Table Of Content

Dolph(cid:3464)n Speech Synthes(cid:3464)zer User Gu(cid:3464)de Ser(cid:3464)es 2 Synthes(cid:3464)zers Copyr(cid:3464)ght ©1998: Dolph(cid:3464)n Computer Access, LLC All R(cid:3464)ghts Reserved Worldw(cid:3464)de. Not(cid:3464)ce Apollo and Juno are trademarks of Dolph(cid:3464)n Ocean(cid:3464)c Ltd. W(cid:3464)ndows and W(cid:3464)ndows NT are reg(cid:3464)stered trademarks of M(cid:3464)crosoft Corporat(cid:3464)on. All other products are trademarks or reg(cid:3464)stered trademarks of the(cid:3464)r respect(cid:3464)ve owners. Introduct(cid:3464)on The Dolph(cid:3464)n Ser(cid:3464)es 2 Synthes(cid:3464)zers have been developed (cid:3464)n parallel w(cid:3464)th the Hal screen reader and other Dolph(cid:3464)n spec(cid:3464)al access products. They prov(cid:3464)de an affordable and powerful means of mult(cid:3464)l(cid:3464)ngual speech output, and can be used w(cid:3464)th a large var(cid:3464)ety of popular computer packages. All of Dolph(cid:3464)n's Ser(cid:3464)es 2 Synthes(cid:3464)zers have the follow(cid:3464)ng features: • Advanced PC commun(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)ons (cid:3464)nclud(cid:3464)ng (cid:3464)ndex(cid:3464)ng. • Easy control over the p(cid:3464)tch, speed, (cid:3464)ntonat(cid:3464)on, and other aspects of the speech. • Over forty d(cid:3464)fferent languages ava(cid:3464)lable, w(cid:3464)th up to seven languages (cid:3464)n one synthes(cid:3464)zer. Var(cid:3464)et(cid:3464)es There are currently three Dolph(cid:3464)n speech synthes(cid:3464)zers: • Apollo 2 • PC 2 card • Juno All the synthes(cid:3464)zers have the same features and command set, except that the Juno only has a software volume control. Apollo 2 Th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s a ma(cid:3464)ns-only desktop synthes(cid:3464)zer w(cid:3464)th an (cid:3464)ntegral loudspeaker. It (cid:3464)s connected to your PC's ser(cid:3464)al port. It (cid:3464)s (cid:3464)deal for use (cid:3464)n s(cid:3464)tuat(cid:3464)ons where an (cid:3464)ntegral loudspeaker (cid:3464)s requ(cid:3464)red. PC 2 card Th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s essent(cid:3464)ally an Apollo 2, but mounted on a PC card. It has all the features of the Apollo 2, and (cid:3464)s (cid:3464)deal for use (cid:3464)n a sole stat(cid:3464)onary computer, where you want the speech synthes(cid:3464)zer to be tucked away. Because (cid:3464)t f(cid:3464)ts (cid:3464)ns(cid:3464)de the PC you have no need for an external power supply, and w(cid:3464)ll have no tra(cid:3464)l(cid:3464)ng w(cid:3464)res. Juno The Juno (cid:3464)s a battery-powered, ser(cid:3464)al-only portable synthes(cid:3464)zer, w(cid:3464)th all the funct(cid:3464)ons of the Apollo 2. Complete w(cid:3464)th a bu(cid:3464)lt-(cid:3464)n loudspeaker, (cid:3464)t (cid:3464)s small enough to be attached to any laptop computer, has about 10 hours battery l(cid:3464)fe, and can f(cid:3464)t (cid:3464)nto your pocket when not (cid:3464)n use. Sect(cid:3464)on One - The Apollo 2 Th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on conta(cid:3464)ns a descr(cid:3464)pt(cid:3464)on of the Apollo 2 speech synthes(cid:3464)zer. Introduct(cid:3464)on The Apollo 2 (cid:3464)s a ma(cid:3464)ns-powered text-to speech synthes(cid:3464)zer wh(cid:3464)ch can be used w(cid:3464)th a w(cid:3464)de range of computers. It can be used (cid:3464)n conjunct(cid:3464)on w(cid:3464)th portable computers, as well as w(cid:3464)th desktop models. The Apollo 2 (cid:3464)s one of the very few synthes(cid:3464)zers wh(cid:3464)ch has a Br(cid:3464)t(cid:3464)sh Engl(cid:3464)sh vo(cid:3464)ce, and many non-Engl(cid:3464)sh languages are also ava(cid:3464)lable. It (cid:3464)s poss(cid:3464)ble to have up to 4 languages res(cid:3464)dent (cid:3464)n the Apollo 2 at any t(cid:3464)me. Language ROMs can also be updated or changed as requ(cid:3464)red. The follow(cid:3464)ng (cid:3464)s a descr(cid:3464)pt(cid:3464)on of the connectors and controls on the Apollo 2. (The descr(cid:3464)pt(cid:3464)on assumes that you have the Apollo 2 speaker fac(cid:3464)ng you.) There are three connectors as follows. Connectors 1. The 9 way D-Type connector at the back (cid:3464)s a ser(cid:3464)al port. It (cid:3464)s used to connect to the computer. The connector (cid:3464)s w(cid:3464)red (cid:3464)n a non-standard way so unless you have made you own cable as per the p(cid:3464)n-out (cid:3464)n Append(cid:3464)x 1, you should only use Dolph(cid:3464)n ser(cid:3464)al cables. If you plug a 'standard' ser(cid:3464)al cable (cid:3464)nto the socket you may blow up the commun(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)ons port of the synthes(cid:3464)zer. For connect(cid:3464)on to an IBM PC/AT or compat(cid:3464)ble you w(cid:3464)ll rece(cid:3464)ve a cable w(cid:3464)th 9 way female connectors at each end. The cable can be plugged (cid:3464)n e(cid:3464)ther way round. 2. The connector on the front (cid:3464)s for a headphone set or extens(cid:3464)on speaker. It (cid:3464)s a stereo 3.5mm socket (such as found on Walkman-type headphones), and w(cid:3464)ll not work correctly (cid:3464)f a mono jack (cid:3464)s used. 3. The last connector (cid:3464)s to the rear, and (cid:3464)s for the ma(cid:3464)ns adapter. N.B. Please use only a Dolph(cid:3464)n ma(cid:3464)ns adapter as suppl(cid:3464)ed.If us(cid:3464)ng your own ma(cid:3464)ns adapter ensure that the voltage, current capac(cid:3464)ty and polar(cid:3464)ty are correct. These deta(cid:3464)ls can be found (cid:3464)n Append(cid:3464)x 1. Controls The only controls prov(cid:3464)ded on the Apollo 2 are the on/off sw(cid:3464)tch and the volume knob. The on/off sw(cid:3464)tch (cid:3464)s located to the rear, left hand s(cid:3464)de. Left (cid:3464)s on, r(cid:3464)ght (cid:3464)s off. The volume control (cid:3464)s located on top of the un(cid:3464)t, to the left, just below the speaker gr(cid:3464)ll. On sw(cid:3464)tch(cid:3464)ng on the synthes(cid:3464)zer, the synthes(cid:3464)zer w(cid:3464)ll self-test and (cid:3464)ssue a sound effect dependent on the result. If the test (cid:3464)s OK the synthes(cid:3464)zer (cid:3464)ssues a short s(cid:3464)ngle buzz, but (cid:3464)f (cid:3464)t fa(cid:3464)ls three longer hoots are sounded. Sect(cid:3464)on Two - The PC 2 Card Th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on conta(cid:3464)ns (cid:3464)nformat(cid:3464)on on the PC 2 card, (cid:3464)nclud(cid:3464)ng gu(cid:3464)del(cid:3464)nes on (cid:3464)nstallat(cid:3464)on. Introduct(cid:3464)on The PC 2 Card (cid:3464)s an IBM PC/AT compat(cid:3464)ble card that w(cid:3464)ll f(cid:3464)t (cid:3464)ns(cid:3464)de both desktop PCs and portable PCs wh(cid:3464)ch have a standard card slot. The card (cid:3464)s capable of hold(cid:3464)ng up to seven languages by way of the four on-board ROM sockets. The f(cid:3464)rst ROM socket (cid:3464)s a 256Kb ROM and can hold four languages. The other three ROM sockets are 64Kb and can hold one language. The f(cid:3464)rst socket can also hold a normal 64Kb ROM. The phys(cid:3464)cal s(cid:3464)ze of the card (cid:3464)s 20.3cm back to front by 9.9cm h(cid:3464)gh, not (cid:3464)nclud(cid:3464)ng the edge connector. F(cid:3464)tt(cid:3464)ng the Card When f(cid:3464)tt(cid:3464)ng the card to your PC try not to touch the edge connector as you may damage the card. Select a spare slot and plug the card (cid:3464)n f(cid:3464)rmly. You may have to bend the face plate sl(cid:3464)ghtly to enable secur(cid:3464)ng of the lock(cid:3464)ng screw. Th(cid:3464)s w(cid:3464)ll depend on the card cage of your PC. The card (cid:3464)s almost ready for use as you need only plug (cid:3464)n e(cid:3464)ther your headphones or external speaker. If you w(cid:3464)sh to use the (cid:3464)nternal speaker of your PC the sect(cid:3464)on 'Us(cid:3464)ng the PC's Internal Speaker' has (cid:3464)nformat(cid:3464)on on how to do th(cid:3464)s. Controls and Connect(cid:3464)ons The Edge Connector The edge connector on the Card (cid:3464)s the hardware commun(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)on path w(cid:3464)th the computer. It (cid:3464)s a standard 8-b(cid:3464)t, IBM PC slot connector but w(cid:3464)ll work perfectly well (cid:3464)n a 16-b(cid:3464)t AT slot. The card w(cid:3464)ll not work (cid:3464)n a MCA type slot as found on certa(cid:3464)n IBM PS/2 mach(cid:3464)nes. Sockets and Volume Control The card has a volume control, 'sp(cid:3464)ndle' type, to the rear of the mach(cid:3464)ne and two 3.5mm stereo jacks on the face plate. Th(cid:3464)s w(cid:3464)ll appear on the back or s(cid:3464)de of your PC, dependent on the or(cid:3464)entat(cid:3464)on of your card cage, once the card (cid:3464)s f(cid:3464)tted. PC 2 Card Back plate There are two stereo sockets on the card. The 'top' one (closest to the pot) (cid:3464)s the normal output to connect headphones/speakers. The lower socket (cid:3464)s a 'l(cid:3464)ne' output that w(cid:3464)ll be useful for act(cid:3464)ve speakers, connect(cid:3464)ng to an external ampl(cid:3464)f(cid:3464)er etc. If th(cid:3464)s socket (cid:3464)s used, the headphone socket (cid:3464)s d(cid:3464)sabled. The card does not have a speaker on-board, however, you can connect the computer's (cid:3464)nternal speaker, see below. There are jumpers for select(cid:3464)ng port addresses. These are d(cid:3464)scussed (cid:3464)n deta(cid:3464)l (cid:3464)n Append(cid:3464)x 4 Us(cid:3464)ng the Card w(cid:3464)th Software If you are us(cid:3464)ng HAL5 you can dr(cid:3464)ve the PC 2 card at the default address by us(cid:3464)ng the follow(cid:3464)ng address: HAL5 card If you have changed the card address to the secondary value (as per Append(cid:3464)x 4) then you can dr(cid:3464)ve the card w(cid:3464)th the follow(cid:3464)ng command: HAL5 card792 If you are us(cid:3464)ng a spec(cid:3464)al address then (cid:3464)nclude the address (cid:3464)n the follow(cid:3464)ng command: HAL5 card*** (spec(cid:3464)al address) The On-Board ROMs The PC 2 Card has four on-board ROM sockets, one can hold 4 languages. The other three ROMs can hold only 1 language. The default ROM socket, (cid:3464).e. the language ROM the card w(cid:3464)ll use when you f(cid:3464)rst turn on the computer, (cid:3464)s the one furthest from the volume control. The second ROM (ROM2) would normally be selected automat(cid:3464)cally, (cid:3464)f you are us(cid:3464)ng HAL5, when you changed language prompt f(cid:3464)les. To change ROMs outs(cid:3464)de of HAL5 ((cid:3464)t actually does the same th(cid:3464)ng (cid:3464)nternally) you can use the '@=' command. '@=1' w(cid:3464)ll start the default ROM and '@=2' w(cid:3464)ll start ROM2 etc. Us(cid:3464)ng the PC's Internal Speaker It (cid:3464)s poss(cid:3464)ble to use the (cid:3464)nternal speaker of your computer for both speech and computer aud(cid:3464)o output. Th(cid:3464)s w(cid:3464)ll not work successfully w(cid:3464)th small p(cid:3464)ezo speakers somet(cid:3464)mes found on portables and some desktops, (cid:3464)t should really be a standard mov(cid:3464)ng cone type. Th(cid:3464)s fac(cid:3464)l(cid:3464)ty has two advantages (cid:3464)n that you do not need an external speaker w(cid:3464)th (cid:3464)ts assoc(cid:3464)ated cable, and when us(cid:3464)ng headphones you can hear both speech and computer beeps w(cid:3464)thout d(cid:3464)sturb(cid:3464)ng colleagues. (A talk(cid:3464)ng beep(cid:3464)ng PC can be qu(cid:3464)te a d(cid:3464)stract(cid:3464)on (cid:3464)n a busy off(cid:3464)ce env(cid:3464)ronment!). The method of connect(cid:3464)ng the PC beeps/speaker (cid:3464)s d(cid:3464)fferent now, you can connect the 4 p(cid:3464)n socket from the PC speaker d(cid:3464)rectly to the 4 p(cid:3464)n plug on the card (J6), and then a s(cid:3464)ngle w(cid:3464)re connects between J3 on the card and the output on the PC motherboard. Sect(cid:3464)on Three - The Juno Th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on conta(cid:3464)ns a descr(cid:3464)pt(cid:3464)on of the Juno portable speech synthes(cid:3464)zer. Introduct(cid:3464)on The Juno has been des(cid:3464)gned by Dolph(cid:3464)n as a battery powered synthes(cid:3464)zer that can be used (cid:3464)n portable appl(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)ons where the desktop Apollo 2 or the PC 2 card may not be su(cid:3464)table. The Juno has bu(cid:3464)lt (cid:3464)n rechargeable batter(cid:3464)es, has all the features of the Apollo 2, and (cid:3464)s totally software controlled. (Th(cid:3464)s means you must use a program such as the HAL5 screen reader to alter the volume.) -Th(cid:3464)s vers(cid:3464)on of the Juno, has a bu(cid:3464)lt-(cid:3464)n loudspeaker. N.B The Juno automat(cid:3464)cally powers on when the PC or laptop's ser(cid:3464)al port has been (cid:3464)n(cid:3464)t(cid:3464)al(cid:3464)zed and a speaker or headphones have been plugged (cid:3464)n. It w(cid:3464)ll power off when the PC (cid:3464)s powered off, or the ser(cid:3464)al connector (cid:3464)s unplugged. The On-Board ROMs The Juno has a s(cid:3464)ngle ROM slot, and can accommodate up to four languages on a s(cid:3464)ngle ROM. Language sw(cid:3464)tch(cid:3464)ng and aud(cid:3464)o volume changes are made under software control from the PC. Sect(cid:3464)on Four - Trouble Shoot(cid:3464)ng Th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on conta(cid:3464)ns (cid:3464)nformat(cid:3464)on on common problems people f(cid:3464)nd w(cid:3464)th the(cid:3464)r Dolph(cid:3464)n speech synthes(cid:3464)zers. Read th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on (cid:3464)f you are hav(cid:3464)ng d(cid:3464)ff(cid:3464)culty. Introduct(cid:3464)on If your synthes(cid:3464)zer does not funct(cid:3464)on please check the follow(cid:3464)ng po(cid:3464)nts. 1. W(cid:3464)th an Apollo check that your ma(cid:3464)ns adapter (cid:3464)s plugged all the way (cid:3464)nto the synthes(cid:3464)zer and that (cid:3464)t (cid:3464)s plugged (cid:3464)nto the ma(cid:3464)ns and turned on. 2. The synthes(cid:3464)zer should (cid:3464)ssue a `healthy' sound effect when powered up. 3. W(cid:3464)th an Apollo 2 or Juno you should check that the data cable (cid:3464)s plugged (cid:3464)n correctly and (cid:3464)nto the r(cid:3464)ght commun(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)on port on your computer. 4. W(cid:3464)th cards, you must ensure that the card (cid:3464)s f(cid:3464)tted (cid:3464)nto (cid:3464)ts slot correctly and that a speaker or headphone set (cid:3464)s attached. 5. If us(cid:3464)ng the HAL5 screen reader, have you used the correct command l(cid:3464)ne parameter for your synthes(cid:3464)zer? Check w(cid:3464)th the follow(cid:3464)ng l(cid:3464)st: HAL5 com1 ENTER speech output to COM1: HAL5 com2 ENTER speech output to COM2: HAL5 card ENTER speech output to a PC 2 Card HAL5 card760 ENTER speech output to a PC 2 Card secondary address 6. If when us(cid:3464)ng cards, you st(cid:3464)ll have no speech output after check(cid:3464)ng po(cid:3464)nt 3, then you may already have a card (cid:3464)nstalled that (cid:3464)s us(cid:3464)ng the same address as the PC3 card. (See Append(cid:3464)x 3, "Address Select(cid:3464)on", for further deta(cid:3464)ls.) If all else fa(cid:3464)ls, phone the Dolph(cid:3464)n d(cid:3464)str(cid:3464)butor (cid:3464)n your country, or (cid:3464)n the U.S. phone Dolph(cid:3464)n Computer Access on 650 348 7402. Sect(cid:3464)on F(cid:3464)ve - Complete Command Set Th(cid:3464)s sect(cid:3464)on conta(cid:3464)ns a complete command set for the Apollo/PC 2 Card and Juno speech synthes(cid:3464)zers. These commands tell you how to control your synthes(cid:3464)zer. Introduct(cid:3464)on Th(cid:3464)s gu(cid:3464)de covers ROM types from vers(cid:3464)on 2A onwards. Most of the ROM commands start w(cid:3464)th an '@' (at s(cid:3464)gn) and are followed by an ASCII character or Hex, Dec(cid:3464)mal, Octal or B(cid:3464)nary number as (cid:3464)nd(cid:3464)cated by c, h, d, o or b. When a B(cid:3464)nary number (cid:3464)s (cid:3464)nd(cid:3464)cated you w(cid:3464)ll generally f(cid:3464)nd th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s a toggle sw(cid:3464)tch where '0' turns the command off and '1' turns the command on. N.B. The default sett(cid:3464)ngs shown below are for UK Engl(cid:3464)sh. ENTER stands for carr(cid:3464)age return. General Commands @Wd Controls the speed of the speech. Default = 3, and the range of values (cid:3464)s 1 to 9, g(cid:3464)v(cid:3464)ng speeds of approx(cid:3464)mately 80 to 580 words per m(cid:3464)nute. @Fh Sets the center po(cid:3464)nt of the vo(cid:3464)ce p(cid:3464)tch. Default = 8 @Fc 'c' must be e(cid:3464)ther '+' or '-'. Th(cid:3464)s causes the p(cid:3464)tch to be ra(cid:3464)sed or lowered sl(cid:3464)ghtly. @Ro Sets the level of prosody or exc(cid:3464)tab(cid:3464)l(cid:3464)ty of the vo(cid:3464)ce. Default = 3 @Sb Toggles spell mode on or off. Default = 0 @Pb Toggles punctuat(cid:3464)on on or off. Default = 0 @Qd Sets the length of pause between words. Default = 0 @Bd Th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s used to set the degree of vo(cid:3464)c(cid:3464)ng. 1 (cid:3464)s a wh(cid:3464)sper (very breathy) and 8 (cid:3464)s full vo(cid:3464)c(cid:3464)ng. Default = 8 @Dh Sets the pause for end of phrase, breath group or sentence. Default = b @Vd One of the s(cid:3464)x preset vo(cid:3464)ces may be selected w(cid:3464)th th(cid:3464)s command. The f(cid:3464)rst three vo(cid:3464)ces (1 to 3) are based on a male vo(cid:3464)ce and the last three vo(cid:3464)ces (4 to 6) are based on a non-male vo(cid:3464)ce. Many more vo(cid:3464)ces can be obta(cid:3464)ned by us(cid:3464)ng the commands below. N.B. '@V0' w(cid:3464)ll turn the vo(cid:3464)ce off. @Kb Selects the male or non-male speaker table.0 for male, 1 for non-male. Control X Th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s the mute command. The speech buffer (cid:3464)s flushed and speech stops (cid:3464)mmed(cid:3464)ately. @Ah The command @Ah where h (cid:3464)s a hexadec(cid:3464)mal d(cid:3464)g(cid:3464)t '0' to 'F', w(cid:3464)ll set the volume control to the selected level. That level, h, (cid:3464)s a proport(cid:3464)on of the level set by the phys(cid:3464)cal volume control. The act(cid:3464)on of the @A command (cid:3464)s synchron(cid:3464)zed w(cid:3464)th the speech so that the loudness of the parts of an utterance can be controlled. For example: Qu(cid:3464)etest @ A 0 Normal @ A A Loudest @ A F @? Speaks the ROM vers(cid:3464)on number. @J 'Soft' Reset - Th(cid:3464)s command resets the current language speech parameters to the(cid:3464)r power on defaults. Th(cid:3464)s (cid:3464)s pr(cid:3464)mar(cid:3464)ly (cid:3464)ntended for HAL5 and programmers use. @=d, Th(cid:3464)s command w(cid:3464)ll sw(cid:3464)tch from one (cid:3464)nternal language ROM to another. @=1, Selects ROM 1 (default ROM) @=2, Selects ROM 2 @=3, Selects ROM 3 @=4, Selects ROM 4 As standard the Apollo 2 has only one ROM of 64k. Add(cid:3464)t(cid:3464)onal languages can be ordered. The comma (cid:3464)s not really part of the command, but should be (cid:3464)ncluded, otherw(cid:3464)se any text between the @=d and the end of the current phrase w(cid:3464)ll be lost. When sw(cid:3464)tch(cid:3464)ng between ROMs of the same vers(cid:3464)on number the Apollo 2 w(cid:3464)ll do th(cid:3464)s w(cid:3464)thout hav(cid:3464)ng to reset any commun(cid:3464)cat(cid:3464)ons c(cid:3464)rcu(cid:3464)try. However, (cid:3464)f the ROM vers(cid:3464)ons are d(cid:3464)fferent, the sw(cid:3464)tch w(cid:3464)ll st(cid:3464)ll occur, but by the synthes(cid:3464)zer resett(cid:3464)ng (cid:3464)tself. @Gb Th(cid:3464)s command has no effect for Apollo 2 ROMs from vers(cid:3464)on 2 on. In earl(cid:3464)er vers(cid:3464)ons (cid:3464)t turned the greet(cid:3464)ng on or off when sw(cid:3464)tch(cid:3464)ng languages.