PDA audio volume and powered speakers
As I often have to demonstrate various speech output related systems
on PDAs ([url]http://cmuflite.org[/url], [url]http://www.cepstral.com[/url] and
[url]http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~awb/papers/eurospeech2003/speechalator.pdf[/url]),
but the volume of the speaker output on the PDA is always
disappointing. These systems are fine if I use earpieces or headsets
but its nice to be able to demonstrate to a few people without having
them put on headphones, or having to plug into a large "portable"
amplified speakers.
The older ipaqs (3835) have reasonable volume but the newer machines
we've been using HP 5500 and Toshiba e355 are pretty much inaudible
unless you put the speaker up to your ear.
I do have the volume on the machine at maximum and modified the
synthetic speech itself until it is almost clipping but the newer
machines just aren't load enough.
I have two questions about possible solutions.
1) Do any of the newer PDAs (Pocket PC 2003, or any version of WinCE)
have better audio volume.
2) Have you seen anything like [url]http://www.pdashop.nl/product/2495/1450/Audio[/url]
which seem to be small powered speakers that can plug into the audio
output jack. I think these are a potential solution but my Dutch
isn't very good and its not clear these people ship to the US.
thanks
Alan
Alan W Black email: [email]awb@cs.cmu.edu[/email]
Language Technologies Institute [url]http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~awb/[/url]
Carnegie Mellon University tel: +1-412-268-6299
5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh PA, 15213, USA. fax: +1-412-268-6298
Re: PDA audio volume and powered speakers
On 15 Nov 2003 12:55:53 -0500, Alan W Black <awb@cs.cmu.edu>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>2) Have you seen anything like [url]http://www.pdashop.nl/product/2495/1450/Audio[/url]
> which seem to be small powered speakers that can plug into the audio
> output jack. I think these are a potential solution but my Dutch
> isn't very good and its not clear these people ship to the US.[/color]
There are almost certainly a heap of small, powered stereo
speaker systems available. Some are intended to plug into
computers. Some are intended to plug into portable CD players or
similar devices. Check a large computer store for powered
speakers. In the past I've had some with a stereo plug, and
space for batteries, plus a DC input from a plug pack wall wart
style transformer. As long as the PDA has a relatively standard
audio output, you should easily find one to suit.
--
Eric Lindsay [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/guff[/url]
Airlie Beach Qld Australia - Great Barrier Reef entry
Psion & Epoc site [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/epoc[/url]
Bait for spammers: root@localhost postmaster@localhost
admin@localhost abuse@localhost postmaster@127.0.0.1
Re: PDA audio volume and powered speakers
[email]nov2003@ericlindsayINVALID.comD[/email]OMAIN (Eric Lindsay's spam trap) writes:
[color=blue]
> On 15 Nov 2003 12:55:53 -0500, Alan W Black <awb@cs.cmu.edu>
> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >2) Have you seen anything like [url]http://www.pdashop.nl/product/2495/1450/Audio[/url]
> > which seem to be small powered speakers that can plug into the audio
> > output jack. I think these are a potential solution but my Dutch
> > isn't very good and its not clear these people ship to the US.[/color]
>
> There are almost certainly a heap of small, powered stereo
> speaker systems available. Some are intended to plug into
> computers. Some are intended to plug into portable CD players or
> similar devices. Check a large computer store for powered
> speakers. In the past I've had some with a stereo plug, and
> space for batteries, plus a DC input from a plug pack wall wart
> style transformer. As long as the PDA has a relatively standard
> audio output, you should easily find one to suit.[/color]
Standard powered speakers are common, I often used these, though these
are usually the same size as the PDA itself or bigger, smaller ones
are typically unpowered and hence not signficantly louder than the
built in speaker.
The interesting thing about the speakers from pdashop.nl is that its
small enough to just plug into the top of the PDA without it being a
separate box with wires. Though this is assuming the dimensions they
give are actually mm not cm as they say.
thanks
Alan
[color=blue]
> --
> Eric Lindsay [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/guff[/url]
> Airlie Beach Qld Australia - Great Barrier Reef entry
> Psion & Epoc site [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/epoc[/url]
> Bait for spammers: root@localhost postmaster@localhost
> admin@localhost abuse@localhost postmaster@127.0.0.1[/color]
Re: PDA audio volume and powered speakers
Alan,
Presumably these should work, however they may probably are larger than
your PDA. On the plus side, the power is self-contained, and that means
no extra wires.
I'm sure that if you look for something like "Walkman speakers" you will
find something that may fit the requirements for you.
The URL below may get word-wrapped, it's about 207 characters long...
Regards,
Sean
[url]http://www.sonystyle.com/is-[/url]
bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-
Start;sid=JXalg2QDFRWlllu5X2iviCsO-OoX8j_mcGM=?
CategoryName=acc_PersonalSpeakers&ProductSKU=SRST55&Dept=acc
Alan W Black <awb@cs.cmu.edu> wrote in
news:tvau154339a.fsf@nara.mt.cs.cmu.edu:
[color=blue]
> [email]nov2003@ericlindsayINVALID.comD[/email]OMAIN (Eric Lindsay's spam trap)
> writes:
>[color=green]
>> On 15 Nov 2003 12:55:53 -0500, Alan W Black <awb@cs.cmu.edu>
>> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>> >2) Have you seen anything like
>> >[url]http://www.pdashop.nl/product/2495/1450/Audio[/url]
>> > which seem to be small powered speakers that can plug into the
>> > audio output jack. I think these are a potential solution but my
>> > Dutch isn't very good and its not clear these people ship to the
>> > US.[/color]
>>
>> There are almost certainly a heap of small, powered stereo
>> speaker systems available. Some are intended to plug into
>> computers. Some are intended to plug into portable CD players or
>> similar devices. Check a large computer store for powered
>> speakers. In the past I've had some with a stereo plug, and
>> space for batteries, plus a DC input from a plug pack wall wart
>> style transformer. As long as the PDA has a relatively standard
>> audio output, you should easily find one to suit.[/color]
>
> Standard powered speakers are common, I often used these, though these
> are usually the same size as the PDA itself or bigger, smaller ones
> are typically unpowered and hence not signficantly louder than the
> built in speaker.
>
> The interesting thing about the speakers from pdashop.nl is that its
> small enough to just plug into the top of the PDA without it being a
> separate box with wires. Though this is assuming the dimensions they
> give are actually mm not cm as they say.
>
> thanks
>
> Alan
>
>[color=green]
>> --
>> Eric Lindsay [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/guff[/url]
>> Airlie Beach Qld Australia - Great Barrier Reef entry
>> Psion & Epoc site [url]http://www.ericlindsay.com/epoc[/url]
>> Bait for spammers: root@localhost postmaster@localhost
>> admin@localhost abuse@localhost postmaster@127.0.0.1[/color]
>[/color]
