The New DecTalk USB External Synthesizer

[John McCann]

Ned:

Yes, the good voice quality obtains.

Are you saying that your laptop doesn't have a USB port which could power 
the DecTalk USB? I'm out of my element here because I don't own or use a 
laptop, and, of course, the power you drew from the available (asuming it 
Is) laptop USB port would be taken from the laptop battery, but, at the end 
of the day, assuming you were near to a sourcee of  A.C. power, you'd be 
okay...though not portable.

The  voice quality of the DecTalk USB is identical to that of the earlier 
DecTalk iterations. You might be able to find used DecTalks on blinky "swap 
and shop" nets / posts.

John




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ned" <ngranic at cox.net>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 12:05 AM
Subject: Re: The New DecTalk USB External Synthesizer


> 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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>
>
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