[Hallicrafters] Sorry, No Tactile TV

[tlogan7 at cox.net]

Duane -
  That was quite fascinating - and what a background. As soon as you
mentioned JAWS, I remembered that this was the program the fellow used. -
and yes, he said it was expensive. It's interesting, way back when - when my
wife taught at a school for the blind, I remember a special program to help
get radios to people that were equiped to somehow to get the broadcasts sent
out by volunteer readers. At one point my wife had a broadcast show called
"The Happy Cooker" (no wisecracks hi hi).
  You'd think that as time goes by they would have started programs to help
get Jaws to folks. I have a friend coming over to play cards tonight - only
on his early 50's, but he will be totally blind within a year. We've got to
figure out a way to continue playing pinochle - I wonder if there is a
system of playing cards that can be used by blind and sighted folks at the
same time - and where I might get them. Any ideas?  Sorry if this is off
topic folks - but its good info probably for every one to be aware of -
never know when you can share it - like with my buddy tonight!
73/Tim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
To: <tlogan7 at cox.net>
Cc: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Sorry, No Tactile TV


> 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
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