[DECtalk] Any news?
Alex H.
linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com
Wed May 4 19:20:20 EDT 2011
I just can't believe that the head guy in charge is being this rough
with people. I mean, anybody who can hear anything can tell the
difference; had a few sighted friends listen to it compared to all the
other stuff I have, they said it was aweful too, and they don't even
use DECTalk!
Sorry to rant, it just surprises me.
Alex
On 5/4/11, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I see. would be glad if this can be fixed at some point in the future.
>
> On May 4, 2011, at 6:40 PM, Dectalk at aol.com wrote:
>
>> I have no hope. The head person in charge of creating the SAPI doesn't
>> seem to know Dectalk and can't even tell one version from the other.
>> Blake and I both got told we don't know what we are talking about.
>>
>> It sounds like more time and money is going into the project. But as long
>> as the head programmer has a bad ear, I think it's totally hopeless!
>>
>>
>> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>
>> In a message dated 5/4/2011 4:53:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> beroberts at hughes.net writes:
>> Thanks everyone for the feedback thus far about the SAPI Dectalk version
>> referred to as 4.3. Keep it coming! You guys have come to some of the
>> conclusions that Snoopi and I have experienced as testers.
>>
>> The current SAPI Dectalk definitely needs fixing. As a number of list
>> members have said, most of the voices sound awful. I understand that some
>> list members find SAPI Dectalk to be somewhat acceptable, as each
>> individual has the right to his/her own oppinion. I think most of us agree
>> there is room for improvement prior to release and wide acceptance.
>>
>> There's something else that I think all of you should be aware of. Work
>> has
>> been done on a speak window of the SAPI Dectalk 4.3. Like SAPI Dectalk,
>> the
>> speak window definitely needs improvement. There are two reasons for this.
>> First, there is no spken message when an error is encountered, such as
>> when
>> Dectalk stops singing. For those of us who are blind, this presents a
>> serious problem because we don't know exactly what the error is or where
>> it
>> is. The second Speak Window issue is that there are no keyboard shortcuts
>> yet for play, stop and pause. The addition of keyboard shortcuts was
>> previously pointed out to a programmer involved. Snoopi and I were told
>> the
>> aforementioned keyboard shortcuts are in the works.
>>
>> As a long-time Dectalkist, I am uncertain if the SAPI Dectalk can be made
>> to
>> sing on its own. It is possible that us blind people will need to make
>> Dectalk sing using the Speak Window, as has been the case in years past.
>> As
>> I've said, both SAPI Dectalk and the speak window can benefit from
>> improvement.
>>
>> If any list members would like to test out the speak window, write me off
>> list and I will send it as a zip file. For people on Gmail, I'll come up
>> with some other compression method, such as 7-zip. I am making this offer
>> to
>> share the speak window because I think you all need to know about both
>> items
>> that need fixing.
>> Blake
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com
>> [mailto:dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com] On Behalf Of Raymond Grote
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 4:17 PM
>> To: DECtalk Discussions
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>>
>> Heck no. If they're going to release this, then I would feel the same way.
>> But I had always thought this was a test and would sound significantly
>> different later?
>> So were they really planning on releasing it like this?
>> I really do hope not. As I said in previous posts, someone really messsed
>> it
>> up, and we have to fix it somehow, otherwise only people who are curious
>> will ever use it.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>> From: Dectalk at aol.com
>> To: dectalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 1:24 PM
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>>
>>
>> The real question is, would people pay for a partially working SAPI?
>> I personally wouldn't.
>>
>>
>> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>
>> In a message dated 5/4/2011 1:16:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> bmisch2002 at gmail.com writes:
>>
>> you are hearing it wright. some of the voices are good like
>> paul, frank, harry, and probably one other voices. if people just want to
>> use paul for nvda and other things, it's ok for that but if people want to
>> make dectalk do certain things like sing, this isn't as good but for
>> people
>> who just want to use it with a screen reader and nothing more, it's ok for
>> that.
>>
>> On May 4, 2011, at 1:06 PM, Dectalk at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm too mad to deal with it. Blake and I got asked
>> how to make Dectalk sing, so we sent them a file. We both got told that
>> we
>> don't know what we're doing. Then we're told that it will sing with no
>> problem, Um, it won't. I had Blake send "WE ARE THE WORLD" for the
>> simple
>> fact that if they ever get that to sing clear through with no feedback, we
>> will have something to work with.
>>
>> As of now, we are working with garbage! That's why
>> I'm against posting samples because this stuff is mostly crap. They call
>> it
>> 4.3, I don't! This is as far from 4.anything as you can get!
>>
>> Some of these people are on this list. Maybe they
>> will finally get that the gn command on some voices is set too high, the
>> consonant sounds are not clearly heard, and ugh I could go on and on.
>>
>> I might not get another SAPI after posting the demo.
>> I don't care. This is trash, and I'm tired of being told I'm not hearing
>> it
>> right. I'm glad I'm not alone in my opinion.
>>
>>
>> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>
>> In a message dated 5/4/2011 12:41:05 P.M. Eastern
>> Daylight Time, bmisch2002 at gmail.com writes:
>>
>> i hope you show this sample to those who are
>> telling you that there is no problem.
>>
>> On May 4, 2011, at 12:17 PM, Dectalk at aol.com
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> http://pastorsnoopi.twigs76.com/music/SAPI%20DEMO.mp3
>>
>> The above link is the sample that
>> people wanted. Blake and I are both told that there is no problem. Tell
>> that to our ears. (YUCK)
>>
>>
>> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>
>> In a message dated 5/4/2011 11:16:00
>> A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, edbruckert at gmail.com writes:
>>
>> All that means is what you
>> are sent is not acceptable don't worry it'll be solved I promise at this
>> point in my life I need it as much as anybody else
>>
>>
>> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:48
>> AM, <Dectalk at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Brace yourselves
>> because I don't think you guys will like it. The very worst voice is Kit.
>> I'd do the recording for you guys but I really don't want to be linked
>> with
>> this pour Dectalk quality. Have fun guys.
>>
>>
>> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>
>> In a message dated
>> 5/4/2011 9:10:14 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ratguy at insightbb.com writes:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Here's a
>> sample text. I assume you can use DECtalk commands in the text? An
>> MP3 of the
>> 4.3 speak application performing this exact text can be found at
>>
>> http://www.bluegrasspals.com/dt43sample.mp3
>> Now here's
>> the text.
>>
>> [:phoneme
>> on]
>> [:np] [:ra
>> 250]
>> Hello. This
>> is the factory default Paul voice.
>> I'm talking
>> now with this voice since this is what most people are probably
>> going to be
>> using. Let's speed it up a bit.
>> [:ra 300]
>> This is
>> probably how Jayson's JFW would talk normally. Now let's put some
>> intonation
>> in there.
>> [:dv pr 250]
>> [:dv sr 50]
>> Okay, this
>> is how Jayson used to listen to DECtalk back in the good old DOS
>> days. With
>> 4.3 and earlier, if you could get used to this which you would
>> over time,
>> this sounds pretty good! It'd take some getting used to again,
>> not having
>> had it for so long.
>> [:np] [:ra
>> 250]
>> The rest of
>> this demo was created a few months ago to compair and test the
>> various
>> other factory voices and several custom voices in different DECtalk
>> versions.
>> I will now
>> test the other voices.
>> [:nb] I'm
>> Beautiful Betty, the default female voice.
>> [:nh] I'm
>> Huge Harry.
>> [:nd] I'm
>> Doctor Dennis.
>> [:nf] I'm
>> Frail Frank.
>> [:nu] I'm
>> Uppity Ursula.
>> [:nr] I'm
>> Rough Rita.
>> [:nw] I'm
>> Whispering Wendy.
>> [:nk] and
>> I'm Kit the Kid.
>> [:np]
>> Now I'll let
>> the DECtalk manual describe us.
>> [:np]
>> Perfect Paul Standard male voice.
>> [:nb]
>> Beautiful Betty Standard female voice.
>> [:nh]
>> Huge Harry Deep male voice.
>> [:nf]
>> Frail Frank Older male voice.
>> [:nk]
>> Kit the Kid Child's voice (about 10 years
>> old).
>> [:nr]
>> Rough Rita Deep female voice.
>> [:nu]
>> Uppity Ursula Light female voice.
>> [:nd]
>> Doctor Dennis Breathy male voice.
>> [:nw]
>> Whispering Wendy Whispery female voice.
>>
>> [:np]
>> Okay, let's
>> test a few custom voices.
>> [:nf] [:dv
>> br 0 la 0 sr 100 hr 100 ap 150 pr 95] [:ra 220] This is the voice
>> of Rimmer
>> from Red Dwarf.
>> Lister, we
>> are being tested! I don't know what to do!
>> [:nf] [:ra
>> 240] [:dv br 0 hs 95 ap 100 as 100 pr 220 hr 30 sr 30] This is
>> Lister.
>> Rimmer! Come
>> over here and help me with this new speech synthesizer!
>> [:np] [:dv
>> as 0 bf 0 la 20 nf 00 ri 100 sm 0 hr 0 sr 0] [:ra 220] This is
>> Holly.
>> This is an
>> important announcement. All persons aboard this ship are to
>> report to
>> the voice calibration office at once. That is all.
>> [:np] [:dv
>> br 100 lx 100 bf 100 hr 100 sr 100 as 100 qu 100 ap 110 pr 150 sx
>> 1 la 0]
>> [:ra 210] This is the voice of the toaster.
>> I don't know
>> where this voice calibration office is. Does anyone want some
>> toast?
>> [:np] [:dv
>> sm 1 hs 90 br 0 ri 0 la 0] [:ra 250] I'm the cat.
>> Who says my
>> voice needs to be calibrated? I want fishies!
>> [:nd] [:dv
>> as 0 bf 0 la 20 nf 00 ri 100 hr 0 sr 0] [:ra 220] I'm Queeg 500.
>> None of you
>> have any credit, so you may not use the voice calibrator.
>> [:nu] [:dv
>> as 1 bf 10 la 30 nf 10 ri 100 sm 50 hr 100 sr 20 ap 130] [:ra
>> 240] I'm the
>> newer voice of Holly.
>> I'm picking
>> something up. It's another ship. Its name is Deck Talk or
>> something
>> very close. They have been conducting an experiment on us all this
>> time. That
>> would explain why we've been saying all these silly things. I
>> knew I was
>> having trouble finding a record of any voice calibration office
>> on Red
>> Dwarf.
>>
>> -----
>> Original Message -----
>> From:
>> "Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>> To: "DECtalk
>> Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> Sent:
>> Wednesday, May 04, 2011 7:02 AM
>> Subject: Re:
>> [DECtalk] Any news?
>>
>>
>> > HI Jayson,
>> > I will do
>> that. Could you suggest some sample sentences to synthesize?
>> > We're
>> trying to find a way to put a "demo play" button on the Enable
>> > website so
>> people can type in any text they'd like to hear, but our
>> > programmer
>> hasn't been able to spend time on that project right now.
>> > corine
>> >
>> > On Tue,
>> May 3, 2011 at 8:12 PM, Jayson Smith <ratguy at insightbb.com> wrote:
>> >> Do you
>> have any audio samples you could share? Maybe I could elaborate on
>> >> what
>> people don't like. I pretty much know what DT 4.3 sounds like.
>> >> Jayson
>> >>
>> >> -----
>> Original Message -----
>> >> From:
>> "Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>> >> To:
>> "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >> Sent:
>> Tuesday, May 03, 2011 7:53 PM
>> >> Subject:
>> Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>>i meant -
>> i can't hear the differences, not being so attuned to the
>> >>> various
>> DT versions. i can hear ok, but i'm not clear on the
>> >>>
>> differences in quality.
>> >>>
>> >>> On Tue,
>> May 3, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Jayson Smith <ratguy at insightbb.com>
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>>> Hi,
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Wo, you
>> actually got 4.3 working with SAPI? What kind of quality
>> >>>>
>> problems
>> >>>> are
>> there?
>> >>>> Thanks.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> -----
>> Original Message -----
>> >>>> From:
>> "Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>> >>>> To:
>> "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> >>>> Sent:
>> Tuesday, May 03, 2011 6:14 PM
>> >>>>
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>> Still
>> waiting for one of the "old" (not chronologically, just in terms
>> >>>>> of
>> contact with DT) to send some more versions for testing.
>> >>>>> 4.3
>> and 4.67 work in SAPI fine but preliminary listening results
>> >>>>>
>> indicate dissatisfaction.
>> >>>>> corine
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> On
>> Tue, May 3, 2011 at 2:29 PM, Jayson Smith <ratguy at insightbb.com>
>> >>>>> wrote:
>> >>>>>> Okay,
>> it's broken record time. Anything new going on with the SAPI
>> >>>>>>
>> DECtalk?
>> >>>>>>
>> Haven't heard anything in a while.
>> >>>>>>
>> Jayson
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>>>
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>> >>>>>>
>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> >>>>>>
>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>>
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>> >>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> >>>
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