May 24, 2003
etc ... : Third Week in May "Memorial Weekend" broadcast.
On the technical front, we are pleased to announce the first Gutenberg Audio
Book to feature "Dialog Management",
a scripting feature that automatically recognizes dialog passages in a book,
and shifts to a different audio
context, just as live readers do when action takes place. This is the first
step in automatically generating
unique character voices for a work, a feat we expect to accomplish this very
summer.
Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan" is the vehicle for our first offering that uses
this exciting new form of TTS
automation.
Now that we have introduced a synth voice reader that can beat the average
volunteer reader 9 times out
of 10 for consistency, clarity and plain ole excitement (yep, that was a
challenge to anyone one there
that thinks he can do better ...), we wanted to put a live benchmark out there
that highlights the virtues
of a good live reading.
For that task, Bugsy makes a new reading of Ring Lardner's "The Real Dope", a
comedy classic of World War I,
and a big favorite of American Doug-boys in France. Now Bugsy is a real
actor, so we don't want to pit synth
against him! His
reading illuminates the good will and hope in the hearts of all the men who
went to save France in her hour
of need.
His letters to Al are as fresh as the morning dew, bringing his character to
life -- I can smell his
cigarette!
So here it is, Tarzan - an adventure classic - done better than you (or your
screen reader) can manage
for yourself, courtesy of "Dr. Kula", and "The Real Dope" the way you wish you
could do it.
Enjoy!
mike eschman, etc ...
http://www.etc-edu.com
"Not just an afterthought ...
--
gutenberg! yum!
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