Testing my software synthasezer and switching to it.

[David Bruzos]

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
> 
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> 
> 
> 
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