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From:
Curtis Delzer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
For blind ham radio operators <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:53:56 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
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the best tone control I have ever seen in my over fifty years or 
reading books is on the digital NLS player. they sure got that one 
right. Now, if they just leave it alone? :) like Victor did not?
Great heavens! I cannot believe they would confuse tone with an audio 
frequency distortion of analog pitch!  Seems the algorithm which 
compensates for the speed change has enough to do without double 
compensating for both the speed and pitch when altering the "tone" 
setting. Ridiculous with a capital R, and I truly am astounded that 
whomever did this, has any idea about what in the world they are 
doing, let alone have proper education as to what a "tone" control does.
As in the case of the NLS digital player, you brighten up the highs 
when going up, and deepen and accentuate the bass when going down, 
not, in any way, change the pitch of the voice, period.  If you're 
going to mess with the analog pitch, in any digital player, it has to 
be an algorithm, since pitch, itself is a manifestation of the sample 
rate at which the file was recorded.  You can just use another sample 
rate to play back, say 30000 instead of 22,050Hz or, 18000, etc, and 
you'll get your pitch change.  However, most of the time I'd want 
pitch accuracy, after all, isn't the intent to have as little 
"distortion," of the signal as possible, a desired item in a digital 
audio transfer to the speaker, and thereby, the end user?
Anyway, this multi-faceted  tone control with it's tilting pitch 
distortion, has ruined the ability of the Victor Stream to properly 
tilt the audio equalization toward just brightening up the high end, 
by changing the pitch of the voice which just raises the high end of 
the voice by increasing the pitch which is a cheap attempt to gain in 
high pitch for audio compensation.
Flummery! truly, flummery!  And, these are audio engineers? I ask you!
Go back to school, guys, at Victor, and take a lesson from the 
designers of the NLS digital player in how to manipulate a tone control.
As I say, and will say again, they, truly, got, it, right!




At 02:59 PM 2/25/2012, Lloyd Rasmussen wrote:
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dave Basden [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 12:37 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: FW: OT victor reader stream
>
>The problem is that the frequency response on books converted from
>tape varies so much that the tone control is necessary to
>compensate.  They could eaqsily make the power button cycle through
>gain, speed, tone, and pitch instead of just gain, speed, and tone.
>
>Dave, W7OQ
>
>At 07:42 AM 2/25/2012, you wrote:
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Lou Kolb [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 8:00 PM
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: OT victor reader stream
> >
> >Lloyd,
> >
> >The problem is not pitch changing with speed, rather when in the tone
> >control mode on the stream,  the pitch changes instead of the tone.  Don't
> >know for sure but I can't imagine thay did that deliberately.
> >Lou Kolb
> >Voice-over Artist:
> >Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
> >Messages On-hold:
> >www.loukolb.com
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Lloyd Rasmussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 7:42 PM
> >Subject: Re: OT victor reader stream
> >
> >
> > >I think that this pitch change with speed increase is intentional.
>Someone
> > > may like it.  It also means that the time-scale modification algorithm
> > > doesn't have to work quite as hard, thus chopping the audio up a bit
>less.
> > > A long time ago, as the NISO standard was being written and we were
> > > discussing playback device features, there was some sentiment that we
> > > should
> > > recommend the ability to adjust the pitch separately from the
> > > time-scale-modified speed.  This didn't make it into the NLS player.  I
> > > think it's in one of the iPhone apps, perhaps for Learning Ally.
>Someone
> > > should make a recording so others will know how big a change it is, and
> > > whether it will bother them.
> > > 73,
> > > Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Wheaton, Maryland
> > > Home:  http://lras.home.sprynet.com
> > > Work:  http://www.loc.gov/nls
> > >
> > >
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: For blind ham radio operators
> > >> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > >> On Behalf Of Lou Kolb
> > >> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 6:35 PM
> > >> To: [log in to unmask]
> > >> Subject: Re: OT victor reader stream
> > >>
> > >> I just wrote to Bob Martin privately but there seems to be enough
> > >> interest
> > >> to just mention it here also.  Ok, here's the scoop.  The update went
> > >> flawlessly but when i resumed reading my book, I noticed that the pitch
> > >> was
> > >> a bit high.  just like in the good old days when we put up with pitch
> > >> change
> > >> to gain some speed.  I recalled that one of the new features was the
>new
> > >> tone algorithm thay are also using in the Victor Stratus.  So I went to
> > >> the
> > >> tone control and zeroed it out and voila, the pitch returned to normal.
> > >> This made me feel a lot better since I wouldn't have to put up with
> > >> slightly
> > >> raised pitch but neither can I adjust the tone as before.  The pitch
>does
> > >> change as it's now supposed to for text-to-speech material but I don't
> > >> think
> > >> they intended it to on audio.  I'll let you know as I continue to
>tinker.
> > >> Lou  WA3MIX
> > >> Lou Kolb
> > >> Voice-over Artist:
> > >> Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
> > >> Messages On-hold:
> > >> www.loukolb.com
> > >> ----- Original Message -----
> > >> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 5:57 PM
> > >> Subject: Re: OT victor reader stream
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> > Why not.  We never stay on topic.  Personally, I'm interested as I
> > >> > haven't updated mine yet.  Write privately if you wish.
> > >> > 73
> > >> > Butch
> > >> > WA0VJR
> > >> > Node 3148
> > >> > Wallace, ks.
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > On Fri, 24 Feb
> > >> > 2012, Lou Kolb wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> >> i've just updated my stream to the latest firmware and have noticed
>an
> > >> >> oddity.  I'd like to discuss this but not on this list as it's way
> > >> >> off-topic.  Please contact me directly at:
> > >> >>
> > >> >> [log in to unmask]
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Thanks and 73,  lou   WA3MIX
> > >> >> Lou Kolb
> > >> >> Voice-over Artist:
> > >> >> Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
> > >> >> Messages On-hold:
> > >> >> www.loukolb.com
> > >> >>
> > >> >>

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