[bookcourier] Re: BETTER VOICES?
- From: "G.W. Cox" <gwcox2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:09:00 -0600
It is going to use flash memory . They reasons they cite are the ease of
mailing those cards and the relative fragility of CDs. Here is the long
of it--
The following material is reprinted from NLS Flash, December 2004,
volume 1, issue 2, a newsletter created to bring current information on
NLS progress
in digital technology to patrons, library staff, and other interested
individuals.
Flash technology: the perfect fit for NLS
What has been dipped in cola, put through a washing machine, dunked in
coffee, trampled by a skateboard, run over by a child's toy car and
given to a six-year-old
boy to destroy? Answer: a flash cartridge-an extremely durable device.
Five cartridges were tested. Five survived. For this reason, among
others, NLS settled on flash memory as the new distribution technology
for its digital
talking books (DTB).
Flash memory-a term coined for the system's ability to rewrite content
"in a flash"-is the industry standard for handheld devices such as cell
phones, digital
cameras and palmtop computers. It combines rewritability and portability
with ease of operation and decreasing costs-all features that make it
attractive
to both the users of DTBs and librarians.
In addition, the flash cartridges will be about the size of a credit
card, or approximately 2 x 3-1/2 inches. This will permit NLS to label
book titles
in braille as well as large print.
"Flash technology will provide readers with a DTB that is easy to use,
portable, and virtually indestructible with the high-quality sound one
expects from
a digital product. It will allow users the reading experience of their
choice," says Frank Kurt Cylke, the director of NLS.
Flash was not a rash decision. NLS examined the range of other memory
storage devices, such as the CD-ROM and magnetic drives. Until recently,
flash memory
was priced too high. But now costs are reasonable. "NLS has been
tracking this technology for a number of years. Now it is clear from the
continued drop
in prices and from projections by industry analysts that it will be
feasible by 2008," says Michael Moodie, deputy director of NLS.
Consider the alternatives. Why flash cartridges instead of the more
familiar CD-ROM? CDs are low-cost and can store a book; however, they
are difficult
to handle especially for people with limited dexterity. The discs are
easily damaged and must be inspected each time they are sent out, or a
new copy produced
for each circulation. In addition, CD players are fragile and repairs
are expensive.
A magnetic hard drive system was also considered. This medium could
store as many as 300 book titles on a single machine. However, the
drives have sensitive
electromechanical parts that damage easily and are expensive to repair.
Based on careful evaluation of all available options, a
flash-memory-based system was adopted for implementation in 2008.
Technology for tomorrow. It was necessary for NLS to update the current
system. "The current analog cassette system is based on a technology
that is disappearing.
In the future, parts for players will be difficult or impossible to
obtain, and the cost of cassette tape is likely to increase
significantly. In addition,
digital technology offers many features that will benefit talking-book
users," says Jean M. Moss, NLS digital projects coordinator.
"Flash memory is more durable, easier to handle, and simpler to use than
other digital media. It will also mean more reliable players because no
moving
parts are required," says Moss.
Flash technology will most appeal to patrons because of its ease of use.
"Patrons will like the fact that the great majority of books will each
be on a
single flash cartridge, so there will be fewer objects to keep track
of," says Moodie. "An entire cartridge can be played from beginning to
end without
having to change any switches or turn the cartridge over. And the player
will always keep track of where the reader left off."
"Because flash memory cartridges can have new books quickly copied onto
them and can be reused thousands of times, new distribution models are
possible.
For example, some books do not circulate very often but are still
important to have in the program. Rather than having such books taking
up shelf space
in libraries across the country, copies can be quickly made when
needed," says Moodie.
"Flash was chosen because it fits so well with our many requirements for
a talking-book medium," says Moodie.
----- Original Message -----
From: "James O'Dell" <jamesodell@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 8:24 AM
Subject: [bookcourier] Re: BETTER VOICES?
Hi Ted
This won't affect me because I'm outside the US, but out of interest,
what
format are Library of Congress going to be using for their talking
books?
Are they not going with some form of Daisy?
James
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Shelly" <tshelly@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 5:42 PM
Subject: [bookcourier] Re: BETTER VOICES?
> Ben,
>
> Yes, it has indeed been a topic for some time. I'm quite used to
> double-talk now and favor it because I can always understand what is
> being
> said. I liken it to haveing a friend who is foreign-born with a thick
> accent. At first you can't understand a word they say, but over time
> you
> get used to his way of speaking and can understand him perfectly. He
> hasn't
> lost his accent - you've just trained your ear.
>
> Not that there aren't some better voices around. It might take a
> hardware
> upgrade to get the BC to have new voices available. I expect we'll
> see a
> whole new BC in the next couple of years with lots of new features
> like
> multiple voice synths, USB 2 support (for faster transfers) and maybe
> compatibility with the new Library of Congress electronic talking book
> format.
>
> You can do the text-to-mp3 conversion, but you lose word-by-word
> navigation
> and spelling features.
>
> Hope you enjoy your BC - I couldn't live without mine!
>
> Ted
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bennie and
> Catherine
> van Rensburg
> Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 9:05 AM
> To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [bookcourier] BETTER VOICES?
>
>
> Hallo There!
>
> I've only been using Book Courier for a month and have found it to be
> a
> most
> useful piece of electronics. Previously, when I travelled, I couldn't
> read
> any books, as a laptop was almost as much trouble to carry around as a
> desktop!
>
> I bought my Book Courier with open eyes, as it were, having listened
> to
> Exact Pete on-line. However, I still found it amazing that Springer
> isn't
> using a better voice. To my mind, there is so much better available
> now.
> I
> put this point to support, suggesting Eloquence or IBM Read. They
> told
> me,
> in a very courteous reply, that this issue had been discussed often
> before
> on the list and that there were as many preferences as there were
> voices.
> So I apologise if I'm introducing a hackneyed subject, but don't you
> guys
> think there's something better out there than Double-Talk?
>
> Regards.
>
> Bennie
>
>
> Ben and Catherine van Rensburg
> c/o South African Embassy
> Granatny Per 1, bldg 9
> 123001 MOSCOW
> Tel: +7 495 2990326 (Home) Note: New area code for Moscow
> Mobile (Ben) +7 8 915 397 6347
> Mobile (Catherine) +7 8 915 300 40 43
> South Africa +27 12 667 3545 (Parents/Claudia)
>
>
>
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