1.2 PC Programming

1.2.1 Installing and Starting the Maintenance Console

System programming, diagnosis and administration can be performed with a PC using the Maintenance Console.
This section describes how to install and start the Maintenance Console.

System Requirements

Required Operating System
• Microsoftcircler.gif Windowscircler.gif XP or Windows Vistacircler.gif Business
Minimum Hardware Requirements
• CPU: 800 MHz Intelcircler.gif Celeroncircler.gif microprocessor
• HDD: 100 MB of available hard disk space
• RAM: 128 MB of available RAM
Recommended Display Settings
• Screen resolution: XGA (1024 × 768)
• DPI setting: Normal size (96 DPI)

Installing the Maintenance Console

Notes
• Make sure to install and use the latest version of the Maintenance Console.
• To install or uninstall the software on a PC running Windows XP Professional, you must be logged in as a user in either the "Administrators" or "Power Users" group.
• To install or uninstall the software on a PC running Windows Vista Business, you must be logged in as a user in the "Administrators" group.
1. Copy the setup file of the Maintenance Console to your PC.
2. Double-click the setup file to run the installer.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the installation wizard.

Old Ivona Eric New !!link!! -

The voice model was heavily rumored to be sampled from Hollywood talent and professional broadcasters. Internet lore and community research frequently link his vocal pattern to veteran voice actor Rodger Parsons, famous for narrating the Pokémon animated series. This gave the "old" Eric voice a signature "newsroom" quality that made it an instant favorite for:

The shift from the classic offline installations to modern engines happened due to major corporate acquisitions and evolving tech standards. Amazon bought IVONA Software to build the foundational architecture for Alexa and its cloud voice platform. As a result, standard offline desktop software like the IVONA Voices 2 package was discontinued. Users who relied on local installs face compatibility issues on modern operating systems, forcing the search for newer alternatives. How to Access the "New" Eric and Modern Alternatives

This was the engine powering the "old" Eric voice. However, technology continued to advance, and the primary source of this classic engine has been phased out. The "new" Eric is now typically generated using . These advanced systems use deep learning to produce speech that is incredibly natural, with realistic pauses, pacing, and emotional inflection. The core, recognizable timbre of Eric is being preserved and adapted for this new era.

A: Yes, with compatibility mode (Windows 7 settings) and the 32-bit SAPI5 version. old ivona eric new

: DARIAH ERIC continues to host annual events, such as the upcoming May 2026 event in Rome, focusing on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) digital research skills. Comparison: Old vs. New Old IVONA Eric (2008–2017) New DARIAH ERIC (Current/2026) Primary Function Text-to-Speech (TTS) Voice Synthesis Digital Research Infrastructure Common Use Animation, Narrations, Demos Academic Research, AI Training Retired/Legacy Active/Expanding Key Associations GoAnimate, Amazon (Acquisition) European Commission, ATRIUM Project

This table highlights the key differences. The old Eric was a , a file you installed. The new Eric is a service , a capability you access. For many long-time users, this transition from a permanent, owned voice to a cloud-based service model is the most significant change, often described as the jump from a personal tool to an enterprise cloud resource.

Listening to Old Eric today is like listening to a vinyl record with a bit of static—it feels warm and familiar, even if the quality isn't technically perfect. The voice model was heavily rumored to be

The old version felt like a person reading into a microphone in a cozy studio. The new version feels like an algorithm calculating the most probable sequence of phonemes. For long-form content (audiobooks, narrative podcasts), many creators still hunt down old Ivona Eric files because the new neural voices, while technically superior, lack soul .

The acquisition of Ivona by Amazon in 2013 was a watershed moment. This is the key to understanding the transition from "old" to "new." While the classic Ivona engine and its standalone consumer apps were discontinued over time, the technology was integrated into Amazon's ecosystem, particularly in the tablets' text-to-speech and voice guide features.

In current news, the term "ERIC" has shifted from personal voice synthesis to large-scale digital research infrastructure. DARIAH ERIC Amazon bought IVONA Software to build the foundational

, a Polish company acquired by Amazon in 2013, was known for creating some of the most human-sounding voices of its time.

Eric was designed as a male American English voice. Unlike some competitors that sounded perpetually cheerful, Eric was known for a neutral yet conversational tone.

However, for accessibility, speed, and scalability—the new engine wins. It can speak 20 languages, adjust emotion (whisper, excited, disappointed), and never tires.

Notice
1. During a long programming session, it is highly recommended that you periodically save the system data to the SD Memory Card. If the PBX undergoes a sudden power failure or if the system is reset for some reason, all the system data in RAM will be lost. However, if system data has been saved to the SD Memory Card, it can be easily restored.
To save the system data to the SD Memory Card, (1) click the "SD Memory Backup" icon before resetting the PBX or turning off the power, or (2) exit the Maintenance Console so that the PBX automatically saves the system data.
2. The PC will not perform any shutdown operation, or enter the power-saving system standby mode while the Maintenance Console is connected to the PBX.
To perform either of the operations above, first close the connection to the PBX.
CAUTION
Do not remove the SD Memory Card while power is supplied to the PBX. Doing so may cause the PBX to fail to start when you try to restart the system.

1.2.2 Password Security

To maintain system security, system passwords are required to access certain programming functions of the PBX. By giving different users access to different passwords, it is possible to control the amount of programming that each user is able to perform.
The following types of system passwords are available:

Password

Description

Format

System Password for User
Used with the user-level programmer code to access user-level PC programming. The installer can specify which system programming settings are available.
4 – 10 characters
System Password for Administrator
Used with the administrator-level programmer code to access administrator-level PC programming. The installer can specify which system programming settings are available.
System Password for Installer
Used with the installer-level programmer code to access installer-level PC programming. All system programming settings are available.
Warning to the Administrator or Installer regarding the system password
1. Please provide all system passwords to the customer.
2. To avoid unauthorized access and possible abuse of the PBX, keep the passwords secret, and inform the customer of the importance of the passwords, and the possible dangers if they become known to others.
3. The PBX has default passwords preset. For security, change these passwords the first time that you program the PBX.
4. Change the passwords periodically.
5. It is strongly recommended that passwords of 10 numbers or characters be used for maximum protection against unauthorized access. For a list of numbers and characters that can be used in system passwords, see 1.1.2 Entering Characters.
6. If a system password is forgotten, it can be found by loading a backup of the system data into a PC, and checking the password using the Maintenance Console software. If you do not have a backup of the system data, you must reset the PBX to its factory defaults and reprogram it. Therefore, we strongly recommend maintaining a backup of the system data. For more information on how to back up the system data, refer to the on-line help of the Maintenance Console.
However, as system passwords can be extracted from backup copies of the system data file, do not allow unauthorized access to these files.