Is there a way to make speech on my computer that sounds like Stephen Hawking’s simulator?
I have both Windows XP and Mandrake Linux.
Yes, search for “speech synthesizer.” There are about a billion of them. They’ve been around in freeware form since the early 1980s at least.
Go to Control Panel, then Speech. It’s built into XP. Not sure how you actually use it in an application, though.
I think what the OP was asking is which speech synthesizer sounds the most like Stephen Hawking’s. The closest one I know of (unfortunately for you) is the “Fred” voice available for Macs. It may also be available for Windows or Linux, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Yeah, I’m looking for one specifically that sounds like Hawking’s. Google searches haven’t come up with much.
The XP male voices are kinda similar, but I’d like something closer.
How do you use the XP text to voice thingy in toher applications, anyone know?
MC Hawking used a shareware program called WillowTALK. Unfortunately it’s no longer available for download from the manufacturer. Email me for more information.
Like MikeS said, the “Fred” voice in the Mac’s speech system sounds somewhat like Hawkings. If nothing else, you can pick a voice, then adjust the pitch and speed to match.
And it’s easy to use with MacOS X, too – just highlight some text (in any application), then go to the Application’s menu and find “Services >> Speech,” and click “Speak selection”. Having your computer read you the contents of a web site while you’re getting dressed is tres geeky. 
Dr watson! Well, that’s what Creative called it when it came out. Most movie versions of his speach (I’ve never heard him in RL) use what I would call the Dr Watson speach engine to make that computerized sound.
I probably still have the program somewhere in my box of drivers. It should be online I’m sure (but it was originally a DOS program).
A few years ago I had a program called DocTalk that would read the text of the currently selected window in a number of voices. The Hawking voice was one of them (though I used the Colossus voice more often). I couldn’t find it from a search on Google, but I wonder if it’s still around.
Amazing!
I just signed on to ask how to record the output from a voice synthesiser program. I’d like to use talkany to record some narration for a video.
I can probably handle the output as .wav or .wma files and I have two fairly new computers.
On another topic, someone suggested it may be possible to re-route the output from the sound card back into the soundcard, which sounded pretty sketchy to me, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Suggestions?
I have used a freeware program called Speakonia - it has a range of voices and one of them sounds very close to Hawking’s machine. Speakonia will also output directly to .wav files.
I believe that also when you install it on XP, Speakonia’s voices become available to the XP narrator applet.
Speakonia is great, sounds just like Hawking! Thanks Mangetout!
Google for Text To Speech applications. Or if you are a developer you can use SAPI to create a program.
You’re most welcome, but
[sub](You have to spell some words phonetically to force the pronunciation)[/sub]
Well, since we’re on the topic, Mangetout, would you please explain your nick? I all pronounced it Man-get-out.
I’ve been wondering this for ages, and since you mentioned it 
And here I thought it was “Magnet Out.” What all are you eating in French?
…And looking at it closer it’s not even spelled like “magnet.” I’m feeling very intelligent…
Some of the vocoders in Cubase do it well, but I do not recommend spending that sort of money unless you are fairly serious about it