VoiceTest

Short:        Narrator setting test program.
Author:       mbarlow@pacific.telebyte.net  (M. L. Barlow)
Uploader:     mbarlow pacific telebyte net  (M  L  Barlow)
Type:         util/misc
Architecture: m68k-amigaos
Distribution: Unlimited.
Date:         21 Aug 1996
Status:       Beta-Experimental. (Dev. on A4000)

Requirements:  Requires Narrator.device, V37 required for full
functionality; Translator.device (if Version 42/43, American.accent
preferred); external speakers (at least 6" dia recommended for best
sounding voice).

Description:  This is a simple bare-bones utility for testing 14 of the 
programmable settings of the OS-2.04 Narrator.device.  The primary
function intended for this program is the determination of "optimum"
voice settings, especially those new settings introduced with OS-2.

    This program differs from others of this type in that it runs
continuously on preset internal text, the first 40 or so sentences from a
(now) public domain novel.  Thus, the user can focus on adjusting the
parameters without re-entering text.  A scrolling display shows the exact
values of the settings in use.  14, full-height, simple slider gadgets are
provided corresponding to the scroller.

    The default voice settings are the soft and hard voice options I use
in WreadFiles 5.1.  Clicking on the "VoiceTest" Gadget alternately resets
to one of these settings.  The MALE/FEMALE gadget toggles the sex.  The
current sex is displayed.

Program Controls:

The parameters are as follows:

1. pitch:          Baseline pitch in Hertz
2. sampfreq:       Audio sampling frequency
3. rate:           Speaking rate (words/minute)
---
(OS-2.04 Narrator (V37) required for the following sliders to appear)

4. A1adj:          Formant 1 amplitude adjustment in decibels
                   (crackles if (A1adj+AVbias)>1
5. A2adj:          Formant 2 amplitude adjustment in decibels
6. A3adj:          Formant 3 amplitude adjustment in decibels
---
7. F1adj:          Formant 1 frequency adjustment in 5% steps
8. F2adj:          Formant 2 frequency adjustment in 5% steps
9. F3adj:          Formant 3 frequency adjustment in 5% steps
---
10. F0enthusiasm:  accent controlled pitch modulation factor
                   (values greater than 32 can produce a crying effect)
11. articulate:    Transition time multiplier
12. F0perturb:     Amount random pitch modulation (perturbation).
---
13. AVbias:        Vowel amplitude bias
14. AFbias:        Fricative amplitude bias

  Programmers use these values to set up a data table before calling DoIO,
BeginIO, or SendIO.

  Only the first three of these parameters can be set by the "say"
command.  

  Warning: This is experimental software.  It has not been tested with
other system configurations.  Use at your own risk. 

                               <>MLB<>