[DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?

Johnny Lam johnnybrl at gmail.com
Tue Aug 24 18:19:36 EDT 2010


hi, I love using Dectalk just for pleasure reading too. It's too bad Dectalk 
has mostly died out. It's a pitty, since it's a really awesome synthesizer.

I think the voices sound more natural than Eloquence. I wish FS would switch 
to Dectalk like Window-eyes did. They can still ship with dectalk as the 
default synth, and also installs eloquence when we install Jaws.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "peter Mahach" <pitermach at gmail.com>
To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 6:48 AM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?


>I use dectalk with window-eyes sometimes, but I find the speech quality
> drops at high rates, so for high speed I use eloquence. for casual 
> reading,
> I have my rate at about 160 words per minute i think,it's hard to say as
> window-eyes doesn't give that information, giving the rate at a -9 to 9
> scale.
> For muds I have the rate set to about  250 words per minute to keep up 
> with
> events. Muds are realtime text based gAMES WHERE PEOPLE CAN INTERACT AND
> SUCH.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jayson Smith" <ratguy at insightbb.com>
> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 3:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?
>
>
>> I've been using DECtalk since 1989 when we got a Kurzweil Personal 
>> Reader.
>> Remember those? The big dedicated machine to which you hooked a separate
>> scanner, and it would read stuff to you. Cost $10000 to. How far
>> technology
>> has come. Anyway, after that, we got DECtalk PC cards, then I got my 
>> first
>> DECtalk Express for my seventeenth birthday in 1995 and have been using
>> them
>> ever since. I read at approx. 300 words per minute, but could probably go
>> faster if I had any reason to.
>> Jayson
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 7:18 AM
>> 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>
>>> 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> 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>
>>>> 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 <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 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> wrote:
>>>> >> >> wait what is phonix talk and could  someone please send me a 
>>>> >> >> demo?
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> On 8/20/10, Dectalk at aol.com  <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  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>
>>>> >> >>> To:   <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
>>>> >> >>>>   http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>> >> >>>
>>>> >> >>>  _______________________________________________
>>>> >> >>> DECtalk  mailing  list
>>>> >> >>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>> >> >>>  http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>> >> >>>
>>>> >> >>>
>>>> >> >>  _______________________________________________
>>>> >> >> DECtalk mailing  list
>>>> >> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>> >> >>  http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>>>> >> > DECtalk  mailing  list
>>>> >> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>> >> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>> >> DECtalk mailing list
>>>> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
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