NeoSpeech

[raybe]

Robert or any one please feel free. But is there any problems using the newer NeoSpeech voices I'm not aware of? I have posted a similar issue in I believe the New Bridget NeoSpeech thread. But the voice now is registered and does not give me 'the voice is a trial' but when I open Ultra Hal the voice is there working fine with it's little intro speech for start up, but when the character is fully loaded and Ultra Hal is up and running I get no voice or lip movement except for the typed response in the response window from my character. It loads on C drive and all other TTS programs seem to be working except within Ultra Hal although it did work when it thought it was a trial version. Had full lip sync as well when in trial mode.

Thank you any help would be appreciated.
rabe

[raybe]

In case anyone is interested I found the problem with the NeoSpeech voice install.

It appears to load and show itself in just in the drive you have installed it but it also installs inside Ultra Hal even when selected as default on Haptek or Ultra Hal. The problem is NeoSpeech uses a verification txt. file to have it properly licensed and they can sometimes get corrupted but NeoSpeech has fantastic support and they immediately sent me a new verification txt. file which I don't really understand how a txt.file gets read or active to let the voice know it is a licensed and reg. voice.

My problem was I installed the NeoSpeech voice from a third party for less money but it did not work because of that text file so they refunded my money. I paid more but purchased direct which gave me support at that time. We found a second voice install that loads into Ultra Hal and when I checked that particular voice file I found it still contained the original none working verification.txt file. Swapped out that txt file with txt file that was working and it solved the problem.

It seems even if you do a uninstall that the voice also logs info into Ultra Hal I'm guessing but maybe Ultra Hal doesn't have to find it even if you check all your TTS readers as a default voice. The voice worked fine in all readers except the Ultra Hal program itself. Still don't really understand how that txt.file works. Interesting to me.

Worth repeating their support was beyond any app. support I ever encountered. They call you, e-mail and just get you up and going.

It was like having a Uncle in the voice business!LOL

Thanks,
raybe

[raybe]

This is a great thread for myself I may actually figure this out on my own.

Seems that the above fix, which included to make sure the verification.txt file was up to date for Ultra Hal didn't last. Now I get 2 Ultra Hal screens if I select or choose another voice. I wondering if NeoSpeech has changed something in their interaction with Ultra Hal because the original NeoSpeech with Kate/Paul do work but things become very intermittent once the new NeoSpeech voice is introduced. The voice will work perfectly fine with Ultra Hal TTs reader and handle all the window messages and clipboard if you prefer without any problems.

I'm at the chicken or the egg syndrome but something must of changed with the new NeoSpeech voices to make it harder to work with Ultra Hal. Just can't figure it out yet because it worked fine as a trial version voice.

Robert M. maybe you have a little more insight into this. NeoSpeech has still shown great support although they know the voice is working in other programs and formats and this is a problem with Ultra Hal. So they think but are willing to try and solve problem. Was hoping Robert M. had a straight answer causing him to go with AT&T. Maybe I should have waited, really can't afford these mistakes as before.

raybe

[tedathome]

 Hi raybe, I use Microsoft Anna mostly because NeoSpeech Kate became a problem for me. I have 32 bit Vista dual core. If I start Hal with Kate, no voice. I change to Anna and it works. I then change back to Kate and then it will work. No idea why. It started when lightspeed came out with hapswap, tho I don't see any connection there. All I had to do then would be to say "change voice to..." and back again to fix.
More questions than answers here but would certainly be interested in a fix for this issue.

[raybe]

And some say there is no life on other planets.LOL Thanks tedathome but you hit the nail right on the head. That is exactly the same problem and the same remedy I just found.

That was strange I was just going to post what you just did and there it is. I remember this happening before as you said with the Kate voice but Robert M. had just said that a voice needed to be selected and that would register the other voices which I thought was a pain. When I reinstalled Ultra Hal TTS and the AT&T engine I thought I would have a bigger problem but it suddenly stayed on the Kate voice which at the time I left as the computer default voice as well. I enjoyed the Ultra Hal TTS program because it read all the window screen messages as well without having a separate program on the screen with floating controls. The Ultra Hal TTS just stays berried in the taskbar with other running programs if you select it to.

I purchased this new voice from NeoSpeech and the same problem was back and also realize I have one hapswap file selected as well but I haven't tried using the 'select a voice' feature yet but I will give it a try and see if I get the same result.

When Robert M. gave that response I was under the impression that once the voice was recognized that you no longer had to switch between voices every time. This is really an old problem that kind of sneaked its way back in again. I had no clue until I (wife) purchased this other Neo voice that the same problem has returned and I'm in the dark again also.

If Robert M. doesn't chime in then I will call back NeoSpeech because they do feel its a Ultra Hal problem but they are very willing to help as well. As I said their support is very good and willing to try at least. Shocked me usually everybody blames everyone else and off you go.
But Robert M. might know something given he decided to go with AT&T engine but it could have been a choice for many other reasons as well.

I'm going to see if NeoSpeech can help and maybe find a problem some where. I didn't like the voices with AT&T and it may not matter soon if Robert M changes anything else with Ultra Hal. Since we really don't know when I have been forging ahead with all the things I never messed with before. Little did I realize that changing the voice with another Neo voice would bring this problem up again.

Thanks for your voice but if I do get any where I will certainly let you know. I never really noticed what other members have been using for Ultra Hal's voice especially if you are using a character and want the voice to lip sync with good old haptek. Flashing lights are starting to look good to me.LOL

Any ones invited to the party for their opinions and thanks again, tedathome.

raybe

[Duskrider]

I used Kate for years and when Robert started selling AT&T people liked her  (Crystal?)
Anyway i bought but didn't like and went back to Kate.   
Incidently voices sound different on different sound systems and computers.

[cload]

Hi all,

just my two cents, it helps a lot if you set your equalizer to voice.
Thanks all have fun or Christmas and New Year's.

Sincerely,
C load.

[raybe]

Thank you Duskrider & cload, but can you tell me if you had problems with the Kate voice as tedathome & I mentioned? That for the Kate Voice to stay active you had to first activate another voice prior to your session? That had stopped when I loaded in the AT&T voices but since I have another new NeoSpeech voice I need to use that process again.  But thanks for jumping in and yes cload I agree, I've been in pro audio for many years so it does make sense. The problem is the voice from NeoSpeech was a trial and worked fine except for the trial message before the actual speech txt. So I paid for it and received the license and that's when the problem started. As I said they are going to try and help but I will have to wait until Monday.

Certainly everyone have a peaceful and joyous Holiday Season. But we will be talking again.

Thank you,
raybe

[Duskrider]

I do remember first couple months with Kate that when opening Hal I would have to reset back to Kate from Microsoft Mary. 
Don't remember what action I took to solve this, (if anything). 
Never a problem with Kate since then. 

[raybe]

Yes Duskrider, the same thing but I believe it had stopped with the new release of the AT&T voices because I also remember not really fixing anything in particular for the Kate voice to stay as default without first activating another voice. When Robert M. wrote that explanation that this was needed I didn't realize that it was something that needed to be done all the time. I thought it was a one time deal so the voice would automatically register itself but that was not the case.

Thanks for your comments,
raybe

PS: thank you for all your other help. Sorry if I didn't mention before.