[DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?

Darrin Porter Darrin.Porter at united-mar.com
Tue Aug 24 08:17:29 EDT 2010


Corine,

I have been using DecTalk hardware synths since the early '90s, starting with DecTalk PCs and graduating to DecTalk Expresses which I currently use.  I also have a DecTalk USB, but don't use it much as I feel that the speech quality is much poorer than that of the earlier models.  For most computer work, I run them at between 350 and 400 words per minute, but may speed them up even further for casual reading.  I have never used a software version of DecTalk and have never even heard what it sounds like.

If you would like to chat further, feel free to contact me off list either by Email or phone.  My contact info is in my signature.

Darrin


Darrin Porter
Senior Technical Engineer


United Ocean Services, L.L.C.
601 South Harbour Island Boulevard, Suite 230
Tampa, Florida  33602
(813) 209-4247 (office)
(813) 744-0011 (cellular phone)
(813) 242-4849 (fax)
DARRIN.PORTER at UNITED-MAR.COMM<mailto:DARRIN.PORTER at UNITED-MAR.COMM>

________________________________
From: dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com [mailto:dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com] On Behalf Of Corine Bickley
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 7:19 AM
To: DECtalk Discussions
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?

Hi Alex,
I am particularly interested in knowing who uses DECtalk for screen readers because I'm part of an Acoustical Society's standards committee on intelligibility of text-to-speech systems. We have a particular interest in knowing what users of high-speed synthesized speech think, and can understand, as most of us on the committee only have experience listening to synthesized speech at conversational speeds. What's your preferred speed? Might you be willing to advise our committee?
thanks for considering - corine
On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 7:21 PM, Alex H. <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com<mailto:linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Corine,

I use DECTalk mostly on the Windows platform, and when I convert to
Linux I'll probably use it as well. I'm a screen reader user, and use
DECTalk Access32 with JAWS and Window-Eyes. For NVDA (my primary
screenreader), there's no supported DECTalk, which is why a SAPI
version would be really great.

My cell phone is a Windows Mobile phone, and I currently use Mobile
Speak for Windows Mobile and Fonix Dectalk 4.6.3 that's bundled with
Mobile Speak. So in short, I use DECTalk quite a bit.

I also use DECTalk demos to write songs and gingles, plays, etc.  It's
really quite amusing having a synthesizer that can do so much.

When I can swing it, I'll look into buying a DECTalk USb and then I'll
have my favorite speech in a hardware synthesizer. I know, I'm a bit
crazy about DECTalk! :)

Alex

On 8/23/10, Corine Bickley <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu<mailto:corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>> wrote:
> Hi Alex -
> I worked with Snoopi at Fonix (and before that at Force), and I'm interested
> to know how you use DECtalk - for what purposes and on what platforms?
> corine bickley
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 1:49 PM, Alex H. <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com<mailto:linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Best of luck to you with the CD's and DECTalk. I hope DECTalk doesn't
>> go by the wayside, it's a great synth and I use it almost everyday, on
>> my phone and my laptops. I'm planning on getting the DECTalk USB but
>> have yet to find a used one.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> On 8/23/10, Dectalk at aol.com<mailto:Dectalk at aol.com> <Dectalk at aol.com<mailto:Dectalk at aol.com>> wrote:
>> > I don't work with Fonix any more so I can't really  say.  My personal
>> > opinion is just ask.  I know a sapi5 is possible, I  just don't know if
>> they
>> > ever
>> > did one.
>> >
>> > BUT, let me tell you what my plans are.  I'm  finally on facebook where
>> > more people are getting to know me and my music.   At the end of
>> September
>> > I'm
>> > releasing my very first holiday CD.  I'm hoping  it does well.  I have 2
>> > Churches that are letting me sell it, a CEO might  buy some for his
>> company,
>> > and I'm hoping for a big sale.  You can't count  on anything, but I'm
>> > hoping.
>> > Blake Roberts and I are giving this our best  shot.
>> >
>> > One of the things I want to get is the Dectalk Kit,  and I believe it
>> sells
>> > for $1000.00.  That kit will let me create a Dectalk  sapi 5 version.  I
>> > think I can get the 4.0 kit version but I'm not  sure.  I want the
>> > oldest
>> > version I can get because the new versions  suck!
>> >
>> > Dectalk is going away because of lake of  interest.  But because of my
>> > music, there will always be disabled people  who want to get into
>> singing.
>> > Plus
>> > if device companies ever want  Dectalk,  I'll be able to pay the
>> royalties
>> > through this Dectalk kit and  sell the sapi 5 that I create with the
>> > kit.
>> >
>> > If my September release doesn't generate enough  orders, I'm hoping it
>> will
>> > generate a new generation of interest because I'm  planning on another
>> > CD
>> > release next March.
>> >
>> > My dilemma is, I need a new van because my van is on  it's last legs.
>> > So
>> > sadly the van needs to have priority.  But I'm  hoping to book a
>> > concert,
>> > and
>> > if I can do that, I should be fine.  I have  750 friends on facebook and
>> > growing, so I'm hoping for some  interest.
>> >
>> > So Dectalk is not gone yet.
>> >
>> >
>> > SNOOPI BOTTEN
>> >
>> >
>> > In a message dated 8/23/2010 1:27:10 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> > linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com<mailto:linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com> writes:
>> >
>> > Hi  Snoopi,
>> >
>> > Thanks for the info on Dectalk 5.0. I guess I really don't need  it, I
>> > got four other demos plus FonixTalk. Do you think I'd have any  luck
>> > contacting Fonix and requesting the demos?
>> >
>> > @johnnybrl, I  believe that FonixTalk works with the SAPI5 engine but
>> > it needs to be  purchased. It is mentioned in the SDK and FonixTalk
>> > pages on their site  though. I wish DecTalk had a SAPI version, and
>> > direct access to the speech  parameters.
>> >
>> > Alex
>> >
>> > On 8/20/10, Ryan Chou  <rc4896153 at gmail.com<mailto:rc4896153 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>> >> wait what is phonix talk and could  someone please send me a demo?
>> >>
>> >> On 8/20/10, Dectalk at aol.com<mailto:Dectalk at aol.com>  <Dectalk at aol.com<mailto:Dectalk at aol.com>> wrote:
>> >>> As far as I know, Dectalk 5.0 was  only a beta  version.  I have it
>> > because
>> >>> I worked for  Fonix, but I can't give it  out.  My version SUCKS!
>> It's
>> >>> just
>> >>> slightly hard to understand.   If  they fixed it, it needed it!  But I
>> >>> would
>> >>> never  ever buy it or use it  because they changed a phonetic code and
>> > did
>> >>> a
>> >>> few other  changes.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> SNOOPI  BOTTEN
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> In a message dated 8/20/2010  4:07:50 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> >>> johnnybrl at gmail.com<mailto:johnnybrl at gmail.com>  writes:
>> >>>
>> >>> Hi Alex,  Yes I think I've seen that  fonix has made a Dectalk 5.0 a
>> few
>> >>> years
>> >>> ago,  if  my memory is correct. However, I couldn't find where you can
>> >>>  download a  demo version of it anywhere.
>> >>>
>> >>> But Yeah  hopefully somebody managed to get  a demo copy  somewhere.
>> >>>
>> >>> BTW, I sort of like the fonix talk6  voices,  almost like the fonix
>> > dectalk
>> >>> 4.6.4. And you can  also create wave files in  the program too.
>> >>> And I was also  wondering, is there a version of fonix talk  that you
>> > could
>> >>>  use in windows like a Sapi5 engine? Was maybe thinking  about getting
>> > it
>> >>> to
>> >>> use it with NVDA or Jaws.
>> >>> -----  Original Message  -----
>> >>> From: "Alex H."  <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com<mailto:linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>>
>> >>> To:   <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com<mailto:dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>>
>> >>> Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010  9:29  PM
>> >>> Subject: [DECtalk] DECTalk  5.0?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>> Hey  all,
>> >>>>
>> >>>>  Been doing some research, aparently  Fonix made a Dectalk 5.0 before
>> >>>>  they started their  FonixTalk synthesizer.
>> >>>> Just wondering if anybody's  got  the demo of DECTalk 5.0? Can't find
>> it
>> >>>> anywhere  :(
>> >>>>
>> >>>>  Thx.
>> >>>>  Alex
>> >>>>   _______________________________________________
>> >>>> DECtalk  mailing  list
>> >>>>  DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com<mailto:DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>>   http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>>
>> >>>  _______________________________________________
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>> >>>
>> >>>
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