Weather Radio Voices...Human or Computer?

Chat about anything and everything... (well almost anything) Whether it be the front porch or the pot belly stove or news of interest or a topic of your liking, this is the place to post it.

Moderator: S2k Moderators

What do you think?

Current Voices (Donna and Craig)
6
40%
The First Automated Voices (very monotone)
2
13%
An actual Human
7
47%
 
Total votes: 15

Message
Author
Guest

Weather Radio Voices...Human or Computer?

#1 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:35 pm

I like the newer voices (Donna and Craig). Once the NWS got the speech to sound more smotther, it sounds more realistic.


And the fact that I can be warned in 20 seconds or less of a severe weather warning, and not a minute or more ( with the manual broadcast, I saw the thing first alert on the TV, and 10 minutes later it triggered NWR.)
0 likes   

User avatar
Skywatch_NC
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 10949
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC
Contact:

#2 Postby Skywatch_NC » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:42 pm

Brian, my wx radio has a voice like a robot...drives me NUTS! :eek: :lol:

Eric
0 likes   

David
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 4517
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2003 9:47 pm
Location: Topeka, Kansas
Contact:

#3 Postby David » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:45 pm

I liked the old voice, but now have Craig.
0 likes   

Guest

#4 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:47 pm

:rofl: Back in the late 90s when the new CRS was being wheeled out, our current conditions are mind-numbing.

"Omaha was clear, and 40. Lincoln was Clear, and 43. Grand Island was Clear, and 50. Norfolk was clear, and 39. ..."

Thanfully, they at least added new instructions to Igor (yes, our NWS office named the voice) to group conditions together, so it is easier on the ears and brain.

Also, I think last spring or summer, we had severe weather, and the computer got stuck issuing the same severe thunderstorm warning over and over and over again (complete with SAME codes)! :lol:
0 likes   

User avatar
wx247
S2K Supporter
S2K Supporter
Posts: 14279
Age: 42
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2003 10:35 pm
Location: Monett, Missouri
Contact:

#5 Postby wx247 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:15 pm

I am torn between the computer and the human.
0 likes   
Personal Forecast Disclaimer:
The posts in this forum are NOT official forecast and should not be used as such. They are just the opinion of the poster and may or may not be backed by sound meteorological data. They are NOT endorsed by any professional institution or storm2k.org. For official information, please refer to the NHC and NWS products.

stormraiser
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 3453
Age: 55
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 4:11 pm
Location: Southern Maryland
Contact:

#6 Postby stormraiser » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:26 pm

I preferred the old computer voice. I could turn it on and "Zone Out" :lol: It would be nice to have human, but the computer voices are getting better
0 likes   

ColdFront77

#7 Postby ColdFront77 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:29 pm

I have gotten used to the computerized voices (Craig and Donna). The monotone one was fine when the other ones weren't out yet.

It would be great if they would say, "Hello, I am Craig, the voice of the National Weather Service..." etc. :D :lol:
0 likes   

User avatar
azskyman
S2K Supporter
S2K Supporter
Posts: 4104
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:36 am
Location: Scottsdale Arizona
Contact:

#8 Postby azskyman » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:20 pm

I remember the early days of weather radio. I liked the human element. You could tell from the inflection just how serious a watch or warning was.

I know we'll never go back, but those were the good old days.
0 likes   

Guest

#9 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:22 pm

I remember once before it went automated, we had tornado warnings out, and, boy, did that usually calm-sounding female human voice sound serious! :eek:
0 likes   

User avatar
breeze
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 9110
Age: 63
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2003 4:55 pm
Location: Lawrenceburg, TN

#10 Postby breeze » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:24 pm

I have never heard Donna, but, 'ole Craig's
voice can wake my sleepy head up, in a
matter of seconds! :lol:
0 likes   

ColdFront77

#11 Postby ColdFront77 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:26 pm

azskyman wrote:I remember the early days of weather radio. I liked the human element. You could tell from the inflection just how serious a watch or warning was.

I know we'll never go back, but those were the good old days.

I agree with you there, but there are some inflections in Craig and Donna's voice.


I am listening to the National Weather Service in Ruskin, FL (Tampa Bay, FL) right now. Donna just gave the Marine Forecasts and now Craig gave the Weather Synopsis and at this very moment the Short Term Forecast (with a location heading longer than the actual data in the statement). :lol:
0 likes   

Guest

#12 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:27 pm

Actually, I don't think my NWS uses Donna for current OBS, and that is it.

I think Goodland , KS NWS uses Donna all the time, except for, you guessed it, weather alerts, which Craig takes over.
0 likes   

ColdFront77

#13 Postby ColdFront77 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:29 pm

Craig is apparently the most used voice in the country.
0 likes   

Guest

#14 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:30 pm

ColdFront77 wrote:Craig is apparently the most used voice in the country.


Craig does sound better than Donna. Craig enunciates better.
0 likes   

ColdFront77

#15 Postby ColdFront77 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:33 pm

That's true, Brian. :)

Donna's compound words/words with more than two syllables sound "fake"..... "Lees-burg," "Gaines-ville," "Tall-a-ha-see."
0 likes   

Guest

#16 Postby Guest » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:36 pm

An interesting side note...

Back before I even new about NWR2000, I took a trip to Kansas City (one of the test sites for the new technology). I flipped on my weather radio, and thought the NWS office hired British-sounding employees! :lol:
0 likes   

User avatar
TexasStooge
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 38127
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
Contact:

#17 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:40 am

My weather radio has very few human voices (for special weather statements), the first automated voice (the current time and "You're listening to NOAA Weather Radio...") and Donna & Craig doing the rest.
0 likes   
Weather Enthusiast since 1991.
- Facebook
- Twitter

User avatar
TexasStooge
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 38127
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
Contact:

#18 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:42 am

ColdFront77 wrote:That's true, Brian. :)

Donna's compound words/words with more than two syllables sound "fake"..... "Lees-burg," "Gaines-ville," "Tall-a-ha-see."


The Donna voice here did the same thing as well:

"Ar-ling-ton", "A-bil-ene", etc.
0 likes   
Weather Enthusiast since 1991.
- Facebook
- Twitter

stormraiser
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 3453
Age: 55
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 4:11 pm
Location: Southern Maryland
Contact:

#19 Postby stormraiser » Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:57 am

:lol: When Donna first came out in Albany, NY she would be going through the forecast and the hi's and lows. Imagine Lindaloo greeting you at your front door with a nice Southern "hi". That's how she said it. It was shocking at first, but my children were going around the house mimicking her for the rest of the week. :lol:
0 likes   

User avatar
TexasStooge
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 38127
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
Contact:

#20 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Feb 25, 2004 11:39 am

stormraiser wrote::lol: When Donna first came out in Albany, NY she would be going through the forecast and the hi's and lows. Imagine Lindaloo greeting you at your front door with a nice Southern "hi". That's how she said it. It was shocking at first, but my children were going around the house mimicking her for the rest of the week. :lol:


LOL!!
0 likes   
Weather Enthusiast since 1991.
- Facebook
- Twitter


Return to “Off Topic”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Teban54 and 8 guests