[DECtalk] speech synths again (was: DECTalk 5.0?)
Corine Bickley
corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu
Wed Aug 25 15:16:53 EDT 2010
I will gladly pass along your comments - maybe knowing users' interests will
spur some companies along :)
On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 2:42 PM, Alex Hall <mehgcap at gwi.net> wrote:
> Personally, I would love to see both Eloquence and DT as sapi voices.
> It is a true shame that these are not available anywhere as they would
> let users of any screen reader or self-voicing app use their favorite
> voice.
>
> On 8/25/10, Raymond Grote <musicalman1 at comcast.net> wrote:
> > Sure, use it as you wish. As I say though, what i say isn't facts, it's
> > mostly my opinion, although I try to be accurate.
> > Microsoft also can speed up pretty well but the quality of the voices
> just
> > annoys me to the point of staying away from them. Eloquence is what I
> used
> > back when I was in kindergarten just learning how to use a computer. Back
> > then I didn't care how it sounded, I could understand it. I got used to
> it.
> > I just liked it because it sped up very nicely, had pretty good
> > pronunciation, and was nice an clear at least to my ears. The intonation
> > doesn't bother me now, but I know it bothers many people.
> > As for Dectalk, I just can't get used to that synth. For some reason, I
> just
> > never really liked it, but many people do. I guess I'm just an opposite
> type
> > of guy...
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Corine Bickley
> > To: DECtalk Discussions
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:28 AM
> > Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?
> >
> >
> > Thank you, Raymond - very useful feedback! I'm a member of an
> Acoustical
> > Society standards committee on intelligibility of text-to-speech systems,
> > and we are particularly interested in the opinions of users at high
> speeds.
> > Is it ok if I pass along your comments to other members of the committee?
> > They are all experts in TTS with many years experience (including Sue
> Hertz
> > who developed Eloquence :) - she'd love to read you supportive comments
> > about her system).
> > corine
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Raymond Grote <
> musicalman1 at comcast.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> > I'm not sure if I can answer your question, but I personally don't
> like
> > Dectalk at high speeds. I use Eloquence most of the time, at speeds of
> > between 65 and 85 percent, 65 for reading text and 85 for just navigating
> > around and listening to short things like short IM messages on skype.
> > As for how fast this is, I don't really know. But I do know that
> dectalk
> > just doesn't sound good at those speeds, it starts to sounds all garbled
> and
> > all the words and syllables start to run together, making it difficult
> for
> > me to understand. Eloquence doesn't have this problem.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Corine Bickley
> > To: DECtalk Discussions
> > 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
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> > >> >>> 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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> > >>
> > >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
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>
>
> --
> Have a great day,
> Alex (msg sent from GMail website)
> mehgcap at gmail.com; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap
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