Article 3364 of comp.speech:
Newsgroups: comp.speech
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!MathWorks.Com!zombie.ncsc.mil!romulus.ncsc.mil!afterlife!jpcampb
From: jpcampb@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Joe Campbell)
Subject: Re: Does rsynth sound like a 'robot' on your machine?
Message-ID: <1994Sep23.050548.28197@afterlife.ncsc.mil>
Organization: The Great Beyond
References: <35fufk$epk@ionews.io.org>
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 05:05:48 GMT
Lines: 282
In article <35fufk$epk@ionews.io.org>, Mike Stramba <mike@io.org> wrote:
>
>What kind of speech quality do the 'state of the art' programs generate?
If you have access to a Macintosh, you might be interested in this...
Listing of Speech Manager/MacInTalk Pro/PlainTalk Aware Applications
Key Words: Speech Manager MacInTalk PlainTalk Gala Tea text to speech TTS
(Display in small monofont, e.g., 9pt Courier)
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
Relatively speaking, Apple's Speech Manager, with the high quality
voices, has a synthesized voice quality and pronunciation that are
among the best I've heard (Bellcore's Orator might do better with
proper nouns). Do you agree? Has anyone done formal testing of the
Speech Manager vs other TTS systems?
HAVE YOU SEEN?
Is there a Speech Manager aware application that allows graphical
specification of pitch and rate trajectories (similar to SoundEdit's
Bender, but on text or phoneme strings rather than on the waveform)?
TO GET IT
Part of the Speech Manager can be purchased with At Ease 2.x and
the CD-ROM version of System 7.5. As of 9/1/94, CompuServe and
America Online don't have it. Fortunately, Apple graciously provides
it via eWorld and the Internet.
The Speech Manager is available from Apple on the Internet
via anonymous ftp to ftp.apple.com in /dts/mac/sys.soft/speech.
There are 8 files in this directory and 2 installation options.
Among these files are Apple's SimpleText 1.1 application,
installation instructions, and Inside Macintosh style
documentation on the speech manager (in Apple DocViewer format):
76652 Jul 3 03:33 simpletext.hqx
2693 Jul 3 03:34 tts-read-me.txt
370108 Aug 13 1993 speech-manager-docs.hqx
Select the installation option that's appropriate for your
hardware and desired performance:
Option #1 - MacinTalk 2
MacinTalk 2 produces moderate quality TTS and is suited for low-end
platforms where available memory is low and CPU bandwidth is limited.
Minimum configuration is System 6.7 running on a Mac Plus. To use
MacinTalk 2, download these files:
334203 Jul 3 03:34 speech-manager.hqx
Speech Manager (1.2.1) system extension
includes Fred's voice
127633 Jul 3 03:30 macintalk-2.hqx
MacinTalk 2 (1.2) speech synthesizer extension
includes Marvin's voice
139960 Jul 3 03:33 macintalk2-voices.hqx
MacInTalk2 Voices (1.2) speech mgr document
9 more voices
Option #2 - MacinTalk Pro
MacinTalk Pro produces high quality TTS and is suited for platforms
with large memory and a 68020 or better processor running System 7
or greater. To use MacinTalk Pro, download these files:
334203 Jul 3 03:34 speech-manager.hqx
Speech Manager (1.2.1) system extension
includes Fred's voice
682166 Jul 3 03:32 macintalk-pro.hqx
MacinTalk Pro (1.2) speech synthesizer extension
12484674 Jul 3 03:58 voices.hqx
"High Quality" (large) and "Small" (lower
quality) versions of Agnes, Bruce, and Victoria.
TO INSTALL IT
To install either option, create a folder called Voices inside your
Extensions folder (System Folder for System 6 users) and place the
appropriate voice file(s) in it. Drag everything else onto your closed
System Folder and restart. To make your Mac talk, try SimpleText or
one of the applications below.
Some of the following applications require Apple's stdTTS extension (a
standard dialog handler). It's also on ftp.apple.com:
/dts/mac/sys.soft/quicktime/sample.code/speech-media-handler.hqx
The stdTTS extension is in one of the folders you get when you expand
the file "speech-media-handler.hqx". Just install it in your extensions
folder and restart.
REFERENCE
Apple's work in spoken language technologies and systems is described in:
Lee, Kai-Fu. "The Conversational Computer: An Apple Perspective."
(Keynote Speech) In Proc. Eurospeech in Berlin, ESCA, September, 1993.
Happy talkin'
Joe
_____________________________________________________________________________
| Dr. Campbell N3JBC jpcampb@alpha.ncsc.mil jpcampb@afterlife.ncsc.mil |
| Speaking for myself Happiness = Reality - Expectations, Click & Clack |
|___________________ Sun Mail Tool attachments welcomed ____________________|
Application, etc. Source Comments
_________________ ________ _________________________________________________
AddressSpeech info-mac 4D talking address book (from Speech Pack 2.0)
Alphabet Pro v1.0--new AOL The Reading Lab Series
At Ease 2.0.1 MW Friendly desktop that speaks file names
At Ease 2.0.1 WG MW Friendly desktop that speaks file names
Azile 4.4.x AOL Simulates a conversation with a total jerk
Back To School Math v1.2 AOL The Math Lab Series
Big Note Music Speller AOL The Music Lab Series
Chromatic Note Speller AOL The Music Lab Series
Diatonic Note Speller AOL The Music Lab Series
Dolch Sight Word Game AOL The Reading Lab Series
Eliza 4.3.x AOL A computer simulated Rogerian psychologist
ExcelTalk 2.1 info-mac Excel Macro Sheet to speak the contents of cells
FB Speech demo Inside Basic Mag, volume 3, no. 7. FutureBasic demo
FB speech Inside Basic Mag, volume 3, no. 6. FutureBasic demo
Find The Missing Letter AOL The Reading Lab Series
Find The Word AOL The Reading Lab Series
Find the Missing Word AOL The Reading Lab Series
First Lessons In Math v1.3 AOL The Math Lab Series
First Lessons In Multiplication AOL The Math Lab Series
Fortune 1.1 info-mac Like a talking UNIX fortune command - slick
HearIt 1.0d3 Apple Dev CD Speak highlighted text from most applications
Homer 0.92d9 zaphod.ee.pitt.edu GUI IRC client, assign nicks voices - slick
Informer 0.1b2 info-mac Leave voice messages for friends and colleagues
MacMessage 1.1.1 AOL Share talking messages/customizable startup
Make Words With Music v1.0 AOL The Music Lab Series
Melodic Ear Trainer v1.0 AOL The Music Lab Series
Music Space Invaders v1.0 AOL The Music Lab Series
Phonic Building Blocks v1.0 New AOL The Reading Lab Series
Phonics Fun House AOL The Reading Lab Series
Phonics Fun House AOL The Reading Lab Series
Prof Phonics Gives Sound Advice "Find The Word" AOL The Reading Lab Series
Recite 1.0 info-mac Read text files aloud
SaintEdit 1.1.1 info-mac Text editor with fonts, search & bedtime stories
Say info-mac MPW Tool which converts standard input to speech
ScriptTools 1.2 info-mac Write AppleScript scripts to say text messages
Siege Watch 1.01f info-mac Wryly political speaking clock
SimpleText 1.1 ftp.apple.com Apple's replacement for TeachText
SmartVoice QC Add speech to apps & suite of talking acc; $50
So To Speak 1.0 info-mac SM demo w/dual voices, full parameter control
Sounds Like AOL The Reading Lab Series
Speak It! info-mac Type in a message and have it spoken
Speak2Me 1.0 info-mac Read the icons in the finder as they are selected
SpeakNoteGH_2 pack info-mac
.Remote Speak GH 1.0 Allows speaking over Appletalk nets
.Speak Note GH 2.0 Speaks all manner of alert dialogs, e.g., PrintMon
.Speech Daemon GH 1.0 Gives inits/scripts/etc. configurable speech
SpeakTextFiles1.01info-mac Read text files, change voice, rate, pitch & mod
Speaker 1.14 info-mac Simple text file editor, speaks on <CR>, macros
Speech Demo 0.1 info-mac Canned speech manager demo (mac-speech-01)
Speech Pack 2.0 info-mac 4th Dimension external, add speech to database
Speech Rhythms AOL A cool text file for one of the above apps (below)
SpeechFKEY 1.0 info-mac Speak the contents of the clipboard
SpeechManagerdemo info-mac Command line interface, C source, aka -explorer
SpeechUnitEx info-mac Pascal source code for speech in Lab 7
Speecher 1.2.1 info-mac Customizable word pronunciation/substitution
Speek-02b info-mac Speech XCMD for HyperCard
Spell Maker Pro 1.0--new AOL The Reading Lab Series
Spelling Tester K - 12 v1.0 AOL The Reading Lab Series
SpokesDaemon 1.01 info-mac Scriptable, Apple event-aware, SM daemon
Starting Sounds--new AOL The Reading Lab Series
Talking Note Picker AOL The Music Lab Series
Talking Number Teacher v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
Talking Rhythm Teacher AOL The Music Lab Series
TalkingClockPro2.0info-mac AppleScriptable talking clock extension (2.0b0)
TeachText 7.2 AV Mac Apple's talking TeachText (simple editor w/QT)
Tex-Edit 2.5.x AOL A styled, drag mgr-aware text editor and munger
The Alphabet Bee AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Beatitudes AOL Sunday School Series
The Math Bee v1.2 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Math Factory AOL The Math Lab Series
The Math Musician v1.0 AOL The Music Lab Series
The Math School AOL The Math Lab Series
The Music Chord Teacher v1.0 AOL The Music Lab Series
The Reading Factory AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Reading Factory v1.2 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Sentence builder v1.0 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Seven Sacraments AOL Sunday School Series
The Talking Addition Magician v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Talking Algebra Teacher 1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Talking Alphabet v2.5 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Talking Grammar Teacher v1.2 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Talking Money Teacher v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Talking Piano Teacher v1.5 AOL The Music Lab Series
The Talking Ruler v1.2 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Talking Spelling Bee v2.5 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Talking Spelling Teacher v1.0 AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Talking Times Tables v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Talking Watch v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Ten Commandments AOL Sunday School Series
The Times Tables v1.5 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Ultimate Math Machine 1.2 AOL The Math Lab Series
The Word Game AOL The Reading Lab Series
The Works of Mercy AOL Sunday School Series
Things Kids Should Know v1.2 AOL The Reading Lab Series
Tiny Talking Alphabet v1.0 AOL The Reading Lab Series
True Or False v1.0 AOL The Math Lab Series
Unscramble AOL The Reading Lab Series
VoiceDemo 1.0.1 info-mac Bare bones phrase talker
Welcome!v1.3.2 info-mac A talking Welcome to Macintosh startup
Which Word Does Not Rhyme AOL The Reading Lab Series
Word Math AOL The Math Lab Series
Word Speak PIM 1.0 AOL Talking Plug-In-Module for MS Word 5 (MW0979)
vvvvv unsure of Speech Mgr compatibility vvvvv
AV Speech Macros AOL BlueFoxSox@aol.com
Excel XLTalk Add-in AOL AFADaveAx@aol.com
Carrie's Coins Stack AOL AFLCheryl@aol.com
MacKun0.95 AOL Kojiro@aol.com
Startup Speech AOL MikeMartin@aol.com
LipService (cdev) AOL Angus3@aol.com
Talking Eggs 1.0 AOL AFADaveAx@aol.com
Starting Sounds 1.0 AOL Proteus2@aol.com
Talkworks AOL BLACKJ9353@aol.com
Speak Easy MacinTalk Learn AOL AFLCheryl@aol.com
The Last Ninja AOL MarcusWK@aol.com
TAO AOL AFCSteveY@aol.com
^^^^^ ??? ^^^^^
Sources:
AOL = America Online
info-mac = {ftp sumex-aim.stanford.edu, ftp wuarchive.wustl.edu, et al.}
MW = MacWarehouse (800) 255-6227
QC = Quality Computers (800) 777-3642
NOTES:
7/3/94
Apple's WWDC Technology P&A CD has MacinTalk Pro v. 1.2, Feb '94
and Speech Manager v. 1.2.1, Apr '94. An installer is provided and
a "Voices" folder in your Extensions folder now holds the voice
files. More MacinTalk Pro Voices are included with "High Quality"
and "Small" versions of Agnes, Bruce and Victoria (TTS Agnes, high
quality; TTS Agnes, small; TTS Bruce, high quality; TTS Bruce, small;
TTS Victoria, high quality; and TTS Victoria, small). "High Quality"
means that there's very little compression on the voice file resulting
in high audio fidelity but larger size. "Small" means high compression
on the voice file resulting in small voice footprint but lower audio
fidelity. Many new voices and special effects are also included
(Albert, Bad News, Bahh, Bells, Boing, Bubbles, Cellos, Deranged,
Good News, Hysterical, Junior, Kathy, Pipe Organ, Princess, Ralph,
Trinoids, Whisper, and Zarvox).
5/10/94
The Feb '94 Apple Developer CD has MacinTalkPro 2 v. 1.0, Sep '93.
Speech Rhythms:
ss cc cc tt cc cc cc cc cc cc cc
ss cc cc tt cc cc ra ra ra,,,
Here are a few rhythms I came up with. Drop me a line and let me know how you ll ll ll ll ll like them.
Ken Lacovara (Lacovara@aol.com),,,
Bossa Nova,
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
Conga,
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
Jazz,
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
Rock,
tt xx tt tt xx tt tt xx tt tt tt xx tt xx tt tt xx tt tt xx tt tt tt xx
Military,
cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc
,,,,,
That's ebedee ebedee ebedee ebedee all folks!
pp pp pp pp pp pp pp
--
_____________________________________________________________________________
| Dr. Campbell N3JBC jpcampb@alpha.ncsc.mil jpcampb@afterlife.ncsc.mil |
| Speaking for myself Happiness = Reality - Expectations, Click & Clack |
|___________________ Sun Mail Tool attachments welcomed ____________________|