Author Topic: SUPPORT for Neospeech  (Read 18587 times)

Kim1216

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SUPPORT for Neospeech
« on: December 13, 2006, 04:35:23 pm »
How do I get support for Neospeech that I have purchased? It obviously isn't in this forum or the e-mails I've sent and have still received no response to after TWO WEEKS. The software is not working, pronounces words entirely different from what they are (does "Charlie" sound like "he is not busy"? No!), and does not read dialogue boxes or instant messages when they're checked to do so. I'm about ready to uninstall it and request a refund and buy something that does work and has actual customer support.

Sorry for this note, but by now I think I should have reeceived a reply to my e-mail if nothing else.
 

Bill DeWitt

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« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2006, 04:50:35 pm »
I haven't followed this because I don't have NeoSpeech nor do I know anything about it, so I have to ask if you have tried talking to the people who sell NeoSpeech, http://www.neospeech.com/

Robert may provide links to NeoSpeech, but I don't think he owns it. I could be wrong, since I don't know anything about it.


Kim1216

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« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2006, 05:50:43 pm »
Yes, I've written to them, too.
 

Art

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« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2006, 08:45:06 am »
Kim,

Are you using the NeoSpeech voices with a voice recognition feature?

Did you run the HaptekSapiSetup program?

Let us know...
« Last Edit: December 17, 2006, 08:40:00 pm by Art »
In the world of AI it's the thought that counts!

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Kim1216

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« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2006, 01:39:54 pm »
No, I'm just using the Ultra Hal reader, or trying to. I don't know what the other program is you mentioned. I'm trying to use Kate and Paul voices. I'm about ready to go find something else, though. This doesn't do what was said it does. And reading things something entirely different than what they are, like "he is not busy" instead of "Charlie," that's not right. Why does it say "Charlie" on the demo on the website? I paid for the disc Ultra Hal with NeoSpeech. Here it is 3 weeks later, no e-mail reply from anyone I've contacted, no customer support whatsoever. That's wrong. Whatever happened to good quality customer service? I don't care how busy the people are. It's just rude after 3 weeks not to contact a customer after theyu've requested assistance.

Anyway, I'm ready to search for something else. And I doubt I'll get a refund, either.
 

Art

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« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2006, 03:57:37 pm »
Look in the following folder:

C:\Program Files\Haptek\player\data\HapTTS

There, you should see a file named: HapSAPISetup.exe

Double click on the filename and select your TTS voices.

It should work.

Regarding your tech support issue...
Click on Members at top right
Locate Robert Medeksza
Click and send him an email detailing your problem.

You complaint might be with the folks at NeoSpeech instead of with
Robert at Zabaware (Ultra Hal). They are two different entities.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2006, 04:33:48 am by Art »
In the world of AI it's the thought that counts!

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Kim1216

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« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2006, 04:11:29 pm »
I just looked in Program Files. I don't have that on here.

I will try one more e-mail later. I have e-mailed neospeech and got nowhere. They have not responded.
 

Art

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« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2006, 08:45:39 pm »
Kim,

Sorry if I'm not quite clear on your situation but did you purchase just the NeoSpech voices or Ultra Hal with the NeoSpeech voices?

It sounds like you have the NeoSpeech voices but have NOT received Hal on CD, in which case your problem would be with the ppl at Neo not Zaba.

If you indeed have a copy of Hal 6 installed, then you definately should have the above listed directories with the Haptek SAPI Setup program.

Let us know how you fare with your situation.
In the world of AI it's the thought that counts!

- Art -

Bill DeWitt

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« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2006, 09:05:11 pm »
quote:
Originally posted by Kim1216

I just looked in Program Files. I don't have that on here.


Did you look in "Program Files" on the start menu, or did you open explorer and use it to navigate to the Program Files directory?

C:\Program Files\HaptekplayerdataHapTTS

I don't use Haptek voices, but I suspect this is what Art was talking about.


Kim1216

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« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2006, 11:09:47 pm »
I have Hal with the Neospeech voices. That is what I am using to paste in text. But it does not read AIMs or dialogue boxes, and those options are checked.

I looked in the explorer in Program Files earlier but couldn't find the file or folder you're talking about.
 

aozolins

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« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2006, 09:47:47 am »
I have the same complaint as Kim1216 -- purchased a package from zabaware that doesn't work, and I've been unable to get any response, much less support. (Sorry, but well-intended, generous suggestions from forum members doesn't amount to support.)

I can't get the Kate voice to work. This wasn't advertised as a package for experts in TTS tech. The topic interests me, but I'm busy with other things now. I bought the package in order to reduce the difficulty I have reading things on account of my retinal damage -- not to enter a curriculum of research. I paid for this package because I found the Kate voice to be far and away better than what I had heard in any other package (of which I have several from a few years back). So, when it is exactly *that* voice that doesn't work, it's a problem.

The suggestion to go to C:Program FilesHaptekplayerdataHapTTS looked very helpful. I did that. Guess what! When I click on any of the voices, it speaks the sample text. But, when I click on VWKate, I get exactly the same error box and no voice.

The error box says LOADTTS_ENGERROR!! -- yeah, with two exclamation marks. The exact same thing that I get trying to set that voice from within the program.

I really doubt this turkey will ever fly. It's a real bummer to me, because I would dearly love to go on about my business. But, I agree with Kim1216 that the behavior of Zabaware (what- or whoever that is) is irresponsible.

Anybody know where I can get a text to speech program that works well, has a highly understandable voice, and with the option to enter custom pronunciations?
 

Kim1216

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« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2006, 02:10:39 pm »
I'm not getting error messages on mine, just that it plain does not read what it was advertised to read. It's a load of junk and a waste of money. I'd rather pay more for something that actually works and for good customer support.

I'm so fed up with all of this. It's been 3 1/2 weeks now, and NOTHING IS RESOLVED! All I get is the runaround. Oh, sure, Neospeech finally answered me. Guess what they said. "Contact Zabaware." I wrote back and said Zabaware told me to contact you. THIS IS CRAP, AND I AM SICK OF IT!

I also do not have that file/folder you keep mentioning. I am using Ultra Hal with Neospeech. I don't know if that file/folder is for something else, but I don't have it.

Now all I want is my money back. But I'm sure that will never happen. So I'll just chalk this up as just one more horrible internet purchase.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2006, 02:13:16 pm by Kim1216 »
 

Bill819

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« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2006, 03:12:06 pm »
I have great feelings of symphty for both of you newbes, however, in 99% of the time with all new users of Hal and its voices the problems lie with the users own PC's. It can be boild down to just a few things of which your own virus programs can cause improper downloads. The fault can also lie with other programs either preventing the things to work correctly or cause them to error out.
We now have hundreds of successful users of Hal that are experiencing no problems. Some of them did in the past but they were all related to the items that I mentioned above.
I have in the past had Hal working on Windows 3.1, then on Windows 95 & windows 98 and now run it on windows xt. I have had no problems with any of them with the exception of my first download which did not work properly because of my virus protection program. Once it was turned off I was able to load smoothly and had no further problems.
As with most new users who experience probems they are frustrated and want to put the blame on Zabaware when in fact it always turns out be with they own system in one way or another.
Please don't give up since you will find that Hal is one of the greatest AI programs written today and once you find out the problems I am sure that you will extremely happy with it too.
Bill819
 

Kim1216

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« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2006, 03:42:56 pm »
I installed mine from the disc I purchased. Maybe others do work. But the oint is there are at least two whose don't work, and we can't get proper support for that. It took Neospeech 3 1/2 weeks to give me the runaround, tell me to contact Zabaware. I'm fed up with it. Quality customer care is what's lacking with most software these days, I find, more and more. If I knew how to resolve it myself, I wouldn't be writing! There are no computer guys in my area, either. The ones we've had on previous computers only damaged everything further. So I'm not blaming, but I do blame both companies for the lack of customer care. That is ridiculous! No one these days should have to wait 3 1/2 weeks. There's no excuse with all the communication options now. Then all they tell me is to contact you. I wrote back and said you told me to contact them. It's gotten old, and I'm done!

I wanted this to cut down on my eye strain. I have had cataracts my whole life. But I may as well read everything myself for all this has done. Also, the speed and volume don't change. Nothing works as is advertised. If people have theirs working, congratulations. But that doesn't do me much good, does it.
 

aozolins

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« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2006, 05:20:31 pm »
Kim,
The voices aren't as good as the sample I heard of the Kate voice for HAL -- but, if you want a program that works, I think you'll find that ReadPlease will do it, www.readplease.com. Their title is "ReadPlease Plus 2003" so you can see they haven't changed anything in three years. Try their free download first. But, i've been able to use it on a couple of my puters and my wife has used it as a teacher of special ed, so it has a good record in my experience. It has a very straightforward interface where you can choose voices, set speed, correct pronunciation. The only thing it lacks is the slick, new, lifelike voices. I'm about to delete everything else from my machine and stick with ReadPlease until this business grows up a bit.

As for Bill -- I take it this is your baby; you should know that telling us about people who have no problems is not support. Telling us to figure it out ourselves is not support. And, hiding out for weeks while we ask for help before making an appearance in a forum is not support. I think Kim is more pissed than I am; if I sound incensed, it's because a simple, dispassionate statement of the facts in this case really does condemn your retail policies.

So, you see us as "wanting to put the fault on Zabaware when in fact the fault is with our systems." That's a pretty muddled view of things. Zabaware does not work on my system. Clearly it's the combination that is at fault. If I buy software from Adobe that doesn't run on my system, they understand that we need to work out the problem between the two. Sometimes it's a new driver or patch from Adobe, sometimes it's a tweak to my system, but they don't just wish me luck and predict that I'll be really happy if I ever get it running!

Like Kim, I have deteriorating vision right at the center of my visual field. I still get along fine in a general way, though fine discriminations are difficult. I can still read my screen easily if I enlarge the font. But, I want to gradually accustom myself to using technology to shift into an audio mode wherever possible. I tell you this to give you a sense of where I and many other (potential) customers are coming from: we are not geeks interested in AI; we are regular folks who want tech help. We want the technology to help us with our regular challenges; we don't want the technology to *be* the challenge. We're not stupid, and we're not hostile; we just have other things to do and we're disappointed that the helpful software your website appeared to offer didn't pan out.

I honestly believe that at least the two of us should get our money back, because the software simply doesn't fulfill the implied contract. But, I'm not going to lose sleep over the matter. It would be nice though if, when I visit the website again in a year, there is a "Contact" page in the menu and, on that page, some warranty info.