[DECtalk] how to do gender change in Dectalk?

Dectalk at aol.com Dectalk at aol.com
Mon Jan 30 12:28:22 EST 2012


After posting the link I tried it myself.  I think these files were  
updated because I'm now understanding them at 100 percent.  However, "New"  still 
sounds like "Moo", but this is releasable.  I actually like it  now.  Wow!  
I never thought you guys would pull it off!  I  hope you fix "New", and the 
"H" in "Hurricane" is too long, but this is damn  good now.
 
 
SNOOPI BOTTEN 
 
 
In a message dated 1/30/2012 12:15:09 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
Dectalk at aol.com writes:

Let me share the link to the unreleased demos that I'm talking  about.  And 
actually the word "New" sounds like "Moo".
 
To hear samples of all the voices, just change the name at the end of the  
link.
_http://davesvideoservicesco.startlogic.com/dennis/_ 
(http://davesvideoservicesco.startlogic.com/dennis/) 
 
 
 
SNOOPI BOTTEN 
 
 
In a message dated 1/30/2012 11:49:56 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
bmisch2002 at gmail.com writes:

that  ductal demo sounds like 4.61 or something close to it.   


On Jan 30, 2012, at 11:08 AM, _Dectalk at aol.com_ (mailto:Dectalk at aol.com)  
wrote:



Fine, release it, whatever.  The latest MP3 recordings of  Dectalk Reader 1 
have pops in most of the voices, and the weather report  in the demo is 
only like 80 percent understandable.   So fine,  I'll say it's the best thing I 
ever heard in my life if that's what you  want.  It's a lie, but gm 
starting to feel like the truth doesn't  exist any more.
 
"Four score and 7 years ago our Father's brought forth a new nation",  or 
whatever that line is.  The word "New" is annoyingly  pronounced.  I have no 
clue what is wrong with it, it sounds like  [nuwuwuw], rather than [nuw].  
I'm not sure, it's  just annoying.  My point is, if you are not offering an  
online demo, or anything that people can't try, and if those two  demos are 
the only thing that people hear, and if it won't even have  a dictionary 
that people can edit how it says words, then, then,  then.   Oh good grief. 
 
 
SNOOPI BOTTEN 
 
 
In a message dated 1/30/2012 10:31:01 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
_edbruckert at gmail.com_ (mailto:edbruckert at gmail.com)  writes:

additional information, I  forgot to mention that sometime in the late 80s 
when Dennis added a  female data set to DECtalk the sex option change from a 
scaling function  to simply selecting a male or female phonetic base, but 
in no way can I  remember when that occurred.  
As a general comment I alone did the  four point X versions of DECtalk as 
Dennis was born at that point, so I  know them intimately, but even years ago 
people would prefer different  versions and trying to make one sound 
exactly like the other was  exceedingly difficult and a lot of it occurred because 
of changes in the  overall coding that were done not because we wanted to 
but because we  had to meet evolving programming standards to keep it running 
on various  tools because if we didn't sell DECtalk we simply went home and 
 unfortunately economics force the focus away from the screen reader  
environment.  I did not like this change but DECtalk more than once  was in 
survival mode, I am using the latest version and to say it's on  understandable 
is an exaggeration,
preferring a different version is very understandable. I have no  problems 
with people saying what I want but understand this is anything  but easy 
with limited funds, I donate my time but other people cannot  and the fact that 
I'm going blind and I am not a Windows or SAPI  programmer there are limits 
to what can be done. But I think junk is an  unfair exaggeration.

On Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 9:14 PM, Jake McMahan  <_mcmahan.jake at gmail.com_ 
(mailto:mcmahan.jake at gmail.com) >  wrote:


 
I have to say, I love the sound of  dectalk reader one.  I really want this 
version badly.  I  don't care if it will sing, and I don't care about 
anything  else.  I love it the way it is.  To me, it's not garbage,  it's a 
version of dectalk that I personally like.  I want this  version, again.

 



From: _Dectalk at aol.com_ (mailto:Dectalk at aol.com)  
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2012 9:09 PM
To: _dectalk at bluegrasspals.com_ (mailto:dectalk at bluegrasspals.com)  
 
 
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] how to do gender change in  Dectalk?




 
 


Um, Ed, excuse me but Blake and I both heard the latest MP3  samples of 
Dectalk Reader 1.  The speech is not  understandable.
 
 
SNOOPI BOTTEN 
 
 
In a message dated 1/29/2012 8:59:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
_musicalman1 at comcast.net_ (mailto:musicalman1 at comcast.net)  writes:

Well, I've stated this opinion time and time  again, and every time I do, 
people seem to think I'm nuts or that  I'm too conservative.
First off, people are nnot stupid. If they  call it Dectalk Reader, then 
who in their right mind will think  snoopi's instructions on making it sing, 
will work with a reader of  all things?
And, the Dectalk that Enable has, isn't  unusable. there are some on this 
list that like it for what it is. I  myself do not, but that's my opinion. 
One man's garbage is another  man's treasure...
This isn't the first time someone released a  Dectalk that wasn't a thing 
like what we all know. Force did it,  Fonix did it. But everyone still stuckw 
ith Dectalk 4.3 and 4.4. So  I don't see why Enable is going to just ruin 
everything. If people  don't like it, they will simply not use it just like 
they did with  everything else. I do not agree with Enable's motives, but I 
will  never tell them their product is garbage. Let's say I tell someone  on 
this list their production is garbage. they worked for hours on  it. They 
will most likely be glad to have received the high  complement? Even if it's 
the worst piece of garbage you ever heard.  It's simply not anything close to 
constructive to say it that way.  So now Enable just releases what they 
have because some people  use it and they've fired those who told them off. 
It's sad but true.  They have their faults, we have ours. If we don't like 
them, that's  how it is. But I was seriously hoping the Enable business was over 
 with. They'd either fix it or they wouldn't. *sigh*
I continue to hope that Dennis will like what  eventually becomes of 
Dectalk. Maybe enable will do something for  the better, or someone else will. But 
we have no hopeful dectalk  future, which is sad. I believe all of us, that 
being Enable and  those of us who were very harsh on them, had a part in 
that. I am so  fed up with this argument between us and Enable! Let's just not 
post  anything else degrading about them. Please? we've done that  enough!
 
----- Original Message ----- 

From: _ebruckert  Bruckert_ (mailto:edbruckert at gmail.com)  
To: _DECtalk  Discussions_ (mailto:dectalk at bluegrasspals.com)  
Sent: Sunday, January 29,  2012 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] how to  do gender change in Dectalk?


I want to clarify  some things and some things that make me quite upset. 
Making  statements like Dennis would roll over in his grave when you never  
even knew Dennis I find disrespectful. Dennis was a person I  always looked up 
to and tried to emulate in my life. And he would  never denigrate people 
the way you seem inclined to do, especially  when in plain English you don't 
know what the hell you're talking  about!! the issue of singing in the SAPI 
version has nothing to do  with DECtalk if you want to get mad at somebody 
get mad at  Microsoft for creating a specification that doesn't allow for  
commands to be passed to a synthesizer. The DECtalk created could  sing if you 
get get the damn commands to it.  In plain  English I'm thoroughly disgusted 
with your rants.  
The sex command was created for the original  DECtalk because we only had 
one acoustic database so Dennis did  the best he could trying to develop an 
algorithm to scale  performance between a male and a female which works to 
some extent  but can't be perfect due to the complexities involved in that 
it's  not linear.
     




On Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 8:45 AM, <_Dectalk at aol.com_ 
(mailto:Dectalk at aol.com) > wrote:


Thank you!  I knew it was possible but I never totally  knew how.  I am 
trying to jump start my business called  "THE FLAME OF HOPE".  As most of you 
know I have over 1200  songs, and right now I'm trying to put as many of them 
as I can  to music.  Some I flat out can't because when I first  started I 
made really bad errors such as not doing the entire  song.  Part of it was I 
started with easy sheet music which  often only has one verse.  But I'm 
doing new songs as  well.
 
The reason is, people now have avatars and easy to use  animation software. 
 So I'm marketing the free 4.40 Speak  Window which is free for the asking, 
then I'm selling my  instructions on how to create voices and make them 
sing.   

I bring this up because I have a question for all of  you.  Enable Rehab is 
getting ready to release "DECTALK  READER 1", and there might be an 
Earthquake on that day because  Dennis Klatt might roll over in his grave.  This 
thing as  far as I know won't sing.  The voices from the latest I  have heard 
are still bad quality because the voices pop in the  MP3 recordings that I 
have heart.  I don't think it will  come with a dictionary so people can edit 
how words are  said.  And in my opinion, this thing is still  garbage!  I 
got fired for saying that but big deal, I'm  only saying the truth!
 
Anyway, Enable Rehab won't take "Dectalk" out of the name  because they 
feel the name is a marketing tool.  I  personally think it's fraud because it 
will be so different from  the Dectalk that we all know and love that it 
really isn't  Dectalk.  They're calling it "Reader 1" so people will know  by 
the title that it will only read.  (Sick)
 
Anyway, I'm upset because thanks to both E voice and now  the internet, I 
think I'm as associated with Dectalk as much as  Dennis Klatt.  This upcoming 
release is making me sick  because I'm afraid people might buy this Dectalk 
SAPI garbage  and think my instructions will work with it.  So I'm very  
upset that they are calling it Dectalk anything.  They  really need to remove 
"Dectalk" from the title because I view it  as a deception of the worse kind!
 
Here is my question.  I think a petition should be  started because this is 
just wrong!  BUT, I don't know if  the petition should be to just drop 
"Dectalk" from the name, OR,  to just scrap this garbage.  And, I don't want to 
be the  one to start the petition because I don't know how.  But if  a 
petition does get started, it needs to go all over the  internet and get back to 
Enable Rehab.
 
I just feel that by marking this garbage under "Dectalk",  they are taking 
advantage of both the blind and the disabled  communities because they know 
"Dectalk" will bring in sales just  because of the name.  And because my 
name is known with  Dectalk, I feel this soon to be released garbage will 
effect my  image and my business.
 
 
SNOOPI BOTTEN 
 
 

 
In a message dated 1/28/2012 9:49:19 P.M. Eastern Standard  Time, 
_beroberts at hughes.net_ (mailto:beroberts at hughes.net)  writes:

Thanks Alex. That syntax works in both DT 4.4 and  4.3. I did a quick test
with both versions.  Note to  Snoopi: the female versions of Frank and 
Dennis
sound odd.  I think breathiness will need to be changed with the br  command
for best results.
Blake

-----Original  Message-----
From: _dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com_ 
(mailto:dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com) 
[mailto:_dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com_ 
(mailto:dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com) ] On Behalf  Of Alex H.
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:06 PM
To:  DECtalk Discussions
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] how to do gender  change in Dectalk?

sorry, [:nf][:dv sx 0] should do  it.

On 1/28/12, Alex H. <_linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com_ 
(mailto:linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com) > wrote:
>  [:sx 0]
>
> On 1/28/12, Blake Roberts <_beroberts at hughes.net_ 
(mailto:beroberts at hughes.net) > wrote:
>>  Hi all,
>> Snoopi asked me to pose a question to the  listserv. He knows about 
>> the gender change  command, sx. Does it work in DT 4.4? If so, what is  
>> the correct syntax?
>> Snoopi wants to  program the song Emotion by The Bee Gees using a 
>>  breathy female Frank or Dennis. I know that may sound funny,  but it 
>> is a serious thing. If anyone knows how to  change Frank or Dennis to 
>> female, please share. I  figure someone on here probably does. 
>>  Alternatively, if anyone else wants to program a female Frank  or 
>> Dennis version of the song, Snoopi is willing  to do the mixing with 
>> music after fixing any  phoneems that may be incorrect. He is waiting 
>> for  his communication device to be repaired, so Snoopi will not be  
>> able to program the song for about a  month.
>> Blake
>>  Blake
>>
>
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