Resolved by CochranRobotics!
Hey guys.
I have asked this question in another thread, but I decided to create a new "assistance required" thread as my issue relates to Windows 8, where as the other thread was really related to Windows 7, plus I'm still having problems. I really hope someone can help with this.
The issue
I'm in the middle of a transition from moving from a Win 7 to Win 8 laptop, and I'm having a real pain in the butt issue using speech synthesis voices with the new Windows 8 machine and new ARC install.
As Richard may remember, I mentioned in the other thread that I copied the .exe file for a Cepstral voice from my Win 7 machine, reinstalled it on to the Win 8 laptop, and added the activation key. The voice worked on Narrator and other 3rd party apps such as screen readers, but it never worked on ARC so I thought that was the problem. I have since reset the laptop back to the "Out of the box" state, and started again.
My new Windows 8 Toshiba Satellite laptop comes with three pre-installed voices, but only one of them works with ARC. I have installed a fresh version of a trial Cepstral voice and a 30 day trial of an Ivona voice, and neither one works with ARC either.
I have tried each and every variation of the "Speech synthesis" settings for each voice and they have made no difference whatsoever, and keeps using the one Windows voice. The only thing that does change is the "Rate".
Have any of you guy's faced this issue with Windows 8, and/or does anyone know what can be done so I can use the voices I want to use? I really want to get this working and I don't see why I'm having these problems, as using Cepstral with ARC on Windows 7 was no problem at all. Please help. confused
Many thanks.
Steve.
If it is greyed out then it doesn't support effects. The default Windows voices don't. Cepstral does.
Alan
One thing that @DJ pointed out that may play a factor is that ARC is a 32-bit program so on a 64-bit computer, 32-bit voices may have to be installed instead. Even the default voices (Hazel & Zira) may have to be reinstalled.
I was able to get the trial version of Cepstral William (US english) working when I downloaded it from here.
Okay. So as we are all baffed to why I'm having these issues, I emailed Aislinn this morning (not the correct procedure I know, but it's a one off) to ask for some extra assistance.
She very kindly just got back to me saying that Jeremie has confirmed that there are issues using certain voices with both Windows 7 and 8. The issue is now under investigation, but as we all know DJ is a busy bee, so will look in to this further when he gets a chance.
In the mean time, if anyone else is having issues using voices with ARC, please post your operating system and voice details here on this thread so we can compile a list to narrow down issues that may help with the investigation. Also, if anyone has any further ideas to a workaround or possible solutions, then please feel free to share your ideas to hopefully help those of us having problems.
And a quick, but BIG thank you to everyone who has tried to help. You know who you are.
Steve.
@Jeremie.
Thanks for your reply and to yourself and DJ for looking in to this. What operating system did you install Cepstral William on, and was it a 32 or 64 system?
I'm running 64-bit Windows 8.1
Interesting. Thanks Jez.
Jeremie, We have already ruled out 32 vs 64 bit. Having exactly the same issues on both of my machines, one of each.
When you used Cepetral William, did the voice actually change? ARC will speak when I select it, but it is the same as the MS voice.
Alan
I don't think we can rule out 32 versus 64-bit as it seems @RR, yourself, @Steve, and I are seeing different results.
Yes, the voice changed when I used "Cepstral William" in ARC but didn't change when Hazel and Zira were selected (stayed as the David voice).