DECTALK(1dtk)

NAME
dectalk - DECtalk Software

DESCRIPTION

DECtalk software is text-to-speech software based on Force Computers' text-to-speech synthesis technology.

DECtalk software allows applications to convert standard ASCII text in any of several languages into highly intelligible and natural sounding speech, playable through audio hardware on Linux, Tru64 UNIX, and Windows systems.

For Linux, the software is offered in a unified Software Development Kit (SDK). For Tru64 UNIX, the software is organized into two subsets - a Runtime kit and a Development kit. The Runtime kit includes:

speak(1)
    an application that allows a user to synthesize a text file or text typed into a window. It provides control of voice and speaking rate and its interface is consistent with the Motif windowing environment.

aclock(1)
    an application that speaks clock time at set intervals

say(1),
    an application that allows a user to synthesize a text file to speech

windict(1)
    a Motif windows based user-dictionary compiler used to create customized pronunciation dictionaries

The Development kit includes:

•   A DECtalk Software application programming interface (API) to allow any application to include text-to-speech synthesis, with functions that support a rich set of text-to-speech features (detailed below).

•   C language sample code for the following applets: aclock, xmsay, say, and dtmemory.

DECtalk Software API functions support the following features:

•   Text-to-speech synthesis in several languages (currently US English, UK English, Castialian Spanish, Latin American Spanish, German, and French)

•   Nine defined voice personalities (four female, four male, and one child)

•   Ability to say letters, words, or phrases

•   Pause, continue, and stop speaking control

•   Variable speaking rates from 75 to 600 words per minute

•   Accurate letter-to-sound pronunciation rules

•   Large internal (fixed) dictionaries

•   Facilities for expanded developer-definable dictionaries

•   Punctuation control for pauses, pitch, and stress

•   Output stereo volume control

•   Ability to say proper names

•   User-defined pronunciation dictionary

•   Ability to synthesize to a file

•   Ability to synthesize to memory

•   Ability to play wave audio files

•   Ability to generate DTMF tones for dialing

•   Ability to generate tones of a specified frequency and duration

RELATED INFORMATION

aclock(1dtk), say(1dtk), speak(1dtk), windict(1dtk)

DECtalk Software Programmer's Guide

DECtalk Software Reference Guide