Problems with Model Talker

chefdeborah · 11-13-2009, 09:35 PM

I downloaded the program, but when it finishes, Microsoft comes up with an error message that the Microphone program is not working. Could it be because of my virus program?

deborah

rose · 11-13-2009, 10:19 PM

Deborah,

I'm no help, (haven't a clue) but hang in there, someone who can actually help you should see this post soon.

GlenBrittle · 11-13-2009, 10:20 PM

ok ... im here to help ... are you still here Deb ?

chefdeborah · 11-15-2009, 08:41 PM

Hi Glen
I have been out of pocket for a while. I made it through hubby announcing his leaving the eldership! He blubbered like a girl! He is so emotional right now and he is a big ol' football player type!

I thought I would wipe out the program and turn off my virus program and download it again and see if that helps! I don't understand why it is still doing this. This is a brand new computer!

deborah

John1 · 11-15-2009, 08:44 PM

Could you contact the model talker people by email?

halfin · 11-16-2009, 01:44 AM

Hi Deborah - you said "Microsoft comes up with an error message that the Microphone program is not working". What kind of microphone do you have plugged in? Do you know how to test it to see if Windows recognizes it? I could try to give you some advice on that. Or maybe if you could write down the exact error message you are getting and post it here, that might help.

GlenBrittle · 11-16-2009, 07:52 PM

Hi Deborah,

Did you get the microphone working last night ? Did those instructions help ?

I am waiting online.

Glen

chefdeborah · 11-18-2009, 10:07 AM

Sorry Glen, I have been sick. I have a sore throat and my ears are infected. Doctor said I had to take it easy because it is viral and he couldn't give me anything for it. I haven't even tried since I couldn't talk much. I did try to open up the Model talker microphone and the microsoft message came up that the microphone wasn't working anymore. So, debugged and that didn't work AGAIN! I will try the site you gave me and see if that helps!

thanks again
deborah

chefdeborah · 11-19-2009, 09:33 AM

I have a Logitech headset. The error message says....

MTV Recorder has stopped working. Windows is checking for a solution to the problem. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

then under that:

DEBUG CLOSE PROGRAM

I have dumped the program once and and reloaded it and that didn't help. I am going to email the Model Talker people and see if they can help me.

Thanks
deborah

halfin · 11-20-2009, 01:22 PM

Unfortunately that error message is not too informative. It amounts to "the program crashed for unknown reasons". I think you're right, the best bet will be to contact the Model Talker developers. Sorry I can't be more help.

chefdeborah · 11-20-2009, 01:32 PM

I wrote them last night. Still waiting for a reply.
thanks Hal!
deborah

indigosd · 11-21-2009, 06:20 AM

I don't know what this program is...Web was given the loan of a microphone that did the voice banking on our computer and then on to a flash drive from ALS Association in Minnesota. Did you check and see if you can get it from your local ALS Association?

halfin · 11-21-2009, 12:54 PM

Deborah, Indigo's post reminds me that there is another way to do voice banking while you are waiting to see if Model Talker can work for you. MT is unusual in that it has you record all these short nonsense phrases and then it creates a synthetic voice that imitates yours. I should warn you that it took me almost 2 months to do the whole suite of recordings. Now I only did about 10-20 minutes a day but my voice got tired after that much talking. Also I am a perfectionist and would record over any phrase where my voice cracked or otherwise did not sound my best. Despite all this I don't think the voice quality is all that good in the end result. It sounds like the love child of me and Steven Hawking. Plus the voice synthesizer is somewhat primitive and produces electronic-sounding tones for certain vowels. So there is a tradeoff, the voice sounds something like me but the quality is more electronic than the good commercial voices that are available today.

The other way to do voice banking is simply to record phrases in your own voice that you will be able to play back later. Things like "Good morning", "How are you?" "Please get me some sugar", etc. This is really what most people mean by voice banking. The Model Talker stuff is a little more exotic.

One program I have used is called etriloquist, E-triloquist . It can both say phrases using a computer voice, and also lets you record your own. You will have to study the manual to figure out how to record your own, it is not too obvious, and if you need help just ask here. etriloquist can also be set up later to use the voice from Model Talker if you go that route.

GlenBrittle · 11-21-2009, 01:16 PM

Another alternative is to just get a couple of voices that you can install on your computer.
I have a number of voices from Cepstral (and a way to active them) .

We still need to hook up to try to get that microphone working , Deb.
Glen

rose · 11-21-2009, 01:28 PM

Hal RE: the quality of finished synthetic voice... I went in and adjusted manually, and had a lot better luck with the voice sounding like my own. Only real problem was it speaks slower than I would like. It makes me feel that optimally a person should use (at least) two different methods, as, any of the pre-recorded phrases I put into the Model Talker, are adversly affected by my using manual settings, those phrases are now too fast.

Deborah,

Have you heard back from MT yet? It seems like I remember the MT specifying that the mike used could not have a certain built in control but I can't remember what it was they said wouldn't work!