[Hallicrafters] Sorry, No Tactile TV

Sat Jan 4 11:54:51 EST 2003

Tim, 	

There are several software programs that convert the display on the CRT into a
speakable format. However, only the text! Most notably JFW (JAWS For Windows)
and Windows-Eyes. Both require a hardware device to permit synthetic speech to
be heard. Some utilize the sound card, others use a specialized internal board
(my personal choice) or an external peripheral device operating from COM#1,
usually. 	

These programs are very costly and they are not given free to the blind. JFW is
$795 and Windows-Eyes is $595. Both are good, but I personally believe JFW is
superior.	

Keeping in mind, that I was writing software when Texas Instruments developed
the 'Text To Speech' code back around 1980. i have the original code, in
Assembler language, on a 5.25 inch 90K diskette, yet. Yes, I did mean 90K! When
you know how to write code, you do not need all of these super memory pigs being
marketed today. I helped TI develop the software. It was marketed in a ROM
module called the Terminal Emulator #2 in 1981.	

Prior to that, TI did have speech in a ROM module called the Speech Editor.
However, it could only say a limited number of words and each of them had to be
written into a program first. That is: A$="Texas Instruments" would be spoken in
a near human voice.	

Now TTS, is not human sounding. It converts the phonemes that comprise the human
speech range into what we call language. Hence, it is capable of saying any
word. However, how the word is pronounced is another story! TTS converts the
text to speech, literally.	

Software then converts the raw speech into a more pleasant sounding voice
through screen reading programs that permit user control of various voices and
functions.	

While the technology is amazing and wonderful, the price prevents the vast
majority of the blind from owning it. As I said earlier, this is not given away
to the blind by either a state or the federal government. You buy it on your
own. Some students are provided with the software, maybe even the use of a
computer, while in school. When they graduate, the equipment remains behind.	

Just to give you an idea as to the expense involved: My JFW cost $795. The
DECTALK PC speech board $1195. The DOS screen reading software (DOS and Windows
are two totally different animals), $495. The software to drive the HP
black/white flatbed scanner was $995. This is a total investment of $3,480
Ridiculous? yes and no. 	

Remember, this is a very narrow market. It costs a lot of money to develop the
software and hardware, and to keep it current. Current for the blind, is about a
year behind. So the products cost more and can not be marketed to the blind on
the whole. Instead the products are aimed at schools, colleges, rehabilitation
groups, government offices and so forth. This is true of all adaptive
technology, regardless of the disability; blindness, deafness, paralysis etc. 	

While the software is wonderful, it also has many limitations. But to some
extent, it does allow the blind to use e-mail and the Internet. However, do not
think for one second that a blind person can utilize the graphics based
software! Graphics have to be seen with working eyes, you can not convert that
to speech. DOS was fabulous for the blind, Windows has been a step backwards.
The more Windows advances, the more steps back for the blind. It has increased
limitations, not eliminated or reduced them. Nonetheless, this is a sighted
world and the blind will have to live within the technology they are able to
afford. 	

I hope this makes more clear some points raised - 	

Duane W8DBF	

----------
From: tlogan7 at cox.net
To: Duane Fischer, W8DBF <dfischer at usol.com>
Cc: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Sorry, No Tactile TV
Date: Saturday, January 04, 2003 11:05 AM

Hi folks -
  I share this story because it's one that stays in my mind and really
impressed me.  About two years back I sold a Ten Tec Omni C to a really neat
gentlemen.. He wanted to know if the Omni C could use the Omni V voice
annunciator. I checked with TenTec and they said yes.
  We talked on the phone quite a bit and he told me he was blind so that the
voice annunciator was quite important to acquiring the radio.
  It was only a few days later that it dawned on me that he was reading my
emails! I was totally intrigued and we continued to correspond. It turned
out that there is a hardware/program setup that can actually put a voice to
the email. I thought that was one of the neatest things I'd heard of! I
cannot remember the name of the program, but I have never forgotten that -
it was such a cool way to use technology (also because he was really a class
A gentleman!). Anyway, just thought I would share that.
   My first Hallicrafter is ALMOST here - so I guess I can post (chuckle).
Have a good day folks!
73/Tim NZ7C
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 8:41 AM
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Sorry, No Tactile TV

>
>
> I received several e-mails from those in the medical profession and
> rehabilitation about where they could get more information on the tactile
TV I
> mentioned in the Saturday Net announcement. The can not, because it is not
yet
> invented! Just a joke among the visually impaired about "Brailling" the TV
> screen. All it does is leave annoying fingerprints on the screen sighted
viewers
> have to clean off!
>
> Now there really was a time when Playboy was produced in Braille, but no
raised
> line drawings, just text only. Funding was removed by several in Congress,
by
> the way. It caused such a uproar, that Congress reinstated funding.
Somebody
> claimed that the blind were the only ones who actually read the articles!
> Denying them this right violated the 'freedom of speech' area of the
> Constitution. And that is the rest of that story -
>
>
> Duane W8DBF
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> dfischer at usol.com
> ----
> Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> ----
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters