- Install the free SVOX Classic Text-To-Speech engine from Android Market
- Install an SVOX Mobile Voice, such as US English “Grace“
- Run the installed voice app once to complete its installation
- On Android 2.2, go to Settings -> Voice input & output -> Text-to-speech settings
- On Android 2.1, and earlier install the free TTS Service Extended App and open it
- Enable Svox Classic TTS engine at the bottom of the screen.
You’ll see a message that “the speech synthesis engine may be able to collect all the text that will be spoken, including personal data like passwords and credit card numbers.” Note that the SVOX Classic TTS engine does not collect any data or send them off the device - Go to Default Engine and select Svox Classic TTS
- Go to Default Language and select the language for which you have purchased a voice
- Click on “Listen to an example” to hear a short greeting
- If the voice you hear is not the voice you purchased, try the following: select Pico again as default engine and play a preview, then again select Svox Classic as default engine and play a preview
- Uncheck “Override App Settings”
- Open an app such as Talk To Me Classic or Talking Box, enter a text and enjoy your new SVOX Mobile Voice reading it aloud
Notes:
- Google Navigation requires that the text-to-speech voice matches the phone language. You can change the phone language in Android Settings -> Language & keyboard -> Select language
- If you’ve downloaded the SVOX voice to enjoy listening to pdf’s, email messages, navigation directions, or other content, you need to install an app that handles this content and sends it to the Android Text-to-Speech interface. Check here for a list of apps that support TTS
- Google Navigation and several other apps don’t support the TTS Extended interface, therefore they continue to use Pico even if you have purchased an SVOX voice. You need to upgrade to Android 2.2 to be able to change the voice.
- If you receive error code -18 when trying to install a voice, the installation fails because of a locked file. Solutions are to manually remove “/mnt/secure/asec/smdl2tmp1.asec” or an empty folder named “.android_secure”. Download a file manager app such as OI File Manageror File Manager. Navigate up from sdcard/ to mnt/, then down into secure/ and asec/ and delete smdl2tmp1.asec.
SVOX Mobile Voices 
Your program & English (UK) female voice works well in my HTC Desire (Android 2.2) through my Sat Nav CoPilot live 8 but is there ant way to get it to read my text messages to me whilst I’m driving?
hello,
i want to use svox on a ms speech server, is this possbile? do i need any other software or API?
I installed as above on Dell Streak (Android 2.1) and can hear the voice on Talk Tome but NOT on google map or any other program (example Sky News : Read article).
Please advise
Unfortunately Google Navigation does not support the TTS Extended API for 2.1. Hopefully you can upgrade to Android 2.2 soon. Then Google Navigation can use the SVOX voices.
On my Android 2.2.1 phone, installing the “Grace” language pack seems to work, but the TTS settings panel never enables the means to either listen to a sample or select a language.
Is Android 2.2.1 not supported?
Android 2.2.1 should work.
Have you scrolled down to the bottom of the TTS settings panel and enabled SvoxClassic?
How do you select between two voices?
I have UK English and Dark Lord voices, with Dark Lord being installed second. An example only plays with the UK English voice.
You need to change the default language in text-to-speech settings to switch between these voices. In a next version, we will list all English voices under the same tab in “Svox Classic Settings” at the bottom of the text-to-speech settings menu. In which apps are you using the voices?
That did the trick. I’m just using the built in Accessibility program, Good Morning and Talk-A-Droid, so far. Haven’t tried it with navigation yet.
when i launch google navigation after installing svox + swe language, navigation claims i have to install a text-to-talk engine, which i already have. upon clicking ‘install’.
it gives me a choice between pico and svox, but in both selections, navigation brings me to market.. what gives..
There have been problems matching the language required by Google Navigation and the language registered by our voices. Update 2.0.9 of the Classic Engine should fix the problem also for Swedish. Please confirm.
We’re aware of this problem. Has something to do with the language codes, again. We’re working on a fix. Sorry for the delay
I also have this exact problem when trying to use the German female voice (version 2.0.1) in Google navigation. I have Svox Classic TTS version 2.0.14 installed. Can someone advise?
Thanks.
Jrob
“Open an app such as TalkToMe or uNote, enter a text and enjoy your new Mobile Voice reading it aloud”
How exactly? I just entered a text in uNote. Then what? There is no option under MENU or otherwise that starts the phone reading, as far as I can see.
It’s in the settings of uNote. You can also try Talk-a-droid, it is designed for reading your notes whereas in uNote the reading aloud is more a hidden feature.
I purchased and installed latest version (2.0.11) with french voice on HTC Desire running android 2.2.
My phone language is set to English (Netherlands). Setting all defaults to SVOX Classic and French language all lead to the same result: Google Navigation prompt to install Text-to-speech engine on start up.
I tried to set phone language to french and there it works but I don’t want this as English is my preferred language.
The only reason why I need a french voice is that streets name in Belgium are not well pronounced using the English voice (in fact nearly unrecognizable)
If anyone has a solution, I would really be happy 🙂
Unfortunately Google Navigation insists on loading the voice matching your phone language. You either need to change your phone language to French, or install an English..
So essentially I cannot use the German voice for navigation only? I have to somehow change the language to German for everything on the phone? Not exactly what I imagined when I purchased the voice.
JRob
Many users have requested to use a different voice for navigation only. We are checking if this could be supported within the Android TTS framework.
Isn’t it possible to implement a feature to make a voice report itself as the same language.
With this it would be possible to use the phone in English (what I prefer) and the TTS in another language. Wouldn’t it?
It’s a possibility. But doesn’t the prompt consist of an English part “In 200 meters, turn right onto” and a local streetname?
Is SVOX mobile tts pro available? I saw the demo of it on the website and it looks great. I have a Samsung Fascinate and would love that application. Is that the only app that will speak emails, calendar items and text messages? I would love that functionality on my phone. Thanks
How do you backup the Voices?
Not sure what you mean? The voices stay installed on your device. You can always reinstall from Market should this be needed.
Hello. I just purchased the English Female voice for downloading onto my Samsung Intercept running Eclair (v2.1). After going through the recommended setup, I can hear the example just fine, but if I try to use the voice in Google Navigation or a program like Tecarta’s Kjv Bible, the pico voice is what is heard. Why doesn’t this work? What else do I need to do? Thank you.
Not to sound paranoid, but exactly what does “This speech synthesis engine may be able to collect all the text that will be spoken, including personal data like passwords and credit card numbers.” mean? If it [is] able to collect this data, what does it do with it and why does it ‘collect’ any data to begin with?
Good question. The warning comes from Android, not from SVOX. Our software does not collect texts or send them off the device.
Thanks for the quick reply, truly, I was hesitant to activate the app.
I have purchased the UK Victoria voice but when I go into Text-to-speech settings > Svox Classic TTS settings, it does not list any installed voices. If I open the Svox Classic TTS app it says that the voice is installed.
I am on android 2.2
Sorry, I managed to solve the issue.
When I was installing the voice, I was just clearing the notification. Re-installed it and this time clicked on the notification. It then brought up another screen that said it was installing to the sd card. Once this had completed I went into TTS settings and everything is working.
I love this app! I use it for navigation in Danish, and have my phone set up to Danish.
Could it not be possible that it could recognise English in “google translate” and not try to speak the English text in Danish?
I have the English voice installed correctly.
Ups, I figured it out. On the phone under Settings > Text-to-speech, I had “Always use my settings” checked. Unchecked that and the Google Translate app speech is working much better.
I want to know if svox works woth google translate. If I buy the Misaki japanese voice will it read out loud the written in english translated txt?
It certainly does. And will.
My initial draw to this app was my quest to replace the utterly disturbing default voice of Google Maps, and once I finally determined how to install it, the issue seemed resolved.
Unfortunately, the same voice has also seemed to make any notifications be announced. Any ideas on rectifying this?
Perhaps you enabled TalkBack in the Accessibility settings or downloaded an app like Enhanced Caller ID that speaks notifications?
Installed Victoria English Voice and relevant SVOX apps on my Android 2.2 tablet the Advent Vega yesterday and tested it with the ‘Super Text to Speech’ app which worked nicely.
Went to Google ‘Car Home’ app (which had been running fine before install) and it NO LONGER WORKS each time I press Navigate it now says ‘Activity not found’ so now trying to recover the situation. Have uninstalled all SVOX apps & voice have unistalled then re-installed Google Maps & Car Home but still the same message so it looks like I may need to re-flash my system !!
I have now managed to recover the situation myself by re-installing Victoria voice and SVOX app and setting the TTS settings ‘Default Engine’ back to ‘Pico TTS’ running ‘Car Home’ on default voice for a while THEN go back to TTS settings and change ‘Default Engine’ to ‘Svox Classic TTS’ and now Google Navigate has picked up the new voice and is working again.
Goodness knows what combination of actions made it work but now it does and so I’m off to have a stiff drink 😉
Ignore last post cos after rebooting the tablet I was back to square one with Car Home app not working grrrr. Had to uninstall all SVOX apps and reload CarHome, CarHomeLauncher & Maps into system/app folder from scratch before it would work. I shall stick with the default voice now I think and put the £2 fee down to experience.
I’m in Thailand and Market here does not have any paid apps. Is there any other channel to buy the voices? Maybe put them on SlideMe?
That’s what Tapatalk did.
I’m getting Spanish to English voice translation but not the reverse on Talk to Me app. What gives? Anyone else having the same problem?
Figured it out using Language Override. Thanks.
I have Android 2.1. I installed TTS Service Extended App and and I listen to example, I hear “Micheal” voice; however, when I attempt to use speak option of Moon Reader Pro, it reverts to default female voice. No matter what options I select I can not get Michael voice to work with Moon Reader Pro. Why is that?
Please write to the developer of Moon Reader Pro to support the TTS Extended API
When I try to download a language (Greek), show a message that cannot find the address I ask…I have HTC desire z and Android 2.2.1
I have installed as directed on my LG Optimus V with android 2.2.1, and it works fine with Google Navigation, but how do I get it to read from other apps such as text editors, web browser, or my e-book app Amazon Kindle (from android market)
So if i have this already downloaded, how do i get it to read anything i want? like google books?
Please check the growing list of apps that support the TTS API: https://svoxmobilevoices.wordpress.com/gallery/.
Hello. When can I have/purchase similar text to speech AND speech to text capabilities? I love my SVOXX Victoria speech engine and wish to integrate fully.
Thanks, Jim
Have a look at the Vlingo app for speech-to-text
How do I get this program to read my text messages out loud?
I installed this because I saw it on appbrain listed as “FREE”. I would buy some voices if I could sample. There is no other TTS option beside Pico. -Moto Droid 1 with MIUI
Hi!
I bought the french Aurelie SVOX a long time ago, was working, great job!
After a wipe, i keeps on downloading it. when it goes to 100%, no installation, it downloads it again.
It makes one week that i’m trying.
Android 2.2.1, i’m in china but I had no problem to re download and install my paid applications by using MarketEnabler.
Any idea? Thanks
The French female voice is very bad. Both female Spanish voices, Mexican & European, are excellent. Please do something to the French one.
Sorry guys for rushing to report the problem. I’ve cleared it by unchecking ALWAYS USE MY SETTINGS. Now French female voice is also excellent.
i buy SVOX US English Grace Voice today
but give massage ( package file was not signed correctly)
Can this program be used to read pdf files? If so how.
Thanks
Any way to add Catholic One and maybe Divine Office?
I have installed the SVOX Greek/Ελληνικά Ariadne and theSVOX UK English Victoria on my Nexus S. I have installed the Announcify so as to read the caller’s name. The issue I come up with is that I have to set one of those languages rach time so if I choose Greek and the name is in Greek its ok but if is English it reads nothing. Is there anything to detect in which language is the caller’s name so as to read it?
Hi listen
OK forget it. Problem magically solved after 2 hours.
I use the female UK voice with navigation on my Android 2.2. Pretty good apart from road names. She pronounces A as ‘uh’ not ‘ay’ and B as ‘buh’ not ‘bee’.