It is true that serial ports are rare on today's computers. But, it is not true that you can't get a laptop or desktop with a serial port. I have just finishing building a system for myself using an Asus P3-PH5 barebone case/mobo/ps. This particular mobo comes with a serial port header, so that I only needed a $1.50 part to bring a DB9 port out to the backplane. Both MSI and Shuttle have barebone boxes that provide the DB9 on the backplane out of the box. I mention barebones, because that is what I've been shopping over the last few months. A colleague of mine has a Dell laptop with a serial port. Often, you can get a serial port on a laptop docking station, even when the laptop itself doesn't have a serial port. This is true of Thinkpads--still my preferred laptops. Lastly, I would caution you to not buy Axsol's Tripletalk for use with Speakup. It used to work, but doesn't seem to currently. On the other hand, the older (and cheaper) Doubletalk is still available, I believe, from http://rcsys.com. Janina Negoslav Sabev writes: > Can you guaranty that it will work with just USB to serial converter? > Don't these ports function on a different levil? Will I be able to hear > the boot and shutdown messages when the USB drivers are not loaded? > Sorry for my ignorance, but what i-o stands for? I'm not yet so good in > english technical terms. > > Thanks, > Negoslav > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kristoffer Gustafsson" > <kg84@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: "Linux for blind general discussion" <blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 2:21 PM > Subject: Re: hardware synthesizer > > >> Hello! >> No, some new desktops doesn't have this port. >> You could have an usb to serial converter, that should work. >> Also, you could purchase an i/o card with a serial port on it, they're >> not so expensive. >> /Kristoffer >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "mattias" <mj@xxxxxx> >> To: "'Linux for blind general discussion'" <blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> >> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 11:07 AM >> Subject: SV: hardware synthesizer >> >> >>> Hm have newer desktops not a serial port? >>> >>> -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- >>> Från: blinux-list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx >>> [mailto:blinux-list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] För Negoslav Sabev >>> Skickat: den 14 februari 2009 10:42 >>> Till: blinux discussion >>> Ämne: hardware synthesizer >>> >>> >>> Hello, >>> >>> Now I have enough money to buy a hardware synthesizer. As you know they >>> are >>> not so cheep. The last year some kind person pointed me to www.axsol.com >>> to >>> check for such an animal. The synth >>> that works under Linux, DOS and Windows is DekTalk USB, but it needs >>> RS232 >>> serial port in order to work with DOS and Linux. Does someone here uses >>> this >>> synth with linux and speakup? And is it possible this to be accomplished >>> >>> without the serial port. As you know the new desktops, laptops and >>> netbooks >>> don't have such port installed. If no one has answer, please point me to >>> the >>> right place to ask such questions. Unfortunately the person I wrote to >>> from >>> the axsol.com don't know the answers.Also if you know about alternative >>> synthesizers or ways to use speakup from boot to shutdown I'd be glad to >>> >>> hear from you >>> >>> Negoslav >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 -- Janina Sajka, Phone: +1.202.595.7777; sip:janina@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Partner, Capital Accessibility LLC http://CapitalAccessibility.Com Marketing the Owasys 22C talking screenless cell phone in the U.S. and Canada Learn more at http://ScreenlessPhone.Com Chair, Open Accessibility janina@xxxxxxxx Linux Foundation http://a11y.org _______________________________________________ Blinux-list mailing list Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list