Horrible new robot voice in Navigation

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Before the 4.3 update, my wife and I were traveling in California and made much use of Google Maps Navigation. The female voice, while entertainingly incompetent at pronouncing some place names (especially Spanish ones), was at least not unpleasant to listen to. Back home and after the 4.3 update, I've done some driving around using the same Google Maps Navigation, and-- holy smokes, what planet did they find this lady robot on? It still gets you there, but it is really ugly and hard to listen to. All a matter of taste, I suppose, but I find it very grating. Is there any way to get a different voice?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Before the 4.3 update, my wife and I were traveling in California and made much use of Google Maps Navigation. The female voice, while entertainingly incompetent at pronouncing some place names (especially Spanish ones), was at least not unpleasant to listen to. Back home and after the 4.3 update, I've done some driving around using the same Google Maps Navigation, and-- holy smokes, what planet did they find this lady robot on? It still gets you there, but it is really ugly and hard to listen to. All a matter of taste, I suppose, but I find it very grating. Is there any way to get a different voice?

I don't think you can change the voice....but I agree with you. That voice is not the most ideal.

 

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Good news! Thanks to a user suggestion on the S4 forum on Verizon's user forums (https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/809550), I went to Settings > My Device > Accessibility, and in the Vision section there is a Text-to-speech options setting. There I found that the voice I consider robotic is the default Samsung engine. Switching to the Google engine for English (U.S.) gets a female voice that sounds more human (and, in fact, more Midwestern, to my Midwest-raised ear), and I'm going with that for now.

There are other options too. Clicking the gear icon for the Google engine allows a Language choice of English (U.K.), which gives a rather nice male voice (a little Stephen-Hawking-ish). Clicking the gear icon for the Samsung engine also offers a U.K. voice (female, and definitely better than the U.S. robot). Furthermore, it has an Install voice data option to download a "high quality" English (U.S.) voice that I believe is the one I used to hear. That'll be my choice if Ms. Midwest doesn't work out.

One note: you have to force stop Maps and restart it for your newly-chosen voice to take effect.

All happy now!

 

[msugrad598]

You can actually download a high quality female voice from Samsung, which sounds better than the Google voice.

Posted via Android Central App on my Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Yes, that's the one I mentioned in the Samsung engine section of Settings > My Device > Accessibility > Text-to-speech options.

 

[GoodnightGracie]

Thanks so much for posting this. I was surprised by the new lady robot voice too. She was awful to listen too. Thank you for posting the fix!

 

[thunderbunder16]

I had an app many years ago on my palm or Blackberry that navigated to the voice of Austin Powers. It was awesome. Not sure why this can't be done on today's smartphones.

 

[aldamon]

Thanks to you both. Stumbled upon this thread and these tips work for GS3 too with 4.3.

Good news! Thanks to a user suggestion on the S4 forum on Verizon's user forums (https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/809550), I went to Settings > My Device > Accessibility, and in the Vision section there is a Text-to-speech options setting. There I found that the voice I consider robotic is the default Samsung engine. Switching to the Google engine for English (U.S.) gets a female voice that sounds more human (and, in fact, more Midwestern, to my Midwest-raised ear), and I'm going with that for now.

There are other options too. Clicking the gear icon for the Google engine allows a Language choice of English (U.K.), which gives a rather nice male voice (a little Stephen-Hawking-ish). Clicking the gear icon for the Samsung engine also offers a U.K. voice (female, and definitely better than the U.S. robot). Furthermore, it has an Install voice data option to download a "high quality" English (U.S.) voice that I believe is the one I used to hear. That'll be my choice if Ms. Midwest doesn't work out.

One note: you have to force stop Maps and restart it for your newly-chosen voice to take effect.

All happy now!

You can actually download a high quality female voice from Samsung, which sounds better than the Google voice.

Posted via Android Central App on my Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[Nymble]

I downloaded the HD voices using the Samsung app, changed the preferred TTS engine to Samsung UK HD. When I hit the test button on that settings page I get the voice I want. I restarted Maps and still get the old robotic voice. I have tried restarting my phone and verify the correct TTS settings are default but no luck. Anyone else still having a hard time with this? Am using Galaxy S4 on Verizon.

 

[electricpete]

Try going to app manager and press "disable" or "turn off" for the s-voice app. I'm not sure but I think it might help.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[Christopher Canchola]

Yes i have tried everything that has been on this post but nothing i downloaded the new tts... made the changes , and it makes no difference. My s voice sounds like crap , and the Google navigation sounds like crap. If it were a real person i would punch it in the face!! i dont even want to use the Svoice anymore with its new annoying robot voice ... ... FIX THIS CRAP !!

 

[Boaz Michaely]

Good news! Thanks to a user suggestion on the S4 forum on Verizon's user forums (https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/809550), I went to Settings > My Device > Accessibility, and in the Vision section there is a Text-to-speech options setting. There I found that the voice I consider robotic is the default Samsung engine. Switching to the Google engine for English (U.S.) gets a female voice that sounds more human (and, in fact, more Midwestern, to my Midwest-raised ear), and I'm going with that for now.

There are other options too. Clicking the gear icon for the Google engine allows a Language choice of English (U.K.), which gives a rather nice male voice (a little Stephen-Hawking-ish). Clicking the gear icon for the Samsung engine also offers a U.K. voice (female, and definitely better than the U.S. robot). Furthermore, it has an Install voice data option to download a "high quality" English (U.S.) voice that I believe is the one I used to hear. That'll be my choice if Ms. Midwest doesn't work out.

One note: you have to force stop Maps and restart it for your newly-chosen voice to take effect.

All happy now!

 

[Boaz Michaely]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I would never have guessed looking down THAT rat hole!