Looking for Skeptics

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Something interesting on flaccon1:

I'm not British, so I have a hard time making out the exact words, but is it not clear that at the very beginning you say something, then are asked something like "what was that" and then you repeat exactly the same thing? That's called a conversation. With someone. Do you think we all idiots?
 
I know almost nothing about recording and playing sound, but I remember a thread a while ago that talked about how some recorders are designed to turn random noises into human-speech-like sounds. Finally found it:

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1423499&postcount=35

skooob said:
IMO, the "voices" Lou is hearing is simply an artifact of how his recorder works. Notice that he is pretty specific about the model that he requires.

Apparently, the Panasonic RR-DR60 uses CELP (Code Excited Linear Prediction). CELP is a fairly common standard for speech coding, used by e.g. GSM (and probably other digital cell-phone standards), Speex (the speech codec), and other systems that need to store digital speech efficiently.

While I don't know all the details of how CELP works, it basically does something like this: When the audio is recorded, the input signal is divided into short segments (frames). For each frame, the encoder tries to recreate the sound wave of the frame using a synthesizer. The encoder outputs the set of synthesizer parameters that produce a synthesized sound that best matches the original sound. These synthesizer parameters are what is stored in the memory of the digital recorder. When the recorded speech is played back, the stored synthesizer parameters are used to synthesize sound, which hopefully will be resonably similar to the input.

The advantage of this method is that it makes it possible to reproduce intelligible speech at a very low bitrate. Also, since the coder usually is tuned to human speech, it can actually make the speech come out clearer and filter out background noise. That's why digital cell phones often can work resonably well in noisy environments.

One downside is that while the output might be intelligible, it can sound synthetic, and the voice might sound different from the original. Listen to the clips on the page CACTUSJACK linked. Lou's voice sounds almost like a synthesized voice (which it kind of is).

Also, if you try to record something other than human speech, it will likely be horribly mangled. The encoder will try to find the best match possible, and since it's only equiped to reliably reproduce human speech it's pretty likely that the output will sound a lot like human speech, no matter what the input sounds like.

Googling RR-DR60 and EVP suggests that that specific model is the tool of choice for EVPers. Probably because of it's ability to turn any noise into something vaguely human sounding.
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Is it possible any technology like that is involved in distorting random sounds into speech-like patterns?
 
abaddon said:
flaccon, as we stand right now, I can reproduce results similar to yours without even the need for a mic. I find myself utterly unmotivated to expend any more effort.

ETA: Ooo, unless someone else wants me to try something, we have 14 more days of trial left on this wonderfully poorly designed software. I am game to give anything a whirl.
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See if you can create a recording that sounds like spirit voices saying "It's paredolia."

ETA: Your youtube link ain't working, Maurice
 
flaccon said:
Your laziness is rather selective I see. I may be wrong at times, but I am certainly not a fibber.
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For what it is worth, flaccon, I'm completely with you on this. As far as I have observed, you have not lied about anything. While we may differ on the explanation of what's going on, you have been forthright and sincere in all your interactions with me.
 
flaccon said:
I may be wrong at times, but I am certainly not a fibber.
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I believe you were telling the truth about being alone and silent when the video was recorded. I can also accept you are telling the truth about the date when the voices were added and that the female voice is your own.

I have a harder time believing that you have no idea whose the main male voice is or that you have no recollection of speaking the words spoken by your voice in that recording.
 
flaccon, I would still like to know what you believe your voice says in that recording.

Why are you avoiding telling us?
 
Thank you in advance for helping me fix the yt, js. I thought I tried it that way. Maybe it got altered by the spirits. The video is a tribute to flaccon1 as I hear it.

Saving a post through time travel.
 
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abaddon said:
Of course you did. A land line by it's very nature alters the audio transmitted through it, on purpose. the same file played on a computer will be different from a replay via landline by definition.
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I Heard a constant drone in the recording played back through a land line. I was carefully listening for anything noticeable. There were no interferences at all on that recording, no crackle, no quietness, nothing, just a constant drone, until I retrieved it myself from email, and played it through this machine.
 
Jack by the hedge said:
I believe you were telling the truth about being alone and silent when the video was recorded. I can also accept you are telling the truth about the date when the voices were added and that the female voice is your own.

I have a harder time believing that you have no idea whose the main male voice is or that you have no recollection of speaking the words spoken by your voice in that recording.
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Me too, I hear my voice, I hear the words, but I have no idea where they came from (other than the spirit world) and I really don't know who the gent is. Hence my search for someone with more intelligence, and more understanding of this situation than just myself. The fact that they constantly request Church intervention, and the fact that the Catholic Church gave me this "protective" spirit in the first place (13 years ago) I do believe that I'm entitled to an explanation from the Church, but sadly not.
 
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flaccon said:
Me too, I hear my voice, I hear the words, but I have no idea where they came from (other than the spirit world) and I really don't know who the gent is. Hence my search for someone with more intelligence, and more understanding of this situation, than just myself. The fact that they constantly request Church intervention, and the fact that the Catholic Church gave me this "protective" spirit in the first place (13 years ago) I do believe that I'm entitled to an explanation from the Church, but sadly not.
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flaccon, those words were spoken by you. Make an effort to remember.

The church has nothing of value to offer you, or anyone.
 
Maurice Ledifficile said:
Something interesting on flaccon1:

I'm not British, so I have a hard time making out the exact words, but is it not clear that at the very beginning you say something, then are asked something like "what was that" and then you repeat exactly the same thing? That's called a conversation. With someone. Do you think we all idiots?
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I hear the gent say "What + Are there/or they + I'm Hysen" (a name maybe? dno) Then he says a muffled word. Then a full sentence. I can't make it out but when he says it, the tone in his voice alters, sounds like there's an echo or something different.
 
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jsfisher said:
For what it is worth, flaccon, I'm completely with you on this. As far as I have observed, you have not lied about anything. While we may differ on the explanation of what's going on, you have been forthright and sincere in all your interactions with me.
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Thank u js, that really does mean a lot. I can't fib, or exaggerate anything. I'd rather play it down but that would be difficult.

When it is proven that something supernatural is afoot here, all I will ask for is a little support, I really don't need prizes, or care for money.

Should I ever win anything at all from this, the money will be used to benefit the hungry.

In my honest opinion, had the Church investigated properly, we would be well our way to peace by now.
 
flaccon said:
Thank u js, that really does mean a lot. I can't fib, or exaggerate anything. I'd rather play it down but that would be difficult.

When it is proven that something supernatural is afoot here, all I will ask for is a little support, I really don't need prizes, or care for money.

Should I ever win anything at all from this, the money will be used to benefit the hungry.

In my honest opinion, had the Church investigated properly, we would be well our way to peace by now.
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There's nothing paranormal here. Not even close. The church can't help you. Understanding the nature of pareidolia might help you. The church is useless.
 
flaccon said:
In my honest opinion, had the Church investigated properly, we would be well our way to peace by now.
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Again, why do you think the church would have any interest, motivation, or ability to "investigate" your spirits? What could they possibly have to do with any of it? You might as well keep insisting that the post office should do something about it.

The church has nothing whatsoever to do with this. It doesn't speak well for the wisdom of your spirits that they keep misleading you.
 
flaccon said:
Thank u js, that really does mean a lot. I can't fib, or exaggerate anything. I'd rather play it down but that would be difficult.

When it is proven that something supernatural is afoot here, all I will ask for is a little support, I really don't need prizes, or care for money.

Should I ever win anything at all from this, the money will be used to benefit the hungry.

In my honest opinion, had the Church investigated properly, we would be well our way to peace by now.
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I allow for the astronomically remote possibility that you've experienced supernatural phenomena.

Do you allow for the exceedingly remote possibility that you haven't?
 
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