# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**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 18, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/21 "2003-12-18T01:38:37Z")
It aint Mange-eh-tout!? Heh. ---
**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 18, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/22 "2003-12-18T01:54:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stan Doubt \* > \*\*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? \*\* Hijack. Not sketchy at all. If you have XP: Start the voice synthesizer program. Set it up to output to sound card. Go to Start \> Open all programs \> accessories \> entertainment \> sound recorder. Set up the sound recorded to record from the sound card. Press the record button Start your speech synth When done press the stop button then save as a WAV file. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/23 "2003-12-18T02:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by badmana \* > **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.** Don’t you mean Dr. SBAITSO? (Sound Blaster Acting Intelligent Text to Speech Operator, IIRC.) Dr. Watson is the guy inside Windows who logs your errors. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/24 "2003-12-18T03:11:24Z")
The MC Hawking guy says he uses WillowTALK to generate the very Hawking-like voices on his MP3s…but apparently it’s no longer available. e-bay perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/25 "2003-12-18T03:56:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DarrenS \* > \*\*The MC Hawking guy says he uses WillowTALK to generate the very Hawking-like voices on his MP3s…but apparently it’s no longer available. e-bay perhaps. \*\* Awesome! If you were just 16 posts earlier, you would not have known that **number** already told us that. Thanks. ---
**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 18, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/26 "2003-12-18T05:10:23Z")
_Cooking with Gas wrote:_ If you have XP: **Start the voice synthesizer program. Set it up to output to sound card.** How does one “set it up to output to sound card” in XP? Either talkany, speakonia, or any freeware program, I don’t care. Thanks again, and sorry about the Hijack. ---
**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, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/27 "2003-12-18T09:07:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eleusis \* > \*\*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 🙂 \*\* It is French for ‘Eats Everything’ or ‘Eat All’[of it] - it is also the name of a type of pea where the whole immature pod is eaten (AKA Snow Pea) ---
**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, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/28 "2003-12-18T09:15:13Z")
Ahhhhh! Very interesting, I like it. Thank you for indulging me. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575/29 "2003-12-18T09:24:53Z")
…I’d just been lazily reading it as “Magnet Trout.” 😃 And, by any chance would any of these Hawking-voice programs work on a Mac, aside from adjusting the rate of OS X’s “Fred”'s speech? …Didn’t think so. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-speech-on-my-computer-that-sound-like-stephen-hawkings/219575.md?page=1)