[DECtalk] DECtalk for Linux

Tue Mar 1 21:38:20 EST 2011

Hi,

The DECtalk Express cable issue is one that comes up from time to time. I'm 
going to repost something that's been around for years. The company in 
question appears to still be in business and carry the cable and the 
adaptor. No idea if the prices are still the same as quoted here. Here's the 
info, hope it helps.
Jayson

Cable supplier: www.stonewallcable.com
The primary cable for the DTE is generically called an MMJ to MMJ, but
carries a DEC part number BC16E.  The part is usually ordered as a
BC16E-10, -25, or - whatever, where the "-XX" indicates the length in
feet. Stonewall Cable uses a part number is SC-7021 and then you tell
them how many feet you want it to be.  I chose to get a 10 foot.  The
pricing is $5.50 plus 20 cents per foot, ergo a 10 foot cable was $7.50.
Next we have that funky little connecter that you can't buy at Radio
Shack. Generically this is called an MMJ to DB-9F.  The DEC part number
is  DEC H8571-J and the Stonewall Cable part number is SC-9444-J.  The
price on this piece is $12.95. Shipping is whatever you want, but I like
and they will provide USPS Priority Mail at the reasonable rate of $7.85
(this was last Feb.).

I was going to order up a batch of cables and connectors, but when no
one found an immediate need last Feb. I dropped the idea.  It's probably
just as well that each person handle there own.  Stonewall takes credit
cards and their phone number is toll free 800-525-3303.  I loved there
internet order form, but I also have the benefit of a couple of eyes.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brent Harding" <bharding at doorpi.net>
To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 9:06 PM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECtalk for Linux

> Speaking of the hardware Dec's what other equipment uses the cable from 
> the
> express? As we know, using them with a laptop back when proved to be a bad
> idea, as bad as busying out the phone by pulling the plug from the 
> receiver
> on a corded phone, broke one of those as well, but those cables are easy 
> to
> get, Dec Talk  Express ones aren't. Is the cable the same one used for one
> phone line made into two that people did for doubling dialup, or is this
> thing truely proprietary, not made any more, and the synths are garbage?
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Alex H." <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 5:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [DECtalk] DECtalk for Linux
>
>
>> Here's the skinny on the Linux DECTalk:
>>
>> Digibuy.com, where Fonix used to sell DT, is dead. I've emailed a few
>> different contacts at Fonix, nothing. They disown DECTalk now I guess,
>> and it's one prime example of fine software fallen into abandonware
>> because of lazy companies. FonixTalk hasn't ever been ported to Linux
>> I think, and either way it sucks compared to DECTalk anyway, so that's
>> not an option for us DECTalk Linux users.
>>
>> Seems like there's some issues with hardware dectalks and Linux too
>> that people should try and fix and are just don't want to/have moved
>> on from DECTalk etc. I personally lov espeak but know a lot of people
>> who hate it, and DECTalk being revived on Linux would be pretty nifty
>> for a lot of people.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> On 2/24/11, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> o i see. how are things going with sapi dctalk?
>>>
>>> On Feb 24, 2011, at 5:41 PM, ebruckert Bruckert wrote:
>>>
>>>> Since I was never a Linux user myself, and NA have to try to scrape the
>>>> rust my brain and break through the cobwebs.
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> that's good what ever happened to it?
>>>>
>>>> On Feb 24, 2011, at 10:56 AM, ebruckert Bruckert wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Yes there was.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 8:40 AM, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> i thought there was a dectalk for linux at one time.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 24, 2011, at 7:12 AM, Corine Bickley wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > Thanks for your question, Tony.
>>>>> > I'll ask our programmer Peter to look into the possibility. Snoopi
>>>>> > Botten, Enable's Chief Communications Officer, will keep you posted
>>>>> > on
>>>>> > our progress.
>>>>> > corine bickley
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 12:02 AM, Tony Baechler <tony at baechler.net>
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>> >> Hi all,
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I know I'm not the only one interested in this.  I and someone else
>>>>> >> are
>>>>> >> looking for a software DECtalk for Linux.  There used to be 
>>>>> >> TTSynth,
>>>>> >> but
>>>>> >> the site, ttsynth.com is dead.  Unfortunately, Linux can't use SAPI
>>>>> >> voices.  There is a community of users using Speakup and Gnome Orca
>>>>> >> which are screen readers for Linux.  They don't like the ESpeak
>>>>> >> voices.
>>>>> >> While I can tolerate ESpeak and I have a serial port, Orca can
>>>>> >> apparently only use software speech unless you use different speech
>>>>> >> drivers.  I would very much like to get a software DECtalk that
>>>>> >> works
>>>>> >> with both Speakup and Orca.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I'm not a programmer and I have no idea what the technical issues
>>>>> >> involved are, but I know that it's completely different than SAPI.
>>>>> >> I
>>>>> >> also know it can be done because TTSynth sold for $75 when it was
>>>>> >> available.  Apparently, there is software called Speech Dispatcher
>>>>> >> which
>>>>> >> acts as a speech server and connects the client, like Speakup to 
>>>>> >> the
>>>>> >> software synthesizer, like Festival or ESpeak.  There's a program
>>>>> >> called
>>>>> >> a connector which gets the speech from the synthesizer to the 
>>>>> >> client
>>>>> >> or
>>>>> >> something.  I'm unfortunately really not that familiar with the
>>>>> >> details.  If any of the developers could either contact me 
>>>>> >> privately
>>>>> >> or
>>>>> >> join the Speakup list, they could get lots of feedback.  The 
>>>>> >> Speakup
>>>>> >> developers would be the ones to ask about the connector and Speech
>>>>> >> Dispatcher.  I would be happy to test a Linux version.  I'm running
>>>>> >> Debian testing.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> You can contact me at tony.baechler at gmail.com.  The Speakup list is
>>>>> >> at
>>>>> >> <http://linux-speakup.org/>.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>
>>
>
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