[DECtalk] dectalk external question

Thu Mar 2 01:12:07 EST 2006

Hi,
The recording has been moved.  The complete URL is as follows.
http://www.bluegrasspals.com/dectalk/hardware%20synth%20demos/dectalk1.8demo
.wav
If that word wraps, just put that all on one line.
As for it working with Jaws, if you mean JFW, you're probably out of luck
there.  I'd certainly bet that this old dinosaur wouldn't be supported in
any way by JFW or any other modern Windows screen reader.  That sounds like
a very, very old version of DECtalk, probably from the mid 80's.  That was
probably before SSIL was even thought of, and if Windows even existed it
couldn't have been very popular.  We have an old Kurzweil reading machine
with DECtalk speech and modern screen readers can't interface with it.  ASAP
for DOS can interface with the Kurzweil so could probably also work with the
old DECtalk dinosaur you have.  My first suggestion would be for you to get
into something like Hyper Terminal and connect to the com port where the
DECtalk is connected.  Start typing sentences to it, maybe using different
baud rates and other parameters if it doesn't work at first.  Be sure and
type entire sentences, with the periods, since in my experiences DECtalk
often waits for the end of a clause before speaking, so if you just typed in
words it wouldn't speak which would lead you to believe it wasn't working.
Good luck!
Jayson.

----- Original Message -----
From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:08 AM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question

> well I got the demo recorded
> also I just got a 25 pin to 9 pin cable plug with one of those gender
> adapters hooked in to the comm port of the dectalk and it still aint
working
> with jaws grrrrrrrr not sure what I am doing wrong here but I did get a
> recording of it powering up etc so  take a listen smiles
> its on the ftp under incomming
> thanks
> hank
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brent Harding" <bharding at doorpi.net>
> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 6:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
>
>
> >I doubt one could get a gig a second out a serial port. I think modems
> > theoretically in the port could go to 115200.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "shaun everiss" <shaun.e at xtra.co.nz>
> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 7:17 PM
> > Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >
> >
> >> Hmm.
> >> the standard coms settings are 9600 n 8 1 which were from the keysoft
> >> configs, not sure if this bares anything on this though.
> >> I know actual modems can go from 100 through to 11500 bps
> >> Ports settings can go to 9000 maybe 99000 almost a gb.
> >> however nothing runs that fast in a modem.
> >> I just know they can.
> >> At 09:59 a.m. 2/03/2006, you wrote:
> >>>Hi,
> >>>So what you would need to connect the unit to your computer is a 25-pin
> >>>female to 9-pin female cable.  I don't know that I've ever seen such a
> >>>thing, but you could certainly use a female to female gender changer.
> >>>E.G.
> >>>use a 25-pin male to 9-pin female cable, and plug the gender changer
into
> >>>the 25-pin end of the cable, thus making the male a female and able to
> >>>plug
> >>>into the DECtalk.
> >>>Now assuming you get the thing connected properly, you'll still have to
> >>>deal
> >>>with communication settings such as baud rate and the like.
> >>>Unfortunately
> >>>I
> >>>know absolutely nothing about how these are set on the old DECtalk
units
> >>>because I have never used or even seen one.
> >>>Jayson.
> >>>
> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
> >>>To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> >>>Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 2:17 PM
> >>>Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> the port has pins showing on it
> >>>> thanks
> >>>> hank
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: "Jayson Smith" <ratguy at bellsouth.net>
> >>>> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 2:28 AM
> >>>> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> > Hi,
> >>>> > Assuming the ports on the back of your DECtalk are female, that is,
> >>>> > they
> >>>> > do
> >>>> > not have pins showing, you would need a 25-pin male to 9-pin
female.
> >>>> > These
> >>>> > cables were in common use not too long ago when external modems
were
> >>>being
> >>>> > used, most modems had 25-pin female serial ports.  As to whether
you
> >>>need
> >>>> > a
> >>>> > null modem cable or adaptor, I can't say as I don't know how the
> >>>> > serial
> >>>> > ports in the DECtalk are wired, but I would tend to think not.  A
> >>>> > null
> >>>> > modem
> >>>> > cable or a null modem adaptor is needed in some instances,
especially
> >>>when
> >>>> > hooking two computers together.  There are two different types of
> >>>> > serial
> >>>> > equipment.  Normally when two serial devices are connected
properly,
> >>>each
> >>>> > device's Receive line is connected to the other device's Transmit
> >>>> > line.
> >>>> > When you try to hook up two devices of the same type without a null
> >>>modem
> >>>> > cable or adaptor, the transmit lines and the receive lines are
> >>>> > connected
> >>>> > to
> >>>> > themselves.  That is like two people trying to communicate over a
> >>>> > telephone
> >>>> > by talking into the earpiece and listening to the mouthpiece.  In
> >>>> > short,
> >>>> > absolutely nothing is accomplished by so doing.  A null modem
adaptor
> >>>> > is
> >>>> > put
> >>>> > at one end of the cable to switch the pins around in these
instances,
> >>>> > or
> >>>a
> >>>> > null modem cable can be used which is already wired thus.  Usually
> >>>> > the
> >>>> > only
> >>>> > time this is an issue is when you are trying to hook up two
> >>>> > computers.
> >>>> > Jayson.
> >>>> >
> >>>> > ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> > From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
> >>>> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> >>>> > Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 4:42 AM
> >>>> > Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> >> what kind of cable do I need to make this thing work with a
> >>>> >> computer?
> >>>> >> is there such a thing as a 25 mail to 9 pin femail?
> >>>> >> I'll be damned if I can find one of things I was told to look at a
> >>>> >> null
> >>>> >> modem cable but that is just for internet connections i thaught
> >>>> >> its interesting though that you mentioned interfacing this thing
> >>>> >> with
> >>>> > phone
> >>>> >> lines thing things looks like a computer but no ports for a
keyboard
> >>>> >> or
> >>>> >> anything its really big some what long etc.it has a fan inside it
> >>>> >> to.
> >>>> >> anyways if any oe has used one of these things please get back to
> >>>> >> me.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> >> From: "Jayson Smith" <ratguy at bellsouth.net>
> >>>> >> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> >>>> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 12:58 AM
> >>>> >> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> > Hi,
> >>>> >> > You have one of the old DECtalks.  I've never seen one of these
so
> >>>> >> > don't
> >>>> >> > have connector info, but I've heard Speakup under Linux can use
> >>>> >> > these
> >>>> >> > so
> >>>> >> > if
> >>>> >> > you ever want someone to take it off your hands...
> >>>> >> > Anyway, you're wrong, any connector with pins or plugs showing
is
> >>>> >> > a
> >>>> > male,
> >>>> >> > any jack or serial connector without pins showing is a female.
> >>>> >> > The
> >>>> > phone
> >>>> >> > jacks, as I understand it, are not used for connection to a
> >>>> >> > computer.
> >>>> >> > These
> >>>> >> > old DECtalk units could interface with a phone line to give
> >>>> >> > callers
> >>>> > spoken
> >>>> >> > information, provided you had or could write the appropriate
> >>>software.
> >>>> > I
> >>>> >> > think they could even do menu-based stuff, E.G. "For the song of
> >>>> >> > the
> >>>> >> > day
> >>>> >> > press 1, for the DECtalk demo review of the day press 2, for
your
> >>>> > current
> >>>> >> > account balance press 3, to use a time machine to make it so
that
> >>>> > Digital
> >>>> >> > would never have even thought of selling DECtalk press 4, etc."
> >>>Thus,
> >>>> >> > probably the reason that DECtalk versions to this day have
> >>>> >> > touchtone
> >>>> >> > dialing
> >>>> >> > commands.
> >>>> >> > Jayson.
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> > ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> >> > From: "hank smith" <hanksmith4 at earthlink.net>
> >>>> >> > To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> >>>> >> > Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 11:56 PM
> >>>> >> > Subject: [DECtalk] dectalk external question
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> >> hello I have a dectalk external its before the express
> >>>> >> >> it is running firmware 1.8 when you turn it on it has test
> >>>touchtones
> >>>> >> > before
> >>>> >> >> it says
> >>>> >> >> "dectalk version 1.8 is running"
> >>>> >> >> anyways I am having trouble finding out what exact cable I need
> >>>> >> >> to
> >>>> >> >> hook
> >>>> >> > this
> >>>> >> >> up to a computer to use with a screen reader
> >>>> >> >> it has 2 phone jacks one with a phone simbol and the other with
a
> >>>> >> >> minus
> >>>> >> > buy
> >>>> >> >> it
> >>>> >> >> btw I just had a custom cable made a mmj cable and it isn't the
> >>>> >> >> one
> >>>> > that
> >>>> >> >> goes off to the side
> >>>> >> >> the other 2 ports it has are one port that says
> >>>> >> >> comm
> >>>> >> >> the other port has a square buy it
> >>>> >> >> these are 25 pin think its femail its the port with the pins
> >>>showing.
> >>>> >> >> anyways what cable do I need to have custom made to interface
> >>>> >> >> this
> >>>> > thing
> >>>> >> >> with the computer to use it as a external synth?
> >>>> >> >> I am going to be returning the mmj cable and I need to tell the
> >>>folks
> >>>> >> >> what
> >>>> >> >> kind of cable I need.
> >>>> >> >> any help  is so so greatly appreciated.
> >>>> >> >> thanks
> >>>> >> >> hank
> >>>> >> >>
> >>>> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >>>> >> >> DECtalk mailing list
> >>>> >> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>> >> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> > _______________________________________________
> >>>> >> > DECtalk mailing list
> >>>> >> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>> >> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> > __________ NOD32 1.1410 (20060215) Information __________
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> >>>> >> > http://www.eset.com
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >> >
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> _______________________________________________
> >>>> >> DECtalk mailing list
> >>>> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>>> >
> >>>> > _______________________________________________
> >>>> > DECtalk mailing list
> >>>> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>>> >
> >>>> > __________ NOD32 1.1410 (20060215) Information __________
> >>>> >
> >>>> > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> >>>> > http://www.eset.com
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> DECtalk mailing list
> >>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
> >>>DECtalk mailing list
> >>>DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >>>http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> DECtalk mailing list
> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > DECtalk mailing list
> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >
> > __________ NOD32 1.1422 (20060301) Information __________
> >
> > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> > http://www.eset.com
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> DECtalk mailing list
> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk