[bookport] Re: Upgrades: Hardware and Firmware
- From: "Otto Zamora" <8zamora@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 21:38:05 -0400
Hello,
Is there a way to create a situation where when the customer orders, he can
choose which speech he or she wants?
Just wondering.
Otto
-----Original Message-----
From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of LARRY SKUTCHAN
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 9:02 AM
To: n0oxy@xxxxxxxxxxx; bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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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