Lou, I've found a number of clients who are either aid or implant users who like
the NLS system because it is more compatable with both speech compression and
with automatic gain control. Also, remember that any user's opinion of the
system is making the assumption that his/her hearing is completely "normal" and
the older a person becomes the less likely this becomes.
Tom
Tom Brennan KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP
web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html
On Sun, 26 Feb 2012, Lou Kolb wrote:
> Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:09:46 -0500
> From: Lou Kolb <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: For blind ham radio operators <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: FW: OT victor reader stream
>
> At first, I agreed with that. But apparently, some folks with hearing
> problems have found that it's helpful to them to be able to adjust the pitch
> of the voice, not just the tone. I suppose that's what Humanware was trying
> to do when they changed it. Ironically, I believe that Humanware was
> involved in some phase of the NLS player creation. So the same folks might
> have been responsible for both designs, although Lloyd would be much more
> able to address this.
> Lou Kolb
> Voice-over Artist:
> Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
> Messages On-hold:
> www.loukolb.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Curtis Delzer" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 11:53 PM
> Subject: Re: FW: OT victor reader stream
>
>
> > 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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