Record custom voice on Elk M1 without extra equip?

[killervette]

How can I record a custom message from my pc onto the elk m1 miscellaneous voice slots? I really dont want to buy an additional board.

 

[electron]

This thread contains a post from Spanky explaining how you can record custom messages using the phone interface. Is this what you are looking for?

 

[killervette]

That talks alot about overwriting a message. I dont have a phone handset. Can I use a pc?

 

[Lagerhead]

This is an often-requested feature that has gone nowhere. A couple of examples:

http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8331
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11253

 

[tmbrown97]

Before buying the additional module, I had considered doing this using the built-in recording slots... the only catch is that they require that they be recorded via the telephone. This actually isn't that bad though - I have this little device that costs a few bucks from radio shack that plugs inline between a handset and the phone (worst case a cheapie walmart phone would suffice). There's a switch on it - one position lets you record to the mic in on a tape recorder or PC - but the other position lets you play sounds from a PC or recorder back into the phone. I've used these to play messages back to people over the phone - I figured they'd do a pretty decent job for the exact purpose you're talking about.

Be careful though - it seems for some people when doing these custom recordings, somehow the built-in recording slots were overwritten by mistake (elk problem) - it seems to require being sent back to elk to fix.

I personally just added the elk129 - and didn't do anything special with the wiring for the capacitors, etc... mine just works.

 

[Lagerhead]

I have this little device that costs a few bucks from radio shack that plugs inline between a handset and the phone

Todd, what is the model number?

Be careful though - it seems for some people when doing these custom recordings, somehow the built-in recording slots were overwritten by mistake (elk problem) - it seems to require being sent back to elk to fix.

Right, there seems to be something to this and high enough risk that I will not use it until Elk has a fix or a definitive comment.

I personally just added the elk129 - and didn't do anything special with the wiring for the capacitors, etc... mine just works.

The 129 is a recording interface only according to the spec. You are somehow using this for direct playback from a PC?

Dave

 

[pipeman]

Has anyone besides my wife complained about the pronunciation of "Door" in the Elk?
It comes out like "The "durr" is open"
I've tried to explain the mid south origins of the ELK, but she ain't buying it. (she's from Tenn and knows it should be "darr"

 

[signal15]

I would be awesome if you could put in custom voices and completely replace the voice that is on there. I want a sexy foreign accented female voice giving me all of my announcements.

There are plenty of sites that do voice work for a small fee. You give them a list of words or phrases, they record them, and put them up for you to download. I've used them for VoIP systems before.

Or, you could get a gruff male voice like the narrator from old Film Noir/detective movies. And while not quite suited for the ELK, this could be well suited to something a little more robust for Home Automation:

http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Film_20Noir_20Home

 

[Steve]

Or you could just use a supplemental software package and do TTS. You can build a bridge where whatever the Elk would say you just do in TTS or even wav files or whatever. And with TTS you have your choice of voice, including foreign or other languages. Or you could do custom recordings as mentioned and just play those.