Have you had someone verify for you that Orka is indeed being loaded after the successful boot up? Do you have a USB sound device kicking around? Maybe it could detect that. > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:21:48 -0600 > From: Martin McCormick <martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: Linux for blind general discussion <blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> > ReplyTo: Linux for blind general discussion <blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: Older Computers and New Speech Engines > > Over the last several days, I have tried the ubuntu Live > CD, the alternate ubuntu CD, ubuntu-server 32-bit version and a totally > different distribution called grml. > > All were tested on a Dell laptop that is about 6 years > old but ran Windows XP before. It is pretty powerful in that it is a > 1-gig processor with 256 megs of RAM and the sound card > does definitely work. > > So far, the only distributionthat ever worked with > speech was the last oralux image. An old GRML which is > speakup-based showed promise until I actually started to install it at > which time that spelling bug due to kernel contingencies took over which > ruled that out as far as I am concerned. > > The oralux distribution talks well until you connect a > serial port to something and then it's that spelling thing > again, probably due to the interrupts that occur as each serial > character arrives. Again, not acceptable. It is also > speakup-based. > > After listening to the very useful ubuntu demo on > blindcooltech, I tried the minimum start with speech which is to wait > until the disk slows down, Hit F5, 3, Enter, Enter. > > There is sound which, according to the demo, occurs when > you log in and a longer chord which reminds me kind of of a Mac booting > up that you hear when orca starts. After that, utter > silence. > > The latest GRML is also mute. The cheatcodes.txt file in > the grml directory on that CD tells you to type > > grml swspeak=speechd > > Again, dead silence after the booting completes. > > Is it just me or do these newer engines not run on Dell > computers from around 2000? Actually, as I think of it, one of those > desktops is a Gateway. > > I have tried 1 laptop and a couple of desktops that > already run Debian Linux and sound and do so quite well. > > I figure if I get one of these to talk properly, I can > get away from the old DOS, external synth and kermit method. > That works even on old 8086 systems, but some of that stuff > could vote and by beer now. > > I am not afraid to build kernels and hack (positively), > but it's kind of hard to do that with no way in to a system one is > working on. > > Any ideas? Yes, I know I could buy all new computers. > These I have access to are what we might call middle-aged, not ready for > the recycling center yet. > > Martin McCormick > > _______________________________________________ > Blinux-list mailing list > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list _______________________________________________ Blinux-list mailing list Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list