One of the first devices I used to access a computer was the Speaqualizer
with a Double talk speech synthesizer. In my opinion, that Speaqualizer was
one of the best devices ever created to access a computer. It also worked
great with my Packet system for monitoring DX alerts.  

Ron, K8HSY


 At 06:58 AM 5/20/2013 -0400, Angelo Sonnesso wrote:
>Ah the good old days.
>I was working with the Texas  .Instruments 99/4a speech module in those days
>And then came CP/M.
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Jim Gammon" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2013 11:44 PM
>Subject: Re: Votrax synthesizers
>
>
>> Yah, the first computer we used that old Votrax on was in fact, a
>> Tandy TRS 80 with a wopping 128 k of memory onboard, no hard
>> drive, but 2 5.25 floppy drives.  That was back in 1981 or so and
>> we used it to access the UC Library Melvyl catalog using a 1200
>> baud modem.  Hot stuff for those days, so we thought.  Jim WA6EKS
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Paul Shelton <[log in to unmask]
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date sent: Sun, 19 May 2013 21:34:46 -0500
>> Subject: Re: Votrax synthesizers
>>
>> When I was in college a friend and I built a speech synthesizer
>> for the
>> Radio Shack color computer based on the Votrax chip.  I still
>> have the data
>> sheet from Federal Screw Works; and yes, we made it cuss.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jim Gammon" <[log in to unmask]
>> To: <[log in to unmask]
>> Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2013 11:39 AM
>> Subject: Votrax synthesizers
>>
>>
>> You know the crazy thing about that old Votrax is that, working
>> in a college environment, the students tried a lot of inventive
>> things with that old thing, including trying to make it cuss.
>> Turns out that the manufacturer of the Votrax was a firm called
>> Federal Screw Works.  In order to get the thing to sware you
>> would have to misspell the word you wanted it to say.  Enough
>> said about that.  I'll leave the rest to your fertile
>> imagination.  73, Jim WA6EKS
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Russ Kiehne <[log in to unmask]
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date sent: Sun, 19 May 2013 07:26:36 -0700
>> Subject: Re: Need opinion
>>
>> I still have a votrax pss.  I don't know if it still works!
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jim Gammon
>> Sent: Saturday, May 18, 2013 6:06 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Need opinion
>>
>> Man, I think it's amazing how ye'all get your nickers in a knott
>> when it
>> comes to synthesized speech.  I come from the days of the old
>> external
>> speech box made by votrax and I appreciated that.  However,
>> having said
>> that, I do appreciate the new higher quality voices but am not
>> partial to
>> one over another.    73, Jim WA6EKS
>>
>> ---Original Message-----
>> From: Butch Bussen
>> Sent: Saturday, May 18, 2013 5:08 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Need opinion
>>
>> I like the voice on the book sense much better.  If you're not
>> needing
>> small size, I also have a bookport dt (desktop) which has a
>> great
>> text
>> to speech.
>> 73
>> Butch
>> WA0VJR
>> Node 3148
>> Wallace, ks.
>>
>>
>> On Sat, 18 May 2013, Howard Kaufman wrote:
>>
>> I hate the stream voice so much, that I take my bookshare books,
>> open them
>> in k1000, and save them with the voice I like, as mp3 files.
>> Then I play
>> them on the player.  I absolutely love my milestone 312, but I
>> don't think
>> the synthesizer is much better than the stream is.  I think most
>> of the
>> book
>> reader devices, try to sound like voice-over, which is awful if
>> you read
>> at
>> any speed, because it mumbles.
>>
>> Synthesized voice choices are as personal as anything, one is
>> beloved by
>> one
>> person and hated by another.  Personally, the old doubletalk
>> speech is the
>> best.  That's for me, and people here will insist I am as crazy
>> as a loon.
>> Get voice samples of the TTS engines, or do what I do, and
>> convert text to
>> mp3 and play that. 
>
Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University
Ph: 270-782-9325 
Email: [log in to unmask]

Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee

Chair, American Council of the Blind's Monthly Monetary Support Program
(MMS) Committee

President: South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB)