INSTALLING EXTERNAL SYNTHESIZERS,
AND HARDWARE CONFLICTS


CONTENTS

     INTRODUCTION                                            1
     YOUR PC's PORTS                                         1
     SERIAL CABLES                                           1
     PORT SIZES & POSITIONS                                  1
     WHICH PORT IS COM1?                                     2
     WHAT IF IT DOES NOT WORK?                               2
     THE "DOS TEST"                                          3
     SERIAL PORT CONFLICTS                                   5
     CHANGING THE COM PORT NUMBER                            6
     CHANGING THE IRQ                                        6
     CHANGING THE BASE ADDRESS                               6

INTRODUCTION
 
     A serial synthesizer is one that connects to one of the serial
ports on your PC.  This includes the Braille 'n Speak, Accent SA,
Audapter, DecTalk, Kurzweil DecTalk, and others.
 
 
YOUR PC's PORTS
 
     The serial ports on the back of the PC are also called "COM
ports", and are usually referred to as COM1, COM2, COM3, and
COM4.  These are "male" ports, as opposed to "female" ports.  This
refers to the fact that they have pins instead of sockets.  Because
these ports have pins, they have a rough surface, while the female
ports have a smooth surface.  This is how you tell them apart by feel. 
The female ports are usually parallel ports, such as those for printers. 
These are general descriptions.  There could be other "ports" on the
back of your PC that feel rough, but they are not necessarily serial
ports.
 
 
SERIAL CABLES
 
     The synthesizer must be connected to the PC by a serial cable. 
There is no "standard" serial cable.  These are sometimes referred to
as "RS-232," which specifies what wires might be inside the cable. 
Besides needing the wires and connections inside the cable, you need
to be sure that each end of the cable is the correct gender, male or
female, to connect to the synthesizer or PC.  Here are some tips:
 
Accent SA:  Straight-through modem cable, male/female
 
Kurzweil Personal Reader:  Straight-through modem cable,
male/female
 
DecTalk:  Null-modem cable, female/female
 
 
PORT SIZES & POSITIONS
 
     The serial ports also come in two different sizes, DB25 and
DB9, which refers to the number of pins or separate connections. 
Some computers have the COM ports situated horizontally, in which
case there are two rows of pins, with 12 pins in one row and 13 pins
in the other.  If the port is situated vertically, then there are two
columns, with 12 or 13 pins in each column.  Naturally, if it is a 9-pin
port, then each row/column has 4 or 5 pins.  One side of the port is
longer than the other; it is trapezoidal in shape, and therefore the
cable can only go on one way.  When you are connecting a cable, if it
does not go on one way, then flip it over.  Naturally, this is assuming
that you have the sexes right, female on the cable connecting to male
on the PC.
 
 
WHICH PORT IS COM1?
 
     We can usually figure out which are the serial ports and get
the synthesizer physically connected.  But if there are more than one,
it is difficult to determine which is COM1, which is COM2, etc.  Some
computers have them labeled in print or pictures, which is fine if you
can see.  Generally speaking though, there is no way to tell which is
which unless they are labeled or you have specific documentation.  If
you are in doubt, refer to your computer manual.  If this is not
practical, then just go ahead and try one.  If that doesn't work, then
try the other one.
 
     It is important that we know or can figure out which one we
are connecting to, since JAWS must be told if you want it to use any
COM port other than COM1.  JAWS will automatically assume you
want to use COM1, so if you connect the synthesizer to COM1 then
you do not have to tell JAWS.  But if you want to use COM2, COM3,
or others, you must tell JAWS with a command line parameter. 
Refer to the installation instructions for your particular synthesizer
and JAWS version for details.
 
 
WHAT IF IT DOES NOT WORK?
 
     If the JAWS logo appears on the screen but the synthesizer
remains silent, or the speech is garbled, then go through the following
check list.  Please do not think that we are insulting your intelligence
with the questions we will ask.  Sometimes it is very simple things
that present speech output.  If the JAWS logo does not appear on the
screen, or you get the DOS error message "Bad Command or File
Name", then your problem is not going to be addressed by this list. 
Your problem is likely related to an inability of DOS to find the
JAWS program files.  If this is your situation, then please reread the
installation chapter in PART ONE of this manual.
 
1.   Is it turned on?  Be sure it is plugged in or the batteries are
     installed.  Most serial synthesizers will say something when
     you turn them on.
 
2.   Maybe it is on but you cannot hear it.  Does it need a speaker
     or headphones connected, like the portable DecTalk?  Maybe
     the headphones are installed but you do not have them on? 
     Maybe they are plugged into the wrong socket?  If you plug a
     mono speaker into a stereo jack, you may not be able to hear it. 
     Remember step one:  It should say something when you turn it
     on.
 
3.   Are you using the right cable?  If we provided the cable with
     the synthesizer, chances are good it's the right one, but not
     100%.  Everybody makes some mistakes.  However, if your
     buddy or supervisor provided the cable, then be highly
     suspicious.  There is no standard RS-232 serial cable.  They
     can be, and usually are, very different.  Contact us if you need
     to buy the correct cable.
 
4.   Is the cable firmly connected at each end?  Be sure it is
     plugged in all the way and then secured with the little screws
     on each side of the connector.  Do not force it or over tighten it,
     but be firm.
 
5.   Is it connected to the correct COM port?  Maybe it isn't
     connected to a COM port at all.  Use the "DOS test" explained
     below to be sure you know which port it is connected to and
     that the port is working.
 
6.   Maybe the synthesizer is set to the wrong baud rate.  This is
     also known as the data transfer rate, or bits per second.  If the
     synthesizer is speaking garbage, then it is likely that you have
     a rate problem.  Refer to the discussion of your synthesizer in
     PART FIVE of this manual or to the installation chapter in
     PART ONE to set it correctly.  It could also be a parity
     problem, or data bits or stop bits.  Refer to the specific
     installation instructions for your version of JAWS and be sure
     the synthesizer is set accordingly.
 
 
THE "DOS TEST"
 
     To confirm that the synthesizer is working, the cable is correct
and connected, and that the COM port is working, we need to use
DOS to output some information to the synthesizer.  If DOS can send
data to the synthesizer and make it talk, but JAWS cannot, then we
have one of the conflicts discussed below.  Follow these steps for the
DOS test.
 
1.   Set the baud rate, parity, data bits, and stop bits with the
     "MODE.COM" program.  Let's assume your synthesizer is
     running at 9600 baud, even parity, 7 data bits, 1 stop bit.  This
     is very common, and will work for the Accent SA, most
     DecTalks and KPR's, and the Braille 'n Speak.  Enter the
     following at the DOS prompt.
 
     MODE COM1:9600,E,7,1
 
         If you are using COM2, then make the appropriate
     substitution.  If your synthesizer is using different parameters
     (baud rate, parity, etc.), make the appropriate substitutions.  If
     you get the message "Bad command or filename," then DOS
     could not find the "MODE" program.  Be sure it is on your disk
     and give DOS a "path" to it by preceding the file name with the
     subdirectory name, e.g.:
 
     \DOS\MODE COM2:9600,E,7,1
 
2.   When the command is completed successfully, it will put a
     message on the screen, repeating the parameters.  If you get
     this far successfully, then tell DOS to send some data out the
     correct COM port to the synthesizer.  Enter the following.
 
     DIR/W >COM1
 
         If you want COM2 then change the 1 to a 2.  This
     command will cause DOS to send all the file names out the
     COM port, and hopefully to the synthesizer.  At this point the
     synthesizer should start talking.  
 
         If the synthesizer does talk, then proceed to the section
     on conflicts to get JAWS working.  If it does not start to speak,
     then you have a more fundamental problem, hinted at in the
     beginning of this section, items 1 through 6.  It is always
     possible that the synthesizer is broken.  Review the suggestions
     above and the DOS test to be sure you have tried everything to
     get it to work.
 
 
SERIAL PORT CONFLICTS
 
     Now we get down to the heart of the matter.  The most
common problem with serial synthesizers is conflicts with other serial
devices installed in the PC.  Besides COM ports, you may have an
internal modem, mouse port, or some other device that uses the same
IRQ, or Interrupt Request line.  The COM ports use IRQ 3 or 4.
 
     If there is a conflict, that is, if another device is using the same
IRQ that the synthesizer/COM port is using, then you will notice
some problems:  
 
     The data may not get spoken at all.  It may speak a little, then
pause.  It may lock up completely.  And it may come up with its own
symptoms.  
 
     It is very unpredictable.  If you notice strange things like this
happening, you need to take steps to correct it.
 
     The most obvious solution is to use the other COM port. 
Connect the cable to one of the other COM ports, re-load JAWS with
the correct parameters, and see if it works.  See the documentation
on your specific synthesizer for the proper command line parameters. 

 
     If you cannot do that, then you must take steps to resolve the
conflict.  The most obvious way to do this is to remove any other
device that may be causing the conflict.  The term "device" refers to
another circuit board, like an internal modem or another serial port. 
If you have an internal modem in your PC, then remove it.  If you
have an extra serial port circuit board installed, then remove it.  If
you have an internal synthesizer installed, like a Sounding Board or
a Symphonix board, then remove it.  This is not a permanent
solution, just steps along the way to discovering what is causing the
problem.  We must identify the culprit before we can devise a remedy. 

 
     Once the other devices are removed and JAWS starts to work
properly, then we know what is causing the conflict.  There is a lot of
trial and error involved.  Just keep trying things until you find
something that works.  This description is very general by necessity. 
Each computer with its devices is a unique environment with a
unique solution.
 
     If JAWS and other screen readers seem to work fine, but the
"Say All" feature of JAWS does not work, then you can be sure there
is an IRQ conflict.  Most screen readers just send data out and do not
expect any data back from the synthesizer.  Most of JAWS' features
work this way also.  However, the "Say All" feature depends on
getting back "index markers" which allow JAWS to stop on the last
word spoken.  This is a feature and capability that most other screen
readers do not have.
 
 
CHANGING THE COM PORT NUMBER
 
     If you have fixed the problem by removing the offending device,
you may want to put it back in the PC.  To prevent the same problem
from developing again, you should try changing the COM number. 
You may change it to COM3 or COM4 or higher.
 
 
CHANGING THE IRQ
 
     You may find that you cannot change the COM number, so try
changing the IRQ.  Refer to the manual of the offending device to see
how to do this.  If it is a serial device like a modem, then you are
pretty well limited to IRQ 3 or 4.  If it is an internal synthesizer, you
can probably use IRQ 2 or 7.  For other devices, the manual may
have some suggestions.  There may not be a solution, you may just
have to decide which is more important and go with it.
 
 
CHANGING THE BASE ADDRESS
 
     A base address or I/O address conflict is less likely, but it does
happen.  This is different than an IRQ conflict, but just as
debilitating, maybe even more so.  In this case, it will probably not
speak at all.  Again, you must look at your unique situation and
decide which devices may be causing the problem, and remove them. 
Then refer to the manual of the offending device to see how to change
its base address.  The manual will probably have some suggestions as
to which ones to use.  Any time you change this, you run the risk of
conflicting with some other device installed in the computer, so be
aware.  You may solve the synthesizer problem only to discover that
your network no longer works.  
