[DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?

Alex H. linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com
Sun Sep 12 13:46:16 EDT 2010


Hi all,

So far with DECTalk 5.0, no dice. No response. Nothing. Apparently
Fonix is a dead company/doesn't care about its legacy products. I sent
a few different emails and got zilch.

Ah well. Fear not though, the DECTalk synth is still alive and singing
on my machines!

Alex

On 8/25/10, Johnny Lam <johnnybrl at gmail.com> wrote:
> Cool Alex. I wish you loads of luck getting hold of Dectalk 5.0. I myself
> wouldn't mind messing around with Dectalk 5.0 if I had it. True, it might
> not sound as good as the older ones, but I like the sound more than I like
> Eloquence. However, I can live with eloquence if there is no other choice.
> lol. Anyway, good luck. Who knows, maybe someday they will have a SAPI
> version of Dectalk for us Dectalk fans.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alex H." <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 4:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?
>
>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> I've just contacted Fonix to see if they still got the old DECTalk 5
>> demos laying around, and if I can snag a copy of it. I'm hopeful and
>> although I've heard DT 5.0 isn't the best of the DECTalk versions, I
>> still wanna play with it and see what it's like. This way I can
>> determine which version of DECTalk I enjoy most and will write DECTalk
>> files with. Right now I enjoy 4.3 and 4.64 the most, they sound the
>> most classic. 4.61 is a pretty bad joke and 4.4 is all around great.
>> I'll keep y'all posted with any updates I get.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> On 8/25/10, Corine Bickley <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu> wrote:
>>> Thank you, Raymond - very useful feedback! I'm a member of an Acoustical
>>> Society standards committee on intelligibility of text-to-speech systems,
>>> and we are particularly interested in the opinions of users at high
>>> speeds.
>>> Is it ok if I pass along your comments to other members of the committee?
>>> They are all experts in TTS with many years experience (including Sue
>>> Hertz
>>> who developed Eloquence :) - she'd love to read you supportive comments
>>> about her system).
>>> corine
>>>
>>> On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Raymond Grote
>>> <musicalman1 at comcast.net>wrote:
>>>
>>>>  Hi,
>>>> I'm not sure if I can answer your question, but I personally don't like
>>>> Dectalk at high speeds. I use Eloquence most of the time, at speeds of
>>>> between 65 and 85 percent, 65 for reading text and 85 for just
>>>> navigating
>>>> around and listening to short things like short IM messages on skype.
>>>> As for how fast this is, I don't really know. But I do know that dectalk
>>>> just doesn't sound good at those speeds, it starts to sounds all garbled
>>>> and
>>>> all the words and syllables start to run together, making it difficult
>>>> for
>>>> me to understand. Eloquence doesn't have this problem.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>>> *From:* Corine Bickley <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>>>>  *To:* DECtalk Discussions <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 24, 2010 7:18 AM
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?
>>>>
>>>>   Hi Alex,
>>>> I am particularly interested in knowing who uses DECtalk for screen
>>>> readers
>>>> because I'm part of an Acoustical Society's standards committee on
>>>> intelligibility of text-to-speech systems. We have a particular interest
>>>> in
>>>> knowing what users of high-speed synthesized speech think, and can
>>>> understand, as most of us on the committee only have experience
>>>> listening
>>>> to
>>>> synthesized speech at conversational speeds. What's your preferred
>>>> speed?
>>>> Might you be willing to advise our committee?
>>>> thanks for considering - corine
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 7:21 PM, Alex H.
>>>> <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Corine,
>>>>>
>>>>> I use DECTalk mostly on the Windows platform, and when I convert to
>>>>> Linux I'll probably use it as well. I'm a screen reader user, and use
>>>>> DECTalk Access32 with JAWS and Window-Eyes. For NVDA (my primary
>>>>> screenreader), there's no supported DECTalk, which is why a SAPI
>>>>> version would be really great.
>>>>>
>>>>> My cell phone is a Windows Mobile phone, and I currently use Mobile
>>>>> Speak for Windows Mobile and Fonix Dectalk 4.6.3 that's bundled with
>>>>> Mobile Speak. So in short, I use DECTalk quite a bit.
>>>>>
>>>>> I also use DECTalk demos to write songs and gingles, plays, etc.  It's
>>>>> really quite amusing having a synthesizer that can do so much.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I can swing it, I'll look into buying a DECTalk USb and then I'll
>>>>> have my favorite speech in a hardware synthesizer. I know, I'm a bit
>>>>> crazy about DECTalk! :)
>>>>>
>>>>> Alex
>>>>>
>>>>> On 8/23/10, Corine Bickley <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu> wrote:
>>>>> > Hi Alex -
>>>>> > I worked with Snoopi at Fonix (and before that at Force), and I'm
>>>>> interested
>>>>> > to know how you use DECtalk - for what purposes and on what
>>>>> > platforms?
>>>>> > corine bickley
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 1:49 PM, Alex H. <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> >> Hi,
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Best of luck to you with the CD's and DECTalk. I hope DECTalk
>>>>> >> doesn't
>>>>> >> go by the wayside, it's a great synth and I use it almost everyday,
>>>>> >> on
>>>>> >> my phone and my laptops. I'm planning on getting the DECTalk USB but
>>>>> >> have yet to find a used one.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Alex
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On 8/23/10, Dectalk at aol.com <Dectalk at aol.com> wrote:
>>>>> >> > I don't work with Fonix any more so I can't really  say.  My
>>>>> >> > personal
>>>>> >> > opinion is just ask.  I know a sapi5 is possible, I  just don't
>>>>> >> > know
>>>>> if
>>>>> >> they
>>>>> >> > ever
>>>>> >> > did one.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > BUT, let me tell you what my plans are.  I'm  finally on facebook
>>>>> where
>>>>> >> > more people are getting to know me and my music.   At the end of
>>>>> >> September
>>>>> >> > I'm
>>>>> >> > releasing my very first holiday CD.  I'm hoping  it does well.  I
>>>>> have 2
>>>>> >> > Churches that are letting me sell it, a CEO might  buy some for
>>>>> >> > his
>>>>> >> company,
>>>>> >> > and I'm hoping for a big sale.  You can't count  on anything, but
>>>>> >> > I'm
>>>>> >> > hoping.
>>>>> >> > Blake Roberts and I are giving this our best  shot.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > One of the things I want to get is the Dectalk Kit,  and I believe
>>>>> >> > it
>>>>> >> sells
>>>>> >> > for $1000.00.  That kit will let me create a Dectalk  sapi 5
>>>>> >> > version.
>>>>>  I
>>>>> >> > think I can get the 4.0 kit version but I'm not  sure.  I want the
>>>>> >> > oldest
>>>>> >> > version I can get because the new versions  suck!
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > Dectalk is going away because of lake of  interest.  But because
>>>>> >> > of
>>>>> my
>>>>> >> > music, there will always be disabled people  who want to get into
>>>>> >> singing.
>>>>> >> > Plus
>>>>> >> > if device companies ever want  Dectalk,  I'll be able to pay the
>>>>> >> royalties
>>>>> >> > through this Dectalk kit and  sell the sapi 5 that I create with
>>>>> >> > the
>>>>> >> > kit.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > If my September release doesn't generate enough  orders, I'm
>>>>> >> > hoping
>>>>> it
>>>>> >> will
>>>>> >> > generate a new generation of interest because I'm  planning on
>>>>> another
>>>>> >> > CD
>>>>> >> > release next March.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > My dilemma is, I need a new van because my van is on  it's last
>>>>> >> > legs.
>>>>> >> > So
>>>>> >> > sadly the van needs to have priority.  But I'm  hoping to book a
>>>>> >> > concert,
>>>>> >> > and
>>>>> >> > if I can do that, I should be fine.  I have  750 friends on
>>>>> >> > facebook
>>>>> and
>>>>> >> > growing, so I'm hoping for some  interest.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > So Dectalk is not gone yet.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > SNOOPI BOTTEN
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > In a message dated 8/23/2010 1:27:10 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>>> >> > linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com writes:
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > Hi  Snoopi,
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > Thanks for the info on Dectalk 5.0. I guess I really don't need
>>>>> >> > it,
>>>>> I
>>>>> >> > got four other demos plus FonixTalk. Do you think I'd have any
>>>>> >> > luck
>>>>> >> > contacting Fonix and requesting the demos?
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > @johnnybrl, I  believe that FonixTalk works with the SAPI5 engine
>>>>> >> > but
>>>>> >> > it needs to be  purchased. It is mentioned in the SDK and
>>>>> >> > FonixTalk
>>>>> >> > pages on their site  though. I wish DecTalk had a SAPI version,
>>>>> >> > and
>>>>> >> > direct access to the speech  parameters.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > Alex
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > On 8/20/10, Ryan Chou  <rc4896153 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >> >> wait what is phonix talk and could  someone please send me a
>>>>> >> >> demo?
>>>>> >> >>
>>>>> >> >> On 8/20/10, Dectalk at aol.com  <Dectalk at aol.com> wrote:
>>>>> >> >>> As far as I know, Dectalk 5.0 was  only a beta  version.  I have
>>>>> >> >>> it
>>>>> >> > because
>>>>> >> >>> I worked for  Fonix, but I can't give it  out.  My version
>>>>> >> >>> SUCKS!
>>>>> >> It's
>>>>> >> >>> just
>>>>> >> >>> slightly hard to understand.   If  they fixed it, it needed it!
>>>>>  But I
>>>>> >> >>> would
>>>>> >> >>> never  ever buy it or use it  because they changed a phonetic
>>>>> >> >>> code
>>>>> and
>>>>> >> > did
>>>>> >> >>> a
>>>>> >> >>> few other  changes.
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> SNOOPI  BOTTEN
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> In a message dated 8/20/2010  4:07:50 A.M. Eastern Daylight
>>>>> >> >>> Time,
>>>>> >> >>> johnnybrl at gmail.com  writes:
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> Hi Alex,  Yes I think I've seen that  fonix has made a Dectalk
>>>>> >> >>> 5.0
>>>>> a
>>>>> >> few
>>>>> >> >>> years
>>>>> >> >>> ago,  if  my memory is correct. However, I couldn't find where
>>>>> >> >>> you
>>>>> can
>>>>> >> >>>  download a  demo version of it anywhere.
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> But Yeah  hopefully somebody managed to get  a demo copy
>>>>>  somewhere.
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> BTW, I sort of like the fonix talk6  voices,  almost like the
>>>>> >> >>> fonix
>>>>> >> > dectalk
>>>>> >> >>> 4.6.4. And you can  also create wave files in  the program too.
>>>>> >> >>> And I was also  wondering, is there a version of fonix talk
>>>>> >> >>> that
>>>>> you
>>>>> >> > could
>>>>> >> >>>  use in windows like a Sapi5 engine? Was maybe thinking  about
>>>>> getting
>>>>> >> > it
>>>>> >> >>> to
>>>>> >> >>> use it with NVDA or Jaws.
>>>>> >> >>> -----  Original Message  -----
>>>>> >> >>> From: "Alex H."  <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
>>>>> >> >>> To:   <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>>>>> >> >>> Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010  9:29  PM
>>>>> >> >>> Subject: [DECtalk] DECTalk  5.0?
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>> Hey  all,
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>  Been doing some research, aparently  Fonix made a Dectalk 5.0
>>>>> before
>>>>> >> >>>>  they started their  FonixTalk synthesizer.
>>>>> >> >>>> Just wondering if anybody's  got  the demo of DECTalk 5.0?
>>>>> >> >>>> Can't
>>>>> find
>>>>> >> it
>>>>> >> >>>> anywhere  :(
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>  Thx.
>>>>> >> >>>>  Alex
>>>>> >> >>>>   _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> >>>> DECtalk  mailing  list
>>>>> >> >>>>  DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>>> >> >>>>   http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>  _______________________________________________
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>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>  _______________________________________________
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>>>>> >> >>
>>>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> > DECtalk  mailing  list
>>>>> >> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>>> >> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> >>
>>>>> >
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>>>>
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