# Is there a way to make speech on my computer that sound like Stephen Hawking's? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575 "2003-12-17T18:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/1 "2003-12-17T18:27:53Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/2 "2003-12-17T18:34:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/3 "2003-12-17T19:08:39Z")
Go to Control Panel, then Speech. It’s built into XP. Not sure how you actually use it in an application, though. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/4 "2003-12-17T19:12:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/5 "2003-12-17T19:21:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/6 "2003-12-17T19:29:22Z")
How do you use the XP text to voice thingy in toher applications, anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/7 "2003-12-17T20:01:51Z")
[MC Hawking](http://www.mchawking.com/faq.php) used a shareware program called WillowTALK. Unfortunately it’s no longer available for download from the manufacturer. Email me for more information. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/8 "2003-12-17T21:13:04Z")
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. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/9 "2003-12-17T21:32:58Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/10 "2003-12-17T22:55:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/11 "2003-12-17T23:11:20Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/12 "2003-12-17T23:25:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/13 "2003-12-17T23:38:18Z")
Speakonia is great, sounds just like Hawking! Thanks **Mangetout**! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/14 "2003-12-17T23:49:08Z")
[http://revtim.250free.com/thx.mp3](http://revtim.250free.com/thx.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/15 "2003-12-18T00:33:58Z")
Google for Text To Speech applications. Or if you are a developer you can use SAPI to create a program. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/16 "2003-12-18T01:00:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*[http://revtim.250free.com/thx.mp3](http://revtim.250free.com/thx.mp3) \*\* You’re most welcome, [but](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/mangetout.mp3) [sub](You have to spell some words phonetically to force the pronunciation)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/17 "2003-12-18T01:11:28Z")
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 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/18 "2003-12-18T01:16:51Z")
And here I thought it was “Magnet Out.” What all are you eating in French? ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/19 "2003-12-18T01:17:53Z")
…And looking at it closer it’s not even spelled like “magnet.” I’m feeling very intelligent… ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/20 "2003-12-18T01:18:15Z")
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 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575.md?page=2)