TTS voices

[JH]

Is there any software to create voices.   Or are there any commerical businesses that can create one for me.  thanks for any help.

[Art]

Aside from several fairly good quality TTS voices some of which are free, most companies offer a variety of them for a fair price (usually from $24 to $35 USD).

If a company were to make a TTS custom voice, you'd better have deep pockets because it would be rather costly.

Check out www.nextup.com to preview voices from several sources.

[Duskrider]

Nice site, Art.  I didn't know about that one.

I use Kate voice with Hal and most everything.
However for a really nice voice for mailing or computer functions I go to
http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php
and have "Lauren" read my message which is then given me to download as a wav file.
[8D]

[spydaz]

I must admit. anything that costs money, cant be a fair price......

Micosoft Speech server is available from microsoft. with this package you can turn your voice profile {stored after many sessions training} into a Voice TTS.....

Also with an older version of Viavoice GOLD.....

TTS SDK Enables you to change PITCH/SPEED VOL etc saves voice with a GUID.. To be assigned to a msagent character at its creation {Agent
Character editor}. to transfer voice to another PC, They also need TTS-SDK.....

[raybe]

Can anyone answer me if those voices will work when trying to get them to sync up with the characters? I also enjoy Kates voice but I believe it will not sync with characters in Hal.
Thanks everyone,
raybe

[caangel43]

so where is the best place to go to get voices has anyone tryed  ceptral if I spelled it right caangel

[Art]

If you will go to the link I provided above and look around, you'll see TTS voices from several companies.

Your thoughts should be more inclined toward what particular type of voice would best suit you or your applications instead of the best places to go. Nextup, however, does offer a somewhat lower price than if you went directly to an individual company's site.

[caangel43]

thank you for the link and info will have to think about all this before I buy caangel

[Art]

FYI,

The people at NextUp.com are some of the best and offer some very good products at great prices BUT be sure to inquire whether a particular voice will work with your applications BEFORE you purchase it.

Case in point...Acapela's TTS voices will ONLY work with TextAloud and NOT with UltraHal of any other TTS SAPI based program. I believe it was a conditional agreement between Acapela and NextUp.

The other voices from NextUp seem to work fine with Hal and other apps.

It's a shame because the Heather voice was very nicely done.

Good luck!