From: David.Bond@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (David Bond)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Artic Transport Shipping.
Date: 10 Oct 92 05:01:53 GMT
Reply-To: David.Bond@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/810.0 - Electronic Library, Denver CO
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 24851

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 SB> We all I'm sure are interested in how the new Artic Transport sounds
 SB> and performs.  Please let us know.

Steve, and all....

It's pretty easy to sum it up by saying that the Artic Transport is a very
functional, well thought out, responsive external speech synthesizer!  If
that sounds like I like the product, your right.  My application of the
Transport which is to use it as my notebook/text book in the class room is
working out beautifully.

Briefly, I'll talk about it and voice my only problem (minor problem) at the
end.  Artic Transport is a well constructed, small unit measuring approx. 7
plus inches wide, 4 plus inches deep, and only (this is the neat part) 3
quarters of an inch high!  I placed 2 pieces of velcro on the bottom and
stuck it to the lid of the notebook and it is so compact that it just makes
for a very neat package.  I went out and had a custom serial cable made of
about 12 inches long to make the connection and this adds to the overall
compactness of the computer.  To make it extra nice, the computer happened
to be dark gray and black and the Transport is apparently of similar color
and appearance.  It looks pretty sharp I think! <smile>  The software is
basically no different than 3.03 which is what I have on the other systems,
however, it is called 3.06.  The vest.com program now is loaded directly
into the Transports own memory, thus freeing up that much memory for the
system.  With extended or expanded memory, the TVision.com program will load
high and to give you an example, I have 623K available in conventional
memory.  Pretty good!  (that's with 4 megs of RAM)  The speech quality is
undistinguishable between the Symphonics card unless you turn the volume way
(all the way) up.  Using a headphone or an external speaker solves this.
The volume and tone are controlled by smooth turning thumb dials as opposed
to the screw like controlls found on the back of the Symphonics card.  There
is a mode switch that lets you check the time, serial number, and
Transport's status whether the unit is up and running or not.  This is
useful for times when for instance I have the computer off and I want to
check the time.  It is also useful to check the status of the serial
connection (if serial cable is properly connected and if software is loaded)
and to check on the status of the batteries.

Because I don't know a whole lot about the on board capabilities of the
Transport, I have not said anything about them.  Let me just say that this
is perhaps one of the most interesting, and maybe or maybe not (I just don't
know since I can not speak for everybody) one of the most ingenious
features.  Briefly, Artic Transport has a 192k Rom disc that can be loaded
with files just like a regular disc.  Some facts about the memory and
charging procedures affect the actual longevity of the files you store here.
 You can for instance copy configuration files here and retrieve them for
use.  The Business Vision software, called TVision (that is with a T as
in....well, Transport) comes with a program called TOS.  That stand for
Transport Operating System.  You load TOS from the command line and this is
where you have access to the Transport's system.  Typing "s" places you at
the DOS prompt, while typing "t" places you at the Transport's prompt.  You
can do similar things that you would do in Dos, directorie lists, copy
files, erase files, etc.  One more thing that may be very useful for some is
the ability to download the Artic Business Vision software directly from
onboard Transport.  After hooking up the serial cable to the computer, you
turn Transport on and at the same time hold in the mode button and
apparently then you will go through a couple of prompts resulting in the
loding of the software.  I have not tried it, so I am just saying this based
on memorry of what I read in the manual.

About the only problem I can find at this point is with the choice of
batteries.  It is my personal opinion that a shorter life battery would have
been better to use that could be charged up with a quick charge rather than
a longer lasting battery that requires a full 12 hour charge when needed.
They say that the average charge should last about 16 hours, but I have not
seen quite this.  I would say that a charge has been lasting around 8 to 12
hours before the "low battery" warning starts.  Again, this is just my
opinion because I happen to be using it with a notebook computer (one of
Transport's intended purposes) that typically only goes for about 3 hours on
a charge.  It would also have been nice for the price of the unit if Artic
would have included a customized (or at least made it available if the
customer desired) 12 inch serial cable to be used with a notebook computer.

There you have it.  My personal opinion for what it's worth!  Oh, yea.....
Not to end on a down note for what I think is truely a fine product,
but....the price! <grin>  The price of $1295, or if you happen to own
another Artic product, $895, is pretty steep.  For us folks who are not
known for our great and endless sources of wealth I think that this is to
expensive.  But like anything else, if there is not a lot of competition,
the market is wide open, and the market right at the momennt is wide open.
So until more competition and more supply occurs, the price will undoubtedly
remain high.  Fortunately, I was blessed with a dear friend of our family
that wanted to purchase the computer and speech for my return to college.
This is certainly the only way I could have ever afforded it.

Artic Transport is a very nice product and if you need it for a specific
application like I do (i.e. a notebook computer) it is the only way to go.
Thumbs up for Artic on this one.

Dave

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