Adding text-to-speech functionality to Media Engine

skippy76 · 03-24-2004, 11:06 AM

Dear all,

I've been taking a look at how easy it would be to add text-to-speech functionality.

The best solution I think would be to use the Microsoft Text-to-Speech Engine which is built in to Win XP and can be installed on 98/2000.

Ultimatly this could be used with GPS support, but would be good as a general option for 'speaking' the option as you select it. The other advantage with the Microsoft Engine is you have a range of different voices that you can select.

Moving on from this, we could also look to provide voice recognition using the Microsoft Speech Recognition Engine, again built into XP and can be installed on 98/2000.

What do you all think? I don't mind looking into adding this in, but what arrangements are there at the moment for assisting with Media Engine development?

Install stuff
http://www.microsoft.com/msagent/downloads/user.asp

docs
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...tml/sa03f1.asp

Regards,

Andrew

ryguy · 03-24-2004, 07:23 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by skippy76

Dear all,

I've been taking a look at how easy it would be to add text-to-speech functionality.

The best solution I think would be to use the Microsoft Text-to-Speech Engine which is built in to Win XP and can be installed on 98/2000.

Ultimatly this could be used with GPS support, but would be good as a general option for 'speaking' the option as you select it. The other advantage with the Microsoft Engine is you have a range of different voices that you can select.

Moving on from this, we could also look to provide voice recognition using the Microsoft Speech Recognition Engine, again built into XP and can be installed on 98/2000.

What do you all think? I don't mind looking into adding this in, but what arrangements are there at the moment for assisting with Media Engine development?

Install stuff
http://www.microsoft.com/msagent/downloads/user.asp

docs
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...tml/sa03f1.asp

Regards,

Andrew

Interesting idea! Only prob i have with the MS Speech products is the voices that are included! If something more up-to-date was available free that would be nice

I've looked around for voices...they are expensive additions.

Maeveth · 03-24-2004, 07:29 PM

Festival is a great open source text-speech application. That with some tweaking can be made to compile in Win32(according to the website)
http://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/fe.../download.html

There is also an application called NaturalVoices which can produce great voice synth but is rather expensive to license. It has both a Linux and Windows SDK.

skippy76 · 03-24-2004, 07:33 PM

The Microsoft Text 2 Speech Engine is free and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Website.

There are about 15 different voices that come with it although they are not great, I've not found any that are any better.

ryguy · 03-24-2004, 07:45 PM

At one point I had come across a company that had a whole bunch you could purchase...again...not worth while

I would like something that sounds like a real person!

lerandell · 04-01-2004, 10:15 PM

We have been taking about this in another thread. It has voice recognition and can tell you what is playing. It is VooDoo Voice
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...694#post181694

It worked well in Media Engine also. the install procedure is very similar but once you get it to work it stays working. Media Car overwrites the playlist everytime you close it. Let me know if you need Media Engine procedures.

Here is a list of the commands in VooDoo Voice Control for Winamp.

computer - use this to get the PC to listen to you. Can be changed to anything
begin play
stop play
next song
previous song
switch to <song>
what is this?
increase volume
decrease volume
set volume <percent> percent
mute
play something by <artist>
something else
go back to that last one

supralightning · 04-01-2004, 10:29 PM

If you want something that sounds like a real person look into. AT&T's Natural voice addition to T2S. Its $30 for the base and you get two voices while they have numerous others available including ones with english accents

with it (Interactive samples on the site if you wanna hear what they sound like). I thought it was worth it for me to have realistic voices.
http://www.naturalvoices.att.com/

lerandell · 04-01-2004, 10:42 PM

yep, I had found that site. they have another link that lets you make the voice and download it as a wav. I made a few and put them into VooDoo Voice.
they sound cool!!! but still not perfect.

Here is a zip file with replacment voice commands for voodoo voice. it is a UK English voice.

mereg · 04-02-2004, 10:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by lerandell

We have been taking about this in another thread. It has voice recognition and can tell you what is playing. It is VooDoo Voice
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...694#post181694

It worked well in Media Engine also. the install procedure is very similar but once you get it to work it stays working. Media Car overwrites the playlist everytime you close it. Let me know if you need Media Engine procedures.

Here is a list of the commands in VooDoo Voice Control for Winamp.

computer - use this to get the PC to listen to you. Can be changed to anything
begin play
stop play
next song
previous song
switch to <song>
what is this?
increase volume
decrease volume
set volume <percent> percent
mute
play something by <artist>
something else
go back to that last one

Hi lerandell, Good job with making this works in MC&ME2.0. If you don't mind, can you please post the step by step on how to set it up with Media Engine 2.0. Thank you very much in advance.

Toups · 04-02-2004, 10:43 AM

Here is a much better software with very realistic voices.

http://www.scansoft.com/speechify/demo/

antimatter · 04-02-2004, 11:28 AM

About the same as the ATT voices. Nothing spectacular

heypachuco · 04-02-2004, 11:51 AM

I downloaded this a while ago, but never got a chance to try it yet.

http://www.festvox.org/packed/windows/

mereg · 04-18-2004, 08:52 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by lerandell

We have been taking about this in another thread. It has voice recognition and can tell you what is playing. It is VooDoo Voice
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...694#post181694

It worked well in Media Engine also. the install procedure is very similar but once you get it to work it stays working. Media Car overwrites the playlist everytime you close it. Let me know if you need Media Engine procedures.

Here is a list of the commands in VooDoo Voice Control for Winamp.

computer - use this to get the PC to listen to you. Can be changed to anything
begin play
stop play
next song
previous song
switch to <song>
what is this?
increase volume
decrease volume
set volume <percent> percent
mute
play something by <artist>
something else
go back to that last one

Hi, lerandell can you please post the Media Engine procedures? And also what kind of microphone are you using? Thanks in advance.

lerandell · 04-18-2004, 05:23 PM

I will write up the procedure to get voodoo voice to work with Media Engine. but it will have to wait about a week. I am trying to get my shop cleaned and ready for our Mp3car.com Meeting here for the Dallas area.

mereg · 04-19-2004, 01:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by lerandell

I will write up the procedure to get voodoo voice to work with Media Engine. but it will have to wait about a week. I am trying to get my shop cleaned and ready for our Mp3car.com Meeting here for the Dallas area.

Thanks in advance.