Next Stop Announcments

[Stuharris 6360]

There's no point spending time and money on it if the route is not platinum.

Sorry but I disagree.

In Stourbridge, quite often you will get Platinums on the WN 16/17 and on the PN 6, 8, so if the equipment is provided why not let it be used instead of getting on the bus and the display scrolling NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS. It can't take that much to record the extra announcements and i am sure adding them to the database on the bus is probably just as easy as updating the destination displays.

[l.murphy123]

Does anyone think that NX should do next stop announcements for routes that occasionally have Platinums

No I don't. Walsall non-platinum routes often have a Platinum on Sundays, mainly the Brownhills routes. Putting announcements on for those routes would detract value from the actual routes. It would be like selling waitrose food in a corner shop.

[mesub]

I feel like it should just display
60 to Birmingham even if there's no voice. At least you've got something

[Pat]

Sorry but I disagree.

In Stourbridge, quite often you will get Platinums on the WN 16/17 and on the PN 6, 8, so if the equipment is provided why not let it be used instead of getting on the bus and the display scrolling NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS. It can't take that much to record the extra announcements and i am sure adding them to the database on the bus is probably just as easy as updating the destination displays.

It can take hours to record these announcements.  Anyway, most people don't care about the announcements (in some cases they can be quite irritating).

[MasterPlan]

It can take hours to record these announcements.  Anyway, most people don't care about the announcements (in some cases they can be quite irritating).

Really? These new female ones sound automated to me. As opposed to the previous ones. So perhaps they don't take as long / cost as much anymore?

[Pat]

Really? These new female ones sound automated to me. As opposed to the previous ones. So perhaps they don't take as long / cost as much anymore?

No, they're recorded. 

[Stuharris 6360]

It can take hours to record these announcements.  Anyway, most people don't care about the announcements (in some cases they can be quite irritating).

Take hours to just read out a list of stop names, i think not unless you were recording a lot of routes at the same time and for example WN16/17 use the same stops between Stourbridge and Wallheath so that would save time.

[Pat]

Take hours to just read out a list of stop names, i think not unless you were recording a lot of routes at the same time and for example WN16/17 use the same stops between Stourbridge and Wallheath so that would save time.

It's more than just reading out stop names.  Every stop is a separate recording so you have to keep switching on and off the microphone for each stop recording you make.  Also, you have to edit the recordings and some may need to be re-done.  That is why it can take hours.

[Stuharris 6360]

It's more than just reading out stop names.  Every stop is a separate recording so you have to keep switching on and off the microphone for each stop recording you make.  Also, you have to edit the recordings and some may need to be re-done.  That is why it can take hours.

So you have experience of this being done then?

[Pat]

So you have experience of this being done then?

I never said I did.  I've seen a video of automated airport announcements being produced - same principal.

[Stuharris 6360]

I never said I did.  I've seen a video of automated airport announcements being produced - same principal.

Maybe the same principal but you have no idea whether the same happens in this case.

When London started to do IBus announcements, do you think that Emma Hignett really sat there and for each of the 30,000 announcements she made, she started the recording equipment and stopped it again. From what i remember of an interview I heard with her, a couple of pages worth of announcements were recorded in a chunk, then they were sent for editing where any errors where removed and they were then chopped into bits to be used.

[nathanielrwi]

Anyone noticed that a few routes on the NXWM website display grand central as a stop? For example the N60 from Wolves - Bloxwich has grand central as the first inbound stop - https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B060w/?timetable[day]=&tab=

[mesub]

I was on 6876 on the 24 to Birmingham and I feel like the old announcements were better. The female voice seems to rush it a bit more than Mr. Platinum.

[Jack D]

Is every bus service getting the female voice as for example x12 still has the old recording of mr platinum

[MasterPlan]

I was on 6876 on the 24 to Birmingham and I feel like the old announcements were better. The female voice seems to rush it a bit more than Mr. Platinum.

To be honest I thought this a little hearing them on the 16 but I could really tell the difference this morning on 6857.

Also off subject but I notice Newman University is in block capitals now on the 23. Still says Bartley Green though.