DECtalk software

DECtalk software

[Joseph Norton]

Well, I don't know if I should admit it or not, but, I got the DECtalk
Software RT for Linux.  It sounds like crap.  Well, a kinder way of
putting it might be to say it sounds like an older DECtalk with a cold
coming on.  But, it does seem to be less resource-intensive than Viavoice
and it doesn't appear to need X to run.

So, this begs the question, could Speakup be made to run with it.  I know
Kirk was working on the beginnings of a software speech solution, though
I haven't seen a lot about it lately--I'll double-check the archives just
to make sure.  Does any of you out there know if this thing uses any kind
of standard api or is it proprietary?

I got it speaking (I piped bash through the "say" program [which they were
so kind to include without source for even that]) and it was an
interesting experience.  But, it does seem like something could be done
eventually with it.

Again, I am definitely disappointed with the newer DECtalk speech, but,
hopefully, it will one day be an option if nothing else.

73 for now.

Re: DECtalk software

[Geoff Shang]

Hi:

My understanding is that Kirk is not interested in supporting a closed
source software speech synthesiser.  Possibly harsh but there it is.

Geoff.

Re: DECtalk software

[Joseph Norton]

hmmm, and my Doubletalk is open source is it?

Just pleading the devil's advocate.

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003, Geoff Shang wrote:

> Hi:
>
> My understanding is that Kirk is not interested in supporting a closed
> source software speech synthesiser.  Possibly harsh but there it is.
>
> Geoff.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: DECtalk software

[Keith Watson]

Geoff,

I disagree with this. He does support closed source software 
synth's right now. It's just that they have been burned to an 
EPROM and yuo had to pay close to $1000 or whatever to buy it and 
hook it up to your serial port because it has been packaged 
inside a proprietary chip that is being used to drive a speaker. 
So what's the difference if I buy the software and put it on my 
own hardware and drive my own speaker? The way I see it is that 
they have reduced the price of the Dectalk express from around 
$1300 to $50 by removing the casing and providing you with the 
binary that runs with your existing packaging. But hey, that's 
just the way I see it. 

Keith



On 03:09 PM, Geoff Shang wrote:
> Hi:
> 
> My understanding is that Kirk is not interested in supporting a closed
> source software speech synthesiser.  Possibly harsh but there it is.
> 
> Geoff.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

-- 
Keith Watson
kwatson@smed.yi.org

Among the major impediments to discovery are not the ignorant
but those with illusions of knowledge.    - B. Alan Wallace

Re: DECtalk software

[Geoff Shang]

Hi Keith and all:

Re the software vs. hardware speech thing.  Being the devil's advocate that
I sometimes am, I made similar points.  But it's not my view, it's Kirk's,
and I'm not really in a position to defend it. so I guess he will if he
wan'ts to.

Geoff.

Re: DECtalk software

[Buddy Brannan]

On Sat, Oct 25, 2003 at 01:17:36AM -0400, Joseph Norton wrote:
> hmmm, and my Doubletalk is open source is it?

Oh, c'mon Joe, you know better'n that. Of course your Doubletalk isn't
open source, or even free software. Come to that, it isn't,
technically, software, unless of course you can get in and reprogram
the stuff in its ROM and make it do something else. (I personally
don't have that sort of equipment.) 
-- 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV/3    | But I will lay my burden 
Email: davros@ycardz.com   | in the cradle of your grace,
ICQ: 36621210              | And the shining beaches of your love,
http://www.ycardz.com      | and the sea of your embrace.--Dave Carter

Re: DECtalk software

[Kirk Reiser]

Here's the deal, I will write an interface to the software Dectalk
after I have written one or more for open source synths.  If someone
else wants to write one meanwhile fine.  If someone wants to send me
big bucks to change my mind as to the order that's fine as well.

  Kirk

-- 

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

Fadora

[Darragh]

Hello, If I install the beta, can I use up2date to install the full
version when it comes out?

Thanks

D

Re: DECtalk software

[Keith Watson]

Only if i win the lottery tonight. Then maybe i'll buy you a SAN 
too.

Keith

On 02:41 PM, Kirk Reiser wrote:
> Here's the deal, I will write an interface to the software Dectalk
> after I have written one or more for open source synths.  If someone
> else wants to write one meanwhile fine.  If someone wants to send me
> big bucks to change my mind as to the order that's fine as well.
> 
>   Kirk
> 
> -- 
> 
> Kirk Reiser				The Computer Braille Facility
> e-mail: kirk@braille.uwo.ca		University of Western Ontario
> phone: (519) 661-3061
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

-- 
Keith Watson
kwatson@smed.yi.org

Among the major impediments to discovery are not the ignorant
but those with illusions of knowledge.    - B. Alan Wallace