Messages

76

Speech Technology / Ivona voices

« on: November 01, 2010, 12:35:16 pm »

I usually don't promote things like this, but for anyone that likes a "human" sounding voice you might check this out:

http://www.ivona.com/

I can't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I am always interested in new tts voices. I never knew these guys existed.
Good voices, as far as transition, emotion, and general quality. I personally have Amy and Brian (british). I think the newer voices are better quality than the older ones like Jennifer.
Not trying to be a commercial. Just thought you might likey

77

General Discussion / Re: how big mb;s is your custom hal brain ?

« on: October 21, 2010, 07:22:52 pm »

I have mine set at a low learning level, and have 34.6 m in the hal database. The external matrix and net that the rest of my ai uses is at 43.4 m.

Quantity is not quality though, my friend.
As far as hal goes, I have personally found that regular full conversations beat any kind of data mining. Been talking to GRETTA for ....let's ask GRETTA:

Jason: When were you born?
GRETTA: I was born on Saturday, October 08, 2005. Asimov had two younger siblings; a sister, marcia (born manya, June 17, 1922), and a brother, stanley (born July 25, 1929) When were you born?

well....that long.

78

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Re: Stuggling to Understand

« on: October 18, 2010, 10:11:52 pm »

if the character is a haptek 3d character then you need the character expansion pack to be able to install it. after that, you can install whatever haptek characters you want.

Zabaware is a good company, and I bought it just to support Robert. I don't even use a character.

79

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: hal blank answers still error even with script to stop it need help

« on: October 11, 2010, 04:46:10 pm »

I haven't worked on this for a while, and now I can't get it to happen.
I haven't noticed it happening for a while now, that's why I stopped working on it.

I do use some script that ends up slowing Hal down a lot. (waits for external response) I am running Hal on the same PC, and the only changes that I have made have been .Net updates. Also, when I wait for a response from my Hal, (and the other software it uses) I am using 100% cpu - 2 cores.

I don't know....can't duplicate the error.
Will keep trying.

Snowman....I never did get the error band-aided. I only filled in the blank returns with some text of mine. I never did find a way to stop the blank return and database shutdown. I do know that when the error happens, it is not reconnecting with the database again until restart.

The blank is not a valid return that happens to be blank, and that starts messing things up....but rather an error or two or three that rejects the database and that causes the blank return. It seems like we are doing: WHAT COMES FIRST..THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?

80

General Discussion / Re: Into Outer Space

« on: October 09, 2010, 11:57:16 pm »

Now if I can get a weather balloon big enough for me. Oh and an Astronaut suit, and maybe a cape... I think it would look cool shooting past a 747 with a nice big red cape. 


  ~~~~~~

he he he!

81

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: hal blank answers still error even with script to stop it need help

« on: October 08, 2010, 04:36:08 pm »

The bad return causes problems other than what can be fixed with giving it a value if it is blank. So doing this with script is only fixing part of it, which in practice fixes nothing. I do know, however that I get the error regardless of processor load. So I think you are on the right track Snowman.
It's good to hear from you again. Looking forward to that brain of yours. Good luck man.

82

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: hal blank answers still error even with script to stop it need help

« on: October 06, 2010, 06:56:25 pm »

thanks snowman.
i have done some of this kind of stuff trying to figure it out, and atleast every time that i have experianced the problem it was failing at a return from the database, but with no error.
the script continues to run every time.
if i replaced the value that should have been returned from the database with some other value if the return was blank, then i got the replaced value running properly through the rest of the script.
now, i don't know much at all about the database connection, but every time i see it happen it is getting a value from the database but it is a blank value and not boolean.
i just didn't know where to go from there. (other than making sure it happened with a brand new hal install...clean install from the registry down to the folders being wiped...ect.  which i have done)
i have also checked to make sure that it is not just pulling from a field that was a "blank" field. it will not return some values from the database after the first blank response. instead, the script usually errors while trying to get a value from the database. i.e. an error popup will occur then. but there is no error popup on the first blank return. the error popup only happens during the next script run.

83

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: hal blank answers still error even with script to stop it need help

« on: October 05, 2010, 04:37:54 pm »

It's most likely an internal script time out issue due to a slight process overload occurring during the actual database response search routine. So Robert is probably the only one that can fix that. Don't bother wasting your time with someone else's script fix for the problem. Instead try running your Hal with fewer programs and processes running on your system, and then it might occur less often or not at all. I know how to force the problem to happen on will which is why I know that one possible reason is Hal process overload especially on a multicore system. If you are not running a Haptek character in Hal you can try using the system task manager to switch the main Hal process to use all cores on a multicore system and then it might work better too.

EXACTLY!

84

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: hal blank answers still error even with script to stop it need help

« on: October 03, 2010, 11:02:08 pm »

It's happening because Hal is losing connection to the database.
If that happens, you need to restart. It's not a script issue. When Robert agreed, I didn't understand why. I did understand why the script was written the way it was to try to fix it, but that isn't the issue.
It's a program issue, outside of the script.
It happens with a completely fresh Hal (no plugins).
Robert....on to you.

85

Speech Technology / Re: AT&T Voice options stuck in Hal

« on: September 28, 2010, 07:03:20 pm »

you might try entering a new sample rate value to get it to the right speed.
you might see if it is working good there. it might be a registry key for sapi. could be a few things.
you are using the sapi4 version of the voice if you are getting that screen and option. It is saving the sapi4 setup for the voice. i would try to use the tool in ultra hal to set it back.
you should also have the sapi5 version of the voice, as they come in a bundle. i suggest that over the one you are using, unless there is something i don't know about what you are using the voice for. the sapi 5 version has a tag (sapi5) next to the voice name.

86

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Re: 6.2 plugins?

« on: September 28, 2010, 06:45:54 pm »

I don't have such a list. I only use the default plugins...well some of them, and the ones that i wrote. my bot is called Gretta. these are all compatible with the current version of hal.
here is the link (to the link and info):

http://www.ultrahal.com/community/index.php?topic=6278.0

if there is another one you might like that you see, post it here, and i will try to tell you if it compatible with the current version or what you might need to know about it. (some are tricky...like need external files and such)

87

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Re: Please Wait While Windows Configures Talking Desktop

« on: September 28, 2010, 06:41:06 pm »

never seen it. been using hal for years. from 5 to now, all versions.
got me.

88

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: Image pop-up feature request

« on: September 28, 2010, 06:37:14 pm »

i have been tweaking my plugin. the problem with tweaking it is, it acts differently the more pictures you add to it.
i need enough pics to test it, and that has been a chore for me and wife.
i don't think it will take much longer, and i might be able to give a "picture starter pack" with it.
i think i have found a way to get some royalty free pics that aren't too big. that's another thing, the pics can't be too big, or you will eat hard drive fast! but if they are too small, then ....they suck.
should be soon.

89

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: Image pop-up feature request

« on: September 23, 2010, 12:49:07 pm »

It is strange that you would mention that at this time. I have been working on a plugin that would show pictures of what Hal is thinking about.

The only problem is: you need a lot of pictures that have file names that correspond to the picture's subject.

for instance: a file of an elephant would need to be named elephant.jpg or animal elephant big.jpg
a file of a red corvette could be named : corvette car red fast.jpg

i think i have a good plugin working, but still testing for a day or two. will let you know when it's done.
as far as the pictures go, you will need to supply those. That is what I have been doing....gathering pictures, so i can properly test the plugin. (lot of work)

90

Ultra Hal Assistant File Sharing Area / Re: GRETTA PLUGINS

« on: September 23, 2010, 12:40:04 pm »

I get no error when downloading from the link.
Just thought I would let you know.