hello. I believe the Linux DecTalk PC driver is based on one I wrote
many many years ago for the ISA card. When the card cold boots, it is
running only a firmware smart enough to download the DecTalk OS module
which was supplied on the DOS driver diskette. I wrote the initial driver
for BSD, and that driver package contained a user level program that knew
how to read the required DOS file from the linux filesystem and load it
into the DecTalk card and enable it to work as a full fledged synthesizer.
I believe the program was called "dtload." We couldn't distribute the DOS
module as part of the driver code, but if you have the original DOS disks
that came with your DecTalk, you should have the required files.
Below is the pasted man page for the dtload program I wrote as part of the
original driver package. The syntax may be somewhat different than
described below, but there is a listing of the files you need to get things
going. perhaps that will help you find the disks you're looking for.
DTLOAD(8) DTLOAD(8)
NAME
DTLOAD - load and initialize Dectalk PC speech synthesiz-
ers
SYNTAX
ddttllooaadd [ --ff <<ssppeeeecchh ddeevviiccee>> ] [ --KK <<kkeerrnneell nnaammee>> ] [ --DD
<<pprriimmaarryy ddiiccttiioonnaarryy>> ] [ --ttvvxx ] [ <<sseeccoonnddaarryy ddiiccttiioonnaarryy>>
<<pprrooggrraamm mmoodduullee>> ...... ]
DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
_D_t_l_o_a_d uploads firmware and dictionary modules from the
Unix filesystem to Dectalk PC speech synthesizers.
When a Dectalk speech synthesizer expansion module is pow-
ered up, it is incapable of actually talking. Before it
can talk, program and dictionary modules must be uploaded
to the device. Once the upload is complete and the syn-
thesizer configured, it is ready to talk. Dtload is the
utility which accomplishes that upload and initialization.
There are approximately five modules that must be uploaded
before the synthesizer is ready for action. The first two
modules, called the kernel and primary dictionary respec-
tively, are essential for any operation to occur on the
synthesizer. The kernel is the basic operating system
which runs on the device. Once it is installed and ini-
tialized, it controls all actions on the device, including
additional uploads.
The primary dictionary provides the basic phonetic rules
the synthesizer
will use to produce sound. It may also contain wave
table entries to enable the synthesizer to produce alter-
native sounds, such as DTMF tones.
The additional modules can either be dictionaries or pro-
grams, which give the synthesizer the ability to speak a
particular language or set of languages. The modules you
have for your device depend on which configuration you
purchased. This loader has been tested with the modules
for the U.S English distribution, but it should work with
any synthesizer modules.
OPERATION
The dtload command is intended primarily for use at boot
time to configure the synthesizer and ready it for use on
the system. However, additional modules may be loaded at
any time until the synthesizer runs out of memory.
A typical configuration would run dtload from one of the
/etc/rc scripts at boot time in order to insure that the
synthesizer is initialized and ready for service when the
system gets to multiuser mode.
Command line options are as follows:
1
DTLOAD(8) DTLOAD(8)
-f <speech device>
Tell dtload where to find the synthesizer. Typically this
would be /dev/dt0 Alternatively, the environment variable
DTK_PORT can be set to contain the name of the device
which is to be opened for initialization.
--K <Kernel File>
This gives dtload the name of the file which is to be sent
to the synthesizer as the `operating system`. If dtload
determines that the synthesizer needs an operating system,
this is the file it will use to send one.
If the synthesizer needs an operating system and this
option was not specified, or the specified file could not
be read, dtload aborts.
--D <primary dictionary>
This option tells dtload to use the indicated file as the
primary dictionary file. If dtload determines that the
synthesizer needs a primary dictionary and this option was
not specified, or, the file could not be read, dtload will
abort.
-t
This `talk` option will send an initial verbal message to
the synthesizer if a reload of the synthesizer is required
at run time. If the synthesizer is already initialized
when dtload is run, this option has no effect.
-x
Because the synthesizer only resets at power up, and
because the Unix operating system may reboot without doing
a cold reset of the computer, it is desirable for dtload
to leave the synthesizer alone if it determines that it is
already loaded and ready for action. This option disables
dtload from loading any secondary dictionaries or programs
if it determines that the synthesizer already has modules
loaded and running.
-v
The verbose option turns on status messages about the
progress and specifics of the loading process. It gives
the names of the files as they load, memory allocation
statistics on the synthesizer itself, and other interest-
ing data.
EXAMPLES
Here is a listing of the `/etc/dectalk` directory on a
typical machine with the synthesizer installed. Note that
most of these files are from the distribution media
shipped from Digital.
total 1495
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 18458 Apr 24 17:11 cmd.exe
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 408316 Apr 24 17:15 dtpc.dic
2
DTLOAD(8) DTLOAD(8)
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root wheel 233 Apr 24 17:41 dtstart
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 14994 Apr 24 17:11 kernel.sys
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 264332 Apr 24 17:11 lts.exe
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 39664 Apr 24 17:11 ph.exe
-r--r--r-- 1 root wheel 6488 Apr 24 17:11 usa.exe
Here is what the dtstart shell script does to get things
rolling at boot time.
#!/bin/sh
#Script to automatically load the speech card with its attendant software.
#
#
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin; export PATH
cd /etc/dectalk
dtload -f /dev/dt0 -K kernel.sys -D dtpc.dic -xt lts.exe ph.exe cmd.exe usa.exe
BUGS
There is no way to unload a secondary dictionary or pro-
gram module once it is in the card.
There is currently no mechanism to see what is loaded in
the synthesizer.
The only way to reset the synthesizer is through power
cycling it.
SEE ALSO
dt(4), init(8), reboot(8)
AUTHOR
Brian Buhrow
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