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<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>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.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>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!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>SNOOPI BOTTEN </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 5/4/2011 4:53:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
beroberts@hughes.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Thanks
everyone for the feedback thus far about the SAPI Dectalk version<BR>referred
to as 4.3. Keep it coming! You guys have come to some of the<BR>conclusions
that Snoopi and I have experienced as testers.<BR><BR>The current SAPI Dectalk
definitely needs fixing. As a number of list<BR>members have said, most of the
voices sound awful. I understand that some<BR>list members find SAPI
Dectalk to be somewhat acceptable, as each<BR>individual has the right to
his/her own oppinion. I think most of us agree<BR>there is room for
improvement prior to release and wide acceptance.<BR><BR>There's something
else that I think all of you should be aware of. Work has<BR>been done on a
speak window of the SAPI Dectalk 4.3. Like SAPI Dectalk, the<BR>speak window
definitely needs improvement. There are two reasons for this.<BR>First, there
is no spken message when an error is encountered, such as when<BR>Dectalk
stops singing. For those of us who are blind, this presents a<BR>serious
problem because we don't know exactly what the error is or where it<BR>is. The
second Speak Window issue is that there are no keyboard shortcuts<BR>yet for
play, stop and pause. The addition of keyboard shortcuts was<BR>previously
pointed out to a programmer involved. Snoopi and I were told
the<BR>aforementioned keyboard shortcuts are in the works.<BR><BR>As a
long-time Dectalkist, I am uncertain if the SAPI Dectalk can be made
to<BR>sing on its own. It is possible that us blind people will need to
make<BR>Dectalk sing using the Speak Window, as has been the case in years
past. As<BR>I've said, both SAPI Dectalk and the speak window can benefit
from<BR>improvement.<BR><BR>If any list members would like to test out the
speak window, write me off<BR>list and I will send it as a zip file. For
people on Gmail, I'll come up<BR>with some other compression method, such as
7-zip. I am making this offer to<BR>share the speak window because I think you
all need to know about both items<BR>that need
fixing.<BR>Blake<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From:
dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com<BR>[mailto:dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com]
On Behalf Of Raymond Grote<BR>Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 4:17 PM<BR>To:
DECtalk Discussions<BR>Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any news?<BR><BR>Heck no. If
they're going to release this, then I would feel the same way.<BR>But I had
always thought this was a test and would sound significantly<BR>different
later?<BR>So were they really planning on releasing it like this?<BR>I really
do hope not. As I said in previous posts, someone really messsed it<BR>up, and
we have to fix it somehow, otherwise only people who are curious<BR>will ever
use it.<BR><BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR><BR> From:
Dectalk@aol.com <BR> To: dectalk@bluegrasspals.com <BR>
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 1:24 PM<BR> Subject: Re:
[DECtalk] Any news?<BR><BR> <BR> The real question
is, would people pay for a partially working SAPI?<BR>I personally
wouldn't. <BR> <BR> <BR>
SNOOPI BOTTEN <BR> <BR> In a message
dated 5/4/2011 1:16:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,<BR>bmisch2002@gmail.com
writes:<BR><BR> you are hearing it wright. some of
the voices are good like<BR>paul, frank, harry, and probably one other voices.
if people just want to<BR>use paul for nvda and other things, it's ok for that
but if people want to<BR>make dectalk do certain things like sing, this isn't
as good but for people<BR>who just want to use it with a screen reader and
nothing more, it's ok for<BR>that. <BR><BR>
On May 4, 2011, at 1:06 PM, Dectalk@aol.com wrote:<BR><BR><BR>
<BR> I'm
too mad to deal with it. Blake and I got asked<BR>how to make Dectalk
sing, so we sent them a file. We both got told that we<BR>don't know
what we're doing. Then we're told that it will sing with
no<BR>problem, Um, it won't. I had Blake send "WE ARE THE WORLD"
for the simple<BR>fact that if they ever get that to sing clear through with
no feedback, we<BR>will have something to work with.<BR>
<BR> As of
now, we are working with garbage! That's why<BR>I'm against posting
samples because this stuff is mostly crap. They call it<BR>4.3, I
don't! This is as far from 4.anything as you can get!<BR>
<BR>
Some of these people are on this list. Maybe they<BR>will finally
get that the gn command on some voices is set too high, the<BR>consonant
sounds are not clearly heard, and ugh I could go on and on.<BR>
<BR>
I might not get another SAPI after posting the demo.<BR>I don't
care. This is trash, and I'm tired of being told I'm not hearing
it<BR>right. I'm glad I'm not alone in my opinion.<BR>
<BR>
<BR> SNOOPI BOTTEN
<BR> <BR>
In a message dated 5/4/2011 12:41:05 P.M.
Eastern<BR>Daylight Time, bmisch2002@gmail.com writes:<BR><BR>
i hope you show this sample to those
who are<BR>telling you that there is no problem. <BR><BR>
On May 4, 2011, at 12:17 PM,
Dectalk@aol.com<BR>wrote:<BR><BR><BR>
<BR>
<BR>http://pastorsnoopi.twigs76.com/music/SAPI%20DEMO.mp3<BR>
<BR>
The above link
is the sample that<BR>people wanted. Blake and I are both told that
there is no problem. Tell<BR>that to our ears. (YUCK) <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
SNOOPI BOTTEN <BR>
<BR>
In a message dated 5/4/2011
11:16:00<BR>A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, edbruckert@gmail.com
writes:<BR><BR>
All that means is what you<BR>are sent is not acceptable
don't worry it'll be solved I promise at this<BR>point in my life I need it as
much as anybody else<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
On Wed, May 4,
2011 at 10:48<BR>AM, <Dectalk@aol.com> wrote:<BR>
<BR><BR>
<BR>
Brace yourselves<BR>because I don't
think you guys will like it. The very worst voice is Kit.<BR>I'd do the
recording for you guys but I really don't want to be linked with<BR>this pour
Dectalk quality. Have fun guys.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
SNOOPI BOTTEN
<BR>
<BR>
In a message
dated<BR>5/4/2011 9:10:14 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ratguy@insightbb.com
writes:<BR><BR>
Hi,<BR>
<BR>
Here's a<BR>sample
text. I assume you can use DECtalk commands in the text? An <BR>
MP3 of the<BR>4.3 speak application performing this exact
text can be found at<BR>
<BR>http://www.bluegrasspals.com/dt43sample.mp3<BR>
Now here's<BR>the text.<BR>
<BR>
[:phoneme<BR>on]<BR>
[:np] [:ra<BR>250]<BR>
Hello. This<BR>is the factory default Paul voice.<BR>
I'm talking<BR>now with this voice since this is what most
people are probably <BR>
going to
be<BR>using. Let's speed it up a bit.<BR>
[:ra 300]<BR>
This is<BR>probably how
Jayson's JFW would talk normally. Now let's put some <BR>
intonation<BR>in there.<BR>
[:dv pr 250]<BR>[:dv sr 50]<BR>
Okay,
this<BR>is how Jayson used to listen to DECtalk back in the good old DOS
<BR>
days. With<BR>4.3 and earlier, if
you could get used to this which you would <BR>
over time,<BR>this sounds pretty good! It'd take some getting used to
again, <BR>
not having<BR>had it for so
long.<BR>
[:np] [:ra<BR>250]<BR>
The rest of<BR>this demo was created a few months ago to
compair and test the <BR>
various<BR>other factory voices and several custom voices in different DECtalk
<BR>
versions.<BR>
I will now<BR>test the other voices.<BR>
[:nb] I'm<BR>Beautiful Betty, the default female
voice.<BR>
[:nh] I'm<BR>Huge
Harry.<BR>
[:nd] I'm<BR>Doctor
Dennis.<BR>
[:nf] I'm<BR>Frail
Frank.<BR>
[:nu] I'm<BR>Uppity
Ursula.<BR>
[:nr] I'm<BR>Rough
Rita.<BR>
[:nw] I'm<BR>Whispering
Wendy.<BR>
[:nk] and<BR>I'm Kit the
Kid.<BR>
[:np]<BR>
Now I'll let<BR>the DECtalk manual describe us.<BR>
[:np]<BR>Perfect Paul
Standard male voice.<BR>
[:nb]<BR>Beautiful Betty Standard female voice.<BR>
[:nh]<BR>Huge Harry Deep male voice.<BR>
[:nf]<BR>Frail Frank
Older male voice.<BR>
[:nk]<BR>Kit the Kid Child's
voice (about 10 years<BR>
old).<BR>
[:nr]<BR>Rough Rita Deep
female voice.<BR>
[:nu]<BR>Uppity
Ursula Light female voice.<BR>
[:nd]<BR>Doctor Dennis Breathy male voice.<BR>
[:nw]<BR>Whispering Wendy Whispery female voice.<BR>
<BR>
[:np]<BR>
Okay, let's<BR>test a few custom
voices.<BR>
[:nf] [:dv<BR>br 0 la 0 sr
100 hr 100 ap 150 pr 95] [:ra 220] This is the voice <BR>
of Rimmer<BR>from Red Dwarf.<BR>
Lister, we<BR>are being tested! I don't know what to do!<BR>
[:nf] [:ra<BR>240] [:dv br 0 hs 95 ap 100 as 100
pr 220 hr 30 sr 30] This is <BR>
Lister.<BR>
Rimmer! Come<BR>over here and
help me with this new speech synthesizer!<BR>
[:np] [:dv<BR>as 0 bf 0 la 20 nf 00 ri 100 sm 0 hr 0 sr 0] [:ra 220]
This is <BR>
Holly.<BR>
This is an<BR>important announcement. All persons aboard
this ship are to <BR>
report to<BR>the voice
calibration office at once. That is all.<BR>
[:np] [:dv<BR>br 100 lx 100 bf 100 hr 100 sr 100 as 100 qu 100 ap 110 pr 150
sx <BR>
1 la 0]<BR>[:ra 210] This is the
voice of the toaster.<BR>
I don't
know<BR>where this voice calibration office is. Does anyone want some
<BR>
toast?<BR>
[:np] [:dv<BR>sm 1 hs 90 br 0 ri 0 la 0] [:ra 250] I'm the
cat.<BR>
Who says my<BR>voice needs to be
calibrated? I want fishies!<BR>
[:nd]
[:dv<BR>as 0 bf 0 la 20 nf 00 ri 100 hr 0 sr 0] [:ra 220] I'm Queeg
500.<BR>
None of you<BR>have any credit, so
you may not use the voice calibrator.<BR>
[:nu] [:dv<BR>as 1 bf 10 la 30 nf 10 ri 100 sm 50 hr 100 sr 20 ap 130] [:ra
<BR>
240] I'm the<BR>newer voice of
Holly.<BR>
I'm picking<BR>something up.
It's another ship. Its name is Deck Talk or <BR>
something<BR>very close. They have been conducting an experiment on us
all this <BR>
time. That<BR>would explain
why we've been saying all these silly things. I <BR>
knew I was<BR>having trouble finding a record of any voice
calibration office <BR>
on
Red<BR>Dwarf.<BR>
<BR>
-----<BR>Original Message ----- <BR>
From:<BR>"Corine Bickley"
<corine.bickley@gallaudet.edu><BR>
To: "DECtalk<BR>Discussions" <dectalk@bluegrasspals.com><BR>
Sent:<BR>Wednesday, May 04, 2011 7:02 AM<BR>
Subject: Re:<BR>[DECtalk] Any news?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> HI Jayson,<BR>
> I will do<BR>that. Could you suggest some sample
sentences to synthesize?<BR>
>
We're<BR>trying to find a way to put a "demo play" button on the
Enable<BR>
> website so<BR>people can
type in any text they'd like to hear, but our<BR>
> programmer<BR>hasn't been able to spend time on that project right
now.<BR>
> corine<BR>
><BR>
> On Tue,<BR>May 3,
2011 at 8:12 PM, Jayson Smith <ratguy@insightbb.com> wrote:<BR>
>> Do you<BR>have any audio samples you
could share? Maybe I could elaborate on<BR>
>> what<BR>people don't like. I pretty much know what DT 4.3 sounds
like.<BR>
>> Jayson<BR>
>><BR>
>>
-----<BR>Original Message -----<BR>
>>
From:<BR>"Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley@gallaudet.edu><BR>
>> To:<BR>"DECtalk Discussions"
<dectalk@bluegrasspals.com><BR>
>>
Sent:<BR>Tuesday, May 03, 2011 7:53 PM<BR>
>> Subject:<BR>Re: [DECtalk] Any news?<BR>
>><BR>
>><BR>
>>>i meant -<BR>i can't hear the
differences, not being so attuned to the<BR>
>>> various<BR>DT versions. i can hear ok, but i'm not clear on
the<BR>
>>><BR>differences in
quality.<BR>
>>><BR>
>>> On Tue,<BR>May 3, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Jayson
Smith <ratguy@insightbb.com> <BR>
>>> wrote:<BR>
>>>>
Hi,<BR>
>>>><BR>
>>>> Wo, you<BR>actually got 4.3 working with
SAPI? What kind of quality <BR>
>>>><BR>problems<BR>
>>>> are<BR>there?<BR>
>>>> Thanks.<BR>
>>>><BR>
>>>>
-----<BR>Original Message -----<BR>
>>>> From:<BR>"Corine Bickley"
<corine.bickley@gallaudet.edu><BR>
>>>> To:<BR>"DECtalk Discussions"
<dectalk@bluegrasspals.com><BR>
>>>> Sent:<BR>Tuesday, May 03, 2011 6:14 PM<BR>
>>>><BR>Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Any
news?<BR>
>>>><BR>
>>>><BR>
>>>>> Still<BR>waiting for one of the "old" (not
chronologically, just in terms<BR>
>>>>> of<BR>contact with DT) to send some more versions for
testing.<BR>
>>>>>
4.3<BR>and 4.67 work in SAPI fine but preliminary listening results<BR>
>>>>><BR>indicate
dissatisfaction.<BR>
>>>>>
corine<BR>
>>>>><BR>
>>>>><BR>
>>>>><BR>
>>>>> On<BR>Tue, May 3, 2011 at 2:29 PM, Jayson Smith
<ratguy@insightbb.com><BR>
>>>>> wrote:<BR>
>>>>>> Okay,<BR>it's broken record time. Anything new going
on with the SAPI<BR>
>>>>>><BR>DECtalk?<BR>
>>>>>><BR>Haven't heard anything in a while.<BR>
>>>>>><BR>Jayson<BR>
>>>>>><BR>
>>>>>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
>>>>>><BR>DECtalk mailing
list<BR>
>>>>>><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
>>>>>><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
>>>>>><BR>
>>>>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
>>>>><BR>DECtalk mailing
list<BR>
>>>>><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
>>>>><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
>>>><BR>
>>>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
>>>> DECtalk<BR>mailing list<BR>
>>>><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
>>>><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
>>>><BR>
>>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
>>> DECtalk<BR>mailing list<BR>
>>><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
>>><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
>><BR>
>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
>> DECtalk<BR>mailing list<BR>
>><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
>><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
>><BR>
><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
> DECtalk<BR>mailing list<BR>
><BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
><BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk <BR>
<BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk<BR>mailing list<BR>
<BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR><BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing list<BR> <BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing
list<BR>
DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing
list<BR>
DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing list<BR>
DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR>
_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing list<BR>
DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing list<BR>
DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR>
<BR>________________________________<BR><BR><BR> <BR><BR>
_______________________________________________<BR>
DECtalk mailing list<BR> DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>
http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR>
<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>DECtalk mailing
list<BR>DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com<BR>http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>