[DECtalk] Any news?
Brandon Misch
bmisch2002 at gmail.com
Wed May 4 22:23:33 EDT 2011
that's scarry
On May 4, 2011, at 7:20 PM, Alex H. wrote:
> 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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>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>
>>
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