[access-uk] Re: National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech trial

I hear what you are saying Steve, Dave and others.  Its just that I cannot seem 
to accommodate what to me is a greatly inferior means of reading, i.e. 
synthetic speech.  Maybe that's because in my situation I do have (all) the 
alternatives, print, audio and Braille - the last if its a choice at all.

Suppose all that means that I have got used to reading more slowly than many 
would, or maybe I'm a slow coach, I don't know.  Its just that galloping 
through, or gulping down novels like fast food isn't to my taste.  I like to 
savour my reading, reflect even as I go along.

I had to laugh at Peter's telling us about the offerings of some volunteers.  
Belching and coughing?  Well, that does add another dimension, novels 
transferred to the comedy zone.  Volunteers have to be damned good if they are 
to be considered for reading as far as I am concerned.  That means 
professionals are very much preferred, but they come at a price.  I hope the 
audio book market will grow, as it might, if steadily, and that will give me 
more of the sort of choice that I want.  I don't want us to get driven down the 
road of being obliged, by default, to accept synthetic speech as the norm.  As 
I've said, I've nothing against using it for factual material, its just fiction 
reading by this means that I cannot accept.

Maybe if VAT on audio books were to be brought in line with the rating on print 
books - zero rating - and MP3 CDs or memory cards were to become the medium of 
distribution, preferably in DAISY format, then everyone could be satisfied.  
But that day is far off.

I can read Braille Mal, no criticism is implied on my part about Harry Potter 
appearing in Braille rather than audio form at publication.  It is an 
achievement, and one that I applaud.  Only wish the publishers had seen fit to 
do the same re. audio version.
Ray

Personal emails:  Email me at
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Russell" <david.russell8@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 1:40 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech trial


>I am with Steve on this one.  If the book is good enough, then you soon
> forget whether the speech is synthetic or not.  Speed of reading is much
> more easily changed according to personal preference, and if you are
> prepared to scan the books you want to read, then your choices are endless.
> Firstly Road Runner and now Book Courier have revolutionised my reading
> habits.  Reading fast is not just a question of breaking the speed record,
> it means you can get through much more than you could using braille, or
> human speech.  most of the people who criticise synthetic speech for
> listening to books just have not tried it.  after a short time, you make up
> your own voices in your head, no matter how the book is read.  I still love
> reading braille, and agree with many that the NLB voices in their trial were
> truly dreadful, but that is missing the point.  If they can obtain books
> faster this way, then they can be put into braille more quickly as well, so
> everyone will benefit, and their voices will improve in time, that is why
> they are doing the trials.  Personally, that is not the way I wish to listen
> to books because, as damon pointed out, any mistakes are permanent and you
> can't go back to spell a word as you can with the Courier.  But the more
> options that are available the better, so let NLB and others experiment
> further, and let us have more books, whether they be in synthetic speech,
> DAISY, Braille or whatever.  If I really want to read a book that much, I
> will accept it in almost any form.
> 
> David
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> Steve Nutt
> Sent: 05 July 2005 22:56
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech
> trial
> 
> 
> Hi Ray,
> 
> Interesting about the speed of reading.  I am a very proficient Braillist
> myself, but have now come to prefer reading books on the Book Courier, and I
> do enjoy them.  Yes the voice is robotic, but because of that, I can crank
> it up to nearly the Book Courier's top speed, and still easily take in the
> information.  Consequently, I have read more books since I had the Book
> Courier, than I ever read in Braille.  Nobody could read Braille at the
> speed of reading with a synthetic voice, if that form of reading is
> practised, and I don't care what the voice is like, because I just want the
> information from the book.  I don't personally need a human reader to force
> accents and their own interpretations on characters, I would sooner just
> grab the information, and let my imagination do the rest.
> 
> But that is, of course, just my opinion.  I certainly respect yours, but I
> just find human reading too slow, and sometimes inaccurate, not to mention
> the fact that I like to be able to stop the Book Courier on a sixpence as it
> were, and spell out a word, if I don't know how, for example, a character's
> name is spelled, totally impossible with human reading.
> 
> Still, horses for courses, isn't it?
> 
> All the best
> --
> Computer Room Services:  the long cane for blind computer users.
> Telephone Voice:  +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS:  +44(0)1438 759589
> mobile:  +44(0)7956 334938,
> Email:  Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Web site:  http://www.comproom.co.uk
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Ray's Home
> Sent: 05 July 2005 22:18
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech
> trial
> 
> Nice to have your thoughts Maggie and others on books read using text to
> speech in DAISY format proposed by NLB.
> 
> I should say that I was reminded of this experiment by someone I've known
> for a long time who much prefers Braille as a medium for reading novels,
> though he is of an older generation.  He realises, however, that Braille
> simply is not an option for the many of the present and up-coming
> generations and, that if NLB is to survive, then it has to move with the
> times.
> 
> My own feeling is that I much prefer reading of books, especially fiction,
> to be done by human readers, and preferably those who can put some
> expression and drama into an involved reading of the text.  We have to
> realise though that synthetic, or stitched together human speech, is being
> tried out for reasons of quickness and economy, so if a significant number
> of readers will accept it, then its one way to go.Let us hope that it will
> get better with time;  but we can never hope that it will be the equivalent
> of human readings.
> 
> I use synthetic speech a good deal of course with my computer, and can
> withstand a good deal of factual reading this way.  What I cannot bend my
> ears to is the greatly accelerated rate at which many use, and even prefer,
> to use synthetic speech.  Sometimes I wonder if such hypersonic rates of
> reading serve more as a virility symbol on the part of some:  'Look how fast
> I can go!'  Do they (really enjoy it!  Well, I can't.  And what's so good
> about reading so fast?  Sure you get through a lot of stuff,  but its hardly
> enjoyment to my ears.  Maybe its age on my part, but I prefer life, or
> reading, in the slow lane, thanks very much.
> Ray
> 
> Personal emails:  Email me at
> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Maggie norton" <maggie.norton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 5:12 PM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech
> trial
> 
> 
>> Hi Ray,
>> I took part in the trial and found the synthetic voices very hard work!
>> I think they were pleased with the feedback they received!
>> Personally, if it meant I could have faster access to newly published
> books,
>> I would suffer it!
>> Maggie
>>
>> I can be contacted on:-
>> MSN Messenger;
>> Skype (vipmags);
>> TAFN (Ventrilo)
>> Mobile 07773 562 085;
>>
>> or maggie.norton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 2:51 PM
>> Subject: [access-uk] National Library: Audio books in synthetic speech
> trial
>>
>>
>>> Wondered if anyone on list took part in the NLB trial of books read in
>>> synthetic, or rather, concatonated speech?  If you have, how have you
>>> found it?
>>>
>>> Question is prompted by James O'Dell's mentioning just now of the
>>> alternative of a DAISY Harry Potter in Synth speech.
>>> Ray
>>>
>>> Personal emails:  Email me at
>>> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>
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