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[Brandt]

Let's face it, my text to speech guy sounds robotic. Even with good commercial text-to-speech software they can sound robotic. What about a nice soft female voice? What does BVC sound like? I can't use BVC cause I'm on linux, but I want my computer to sound better 

[HA Dave]

What about a nice soft female voice? What does BVC sound like? I can't use BVC cause I'm on linux, but I want my computer to sound better 

I am no expert on linux. I know it has its uses... like for a decent server OS. But linux would NOT be my choice for Home Automation. There are just too many apps that are limited to MicroSoft. Actually... I would not even choose Visa or 7... I'd stick with an old XP Home (not pro). With linux you might be stuck with wav file recordings to get a decent sound. You can make them here at the AT&T Labs Natural Voices Demo Page.

I use BVC on an old XP P3 computer. Everything runs fine 24/7 (knock on wood). I use a upgraded computer voice (16 bit). I forget the name of the male voice... I use the Kate voice. Kate is one of our family here... and she doesn't sound the least bit robotic. You can hear her in many of my videos

[dave w]

Let's face it, my text to speech guy sounds robotic.

$0.02
Actually I am looking for a very robotic voice. (i.e  Cylons from the old Battlestar Galactica series) I want something a lot more synthetic than "Microsoft Mike". I use motion sensing and steered audio outside the house to warn possible intruders away. I figure the more synthetic and emotionless the voice, the more threathening it sounds. Apple used to have a very robotic voice in the old Mac, but I can't find anything like it for the Microsoft speech engine.

[HA Dave]

.... I figure the more synthetic and emotionless the voice, the more threathening it sounds.

I think you may have a good point there! I have even thought of including a phrase to my pleasant Kate Voice Warning. After warning that the Site is restricted and off-site video monitored... I thought it might sound more threatening if Kate added "have a nice day". Sort of a subliminal, snaky threat.

[Knightrider]

Seems to me that Audacity (freeware) still has an extension out there called "Killringer" or something like that.  Just record your own voice, process it through that puppy and you have an instant "Dalek" (the remote controlled sears shop vacs with light bulbs stuck to them).

EXTERMINATE!!!!!!

[pconroy]

cause I'm on linux

me too.

All of the speech snyth's I've tried, and admittedly that's about 3 or 4 over the years, sound --> synthesized. 
Seems to me the only way to make it sound 100% natural is to record the tracks and then trigger their playback.

[dave w]

Seems to me that Audacity (freeware) still has an extension out there called "Killringer" or something like that.  Just record your own voice, process it through that puppy and you have an instant "Dalek" (the remote controlled sears shop vacs with light bulbs stuck to them).

EXTERMINATE!!!!!!

Thanks, I will check it out.

I also have the back yard message punctuated with a wave file of a 12ga pump, "getting pumped".  I probably should make a window sticker that says "Protected by Browning". All of the hairless and toothless meth chemists in the area know what that means.