April 27, 2009
VTML tags in Text to Speech !
Comments
(44)
April 27, 2009
VTML tags in Text to Speech !
(44)

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.

44 Comments
2023-03-27 19:20:53
2023-03-27 19:20:53

Thanks for the share!

Like
2019-12-13 15:43:56
2019-12-13 15:43:56

Thank you for sharing! 

Like
(1)
2019-05-28 09:23:59
2019-05-28 09:23:59

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.

Like
2018-08-20 22:38:49
2018-08-20 22:38:49

Could you share your results, please?

Like
(2)
2017-06-07 13:09:41
2017-06-07 13:09:41

Works great in CP 9. Thanks! (using voice of ‘James’)

Like
2015-01-27 20:52:00
2015-01-27 20:52:00

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?

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-02-09 00:37:00
2015-02-09 00:37:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Hi Marilyn, can you please share the project with us at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com to investigate the issue.

Like
2014-06-12 22:49:00
2014-06-12 22:49:00

I am using Captivate 8 and having the same problem as Jennifer Poore. Agent saying the tag.

Like
(3)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-07-22 21:52:00
2015-07-22 21:52:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

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.

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-08-04 18:49:00
2015-08-04 18:49:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Thanks Bob.

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-08-04 18:50:57
2015-08-04 18:50:57
>
Anonymous
's comment

Thanks Bob.

Like
2013-08-20 16:54:00
2013-08-20 16:54:00

I am using Paul Voice. The word Created is not pronouced corectly can some one help with that?

Like
2012-08-16 20:38:00
2012-08-16 20:38:00

We tried with the vmtl tag with great result in speed. Following is example of tag: Click on the Missions link

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-03-12 17:40:00
2015-03-12 17:40:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Hey…this tag for speed just does not seem to work, is there any tip that someone can give?

Like
2012-05-18 19:21:00
2012-05-18 19:21:00

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. ????

Like
2011-11-04 20:05:00
2011-11-04 20:05:00

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?

Like
(4)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2011-11-16 01:57:00
2011-11-16 01:57:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Same for me, anyone test these tags ?

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2011-12-08 21:10:00
2011-12-08 21:10:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Having the same trouble here. Does anyone from Adobe monitor these messages?

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2012-01-04 22:42:00
2012-01-04 22:42:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

The tags worked for me in captivate 5, but since upgrading to 5.5 I am having the same problem. Boo…

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2015-07-22 21:48:00
2015-07-22 21:48:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

Be sure to add the close tag after the text you are modifying:

So, the whole sequence is:

This is the text here.

Like
2011-07-11 14:22:00
2011-07-11 14:22:00

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?

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2011-07-12 01:19:00
2011-07-12 01:19:00
>
Anonymous
's comment

You can install all TTS voices even in AdobeCaptivate ‘s trial mode. The voices can be downloaded from the Cp trial download page.

Like
2011-03-04 01:56:36
2011-03-04 01:56:36

I liked Paul and Katie from Captivate 4. I now have Captivate 5. Can I get them back?
Thanks for your help.

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2011-03-06 18:11:15
2011-03-06 18:11:15
>
Anonymous
's comment

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.

Like
2010-10-23 02:57:51
2010-10-23 02:57:51

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.

Like
2010-10-13 22:32:49
2010-10-13 22:32:49

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

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2017-03-07 17:28:48
2017-03-07 17:28:48
>
Anonymous
's comment

Also a dead link

Like
2010-09-29 19:42:01
2010-09-29 19:42:01

Well the link took me to a VTML for Korean. Is there a different one for US English?

Like
2010-08-16 21:09:07
2010-08-16 21:09:07

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.

Like
2009-08-14 23:21:31
2009-08-14 23:21:31

Your info is very valuable for me. Thank you very much. Keep writting more!

Like
2009-08-14 19:47:41
2009-08-14 19:47:41

Your info is very valuable for me. Thank you very much. Keep writting more!

Like
2009-07-31 19:25:55
2009-07-31 19:25:55

NIce piece of info. Really great! So, go on composing these fine purchase acomplia or purchase xenical or purchase adipex or purchase xanax or buspar articles

Like
2009-07-31 16:54:20
2009-07-31 16:54:20

NIce piece of info. Really great! So, go on composing these fine purchase acomplia or purchase xenical or purchase adipex or purchase xanax or buspar articles

Like
2009-07-31 16:50:50
2009-07-31 16:50:50

NIce piece of info. Really great! So, go on composing these fine purchase acomplia or purchase xenical or purchase adipex or purchase xanax or buspar articles

Like
2009-05-15 06:26:20
2009-05-15 06:26:20

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

Like
(1)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2017-03-07 17:27:35
2017-03-07 17:27:35
>
Anonymous
's comment

The link provided is now dead.. FYI.

Like
2009-05-13 00:06:33
2009-05-13 00:06:33

Just a simple question, is it possible to change the encoding quality of the T2S engine from 16khz/16bit to 44khz/16 bits.

Like
2009-04-28 02:22:28
2009-04-28 02:22:28

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.

Like
2009-04-28 01:02:14
2009-04-28 01:02:14

Great revelation, more of that please!

Like
2009-04-28 01:00:49
2009-04-28 01:00:49

Great revelation, more of that please!

Like
2009-04-27 18:13:34
2009-04-27 18:13:34

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

Like
(2)
>
Anonymous
's comment
2010-09-21 00:30:41
2010-09-21 00:30:41
>
Anonymous
's comment

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?

Like
>
Anonymous
's comment
2017-09-26 15:34:19
2017-09-26 15:34:19
>
Anonymous
's comment

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.

Like
Add Comment