Automating Text-to-Speech Video Narration

In last week’s article about the Aperture 2.0.1 update and its improved AppleScript support, I mentioned in passing that the narration used in some accompanying demonstration videos was artificial – the product of Mac OS X text-to-speech technology instead of a human voiceover (see “Aperture 2.0.1 Update Enhanced by AppleScript,” 2007-09-07).

However, I made one mistake, for which I must apologize to the women living inside my computer: the voice used in the video is not Victoria. I made a guess based on listening to the ladies in the Speech preference pane, but Sal Soghoian, product manager for automation technologies at Apple, set me straight. She’s Lucy, the female British English voice from Acapela (and available in AssistiveWare’s Infovox iVox; see “Macs Speak Clearly with Infovox iVox,” 2007-09-07).

Soghoian noted that his training podcasts all employ non-human voices. To learn how he’s making it work, check out the “Rendered Narrations” video at Automator.us.