>  Dectalk is not a default voice option.
>> Just sharing in case you hear from no one else.
>
>
> -- 
> web site: http://www.gregn.net
> gpg public key: http://www.gregn.net/pubkey.asc
> skype: gregn1
> (authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
> If we haven't been in touch before, e-mail me before adding me to your contacts.
>
> --
> Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@linux-speakup.org
> http://linux-speakup.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>

Re: calling all dectalk users

[Samuel Thibault]

Karen Lewellen, le jeu. 14 mai 2020 17:37:47 -0400, a ecrit:
> I wonder how Linux users discover all these steps, if not on this list?

It is documented in the Debian installation manual

The accessibility wiki
https://wiki.debian.org/accessibility

contains a pointer to the precise chapter
https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch05s02

> Out of curiosity, the install would not find a dectalk connected via USB why
> exactly?

Because USB autodetection is still on the speakup TODO list.

Samuel