[bookport] Re: Upgrades: Hardware and Firmware
- From: "Mike Arrigo" <n0oxy@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>, <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 21:06:44 -0500
I do know several people that like the doubletalk speech, and several that
don't. Of course, that's the case with any synthesizer, there will probably
never be a speech engine that everyone likes.
----- Original Message -----
From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
To: <n0oxy@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 8:02 AM
Subject: [bookport] Re: Upgrades: Hardware and Firmware
> 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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