[DECtalk] dectalk external question

Thu Mar 2 02:49:33 EST 2006

in the 80s as I understand it.
if my computer history is up to scratch, there was a version of dos, v 3.20 Ithink.
Could be 4 or 5 but not sure.
Anyway since windows 311 and all 3x versions came in the 90s its probably windows 2.0
I heard though that apple 2 systems ran this synth or varients of that.
At 07:12 p.m. 2/03/2006, you wrote:
>Hi,
>The recording has been moved.  The complete URL is as follows.
>http://www.bluegrasspals.com/dectalk/hardware%20synth%20demos/dectalk1.8demo
>.wav
>If that word wraps, just put that all on one line.
>As for it working with Jaws, if you mean JFW, you're probably out of luck
>there.  I'd certainly bet that this old dinosaur wouldn't be supported in
>any way by JFW or any other modern Windows screen reader.  That sounds like
>a very, very old version of DECtalk, probably from the mid 80's.  That was
>probably before SSIL was even thought of, and if Windows even existed it
>couldn't have been very popular.  We have an old Kurzweil reading machine
>with DECtalk speech and modern screen readers can't interface with it.  ASAP
>for DOS can interface with the Kurzweil so could probably also work with the
>old DECtalk dinosaur you have.  My first suggestion would be for you to get
>into something like Hyper Terminal and connect to the com port where the
>DECtalk is connected.  Start typing sentences to it, maybe using different
>baud rates and other parameters if it doesn't work at first.  Be sure and
>type entire sentences, with the periods, since in my experiences DECtalk
>often waits for the end of a clause before speaking, so if you just typed in
>words it wouldn't speak which would lead you to believe it wasn't working.
>Good luck!
>Jayson.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
>To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:08 AM
>Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>
>
>> well I got the demo recorded
>> also I just got a 25 pin to 9 pin cable plug with one of those gender
>> adapters hooked in to the comm port of the dectalk and it still aint
>working
>> with jaws grrrrrrrr not sure what I am doing wrong here but I did get a
>> recording of it powering up etc so  take a listen smiles
>> its on the ftp under incomming
>> thanks
>> hank
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Brent Harding" <bharding at doorpi.net>
>> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 6:02 PM
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>>
>>
>> >I doubt one could get a gig a second out a serial port. I think modems
>> > theoretically in the port could go to 115200.
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "shaun everiss" <shaun.e at xtra.co.nz>
>> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 7:17 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >
>> >
>> >> Hmm.
>> >> the standard coms settings are 9600 n 8 1 which were from the keysoft
>> >> configs, not sure if this bares anything on this though.
>> >> I know actual modems can go from 100 through to 11500 bps
>> >> Ports settings can go to 9000 maybe 99000 almost a gb.
>> >> however nothing runs that fast in a modem.
>> >> I just know they can.
>> >> At 09:59 a.m. 2/03/2006, you wrote:
>> >>>Hi,
>> >>>So what you would need to connect the unit to your computer is a 25-pin
>> >>>female to 9-pin female cable.  I don't know that I've ever seen such a
>> >>>thing, but you could certainly use a female to female gender changer.
>> >>>E.G.
>> >>>use a 25-pin male to 9-pin female cable, and plug the gender changer
>into
>> >>>the 25-pin end of the cable, thus making the male a female and able to
>> >>>plug
>> >>>into the DECtalk.
>> >>>Now assuming you get the thing connected properly, you'll still have to
>> >>>deal
>> >>>with communication settings such as baud rate and the like.
>> >>>Unfortunately
>> >>>I
>> >>>know absolutely nothing about how these are set on the old DECtalk
>units
>> >>>because I have never used or even seen one.
>> >>>Jayson.
>> >>>
>> >>>----- Original Message -----
>> >>>From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
>> >>>To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 2:17 PM
>> >>>Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>> the port has pins showing on it
>> >>>> thanks
>> >>>> hank
>> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> From: "Jayson Smith" <ratguy at bellsouth.net>
>> >>>> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 2:28 AM
>> >>>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> > Hi,
>> >>>> > Assuming the ports on the back of your DECtalk are female, that is,
>> >>>> > they
>> >>>> > do
>> >>>> > not have pins showing, you would need a 25-pin male to 9-pin
>female.
>> >>>> > These
>> >>>> > cables were in common use not too long ago when external modems
>were
>> >>>being
>> >>>> > used, most modems had 25-pin female serial ports.  As to whether
>you
>> >>>need
>> >>>> > a
>> >>>> > null modem cable or adaptor, I can't say as I don't know how the
>> >>>> > serial
>> >>>> > ports in the DECtalk are wired, but I would tend to think not.  A
>> >>>> > null
>> >>>> > modem
>> >>>> > cable or a null modem adaptor is needed in some instances,
>especially
>> >>>when
>> >>>> > hooking two computers together.  There are two different types of
>> >>>> > serial
>> >>>> > equipment.  Normally when two serial devices are connected
>properly,
>> >>>each
>> >>>> > device's Receive line is connected to the other device's Transmit
>> >>>> > line.
>> >>>> > When you try to hook up two devices of the same type without a null
>> >>>modem
>> >>>> > cable or adaptor, the transmit lines and the receive lines are
>> >>>> > connected
>> >>>> > to
>> >>>> > themselves.  That is like two people trying to communicate over a
>> >>>> > telephone
>> >>>> > by talking into the earpiece and listening to the mouthpiece.  In
>> >>>> > short,
>> >>>> > absolutely nothing is accomplished by so doing.  A null modem
>adaptor
>> >>>> > is
>> >>>> > put
>> >>>> > at one end of the cable to switch the pins around in these
>instances,
>> >>>> > or
>> >>>a
>> >>>> > null modem cable can be used which is already wired thus.  Usually
>> >>>> > the
>> >>>> > only
>> >>>> > time this is an issue is when you are trying to hook up two
>> >>>> > computers.
>> >>>> > Jayson.
>> >>>> >
>> >>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> > From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
>> >>>> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>> > Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 4:42 AM
>> >>>> > Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >>>> >
>> >>>> >
>> >>>> >> what kind of cable do I need to make this thing work with a
>> >>>> >> computer?
>> >>>> >> is there such a thing as a 25 mail to 9 pin femail?
>> >>>> >> I'll be damned if I can find one of things I was told to look at a
>> >>>> >> null
>> >>>> >> modem cable but that is just for internet connections i thaught
>> >>>> >> its interesting though that you mentioned interfacing this thing
>> >>>> >> with
>> >>>> > phone
>> >>>> >> lines thing things looks like a computer but no ports for a
>keyboard
>> >>>> >> or
>> >>>> >> anything its really big some what long etc.it has a fan inside it
>> >>>> >> to.
>> >>>> >> anyways if any oe has used one of these things please get back to
>> >>>> >> me.
>> >>>> >>
>> >>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> >> From: "Jayson Smith" <ratguy at bellsouth.net>
>> >>>> >> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 12:58 AM
>> >>>> >> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >>>> >>
>> >>>> >>
>> >>>> >> > Hi,
>> >>>> >> > You have one of the old DECtalks.  I've never seen one of these
>so
>> >>>> >> > don't
>> >>>> >> > have connector info, but I've heard Speakup under Linux can use
>> >>>> >> > these
>> >>>> >> > so
>> >>>> >> > if
>> >>>> >> > you ever want someone to take it off your hands...
>> >>>> >> > Anyway, you're wrong, any connector with pins or plugs showing
>is
>> >>>> >> > a
>> >>>> > male,
>> >>>> >> > any jack or serial connector without pins showing is a female.
>> >>>> >> > The
>> >>>> > phone
>> >>>> >> > jacks, as I understand it, are not used for connection to a
>> >>>> >> > computer.
>> >>>> >> > These
>> >>>> >> > old DECtalk units could interface with a phone line to give
>> >>>> >> > callers
>> >>>> > spoken
>> >>>> >> > information, provided you had or could write the appropriate
>> >>>software.
>> >>>> > I
>> >>>> >> > think they could even do menu-based stuff, E.G. "For the song of
>> >>>> >> > the
>> >>>> >> > day
>> >>>> >> > press 1, for the DECtalk demo review of the day press 2, for
>your
>> >>>> > current
>> >>>> >> > account balance press 3, to use a time machine to make it so
>that
>> >>>> > Digital
>> >>>> >> > would never have even thought of selling DECtalk press 4, etc."
>> >>>Thus,
>> >>>> >> > probably the reason that DECtalk versions to this day have
>> >>>> >> > touchtone
>> >>>> >> > dialing
>> >>>> >> > commands.
>> >>>> >> > Jayson.
>> >>>> >> >
>> >>>> >> > ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> >> > From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
>> >>>> >> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>> >> > Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 11:56 PM
>> >>>> >> > Subject: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>> >>>> >> >
>> >>>> >> >
>> >>>> >> >> hello I have a dectalk external its before the express
>> >>>> >> >> it is running firmware 1.8 when you turn it on it has test
>> >>>touchtones
>> >>>> >> > before
>> >>>> >> >> it says
>> >>>> >> >> "dectalk version 1.8 is running"
>> >>>> >> >> anyways I am having trouble finding out what exact cable I need
>> >>>> >> >> to
>> >>>> >> >> hook
>> >>>> >> > this
>> >>>> >> >> up to a computer to use with a screen reader
>> >>>> >> >> it has 2 phone jacks one with a phone simbol and the other with
>a
>> >>>> >> >> minus
>> >>>> >> > buy
>> >>>> >> >> it
>> >>>> >> >> btw I just had a custom cable made a mmj cable and it isn't the
>> >>>> >> >> one
>> >>>> > that
>> >>>> >> >> goes off to the side
>> >>>> >> >> the other 2 ports it has are one port that says
>> >>>> >> >> comm
>> >>>> >> >> the other port has a square buy it
>> >>>> >> >> these are 25 pin think its femail its the port with the pins
>> >>>showing.
>> >>>> >> >> anyways what cable do I need to have custom made to interface
>> >>>> >> >> this
>> >>>> > thing
>> >>>> >> >> with the computer to use it as a external synth?
>> >>>> >> >> I am going to be returning the mmj cable and I need to tell the
>> >>>folks
>> >>>> >> >> what
>> >>>> >> >> kind of cable I need.
>> >>>> >> >> any help  is so so greatly appreciated.
>> >>>> >> >> thanks
>> >>>> >> >> hank
>> >>>> >> >>
>> >>>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> >> >> DECtalk mailing list
>> >>>> >> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> >>>> >> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>>> >> >
>> >>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>> >>>> >> > DECtalk mailing list
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>> >>>> >> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>>> >> >
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>> >>>> >> >
>> >>>> >>
>> >>>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >>>> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>>> >
>> >>>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >>>> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
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>> >>>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
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>> >>>
>> >>>_______________________________________________
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>> >>>DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> >>>http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>
>> >
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>> >
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