> Installation and activation
> Using Speechissimo
> Registering Speechissimo
> Questions and Answers
> Support contact form

Installation and activation

Once you have ordered your copy of Speechissimo, and your order has been processed, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

In addition to installation instructions, this e-mail contains, for each requested language, one link from which you can download the installation program and one activation key.

Warning : to install and register keys, you need to have access to an adminisrator account on your Mac.

1. To perform the installation, double-click on the speechissmoXX.dmg file you have downloaded. This will launch the Installer application which guides you through the steps necessary to install Speechissimo.

2. When the installation is complete, you will find Speechissimo in Applications directory.

3. To install a new language you must exit the Speechissimo application if it is running and proceed as previously explained.

4. Before using Speechissimo, you must activate it for each language you have installed. After the first installation, a dialog box automatically opens when you launch Speechissimo. To register keys for additional languages, see Registering Speechissimo.

Note : When you install several languages for Speechissimo, make sure you install them on the same "destination disk".

Registering Speechissimo

When you order Speechissimo, you will receive a registration key, by e-mail :

1. Click on the Register key item in the Speechissimo Options menu (for the first registration the dialog box will launch itself)

2. Copy the registration key from the e-mail into the editable field of the dialog box and click OK.

3. Your Speechissimo is now registered, and can be used with no limit. Make sure you keep a copy of the registration key (and if possible the installation file) in a safe place (on a CD, or at least keep the key on paper) as you will need to repeat this operation if you reinstall your system and Speechissimo. If you do loose your key or have any problems registering, installing or using Speechissimo, please contact us via the support form.

More details on the download/registration page.

Using Speechissimo

Speechissimo is very simple to use.
In "Always on top" mode (default mode), the Speechissimo window is always visible and you can :

- Select the language and gender by clicking on the flag button
   (when you have a single voice version, this button is not activated)

- Read the text contained in the clipboard by clicking the Play button (arrow)
or
- Drag and Drop a highlighted text on the Speechissimo windows and it will be read out automatically.

- Stop reading the text by clicking the Stop button (square)

- Switch to normal window mode by click on the Always on top item of the Options menu.
  In normal window mode, Speechissimo is visible only when it is activated.

Questions and answers

What is a Clipboard ?

The Clipboard is a place where information that you have cut or copied is stocked. That information is stored there so you can paste it in the same document, or in another document.

- The Cut command is used to remove highlighted information (text, graphics) from a document. The information is then stored on the clipboard, ready to be pasted in another place.
- The Copy command copies highlighted text and graphics into the clipboard without removing the original data. To remove the text in one place and put it somewhere else, use the cut command instead of copy.
- The Paste command inserts all text and graphics that are on the clipboard into a document. These graphics and text are inserted where the cursor is.

 

What is highlighted text ? How do I highlight text ?

Highlighting is selecting text using your mouse or keyboard. To highlight an item, click your mouse before the first letter of the text you are highlighting. Without releasing the mouse button, move the mouse to the end of the text you are trying to select. Release the mouse button. That text is now highlighted.

Can I add longer pauses, or change the way the text is read ?

Yes, if you can edit the text, you can add "speech tags" to change the way the text is read :
- \pause{10000} will pause the text for 10000 miliseconds.
- \speed{120} will set the speed at 120% of normal speed. The speed can vary from -80 to +900, with default speed at 0.
- \pitch{-10} will set the pitch of the voice at -10. Basic pitch is set at 0 and can vary between -90 and +400.

I have dropped text into the window and listened to it, but if I press play again, I get a different text...

The text that you drag and drop into the Speechissimo window is not copied into the clipboard, so if you press the play button, the contents of the clipboard will be read, and not the dropped text. If you want to read the text you dropped into the window again, you will need to drag and drop it again, or copy it into the clipboard and press play.

Can I record the sound output in mp3 or another sound format ?

No, the current version of Speechissimo does not include that function. However, you can capture the output with specialised software such as Audio Hijack Pro...

Can I use the Speechissimo voices instead of the Apple voices ?
Can I use Speechissimo as a Service ?
Can I use script with Speechissimo ?

No, the current version of Speechissimo cannot be scripted or used like the in-OS voices provided by Apple.

Does Speechissimo work on Windows ?

NO. Speechissimo is only available for Mac OS X 10.2 or higher.

Does Speechissimo work on the new Intel Macs ?

The current version was designed before they appeared, so Speechissimo may not work on Intel Mac processors.

Support

For any questions about Speechissimo Mac that are not answered above,
please use this form to contact us :

© Elan Speech 2003, all rights reserved.
Speechissimo and Digalo are registered trademarks of Elan Speech.