CozeMaker Text-To-Speech Narrator for SAPI 5

The Narrator functions in two ways:

• As an embedded child window in the main frame the TTS Dialog has the same basic functionality as that of Microsoft's TTSApp;
• The Narrator can also be used as one of the MS Agent characters to read the text.

The Narrator is switched by clicking one of two buttons in the Lower Toolbar: 

The TTS Narrator starts initially as the Dialog Computer since the default voice for Windows Vista is 'Microsoft Anna', a female voice, whereas the MS Agent characters are male and will only use a male voice if you have one installed on your computer. If you are using Windows XP and if you do not have the Lernout & Hauspie TruVoice speech engine (SAPI 4) installed then Merlin uses Sam (installed by Microsoft as default).  If you have Windows Vista and you only have 'Anna' installed then the Dialog Narrator is better when listening to a female voice.  

ClozeMaker features many additional functions added such as the ability to record and playback your own voice and support for the VLC Net Dictionary. This makes it particularly useful for students who can listen to their texts spoken to them with the SAPI 5 voices. 

System requirements

You need a sound card installed on your PC, which should be running Windows XP or Vista.  You'll need to follow different instructions for using this program according to whether you're using XP or Vista.  The program will work with both systems even if you do nothing, but on Windows XP the default voices for the MS Agent characters use SAPI 4 voices and this must be installed with a separate add-on from Microsoft (available for free download from Microsoft).  All the characters, the Lernout & Hauspie TruVoice speech engine and the Microsoft add-on for Windows XP are distributed with the TTS Browser Setup program.  

Windows Vista Users

With Windows Vista the MS Agent characters do not use SAPI 4 voices, and these will be ignored. Only SAPI 5.3 voices will be used, so you need to install male voices separately.   Make sure that any third party voices (other than the 'Microsoft Anna' voice which is installed with Vista) have been created specifically to run on Vista.  At the time of writing the AT&T voices will not install on Vista, and voices created with SAPI 5.1 and 5.2 will not work on Vista. Do NOT install these voices on Windows Vista as they do not work.  If you have installed them you should uninstall them, and only put on voices created for Vista with SAPI 5.3.  The TTS Narrator works with Microsoft Anna, but other Microsoft voices (Mary, Mike and Sam) which work on Windows XP will not function on Vista.

When you install ClozeMaker it will enable SAPI 5 Text-To-Speech engines to be used to read any text by selecting from the toolbar buttons.

Figure 3: The TTS Narrator Dialog Box

Like the Dialog Box Narrator, the text appears in the Text Bubble as it is spoken by the Agent character.

Using the Narrator with the Cloze or Storyboard Tests

The TTS Narrator can also be used with Cloze and Storyboard Tests.  Select from the TTS Narrator Menu or use the Toolbar Buttons in the same way as for the normal text display.  When the Test Window is displayed the Agent Narrator does not display the text in a bubble, only the text is read and can be listened to.  If the Narrator Dialog is used, the Dialog Window is not shown.  Use the Toolbar Buttons to control the speech.

Figure 5: The Narrator Character Merlin used with a Storyboard Test

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