The New DecTalk USB External Synthesizer

[Ned]

Damnation!
That's more money than I paid for 14 credit hours this semester.
So it will work with a laptop on a serial port for 1H if running it on
battery?
I'd heard the dec talk long ago with Jaws and windows 98 and it was a very
solid voice quality. Does the good quality remains in case of Linux as well?
Sorry for being this inquisitive, but it seams to me more profitable to buy
a software synth for Linux if one is available. But I will have to buy this
one if no other solution is found

Many thanks for the responses!
Ned

It's an expensive business being blind.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laura Eaves" <leaves1 at carolina.rr.com>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: The New DecTalk USB External Synthesizer


> Hey, I don't mean to advertize, but I bought my new dectalk for $650 from
> jerry at chirpingbat.com (it is an introductory price, he says, and may go up
> eventually, but it is the same as the $695 model.)
> Go to the chirpingbat.com site and see what else he's offering.  I bought
a
> wireless keyboard, but in truth, I have gone back to a wired version for
> various reasons -- it does work, but I don't need that kind of range, and
I
> live where there's interference, and also I don't like the idea of my
> passwords and stuff being picked up by the people next door -- not that
> they'd care, or know when or how to retrieve it, but since I know this
thing
> transmits 30 feet (he has another one with a 100 foot range) I figure
> anything is possible...
> Take care.
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John McCann" <lists at jamsite.us>
> To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux."
<speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 9:10 PM
> Subject: The New DecTalk USB External Synthesizer
>
>
> Hi Ned:
>
> Yes, indeed, the DecTalk has been resurrected in a sleeker, mmore
up-to-date
> iteration; supporting both USB and serial connections, which makes it
fully
> backwards compatible.
>
> Prior to december 31, 2004, Innovation Rehabilitation Technologies, Inc.,
(I
> R T I),  was offering it for $645. The current street price (on blind
> street, <smile.), is $695.
>
> I recently purchased one, and, while you can't use it in USB mode under
> linux (at least not at the current time), it works fine under linux when
> using the serial cable. Even when using it in serial mode (as you
> necessarily will do when using linux), you will be able to use the USB
cable
> to provide power to the unit, which obviates the need to rely on the
> user-replaceable standard 9-volt battery (which only gives you about an
hour
> anyway) or worse yet, the stereotypically obnoxious and cumbersome wall
> wart.
>
> For what it's worth, feel free to access my previous list post on this
> subject, posted December 8th, 2004, 3:08 pm EDT.
>
> John
>
>
>
>
> Hi Laura,
>
> So a brand new dec talk hardware synth is available from the company (DEC)
> itself? How much money, if you don't mind?
> I have identical problem. At school they are not sure how to deal with
> accessible Linux for me so they were wondering do I have a laptop (I
don't)
> but I was eager to buy one if it is up to the task.
> I'll be watching very closely answers on this one!
>
> thanks for raising the question.
> Ned
>
>
>
>
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