[DECtalk] Any news?

Thu May 5 15:58:35 EDT 2011

Hi,

Yes, this is the new data, new voices etc. It's the same layout as the
4.3 window. This new speak can't be used with older dectalk versions
as far as I can tell.

Alex

On 5/5/11, Raymond Grote <musicalman1 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm still confused. so, if I were to get a copy of this speak window, it
> would be using the new voices we are testing? It would include all of the
> data files? Or is it just a new window that we use in place of the old
> window for the older versions like 4.3?
> I hope I am making sense.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Blake Roberts" <beroberts at hughes.net>
> To: "'DECtalk Discussions'" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 6:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>
>
>> Raymond,
>> All speak windows in existance include Dectalk voices. The only
>> differences
>> are in version and quality of the voices.
>> 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 5:47 PM
>> To: DECtalk Discussions
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>>
>> Which Dectalk does the Speak window work with?
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Blake Roberts" <beroberts at hughes.net>
>> To: "'DECtalk Discussions'" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 4:52 PM
>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?
>>
>>
>>> 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
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>>>>>
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> >>>>>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >>>>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>>>>
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> >>>>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >>>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>>> DECtalk
>>> mailing list
>>> >>>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>> DECtalk
>>> mailing list
>>> >>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >> DECtalk
>>> mailing list
>>> >>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> > DECtalk
>>> mailing list
>>> >
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> >
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk
>>> mailing list
>>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>>
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> DECtalk mailing list
>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> DECtalk mailing list
>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>
> _______________________________________________
> DECtalk mailing list
> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>