Linux TTS Voices

[Fred Roller]

Christopher Lemire wrote:
>
> [snip]

> So if using mbrola voices requires downloading from their website 
> rather than using what's in espeak-data, maybe I should remove that 
> package from my system. I just thought that it would be easier for 
> other users using my software to only have to install an ubuntu 
> package to make it work.
>
>
>    If I were to run the command with absolute paths then it would look
>    something like:
>
>
>          espeak -s 200 -k 20 -v mb-en1 -m "this is a test using mbrola
>    with espeak" |mbrola -e /Crypt/Software/mbrola/en1/en1 - test.wav
>
>
> How does mbrola know that is the absolute path you downloaded the 
> voices to when you use mbrola -e en1/en1 instead?
As mentioned before, the original command was running from a working 
directory and the path was relative.  Put this in your browser
  
    file:///usr/share/doc/espeak/mbrola.html

It should exist on your system if you down loaded from the repos.  You 
still need to download languages from the referred sites within the 
documentation. 

As for software knowing where to find languages then a feild for 
language location and a browse button ought to handle that function.  A 
tools option can be developed to query the download site, filter the 
options of languages, and download the language of choice to a chosen 
directory or to your software default.  Setting this language as 
variable to query for the -v option in espeak (I choose en1 so espeak 
knows to set mb-en1) which allows the user to only work with their 
downloaded options.

>
>
>                 -v mb-en1 (the mbrola voice to let espeak know you are 
> using
>            mbrola)
>
>
> Does this change depending on the mbrola voice you are using? If so, 
> how do you know what to change it to?
>
> Here's the software I've created so far for anybody wanting to try it.
> http://nanomachine.byethost22.com/files/
>
> It may not work with the gnu java included by default with Ubuntu. If 
> it doesn't, you will need to install sun-java6-jre so that java points 
> to this.
>
> chris at ubuntu910:~/Desktop$ ls -l `which java`
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 22 2010-02-13 01:34 /usr/bin/java -> 
> /etc/alternatives/java
> chris at ubuntu910:~/Desktop$ ls -l /etc/alternatives/java
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 36 2010-02-13 01:34 /etc/alternatives/java -> 
> /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun/jre/bin/java
> chris at ubuntu910:~/Desktop$
>
> That change should happen automatically when you install the 
> sun-java6-jre package. If it doesn't, use the update-alternatives 
> command.
>
> To run the program, use this command
>
> java -jar TTSReader.jar
>
> Once it's running, highlight any text and push control c, pdfs, 
> firefox, any text you can highlight, and it should be read 
> automatically. I'll make a nice gui for it later, but right now I am 
> concentrating on the functionality of it. I want the speed to be able 
> to be changed, ability to use other voices than the default espeak one 
> that I can't stand, etc.
>
> Christopher Lemire <christopher.lemire at gmail.com>
> Ubuntu 64 bit Linux Raid Level 0
Very nice, I will be happy to help how ever I can.  This would be a nice 
applet for the Ubuntu panel.  Get an icon button.  Depressed it is 
scanning the clipboard, undepressed it stops.  Right click for 
preferences and make the changes necessary.  If you would like I will 
look at the mbrola interaction and see if I can't help.  I am /not/ a 
programmer but have been wanting to learn, so I hope I can be of some help.

-- 
Fred
www.fwrgallery.com

"Life is like linux, simple.  If you are fighting it you are doing something wrong."