Text-to-speech

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=50 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div>   <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#339900" FACE="Accent SF" >Text-to-Speech</FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Accent SF" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" >                                 </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >                 </FONT></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#EEEEEE" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Verdana" ><B>    </B></FONT><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11"><B>   </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><B><IMG SRC="0480b0b0.png" border=0 width="11" height="11" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>       </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11"><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11"><B>  </B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Verdana" ><B>auto motor ca</B></FONT><B> </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="autocluster.com"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Global Auto News"><U><B>Global Auto News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="China Auto News"><U><B>Emerging Markets</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Auto Component News"><U><B>Components</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Brands News"><U><B>Motoring</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Auto Labour News"><U><B>Labour</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Auto Aftermarket News"><U><B>Aftermarket</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Transport News"><U><B>Freight</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Motor Sport News"><U><B>Motor Sport</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id159.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History"><U><B>Auto History</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><B>Services</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>r</B></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>  </div> <bR> <div> <B>What is Text-to-Speech?</B></div> <bR> <div> TTS is the ability of the computer to convert text - the words as they are displayed on screen - into speech which may be played back immediately, or saved as audio files.  The files should be in an audio format compatible with the portable personal audio or CD player you will be using.  .WAV and .MP3 are the most common, and a competent TTS program will output to either.</div> <bR> <div> The computer's operating system uses one or more TTS engines to recognise the text in a process similar to how optical character recognition (OCR) software scans printed documents and turns them into digital computer files.  Indeed, you can use OCR and TTS in combination to turn printed documents into speech, an ideal way of creating talking ebooks.</div> <bR> <div> The TTS engine links to a synthesized voice to do the actual speaking.  Some of these voice programmes sound very artificial and are basic in their capabilities.  Others are much more sophisticated and incorporate actual recorded human voices in different accents, languages and with specialised vocabularies.</div> <bR> <div> Not all voices and speech engines are compatible with each other, but the correct engines are usually supplied with the voices, which can be obtained on CDs or as Internet downloads.</div> <bR> <div> You will get the best results from specialist TTS software from various third party suppliers, which are described at length in our <I>Digital Audio</I> guides.  These are available in different accents, languages, and with special vocabularies featuring jargon and technical terminology. (Autocluster.com is developing facilities to cater for automotive technical terms also.)</div> <bR> <div> We recommend TextAloud as offering the best value in commercial TTS software, particularly when used in combination with various specialist natural voices.  There are other programs which you can try - some of them free - but TextAloud we have identified as the best all-round performer.  It costs under $30 and you can set up a really advanced system for well under $100with a variety great new voices to meet your individual preferences. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>How to test your system for installed text-to-speech software</B></div> <bR> <div> You may be able to create speech files immediately using software already on your computer together with the unique <I>autocluster </I>and<I> digitaldrivetime</I> inter-linked networks of online automotive and motoring intelligence resources.  </div> <bR> <div> <U>If you have Windows XP: </U></div> <bR> <div> From <B>Control Panel </B>click on the <B>Speech</B> icon, then the <B>Text-to-Speech</B> tab to see what TTS engines and voices have been installed on your system.</div> <bR> <div> You can make similar checks if your computer uses older versions of <I>Windows</I>, or has a Linux, Macintosh or other operating system.</div> <bR> <div> In addition to the speech facilities, which come with your operating system, text-to-speech software may also be incorporated in word processing and other software installed on your computer. </div> <bR> <div> To augment these, there are additional speech engines and a large selection of voices that can be downloaded free, or for very low cost.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>What do the different voices sound like?</B></div> <bR> <div> In Windows XP, you open <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Speech</B></FONT> in Control Panel and then the <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Text</B></FONT><B>-</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>to</B></FONT><B>-</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Speech</B></FONT> tab.</div> <div> The voices available already on your system are in the drop-down list.  Select one and listen to it by clicking on <B>Preview Voice</B></div> <div> You can type in different text to see how it will sound in the voices available on your system and, in some cases, change the speed or pitch of the voice.  It is worth experimenting.</div> <div> To hear additional voices that you can download or obtain on CD, go to <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.nextup.com/neospeech.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.nextup.com/neospeech.html"><U><U>http://www.nextup.com/neospeech.html</U></U></A></FONT> </div> <div> How do the autocluster.com and digitaldrivetime.com talk radio services work?</div> <bR> <div> These sites in the <I>autocluster</I> network use autobots to monitor hundreds of prime Web intelligence sources round-the-clock.  Every time that you visit your favourite pages, the content will be updated immediately to include the latest information available on automotive and other topics of specific interest to you.  </div> <bR> <div> It would be impossible to have a conventional radio service with human announcers and news readers narrating this dynamic content in real time.  Anyway, the sound files created would be many and massive - too much to download.  </div> <bR> <div> Streaming audio and other conventional Internet radio services also generate big files that require fast broadband connections.  And no conventional audio service can be fully customised to your own personal information and entertainment needs, or respond as quickly as text to breaking news. </div> <bR> <div> So conventional digital audio - either broadcast or on the Web - is not a practical way to avoid being tied to your computer or getting an up-to-date audio information service specific to your individual needs.</div> <bR> <div> The alternative is to choose from the vast amount of written information and texts available information that you download or save as written words in plain text.  In digital form text can be grabbed from the Internet very quickly and easily, even over slow connections. Then, <U>using your own computer's processing power</U>, you convert the texts to speech to take with you wherever you go.</div> <bR> <div> Unlike most Web sites, the <I>autocluster </I>Web pages are specifically formatted so that the graphics do not get in the way of copying and saving the texts.  There are other features to ease copying the text that you want to hear to the Windows Clipboard or directly into text-to-speech software.  You can automate easily how your own computer very quickly converts the information that you select into recorded speech.  </div> <bR> <div> Within seconds you have MP3 or Wav audio speech files that can be transferred to CDs or to any portable audio device. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Why should I experiment with different voices?</B></div> <bR> <div> The voices supplied with your operating system and with most of the TTS-enabled word processors, browsers and other applications usually represent older synthesized speech technology.  They sound artificial and you may not enjoy listening to them for extended periods.</div> <bR> <div> They may also have limited flexibility to vary the speed and pitch of the voice to your personal preferences.</div> <bR> <div> The best and latest synthesized voices are much more sophisticated than the basic free voices.  You can have naturally sounding male and female voices with American and UK English accents, or select from a wide range of other accents and languages.  You can tune these voices and customise them - adding the correct pronunciation of particular words, names or technical phrases and jargon.</div> <bR> <div> There are good commercial voices available at very reasonable cost - often at under $30.  A wide selection of voices can be downloaded free of charge.  Links to these are on the <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com"><U><U>www.digitaldrivetime.com</U></U></A></FONT> Web site.</div> <bR> <div> <B>How can I hear the TTS audio files?</B></div> <bR> <div> Just click on them and they will play back through your computer system's speakers. </div> <bR> <div> Or link your computer to your stereo system to get better quality.  </div> <bR> <div> Or transfer the files to CD disks or to the cards or internal memory storage of a portable personal audio player.</div> <bR> <div> Your computer will play back all the digital audio file formats you are likely to encounter.  But you need to save directly in the TTS software or convert using one of many free audio converter programs into the file format that your player uses.  . </div> <bR> <div> Car and home CD players usually require the standard .WAV audio files.  Some will also play the much smaller .MP3 audio files, which, even in their most compressed form, offer sufficient quality for speech.  Portable audio players with storage built in or on memory cards that slot into them usually either play .MP3 files or a special proprietary forma.  You can convert almost any digital audio into compatible files using the software supplied with your hardware, or one of many audio format converters available free. </div> <bR> <div> These portable devices and CDs can store many hours of speech generated by TTS software - far more than their capacity for large higher quality music files.</div> <bR> <div> Follow the instructions, which accompany your speakers, CD burning hardware and software, or your portable audio player.  </div> <bR> <div> <U>Speakers</U> simply plug into the speaker jack on the computer's internal sound card.  Use the line-out connection if your speakers have their own power supply and to export the audio to tape cassette systems which have a line-in socket.  </div> <bR> <div> The speaker-out connection on the computer's sound card is for non-powered speakers and has a signal that is boosted by the computer.  This may be too powerful for the input for powered speakers or external recorders, particularly if the recorder has only a microphone input.  So there is a risk of damage if you overload the external powered speakers or recording device.  </div> <bR> <div> Adjusting the text-to-speech volume output levels will vary, depending on your system and the hardware you are using.  Follow the applicable instructions.</div> <bR> <div> In Windows you can either access mixer controls through the loudspeaker icon displayed in the bottom right of your screen, or open <B>Speech</B> in <B>Control Panel</B>.  On the <B>Text-to-Speech </B>tab, click <B>Audio Output</B>, and then <B>Volume</B>. Adjust the levels on the volume control mixer.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Using different voices, languages and engines</B></div> <bR> <div> Text-to-speech voices and engines are closely matched and the combination may not be obvious from the on-screen displays, particularly if you are using a general purpose lexicon or one that is jargon specific, eg to the legal, medical or engineering professions.</div> <bR> <div> A computer may have multiple engines loaded at the same time, but only one of each type can be active at a given time. You may need to consult the documentation with your hardware and software and experiment to find the best engine for your needs.</div> <bR> <div> To change a TTS language in Windows XP you open <B>Speech</B> in <B>Control Panel</B>. </div> <div> From the <B>Text-to-Speech</B> tab, you can change the TTS language and engine. </div> <bR> <div> Quite dramatic improvements to speech quality can be made by changing the text-to-speech voice rate.  From the <B>Text-to-Speech</B> tab, you access the <B>Voice</B> speed slider, which by default is set to normal. </div> <bR> <div> Click <B>Preview Voice</B> to hear the results, with the words being highlighted as they are spoken. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Fixing text-to-speech problems</B></div> <bR> <div> If you cannot hear any speech, the reason might be as simple as the speakers not being connected, or the volume being muted or not turned up in either the software controls or the speakers own physical external controls.</div> <bR> <div> Check also if the speakers are selected as the current output device. On the <B>Text-to-Speech </B>tab, click <B>Audio Output </B>to make sure that the speakers are selected.</div> <bR> <div> The sound card may have worked loose and not be properly seated or not installed with the correct drivers.   </div> <bR> <div> Your TTS software may not be set up properly.  Or it may be recording silently to an audio file and not giving audible playback as it does so. The TTS engine or voice files may be corrupted and need to be reinstalled.  You can test by using another engine and voice.  </div> <bR> <div> Microsoft's Troubleshooting Speech Systems advice in Wndows XP to determine if TTS is working properly is as follows:</div> <bR> <div> Open <B>Speech</B> in <B>Control Panel</B>. </div> <div> On the <B>Text-to-Speech</B> tab, click <B>Preview Voice</B>. </div> <div> The text in <B>Preview Voice</B> should be spoken audibly with each word highlighted in turn. If so, TTS and the speakers are working. </div> <bR> <div> If you cannot hear the Preview Voice and see words highlighted as they are spoken, see Possible Text-to-Speech Problems for more troubleshooting solutions. </div> <bR> <div> You can use either the <B>Speech Recognition </B>tab or the <B>Text-to-Speech </B>tab in <B>Speech</B> properties to initialize and customize speech-enabled applications. These settings control general attributes such as input and output devices, the language used, as well as the playback voice and the accuracy of word recognition.</div> <bR> <div>  Individual applications may implement speech differently and you should refer to user's manuals.  Those attributes shared by speech engines or systems across different software applications are set in <B>Speech</B> properties.</div> <bR> <div> You can choose between several preferential option settings and customize the speech profile according to your needs. However, many options are proprietary and may vary between computer systems. Therefore, some of the buttons and screens may not act the same under all circumstances. Check instructions for your computer, speech software or device hardware.</div> <bR> <div>  <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>  </div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=185 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>You can probably convert text into speech right now if you have Windows XP! </B></I></div> <bR> <div> From <B>Control Panel </B>click on the <B>Speech</B> icon, then the <B>Text-to-Speech</B> tab to see what TTS engines and voices have been installed on your system.</div> <div> You will get the best results from specialist TTS software from various third party suppliers. These are available in different accents, languages, and special vocabularies, e.g. for medical or legal terminology. We are developing ways to cater for automotive technical terms also.)</div> <div> More details about adding and using valuable speech extensions to how computers are used can be found at the latest addition to the autocluster.com network - <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/"><U><U>www.digitaldrivetime.com</U></U></A></FONT> </div> <div> <B>Create your own talk radio service on any topic</B></div> <div> At <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/"><U><U>www.digitaldrivetime.com</U></U></A></FONT> you can access continually updated information about sports, religions, entertainment, business, trade, air, sea and ground transport, and a wealth of other topics.  There are special sections at <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/"><U><U>www.digitaldrivetime.com</U></U></A></FONT> and other <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.autocluster.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.autocluster.com/"><U><U>www.autocluster.com</U></U></A></FONT> sites covering countries, regions, automotive brands, etc.</div> <div> All this information can quickly and easily be converted to speech, providing you with knowledge and entertainment wherever you are - driving, flying (or waiting at airports or in traffic jams!), exercising, gardening, fishing, sitting on the beach, etc., etc.  </div> <div> <B>Listen to your email messages through your car audio system</B></div> <div> The <I>autocluster</I>.<I>com</I> Web sites enable you to take advantage of the Internet anywhere you may be, and even while you are on the move.  Using text-to-speech technology <I>(which may already be installed on your computer)</I> you add another dimension to time that might otherwise be wasted.  </div> <div> When away from your computer you can also listen to your emails, or to Powerpoint and other forms of <U>business presentat</U>ions that enable you to acquire knowledge about the motor business and achieve valuable competitive advantages.</div> <div> The <I>autocluster.com </I>Web sites are hosted on fast and secure servers in Africa and Germany, so they provide rapid access through both local and global Internet portals wherever you may be and whether you use a fast broadband or a slow dial-up (even a cell phone) connection. </div> <div> <B>Build an audio ebook library at little or no cost</B></div> <div> The <I>autocluster </I>services include downloadable “Talking eBooks” that, like the Web pages, are formatted for easy listening.  Or create your own audio books from any existing computerized texts - even directly from .pdf files or Word documents.  </div> <div> Talking ebooks complement the combination of archival content and fast-breaking news available through the <I>autocluster.com </I>services.  </div> <div> In a few minutes you can assemble enough information and entertainment as speech that will turn even the longest journey into a more pleasant and far more useful experience. </div> <div> <B>How </B><I><B>autocluster's</B></I><B>  talk radio services work</B></div> <div> The <I>autocluster</I> sites use autobots to monitor prime Web intelligence sources round-the-clock, so that every time you visit your favourite pages, the content has changed to reflect the latest information available on automotive and other topics of specific interest to you.  </div> <div> It would be impossible to have a conventional radio service with human announcers and news readers narrating this dynamic content in real time.  Anyway, the sound files created would be massive - too big to download.  Streaming audio and other conventional Internet radio services also generate big files that require fast broadband connections.  And no conventional audio service can be customised to your own personal information and entertainment needs. </div> <div> So the only practical way to get round spending hours staring at the computer screen to access all the knowledge that <I>you</I> want is to collect it as plain text.  Then, using your own computer's processing power, you convert the texts to speech to take with you wherever you go.</div> <div> We make this text-to-speech conversion easy at <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.digitaldrivetime.com/"><U><U>www.digitaldrivetime.com</U></U></A></FONT> , <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.autocluster.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.autocluster.com/"><U><U>www.autocluster.com</U></U></A></FONT> , <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><A HREF="http://www.autocluster.co.za/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.autocluster.co.za/"><U><U>www.autocluster.co.za</U></U></A></FONT> , and the other <I>autocluster</I> Web sites.  Our Web page formats separate the graphics from the text and have other features to ease copying the text that you want to hear to the Windows Clipboard or directly into text-to-speech software.  You can automate easily how your own computer very quickly converts this <U>information that you chose </U>into recorded speech.  </div> <div> Within seconds you have MP3 or Wav audio speech files that can be transferred to CDs or to any portable audio device. </div> <div> <B>Easy and pleasant listening</B></div> <div> The listening experience using synthesized voices has been transformed in recent years.  You can chose naturally sounding male and female voices with American and UK English accents, or select from a wide range of other accents and languages.  </div> <div> Text-to-speech software may already be incorporated in word processing and other software installed on your computer.  Other programs and a large selection of voices can be downloaded free, or for very low cost.</div> <div> Even the most sophisticated text-to-speech software and special voices costs very little.  You can set up a really advanced system that meets your individual needs for well under $100, even when using the latest version of such impressive programs as TextAloud.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>