Hi there, Like Richard aptly pointed out, there are varying opinions depending on what you are used to listening to. I prefer my speech to have a fairly fast rate and the lowest possible pitch. I don't know, I guess I find it sounds secretive. People laugh at it when they hear it. It's okay to do this with Eloquence, but if you bring the pitch down with the Keynote speech, it sounds like it's just hitting puberty. It has a neat little squeak which pops up periodically. IF I were to choose on what speech i would prefer, I would say the Eloquence, but I don't mind the Keynote speech. It's better than the older speech I find on my old BraileLite for example. Now that was difficult to take. Any chance in getting the Australian speech from the Eureka on the BrailleNote family? Okay, okay, I'll let her go, but I do miss her. Martin
> Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:31:37 +0000 > From: crazy shawty aka everything your mother wanted you to be > but you aint To: Braillenote List > <[email protected]> > ReplyTo: Braillenote List <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: [Braillenote] reflections on elequence1, > > Richard: > I don't think you should diss keynote speech that > much because the eloquence speech isn't exactly > something to rave about. Personally i love > keynote for its responsiveness and clear > pronunciation as i have found some words hard to > figure out with eloquence. I did try using > eloquence when i got my mpower in october, but > apart from being quieter and slower than keynote i > found the voice unrealistic and it made the > speaker crackle. > > Having used supernova and window eyes i've found > that keynote always wins, and i just wish they'd > make a screen reader with keynote speech that's as > good as window eyes. > > Thanks, louise. > ps: feel free to diss me if y'all want. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Richard Ring" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: "Braillenote List" > <[email protected] > >Date sent: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 13:42:07 -0600 > >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] reflections on > elequence1,keynote gold and speaking with an > accent or dialect > > >Greetings: > >It is not possible in the words of a mere mortal > to describe how much I > >loathe Keynote Gold speech. I cannot wax > eloquently enough on this > >subject. However, being for the most part a > rational human being I > >realize that these are purely subjective > thoughts. Music, art, food, > >and speech synthesizers are truly things that we > do not agree on, and > >why should we? > >Frankly Keynote Gold sounds to me like an angry > insect with its mouth > >full! It sounds as if it is lying under a > pillow. > >Now, this does not mean that Eloquence doesn't > have its issues, > >especially when it comes to the Braillenote. I > have used all of the > >major note taking devices on the market. The > Braillenote mPower is the > >only such device on which Eloquence stutters. > Often when I am showing a > >student how to become accustomed to the Braille > note's keyboard, I will > >have that student type with the keyboard voice set > to spell. Eloquence > >cannot even come close to keeping up with what is > being typed. This is > >quite frustrating for new students. Since many of > my students are not > >competent enough in Braille to take advantage of > that media, they must > >rely on speech. And, I will tell you this. I > have never found one > >student who prefers Keynote Gold over Eloquence. > But, I am confident > >that one day, I shall! > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of kathleen > >shelton > >Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 1:05 PM > >To: Braillenote List > >Subject: [Braillenote] reflections on > elequence1,keynote gold and > >speaking with an accent or dialect > > > >I purchased the voicenote thinking that I would > prefer the > >Eloquence after using it with JAWS but now > exclusively work with > >Keynote. Eloquence is piercing to my ear. > Keynote is soothing > >and just goes right into my brain. Years ago I > preferred the > >Artic voice over the supposedly human sounding > decktalk. There > >is something creepy with a synthesizer trying to > sound human! > >Keynote has done a passible job with various > dialects. By which > >I mean that it was not distracting to me to read > book characters > >speaking with scottish, or Cockney dialects. I > did use the > >pronunciation dictionary for just a few words and > names which was > >easy! u for utility, p for pronunciation > dictionary, a to add > >word follow prompts. It would be fun to be able > to switch to a > >different dialect such as Irish, Scottish or > British all within > >the English version. > >Another problem with Eloquence is that it will > speak French for > >no reason. Whats with that? > >Question: are the rates of speed equal for each > voice? I mean, do > >you get the same words per minute for each number > chosen. > >Eloquence sounds faster and maybe more jarring. > >Have there been studies on this stuff? One voice > which sounds > >terrible to me is that of the bookport. Where is > that Artic > >voice? I think it was the 263 chip. That's all. > Thanks for > >listening. > > >___ > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank > message to > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To view the list archives or change your > preferences, visit > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braille > note > > > >___ > >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank > message to > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To view the list archives or change your > preferences, visit > >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braille > note > > > ___ > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
