Linda and List,
I've changed the subject line to be more applicable. I agree that the
default speech rate and pitch sounds awful, but I don't know the
Kurzweil voices to comment on them. However, if one changes the pitch
and rate on the vn/bn, it is quite acceptable. The units uses the same
speech system, so it doesn't make a difference to the speech quality
whether one has a vn or bn. I have a vn and have only seen one bn,
brand new, but it seems that the responses on the vn is a bit faster
than on the bn. I
Don't have experience of Kurzweil voices, but the intonation of bn/vn
speech is good and less tiring than that of some other speech equipment
when reading a book with voice. However, I think one gets used to
different voices, the more one utilise them. My experience is that the
eloquence speech is clearer than that of the bn and one can read faster
with e.g. Jaws than with the vn, but the bn/vn's intonation is better
than that of Jaws.
As the vn is about half the price of the bn, many users will settle for
the vn and people who lost their sight later in life, will in all
probability prefer speech as it might take them years to become fast
Braille readers. On the other hand, blind people also sometimes lose
their sensory nerves, due to diabetes or other diseases and have to fall
back on speech, even though they still can and want to write in Braille
and for them, the vn is the ideal sillusion.
I prefer the following speech settings: Bn/vn pitch, 6 or 7, 7 is
clearer for editing when one sometimes has to spell a word with voice
only; rate: 11 for email and editing and 10 for reading a book. In
Jaws using eloquence: rate set to 43% when editing and 33-35% when
reading a book.
Regards
Riana
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 23 May 2004 02:49
To: Braillenote List
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] waterproof the BN
Really! So, on which list would those of us who have a braille note,
merely
because this wonderful company doesn't offer a braille only device,
belong?
If we want to talk about the speech part, do we go to one list, and for
braille another? As I said in an earlier message, and if I didn't, I
meant
to, just because we use a braille note, doesn't mean we use it because
we're deafblind, its because there is no alternative.
While I'm on the topic, I might as well bring up something I've been
thinking about. I really hate the speech on braille note! Now, I will be
honest and admit that, I haven't changed it from default, as it isn't my
primary reason for buying the product, but I'll go as far as saying that
I
sure hope the speech is better in the voice note.
So, what I want to know is this. Is the company looking at improving
speech
for the braille note, or does it assume that people have purchased it
primarily for braille and will put any improvements into the braille
component, leaving speech improvements for voice note?
If so, this is wonderful, but if not, could you try and switch us to
Paul
and Kate from NeoSpeech. These are the two new voices in kurzweil, and
are
fantastic.
Heck! I hate via voice, but even it would be better than what we have!
One more thing, I think I asked this a while back, but has anyone found
what they would consider the optimum settings for bn32, in both Jaws and
kurzweil, and would they post them to the list, or send them to me
privately at:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Linda.
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