[DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?

Johnny Lam johnnybrl at gmail.com
Mon Sep 13 04:32:33 EDT 2010 

hmm, Pitty, I wouldn't mind hearing the Dectalk 5.0 to see what it sounded 
like, singing and talking and stuff.
But ah well, too bad. Would've been cool to see what it sounded like when 
playing with the red dwarf files.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alex H." <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 10:46 AM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECTalk 5.0?


> 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
>>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>>> >> >>>  _______________________________________________
>>>>>> >> >>> 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
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> DECtalk mailing list
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>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  ------------------------------
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
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