VTML (VoiceText Markup Language) – This Powerful hidden gem in Text to Speech helps you control the generated speech by adding pause, changing the pitch, and other cool voice features.
This post on customizing text to speech Pronunciations received many comments requesting a way to control the generated speech with html like tags.
The interesting thing is that this feature is already there in Captivate! Even more interesting is the fact that it is so simple to use. All you need to do is insert the appropriate tags into the slide notes. You can type in (or copy paste) the tags just like you do any other text.
Just before making this post, I quickly tried few of them:
1. Hello I am here <vtml_pause time=”1000″/> for a break: Introduces a pause of 1 sec in between.
2. <vtml_speed value=”50″> This is my text </vtml_speed>: Helps you control the speed of the text
There are many more similar useful tags. The VTML tags are listed in Appendix C of the document here. It has examples as well on the usage.
Thanks for the share!
Thank you for sharing!
Is there a way to display captions for audio on the slide as well as for the video? For example, I have audio for a 30 second slide that I added captions for. However, say, at 15 seconds I show a video for the remaining 15 seconds. I want to show the slide audio captions for 15 seconds and I thought the video would show its own captions that I added from then on – but the first 15 seconds are blank until it gets to the video captions.
Could you share your results, please?
Works great in CP 9. Thanks! (using voice of ‘James’)
I have recorded text-to-speech for each slide.
I can hear the narrator when I play the slide.
When I play the project, I cannot hear the narrator.
Any ideas?
Hi Marilyn, can you please share the project with us at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com to investigate the issue.
I am using Captivate 8 and having the same problem as Jennifer Poore. Agent saying the tag.
Be sure to add the close tag after the text you are modifying: This close tag has to appear in the text for every slide where you change the speed. So, the whole sequence is:
This is the text here.
Next line of text.
Etc.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Bob.
I am using Paul Voice. The word Created is not pronouced corectly can some one help with that?
We tried with the vmtl tag with great result in speed. Following is example of tag: Click on the Missions link
Hey…this tag for speed just does not seem to work, is there any tip that someone can give?
I have Captivate 5 as a standalone program (not Adobe Elearning Suite). I have the voices installed and didn’t have any problems changing the text to speech to the Kate voice. But it still sounds all wrong…I have no idea how to change the pitch and emphasis on words. The files that might be for that don’t open. ????
I have attempted to use the tag in the slide notes prior to the text but the text to speech agent actually is saying the vtml tag. Am i applying this in the wrong place?
Same for me, anyone test these tags ?
Having the same trouble here. Does anyone from Adobe monitor these messages?
The tags worked for me in captivate 5, but since upgrading to 5.5 I am having the same problem. Boo…
Be sure to add the close tag after the text you are modifying:
So, the whole sequence is:
This is the text here.
I am using just the trial version. I need to convice my boss to buy this for the company. However, if they hear the voice – – – it’s not good. It doesn’t have Paul. Can I install that in the trial version?
You can install all TTS voices even in AdobeCaptivate ‘s trial mode. The voices can be downloaded from the Cp trial download page.
I liked Paul and Katie from Captivate 4. I now have Captivate 5. Can I get them back?
Thanks for your help.
Denise, the Paul and Kate voices are included as NeoSpeech voices on CD 2. You should have 5 voices alltogether. Install both the Loquendo and Neospeech voices.
Is there a VTML command that creates emphasis on a word or phrase? I’m playing with pitch, volume and speed, and not really getting what I’m after.
Thanks.
The link has the word neospeech attached to the end of it. You need to cut that off. https://ondemand.neospeech.com/vt_eng-Engine-VTML-v3.9.0-3.pdf
Also a dead link
Well the link took me to a VTML for Korean. Is there a different one for US English?
Tried the link for the US version of the VTML but it kept coming back as not being found.
Sounds great though if I can find it.
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Leive,I can understand your frustration, but the VTML standard was created by the company that created the particular voices/TS Engine used (their engineers were also involved in the SSML standard, go figure), and I’ve included a link to the US version of the VoiceText User’s Guide. https://ondemand.neospeech.com/vt_eng-Engine-VTML-v3.9.0-3.pdfNeospeech also has a web-based service that DOES accept SSML at http://ws.neospeech.com, but for SSML support you do have to pay – but they DO have a free account for folks that have limited TTS conversion needs.Unfortunately for us, there are not very many good quality TTS voices that are within the range of the average developers pocketbook. Neospeech voices were probably choosen for their willingness to sub-license their voices per application – that’s why it works within captivate only (or so I assume).Personally, Loquendo voices are by far the best I’ve heard, and they also have there own emotion mark-up langauge which makes their voices appear very natural – it’s almost spooky. But, their licensing is also very expensive, and unless you plan on creating a lot of e-learning it’s a bit pricey. They also sub-license their voices to individual applications, such as Character Builder (Flash-based character scripting/animation program) http://www.mediasemantics.com
The link provided is now dead.. FYI.
Just a simple question, is it possible to change the encoding quality of the T2S engine from 16khz/16bit to 44khz/16 bits.
I think it is a shame that a company like Adobe selected a proprietary control method like vtml??? The industry already has a well established standard… SSML (speech synthesis markup language). Why tie customers to a proprietary non-standards based method? Who are the speech engines that support this besides your Korean partner? Will my high-quality Cepstral voices take advantage of this?Even more vexing…vtml is a copy of SSML. Brilliant – take an open standard and slightly change all the descriptors so they don’t work with other engines. How difficult would it have been to support the proper SSML method that ALL speech engines conform to? I’m going to take a second time-out now.
Great revelation, more of that please!
Great revelation, more of that please!
Grrrr – I spent ages looking for something like this a couple of months ago and didn;t find it.THANK YOU – now I can make TTS sound more natural in Captivate :-DSteve
It’s great that we can modify the VTML; however, when i tested Kate and Paul’s voice with a script, the voice sound computerized. Would modify the VTML (adding breaks and speed) resolve this issue?
No. It can make the voice sound more natural in the way they speak but, it does not change the quality of the words that are spoken.
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