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Full History - 2022 - 01 - 20 - ID#s8s2sm
5
Keynote Gold speech synthesizer on modern Windows? (self.Blind)
submitted by mehgcap
Hey all,

I'm sure I'm not alone in having grown up with a BrailleNote (the old Classic/mPower, not the modern Android ones). My favorite synthesizer for many years was Keynote Gold. Does anyone know of a way to use that synthesizer on modern Windows with a screen reader? I know it's likely impossible, but it can't hurt to ask.
MutedTrampet 3 points 1y ago
No, unfortunately not. There were versions of Keynote Gold that were made available for PCs, but they were all 15 minute demos, and likely don't run on anything newer than Windows 98. The only way to get it working now is to find an old BrailleNote and use the remote synthesizer with a screen reader.
mehgcap [OP] 2 points 1y ago
I suspected this would be the response. I hoped I was wrong, or that someone had figured out a way to get the synth out of one of those old demos and into a SAPI voice.
dandylover1 1 points 10m ago
I have wanted to use this synthesizer on Windows, with NVDA, for many years. In fact, I found this thread while searching the Internet in order to learn if anyone has made it available yet. I am not a programmer, so I'm not sure if it is possible to do this, but I do know that Humanware did not create this voice. I thought it was created at UC Berkley, but it seems I was mistaken, and that was a different synthesizer. I do know, however, that it was used in the LanguageMaster talking dictionary, as I own one, and also in Mastertouch, a DOS screen reader. Therefore, it seems highly plausible that it could be ported to Windows as a Sapi synthesizer. There is, apparently, a petition for doing just that, though it is quite old. Perhaps, we can revive it and send it to Humanware, once we receive enough signatures. If not, then we may be able to find the original manufacturer and write to that company, or inventor and ask for assistance. Below is the link to the petition.

https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/Humanware_makers_of_the_BrailleNote_NoteTaker_let_us_buy_Keysoft_and_Keynote_gold_multilingual_for_windowspc_and_android/
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
That was a pretty interesting sounding synthe for sure. Unfortunately for you though no. Even now people want eloquence on more then just a few things it’s harder to get at those old ones. Unfortunately.
RapperNev 1 points 1y ago
Man the day I found eloquence on my mpower, my life changed. lol. Keynote Gold has a super retro sound to it though that can sound appealing to some.
mehgcap [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Eloquence on the mPower was always too laggy for me, but I can understand why people preferred it. Keynote Gold is definitely not for everyone.
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