On Nov 28, 1:37 am, Barry Salter wrote:
Boltar wrote:
What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take the one
at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to announce a Good
service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first installed. (Though that's
now been fixed).

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where there's a
(human) automated announcer it generally sounds more "natural"...Though
you can't beat a *properly trained* "live" announcer.


A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".