[bookport] Re: Upgrades: Hardware and Firmware
- From: Paul Henrichsen <paulh52@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:28:52 -0700
Hi, Larry and list. When I bought my first roadrunner, I knew that I really
disliked doubletalk. But I figured, I had to get used to it if I wanted to
use this unit. Same with bookport. Doubletalk is no way my favorite
synthesizer. I would never buy a double or triple talk outright. I like
dectalk, even better than eloquence. But speech is and, I think, will
always be a very personal thing to each user.
It seems that many people on this list favor dectalk, but I know users of
screenreaders who hate it<grin>.
At 4/15/2005, you wrote:
>Actually, I am fine with DoubleTalk. I hear people that are put off by
>the speech though which is why we are considering alternatives.
>
>
> >>> n0oxy@xxxxxxxxxxx Thursday, April 14, 2005 10:40:58 PM >>>
>Hi all. Larry, I was looking for a message to reply too where I could
>post
>my opinion on new hardware, and this one is perfect, smile. Today I
>actually
>tried listening to eloquence with headphones, and honestly, I prefer
>the
>doubletalk speech when listening this way. I mainly use eloquence on
>the pc,
>although I used to use a doubletalk pc when I had a computer that would
>work
>with that card. After thinking about it a bit, the doubletalk has my
>final
>vote for the unit.
>Regarding a new hardware design, I think we should first ask, what are
>we
>wanting to accomplish with it? Personally, I think the current
>hardware
>works well for what the book port was designed to do, read text books,
>and
>play audio files. The product is known for being extremely small and
>portable, and a long battery life. Chances are, changing synthesizers
>would
>cause at least one of the following three things to happen. It could
>make
>the product more expensive, especially considering that the other
>speech
>engines are software, requiring more memory, more processing power, and
>an
>operating system that the software synthesizer would run on. Also, the
>book
>port software would also need to be developed for that operating
>system.
>Second, it's possible that this would require the unit to be a larger
>size,
>reducing it's portability. Last but not least, the power supply would
>probably require modification, either more batteries, or not as long of
>a
>battery life. If any of these 3 things are true, and I would say stick
>with
>what we have. Actually, I'm curious Larry, back when you were
>developing
>ASAP, I know you were a big doubletalk fan, is that still the case?
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
>To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2005 7:15 AM
>Subject: [bookport] Re: Upgrades: Hardware and Firmware
>
>
> > I doubt we can offer Eloquence for $50, since it looks like we will
>be
> > paying around that on a per unit license, even before doing any
>hardware
> > and software modifications.
> >
> > At this time, it does not look feasible to be able to offer an unit
> > with more than one synthesizer in it. Of course, this could change
>as
> > we learn more.
> >
> > I just do not have enough information to be able to answer the
>question
> > of upgrading current units to a different synthisizer. After all, we
>do
> > not even know yet if we will be offering a different synthesizer.
> >
> >
> >
> > >>> wd8ldy@xxxxxxxxxx Thursday, April 14, 2005 6:28:12 AM >>>
> > Hi Larry and list!
> >
> > Sarah has given the best description of the Keynote's voice that I
>ever
> >
> > heard. A little plastic guy is exactly what it sounds like to me. I
>am
> >
> > pleased I managed to get my bookport while you were using a
>reasonably
> >
> > understandable synthesiser. That is strictly my opinion. Below is
>the
> > sum of
> > my experience with others' use of different synthesisers.
> >
> > DEC-talk is OK, but I have found a fair number of people who have
>found
> > it
> > difficult to understand. These same people also dislike Doubletalk
>for
> > the
> > same reason. But all have found Eloquence to be the kind of
>improvement
> > they
> > required. This is my experience in a country that used to use a lot
>of
> >
> > Keynotes.
> >
> > I realise it may be early for you to have any definitive figures, but
>I
> >
> > would like to ask a couple questions. If you should decide that you
> > want to
> > offer another synthesiser in Bookport, and I do not believe this is
> > needed
> > nor waranted, could it be retrofitted into the case of current
>units?
> > If so,
> > what would the cost be expected to be? Would it be possible to
> > accommodate
> > two synthesisers that could be switched in the settings menu or
>would
> > we
> > have to forfeit what we have in order to gain the other?
> >
> > I would be willing to pay a small amount, say $50, if you could add
> > Eloquence to my unit. But I would hope that it could be added
>without
> > having
> > to physically send the Bookport in. There have been a number of
> > problems
> > here when people have sent equipment overseas for repairs. When the
> > equipment is returned, Customs have been known to charge duties as
>if
> > it was
> > a new product. I would not want to chance experiencing this, nor
>would
> > I
> > want to see others unnecessarily charged. For that reason, I think
>you
> >
> > should try to make whatever you do decide to use deliverable on
>line.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Dave
> >
> >
> >
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