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Module Sound.SoundOutput

Sound - Sound output classes.


Features:

  • Create a SOUNDFILE object (mp3 or ogg) to be played via DCS or SRS transmissions
  • Create a SOUNDTEXT object for text-to-speech output vis SRS Simple-Text-To-Speech (STTS)

Author: funkyfranky


There are two classes, SOUNDFILE and SOUNDTEXT, defined in this section that deal with playing sound files or arbitrary text (via SRS Simple-Text-To-Speech), respectively.

The SOUNDFILE and SOUNDTEXT objects can be defined and used in other MOOSE classes.

Global(s)

Global SOUNDBASE

Basic sound output inherited by other classes suche as SOUNDFILE and SOUNDTEXT.

#SOUNDBASE SOUNDBASE

Basic sound output inherited by other classes suche as SOUNDFILE and SOUNDTEXT.

This class is not meant to be used by "ordinary" users.

Global SOUNDFILE

Sound files used by other classes.

#SOUNDFILE SOUNDFILE

Sound files used by other classes.

The SOUNDFILE Concept

A SOUNDFILE object hold the important properties that are necessary to play the sound file, e.g. its file name, path, duration.

It can be created with the SOUNDFILE.New(FileName, Path, Duration) function:

local soundfile=SOUNDFILE:New("My Soundfile.ogg", "Sound File/", 3.5)

SRS

If sound files are supposed to be played via SRS, you need to use the SOUNDFILE.SetPlayWithSRS() function.

Location/Path

DCS

DCS can only play sound files that are located inside the mission (.miz) file. In particular, DCS cannot make use of files that are stored on your hard drive.

The default location where sound files are stored in DCS is the directory "l10n/DEFAULT/". This is where sound files are placed, if they are added via the mission editor (TRIGGERS-->ACTIONS-->SOUND TO ALL). Note however, that sound files which are not added with a trigger command, will be deleted each time the mission is saved! Therefore, this directory is not ideal to be used especially if many sound files are to be included since for each file a trigger action needs to be created. Which is cumbersome, to say the least.

The recommended way is to create a new folder inside the mission (.miz) file (a miz file is essentially zip file and can be opened, e.g., with 7-Zip) and to place the sound files in there. Sound files in these folders are not wiped out by DCS on the next save.

SRS

SRS sound files need to be located on your local drive (not inside the miz). Therefore, you need to specify the full path.

Global SOUNDTEXT

Text-to-speech objects for other classes.

#SOUNDTEXT SOUNDTEXT

Text-to-speech objects for other classes.

The SOUNDTEXT Concept

A SOUNDTEXT object holds all necessary information to play a general text via SRS Simple-Text-To-Speech.

It can be created with the SOUNDTEXT.New(Text, Duration) function.

Options

Gender

You can choose a gender ("male" or "femal") with the SOUNDTEXT.SetGender(Gender) function. Note that the gender voice needs to be installed on your windows machine for the used culture (see below).

Culture

You can choose a "culture" (accent) with the SOUNDTEXT.SetCulture(Culture) function, where the default (SRS) culture is "en-GB".

Other examples for culture are: "en-US" (US accent), "de-DE" (German), "it-IT" (Italian), "ru-RU" (Russian), "zh-CN" (Chinese).

Note that the chosen culture needs to be installed on your windows machine.

Specific Voice

You can use a specific voice for the transmission with the SOUNDTEXT.SetVoice(VoiceName) function. Here are some examples

  • Name: Microsoft Hazel Desktop, Culture: en-GB, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Hazel Desktop - English (Great Britain)
  • Name: Microsoft David Desktop, Culture: en-US, Gender: Male, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft David Desktop - English (United States)
  • Name: Microsoft Zira Desktop, Culture: en-US, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Zira Desktop - English (United States)
  • Name: Microsoft Hedda Desktop, Culture: de-DE, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Hedda Desktop - German
  • Name: Microsoft Helena Desktop, Culture: es-ES, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Helena Desktop - Spanish (Spain)
  • Name: Microsoft Hortense Desktop, Culture: fr-FR, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Hortense Desktop - French
  • Name: Microsoft Elsa Desktop, Culture: it-IT, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Elsa Desktop - Italian (Italy)
  • Name: Microsoft Irina Desktop, Culture: ru-RU, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Irina Desktop - Russian
  • Name: Microsoft Huihui Desktop, Culture: zh-CN, Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Desc: Microsoft Huihui Desktop - Chinese (Simplified)

Note that this must be installed on your windos machine. Also note that this overrides any culture and gender settings.

Type(s)

Fields and Methods inherited from SOUNDBASE Description

SOUNDBASE.GetSpeechTime(Text, Speed, isGoogle, self, length, speed)

Function returns estimated speech time in seconds.

SOUNDBASE:New()

Constructor to create a new SOUNDBASE object.

Fields and Methods inherited from SOUNDFILE Description

SOUNDFILE:GetDuration()

Get duration how long the sound file takes to play.

SOUNDFILE:GetFileName()

Get the sound file name.

SOUNDFILE:GetName()

Get the complete sound file name inlcuding its path.

SOUNDFILE:GetPath()

Get path of the directory, where the sound file is located.

SOUNDFILE:New(FileName, Path, Duration, UseSrs)

Constructor to create a new SOUNDFILE object.

SOUNDFILE:SetDuration(Duration)

Set duration how long it takes to play the sound file.

SOUNDFILE:SetFileName(FileName)

Set sound file name.

SOUNDFILE:SetPath(Path)

Set path, where the sound file is located.

SOUNDFILE:SetPlayWithSRS(Switch)

Set whether sound files should be played via SRS.

SOUNDFILE.duration

SOUNDFILE.filename

SOUNDFILE.path

SOUNDFILE.useSRS

Fields and Methods inherited from SOUNDTEXT Description

SOUNDTEXT:New(Text, Duration)

Constructor to create a new SOUNDTEXT object.

SOUNDTEXT:SetCulture(Culture)

Set TTS culture - local for the voice.

SOUNDTEXT:SetDuration(Duration)

Set duration, how long it takes to speak the text.

SOUNDTEXT:SetGender(Gender)

Set gender.

SOUNDTEXT:SetText(Text)

Set text.

SOUNDTEXT:SetVoice(VoiceName)

Set to use a specific voice name.

SOUNDTEXT.culture

SOUNDTEXT.duration

SOUNDTEXT.gender

SOUNDTEXT.text

SOUNDTEXT.voice

Field(s)

Function(s)

Function returns estimated speech time in seconds.

Assumptions for time calc: 100 Words per min, avarage of 5 letters for english word so

  • 5 chars * 100wpm = 500 characters per min = 8.3 chars per second

So lengh of msg / 8.3 = number of seconds needed to read it. rounded down to 8 chars per sec map function:

  • (x - in_min) * (out_max - out_min) / (in_max - in_min) + out_min

Defined in:

SOUNDBASE

Parameters:

#string Text

The text string to analyze.

#number Speed

Speed factor. Default 1.

#boolean isGoogle

If true, google text-to-speech is used.

self

length

speed

Constructor to create a new SOUNDBASE object.

Defined in:

SOUNDBASE

Return value:

self

Field(s)

#boolean SOUNDFILE.useSRS

Function(s)

Get duration how long the sound file takes to play.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Return value:

#number:

Duration in seconds.

Get the sound file name.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Return value:

#string:

Name of the soud file. This does not include its path.

Get the complete sound file name inlcuding its path.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Return value:

#string:

Name of the sound file.

Get path of the directory, where the sound file is located.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Return value:

#string:

Path.

Constructor to create a new SOUNDFILE object.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Parameters:

#string FileName

The name of the sound file, e.g. "Hello World.ogg".

#string Path

The path of the directory, where the sound file is located. Default is "l10n/DEFAULT/" within the miz file.

#number Duration

Duration in seconds, how long it takes to play the sound file. Default is 3 seconds.

#boolean UseSrs

Set if SRS should be used to play this file. Default is false.

Return value:

self

Set duration how long it takes to play the sound file.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Parameter:

#string Duration

Duration in seconds. Default 3 seconds.

Return value:

self

Set sound file name.

This must be a .ogg or .mp3 file!

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Parameter:

#string FileName

Name of the file. Default is "Hello World.mp3".

Return value:

self

Set path, where the sound file is located.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Parameter:

#string Path

Path to the directory, where the sound file is located. In case this is nil, it defaults to the DCS mission temp directory.

Return value:

self

Set whether sound files should be played via SRS.

Defined in:

SOUNDFILE

Parameter:

#boolean Switch

If true or nil, use SRS. If false, use DCS transmission.

Return value:

self

Field(s)

Function(s)

Constructor to create a new SOUNDTEXT object.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameters:

#string Text

The text to speak.

#number Duration

Duration in seconds, how long it takes to play the text. Default is 3 seconds.

Return value:

self

Set TTS culture - local for the voice.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameter:

#string Culture

TTS culture. Default "en-GB".

Return value:

self

Set duration, how long it takes to speak the text.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameter:

#number Duration

Duration in seconds. Default 3 seconds.

Return value:

self

Set gender.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameter:

#string Gender

Gender: "male" or "female" (default).

Return value:

self

Set text.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameter:

#string Text

Text to speak. Default "Hello World!".

Return value:

self

Set to use a specific voice name.

See the list from DCS-SR-ExternalAudio.exe --help or if using google see google voices.

Defined in:

SOUNDTEXT

Parameter:

#string VoiceName

Voice name. Note that this will overrule Gender and Culture.

Return value:

self