Dmix and Interruptability

[Steve Holmes]

Hey, I really enjoy using the new espeak module for speech dispatcher;
I generally find it to be more responsive than the espeak-generic
route.  But I've run into some interesting problems particularly while
using plug:dmix as the specified output sound device.  I should
probably start out by saying that I'm doing all this on a Toshiba
laptop with a Yamaha single chanel sound card which will not play
multiple audio streams.  When I go into espeak.conf and change the
espeak_output_device to "plug:dmix", I can then play other audio
sounds while speakup talks through speech dispatcher and espeak.
However, when I do this, I get an interesting side effect where
interruptability becomes very sluggish and while scrolling around with
the speakup review keys, I'll often here "ghost" voices; actually, it
almost sounds like a double speech.  I think it is trying to echo
keystrokes and scroll text at the same time.  It seems worst while
typing text in a full-screen editor with keyboard echo on.  If I
revert back to "default" as the espeak_alsa_device being "default",
the problem seems to go away.

But even with the default output device, Interruptability is always a
bit sluggish, particularly on a 266 MhZ box like this one.


Anyone else observe any of this?