voice-to-speech prompts WAY too loud

Question

Level 1

14 points

voice-to-speech prompts WAY too loud

I've seen some posts about this on here but no one seems to know what to do to fix it: the overall sound volume on my PB is fine. I run itunes and view flash websites with sound on them and it's ok. the system alert voume is also ok. I also have voice to speech commands turned on to alert me to system functions and other things. the problem is that the volume of these voice prompts is EXTREMELY loud. the music is playing nicely, and then the voice of text-to-speech comes sreaming over the speakers. can someone tell me how to adujst this? I've tried the universal access controls but that does nothing, and there's no discreet volume control just for voice-to-speech prompts.

any ideas?

15" powerbook (new version), Mac OS X (10.4.3), 100 GB 7200 rpm hd

Posted on Mar 14, 2006 5:32 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 15, 2006 4:14 PM in response to gazerbeam

Note that both iTunes and system alert sound volumes are determined by two settings, whereas AFAIK the output volume for Text to Speech is only determined by the system Output volume setting in the Sound preference panel. Although this is probably not your problem, you haven't made it clear either.

Which are the settings for your system alerts sound volume? Is the system Output volume set to a high volume and the Alert volume set to a low volume, or the opposite, or something in between?

Also, does changing the voice in the Text to Speech preference panel make a difference?

iMac G5 17" (iSight) Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Reply

Answer 2

gazerbeam Author

Level 1

14 points

Mar 19, 2006 7:27 AM in response to gazerbeam

hmm, here's what I've tried. I can adjust the system output volume overall (either in the sound panel or with the keyboard) and I can adjust the volume within the itunes application (to the left of the display panel in itunes). but those seem to be the only volume sliders I can find system-wide. there is a volume adjustment for Universal Access Voice Over but I do not use that; I use Voice-to-Speech, which is different. and there does not seem to be a voice to speech volume adjustment specifically. changing the voice of voice to speech makes no difference, and that should not be the solution in any case.

the main problem is as I stated earlier: I get the itunes volume and the overall system volume to a comfortable level, (including system alerts, which are different from V2S alerts) and as soon as a V2S alert occurs, the voice comes screaming out of the speakers, far louder than anything else. what I'm really looking for is a system-wide volume "mixer" that shows every sound-producing piece of the system. a shareware volume mixer would be ideal.

Reply

Answer 3

Mar 19, 2006 8:24 AM in response to gazerbeam

There is another volume control that you seem to have missed. This has probably nothing to do with your problem, but you should be aware of it anyway.

In the System Preferences... > Sound preference panel, make sure the Sound Effects pane has been selected. There, in addition to the Output volume, there should also be an Alert volume, both in the same window.

there is a volume adjustment for Universal
Access Voice Over but I do not use that;

I wasn't talking about Universal Access' Voice Over. Anyway, as far as I know, there is no volume control for Voice Over, so I don't really understand what are you talking about here.

I use Voice-to-Speech

I suppose you mean Text-to-Speech, right?

and there does not seem to be a voice to
speech volume adjustment specifically.

Correct. I didn't mean there was one either.

voice of voice to speech makes no difference, and
that should not be the solution in any case.

No, it shouldn't be a solution. I suggested it for troubleshooting only.

the main problem is as I stated earlier

I understood the problem then and I understand it now and I don't really know why this happens to you nor how to solve it. I'm just trying to help by ensuring that you're aware of all the system settings that could have a bearing on this.

Reply

Answer 4

Mar 19, 2006 9:36 AM in response to gazerbeam

Just to clarify, what is missing from your description of the problem is:

What exactly do you do to get "comfortable" output levels for the other sounds on your system? What is your system-wide Output volume level in the Sound preference panel? Is it set to a high output level or to a low output level? What are the settings for the other volume controls that play a role in each of the other sounds?

Could it be that the system-wide Output volume level is too high, but you get a "comfortable" output level for other sounds because there is another setting for each of them that lowers the resulting output level?

iMac G5 17" (iSight) Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Reply