> >> How can I get my apollo synth working with speech-dispatcher? I noticed > >> the apollo.conf file in the modules directory, but no sign of it in the > >> speechd.conf file to add the module. I tried the following line without > >> the quotes surrounding the entire line > >> "AddModule "apollo" "sd_apollo" "apollo.conf"" Hi Michael, currently the only way to use the apollo synthesizer in Speech Dispatcher is via the Generic output module using some apollo-say command (if there is any) and some configuration script for the module. I'm sorry we've got you confused by the apollo.conf file in the distribution. This is unfortunatelly a mistake. We had an output module for apollo long time ago, but our Apollo synthesizer we had at that time didn't even support any kind of index marks or notification of speech termination. To give some background, there is a requirement on all Dispatcher output modules to be able to tell when the speech has terminated. Without it, much of the Dispatcher functionality is broken. It can't synchronize messages correctly inside and between various applications. For this reason, we have decided to remove the module. You won't get far if we would have kept it since this is also a basic requirement in Orca and elsewhere. I forgot to also remove the configuration file from the distribution. I know some later versions of the Apollo synthesizers include some support for notifications. If there is enough wish for a driver to be included in Speech Dispatcher, it will be done. However, I'd suggest that you try to find alternative ways using software synthesis. These hardware synths are quite simple, non free software, many times also quite expensive (so not a solution for everyone). If we need some feature, it is not possible to extend them, so it holds back our progress on accessibility (while we can extend things like Festival and eSpeak pretty easily to suite our needs). Of course there are still valid reasons to use hardware synthesis, but in longer term, it definitely pays of to support free software synthesis -- by the developers and by the users. In the meantime, unless somebody wants to offer to develop a full output module, then if you like, we can try to create a generic configuration script for Apollo. But I need your cooperation, since I don't own the device. Let me know off-list. With regards, Hynek Hanke
