Bulletin Type: FAQ

Date Posted: 08/15/2003

Product Name: JAWS

Version: 5.0

Category: Synthesizer

Question:

What do I need to know about synthesizers using SAPI 4 and 5?

Answer:

When you select a speech synthesizer during installation, JAWS installs the driver required to provide communication between the synthesizer and JAWS. While
JAWS 5.0 includes many drivers, it does not include any speech synthesizers except for Eloquence. All other hardware and software speech synthesizers must
be installed separately.

JAWS 5.0 automatically installs the SAPI 5 driver (SAPI5x.jls) because many users already have a SAPI 5 synthesizer that was included with the Microsoft
Windows XP operating system, Microsoft Office XP L&H Voices, or another third-party product. If you wish to use a SAPI 4 speech synthesizer with JAWS,
you must choose the Microsoft text-to-speech SAPI 4 driver during JAWS installation. You can also use the Modify option in Installation Maintenance (located
in Tools folder of the JAWS program group) to install new synthesizer drivers.

If JAWS reverts back to Eloquence when you attempt to switch to the Microsoft Text-to-Speech SAPI 5 synthesizer, this synthesizer may not be installed on
your PC. Only the Windows XP operating system includes a SAPI 5 speech synthesizer. Other operating systems do not include this synthesizer, so you must
install third-party software that includes a SAPI 5 synthesizer such as Microsoft Office XP.

If JAWS reverts back to Eloquence when you attempt to switch to the Microsoft Text-to-Speech SAPI 4 synthesizer, this synthesizer may not be installed on
your PC. Only Windows 2000 includes a SAPI 4 speech synthesizer. Other operating systems do not include this synthesizer, so you must install third-party
software which includes a SAPI 4 synthesizer.

NOTE: JAWS always reverts back to Eloquence if you switch to a speech synthesizer that is not connected, turned on, or installed.

For more information about adding SAPI 4, pleas refer to the following FAQ:
How do I add a SAPI 4 synthesizer?