Crick Clicker 5.2 and Softease Studio CT 6.008

[MrMez]

Good evening fellow EduGeeks! This is my first posting here, so please be gentle with me!

 

I have a problem using Text-to-Speech with the two apps in the subject. They both appear to interfere with each other's registry entries so I have been unable to get both working simultaneously on the same machine. It should be possible to make both work I would have thought.

 

We are using some Dell OptiPlex 170Ls and a few 320s also. Latest audio drivers installed.

 

There are some vague mentions of this issue on the Crick site, and I can't find anything on the Softease site. I have contacted both companies, but so far they have yet to provide me with an answer.

 

If anybody has had the same problem and found a brilliantly elegant solution to it (what the hell, any solution would be good!) I would be eternally grateful.

 

If you need any further info, please let me know.

 

Cheers

James

[alonebfg]

we have the same problem studio ct are brining out a new version. It also causes the programme to freeze. I beleve it is to do with the speach eng If you contact softease and speak to there enginer they will give you a work around but it is not a good one last time i spoke to the they were a couple of months befor relicing the new version. and as it is sofease you dont pay for upgradfes just new products or thats what they told me. If you want PM me and i will give you the contact in sofease but will ask him first.

[contink]

Might be worth mentioning to their sales team that you feedback to this forum and that purchasing decisions will undoubtedly get postponed until these issues are resolved. That should give them the motivation they need to resolve the problems.

 

I'd also consider dropping MS a line and see if they can provide any answers. It does sound a lot like someones doing things in a non-standard way..

[alonebfg]

Here is the fix i have been given but be warned it is a reg edit have been told the next version is out soon and all problems will be fixed.

speech_fix.doc

[MrMez]

Thanks for the "speech fix.doc" file alonebfg, but already had that from Softease. It just didn't tally with what we had in the registry (and these are brand new builds btw). I spoke to my line manager today, and I mentioned your thoughts about a new version coming out. I thought I would try my luck and call Softease to ask them about the new version. Apparently the new BETA will be released in 1-2 weeks fingers crossed. I asked if I could get a copy to test and they have added me to their list for when it becomes available. As you say, they do provide updates within the same product line FOC.

 

Even if I don't deploy the beta throughout all my schools just yet, at least I can test it and help them to iron out any problems before the final release.

 

And to contink, I might have made a subtle name drop as you suggested! But as for suggesting that "someones doing things in a non-standard way" I can't believe you would even dream such a thing. Educational software being written in bizarre ways, whatever next?!

 

Cheers

James

[contink]

And to contink, I might have made a subtle name drop as you suggested! But as for suggesting that "someones doing things in a non-standard way" I can't believe you would even dream such a thing. Educational software being written in bizarre ways, whatever next?!

I know... doubtless a hitman is being paid off to tell me to shurrup

[dpearson]

Hi,

 

The speech engine fix for Textease Studio CT is currently being verified. If you would like early access to this before we make it generally available please contact our support team on:

 

[email protected]

Tel: 01335 343421

 

Once available the release will be available as an automatic download.

 

The problem with the speech engine is common to all software which uses the same text to speech engine and which follows the manufacturers’ guidelines for installation. Both Crick and ourselves have worked to update our software and I believe that the supplier of the speech engine is also modifying their instructions.

 

We use a third party speech component rather than those built into operating systems because we believe it offers a superior, natural sounding voice. Unfortunately as more suppliers have started using the same product a conflict has become apparant.

 

Please accept my apologies for the time it has taken to resolve this issue and many thanks for your patience.

 

 

David Pearson

MD

Softease

[dpearson]

Hi,

 

The speech engine fix for Textease Studio CT is currently being verified. If you would like early access to this before we make it generally available please contact our support team on:

 

[email protected]

Tel: 01335 343421

 

Once available the release will be available as an automatic download.

 

The problem with the speech engine is common to all software which uses the same text to speech engine and which follows the manufacturers’ guidelines for installation. Both Crick and ourselves have worked to update our software and I believe that the supplier of the speech engine is also modifying their instructions.

 

We use a third party speech component rather than those built into operating systems because we believe it offers a superior, natural sounding voice. Unfortunately as more suppliers have started using the same product a conflict has become apparant.

 

Please accept my apologies for the time it has taken to resolve this issue and many thanks for your patience.

 

 

David Pearson

MD

Softease

[MrMez]

I'd just like to say a big thank you to Softease.

 

They have sent me the new (beta?) version as promised which I will test very shortly. I will post back here with my experiences if I discover anything interesting.