Not related, but an example of the SSML executed via SAPI API

Note: There is no limitation to use voices outside your system settings:

SSML voice match:

1. Match by name if specified

2. Match by Culture, Gender, Age, Variant Index Variant Index is used when there are more voices sharing the same attributes: e.g. Culture, Gender, Age

An example:

<speak version="1.0" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/10/synthesis" xml:lang="en-US">
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">
      Welcome to the United Kingdom!<break />Zira, i see this is your first time.
    </s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30" variant="3">
    <s xml:lang="en-US">yes it is, I'm so excited.</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">
      and you Mr. David<break />are you here for Business reasons ?
    </s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="male" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-US">does business means shopping ?</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">Mr. Richard were you Born ?</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="male" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-CA">i was born and raised in Waterloo, Canada.</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">Mrs. Catherine i see you are from Australia, how are you related?</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-AU">I'm David's half-sister, raised in Melbourne, and I'm Richard's wife.</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">are you with them too ?</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="male" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-IN">no, no, My name is Ravi and i'm from India</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="female" age="30">
    <s xml:lang="en-IN">Ravi can you tell the officer we are in hurry.</s>
  </voice>
  <voice gender="male" age="30" variant="3">
    <s xml:lang="en-GB">Why is taking too long ?</s>
  </voice>
</speak> 

The above ssml does not specify the voices names it uses the variant to match another voice with the same attributes.

The wave generated from the above ssml: You can hear the accents: American, British, Canadian, Australian and Indian.

multiple_voices_and_cultures.zip

@DJ,

I don't know if this would be higher level of effort, but how about turning the speech settings object into an open-source plug-in so PTP can fix it to work in all regions (or share the source of the object with him and let him fix it for you).

It is working fine for me now because I am in the US, anf even though my Cepstral voice is an English accent, it is apparently a US voice, but our international friends are still having issues.

Alan

Please read my previous comments in this thread - according to microsoft documentation the SelectVoice() does that.

Clearly, SelectVoice() does not work for the English-UK region, so I guess in this region we are screwed. Hopefully PTP will come up with something for the UK.

Tony

Tony, try this test app and tell me which of the two speech tests works for you

TONY DOWNLOAD THIS: SpeakingTest.zip

[feature]

1. Extract the files to your desktop or some location

2. Enter the Speaking Test folder from the extracted location

3. Double click to execute the "Test Speech Voices.exe" application

4. Use the drop downs and SPEAK Buttons to try each of the 2 tests and tell me which one works as you expect [/feature]

And for PTP to understand the two tests, here is the source code: TestSpeechVoices.zip

DJ, I get Cereproc William (voice I generally use for TTS) on test 1 and I get the female voice on test 2 - this is with Hazel selected on both. I can change both test voices to William using the drop downs which then gives the William TTS.

So as the app starts I get William on test 1 and female on test 2 while it is Hazel on both drop downs.

Hope this helps.

Tony

Can you explain differently? I don't understand

Which of the two tests works as you expect?

On app start both tests have Hazel on the drop down.

Pressing test 1 - I get William Pressing test 2 - I get female (possibly Hazel?)

Now if I select William on both drop downs.

Pressing test 1 - I get William Pressing test 2 - I get William

I am not sure how to interpret these findings? On default (Hazel selected) test 1 gives me the William TTS that I want to use with ARC and test 2 (with Hazel selected) I get the female TTS. So I guess test 2 gets the TTS gender right, whilst test 1 gives me William when Hazel is selected (and Hazel cannot be selected)?

Tony