Text-to-Speech question

Ken Norris pixelbird at interisland.net
Thu Aug 14 10:25:00 EDT 2003


on 8/14/03 6:16 AM, use-revolution-request at lists.runrev.com at
use-revolution-request at lists.runrev.com wrote:

> Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 22:46:11 -0600
> Subject: Text-to-Speech question
> From: Barry Levine <themacguy at macosx.com>
> 
> Are there any properties or functions that I can use to query Rev for
> the following speech details:
> 
> What is the currently chosen voice? (revSetSpeechVoice -sets- it)
> 
> ...speed? (revSetSpeechSpeed -sets- it)
> 
> ...pitch? (revSetSpeechPitch -sets- it)
> 
> revSpeechVoices seems to be the only function but, of course, that
> returns -every- available voice.
> 
> I guess this is part of the wishlist for the next version.
----------
Well, finding it cold would mean an AS query on Macs, but speech values are
usually set via a variable so you can change them. I deliberately set values
at startup taken from an offscreen field. All I have to do is query the
values of the variables.
----------
> BTW - the ability to have speech synthesis bundled into Rev rather than
> having to rely upon those bozos at Microsoft (for the Windows side of
> things) would also be greatly appeciated. I know about how Microsoft
> seems to break everything in their efforts to totally obfuscate any
> development tools other than their own, so it seems to me that an
> "end-around" might be in order. Of course, it's easy for me to say to
> C++ folks, "Go do it." while I haven't a clue about how difficult it
> might be. I guess I'm spoiled having worked with Macs and -always-
> having Macintalk available to me.
----------
I agree. TTS on Windows is a nightmare, way too many compatibility issues
with speech gneration because of the plethora of sound card and software
options, i.e., no standardization. I haven't been able to use Rev with TTS
on my Compaq because of sound card/software problems. It just won't work.

If anyone has a cure for TTS/Rev compatibility on Windows (without spending
a fortune on a bunch of sound cards and software), please let us know.

Of course, like you, I'm spoiled by Macs...my Macs have been talking to me
for a long time.

As to Rev building their own cross-platform TTS services...it's not
impossible, of course, but it IS asking an awful lot, I think. The same
problems on PC's will come into play again (different software required for
different sound systems).

Ken N.




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