Ok: You can buy the DECTalk 5.0 software synth, but I don't like the voice too much either. It can be rather hard to understand some times, specially when reading long paragraphs. I don't think is worth the $50 that it costs. The best voice I have ever heard for Linux is cepstral. Cepstral sounds very human, some times too human! However, I have not gotten cepstral to work with speakup well yet. I am not sure how to configure speech-dispatcher to work with cepstral. I think it can be done, but there is no configuration included and I have not been able to make a good one myself. Oh, cepstral is only $29. The spanish voices for cepstral are very high-quality also. On Wed, Mar 09, 2005 at 10:47:10AM -0800, jim grimsby wrote: > Hi, ok tested them using the text files. Now here is another question is > there any where you can get a speech engine that sounds good besides > dectalk? If not I might have to go by it because both of these sound worse > then my accent sa. Witch I am using now thanks for all the help so far > really appreciate it. > > -----Original Message----- > From: speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca [mailto:speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca] > On Behalf Of David Bruzos > Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 10:22 AM > To: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux. > Subject: Re: Testing my software synthasezer and switching to it. > > > Hi there: > I think you should use "flite", because it is written in C and it is faster > and more responsive than "festival". However, > if you like "festival" better, there is nothing wrong with that... > > To test the synths do: > > 1. $ flite -f /path/to/file > 2. $ festival --tts /path/to/file > > Where /path/to/file is the path to some text file that you want > flite/festival to speek. > > To get speakup working with software speech you will need some other > applications. They are: > 1. speech-dispatcher > 2. speechd_up > > I think you can get speech-dispatcher from your apt-get repos. Speechd_up > you will have to download from its website. I > don't remember what that is. Someone else can tell you that or google it... > Remember to look at the speech-dispatcher configuration if things are not > working... > > To test speech-dispatcher do: > $ speech-dispatcher > $ spd-say "some text" > > Where "some text" is just some text you want it to speek. > > Now, you have to create the device /dev/softsynth with numbers 10/26. Use > the command: > $ mknod /dev/softsynth c 10 26 > > After you have done all of this, run speech-dispatcher: > $ speech-dispatcher > Load the "sftsyn" speakup module into memory: > $ modprobe speakup_sftsyn > and run speechd_up: > $ speechd_up > > Note: you must remove the current speakup_xxxx module from the kernel before > loading the speakup_sftsyn module. Do > something like: > $ rmmod speakup_xxxx > Trying to load both modules at the same time, could crash your box. > > You should have a software speech enabled system at this point. I am > writing a howto on how to do this, but it has taken > me rediculously long to finish it! I guess life/baby/school/etc has gotten > in the way. > > David B. > On Wed, Mar 09, 2005 at 08:44:39AM -0800, jim grimsby wrote: > > Hi, well the time has come yep the moment I have been waiting for. I > > have flite and festable installed on my system. The sound card works > > I tested it out by doing this Apt-get install saytime saydate aumix > > After setting the volume with aumix by the way is this the best tool to > use > > for this function? > > I ran saytime and saydate sound came out of the sound card with no > problem. > > > > Then I did a search for the speech synthesizer by doing this > > Apt-cache search speech > > I found the packages I wanted by using speakups review commands and the > mark > > and cut and paste command like this > > Apt-get install then the paste command. > > It installed vestable > > Then I issued the command > > Apt-get install flite > > Flite was installed. Now I need to test these software synthesizers out > and > > then switch speakup to one of them. First question how should I go about > > testing them to make sure they work. Second how do I switch speakup to > one > > of them and witch one to choose. Thanks > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Speakup mailing list > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
