BlitzSpeech.DLL

[Dabzy]

BlitzSpeech v1.0 - Windows Text-to-Speech Library

Download: BlitzSpeech

About:
BlitzSpeech is a powerful, easy-to-use Windows Text-to-Speech (TTS) library that wraps Microsoft's Speech API (SAPI 5.3+) in a simple DLL. BlitzSpeech works seamlessly with Blitz3D, BlitzMax-NG, and Visual Studio C++, but not limited too. If you use a language that can import functions from DLL's, then all you need is to code the bridge.

- High-Quality Speech - Natural-sounding voices using Windows SAPI 5.3+
- Multi-Language - Access all installed Windows voices in 30+ languages
- Desktop + OneCore Voices - Supports both legacy SAPI and modern Windows 10/11 voices
- SAPI XML Support - Advanced speech control with SAPI XML markup
- WAV Export - Save speech to high-quality audio files
- Async/Sync - Blocking or non-blocking speech with full playback control
- Voice Control - Adjust rate, volume, pause, resume, and stop
- Smart File Reading - Auto-detects text file encoding (ANSI, UTF-8, both UTF-16 endian types)


What's in the Download:
Core Files

BlitzSpeech.dll - Main library (32-bit or 64-bit)
BlitzSpeech.lib - Import library

For Blitz3D

BlitzSpeech.decls - Function declarations
Examples/Blitz3D/ - Sample code

For BlitzMax-NG

BlitzSpeech.bmx - Complete header with constants
Examples/BlitzMaxNG/ - Sample code

For Visual Studio C++

BlitzSpeech.h - C/C++ header with full API
Examples/VisualStudio/ - Sample project

Documentation:
There is a readme file, but for usage, check the BMX-NG examples.

Quick examples:

Blitz3D

Code Select Expand

Include "BlitzSpeechInclude.bb"

InitSpeech()
SpeakText("Hello from Blitz3D!")
CleanupSpeech()

BlitzMax-NG

Code Select Expand

Import "BlitzSpeech.bmx"

InitSpeech()
SpeakText("Hello from BlitzMax-NG!")
CleanupSpeech()

Visual Studio C++

Code Select Expand

#include "BlitzSpeech.h"

int main() {
    InitSpeech();
    SpeakText("Hello from C++!");
    CleanupSpeech();
    return 0;
}

Setup (Visual Studio): Link BlitzSpeech.lib and copy BlitzSpeech.dll to your output directory.

Core Functions:

Initialization

InitSpeech() - Initialize the speech system
CleanupSpeech() - Clean up resources

Speech Output

SpeakText(text) - Speak text (synchronous)
SpeakTextFlags(text, flags) - Speak with custom flags
SpeakFile(filepath) - Read and speak a text file

Playback Control

PauseSpeech() - Pause speech
ResumeSpeech() - Resume speech
StopSpeech() - Stop immediately
IsSpeaking() - Check if speaking
WaitUntilSpeechIsDone(timeout_ms) - Wait for completion

Voice Management

GetVoiceCount() - Get number of voices
GetVoiceName(index) - Get voice name
GetVoiceLanguage(index) - Get voice language
GetVoiceType(index) - Get type (Desktop/OneCore)
SetSpeechVoice(index) - Set voice by index
SetSpeechVoiceByName(name) - Set voice by name
GetCurrentVoice() - Get active voice

Settings

SetSpeechRate(rate) - Speed (-10 to 10)
SetSpeechVolume(volume) - Volume (0 to 100)

File Output

SpeakToFileDefault(text, filepath) - Save to WAV
SpeakToFile(text, filepath, rate, bits, channels, flags) - Custom quality WAV

Utilities

GetFileEncoding(filepath) - Detect file encoding
AboutBlitzSpeech() - Show about dialog

Supported Languages:
English (US/UK/AU/CA/IN), Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and more!
(Depends on installed Windows language packs)

Requirements:
OS: Windows 7 (Not personally tested) or later (Windows 10/11 for OneCore voices)
SAPI: 5.3+ (included in Windows)
Download showcases: VSC++ 2022, Blitz3D and BlitzMax-NG only at time of release.

License:
MIT License - Copyright © 2025 Michael Denathorn
Free to use in personal and commercial projects. See LICENSE file for details.

Any issues, let me know here, otherwise...

Enjoy!

Dabz

[Stevie G]

This didn't work for me using the Blitz3d example. I got 'userlib function not found'.

The Dll and decals are in the Blitz3d/userlib directory.  I'm on Win10 .. is it possible I don't have the SAPI?

Also, in your example above for Blitz3d, should the include not be for "BlitzSpeechInclude.bb" rather than the decls file?

[Dabzy]

Mmmmm, how odd... Because I did test it! :/

I'm on Win10 .. is it possible I don't have the SAPI?

No, your system will have it... If you delve into the VSC++ project, in the Debug folder, you will find an executable to test it.

So, not sure what has happened with the Blitz3D thing... But I'll take a look!

Dabz

[Dabzy]

I know whats wrong, I used an old DECLS file, but then doing a rejig and a tidy I changed the names of the exported functions to match the more Blitz-like affair, and thus... Bundled the old DECLS file in the download without checking!

Me bad... But thanks for catching that!

Here is the newer DECLS file:

Code Select Expand

.lib "BlitzSpeech.dll"

InitSpeech%():"_InitSpeech@0"
SpeakText%(text$):"_SpeakText@4"
SpeakTextFlags%(text$, flags%):"_SpeakTextFlags@8"
SetSpeechRate%(rate%):"_SetSpeechRate@4"
SetSpeechVolume%(volume%):"_SetSpeechVolume@4"
PauseSpeech%():"_PauseSpeech@0"
ResumeSpeech%():"_ResumeSpeech@0"
StopSpeech%():"_StopSpeech@0"
IsSpeaking%():"_IsSpeaking@0"
WaitUntilSpeechIsDone%(timeout_ms%):"_WaitUntilSpeechIsDone@4"
SpeakFile%(filepath$):"_SpeakFile@4"
SpeakToFileDefault%(text$, filepath$):"_SpeakToFileDefault@8"
SpeakToFile%(text$, filepath$, sampleRate%, bitsPerSample%, channels%, flags%):"_SpeakToFile@24"
GetFileEncoding%(filepath$):"_GetFileEncoding@4"
GetVoiceCount%():"_GetVoiceCount@0"
GetVoiceName$(index%):"_GetVoiceName@4"
GetVoiceLanguage$(index%):"_GetVoiceLanguage@4"
GetVoiceType%(index%):"_GetVoiceType@4"
SetSpeechVoice%(index%):"_SetSpeechVoice@4"
SetSpeechVoiceByName%(name$):"_SetSpeechVoiceByName@4"
GetCurrentVoice%():"_GetCurrentVoice@0"
AboutBlitzSpeech():"_AboutBlitzSpeech@0"
CleanupSpeech():"_CleanupSpeech@0"

Oh, and thanks for mentioning that typo... I was in monkey at a keyboard mode! Hehehe

For anyone else, the download has been updated!

Dabz

[Stevie G]

Magic, I'll give it a go and report back.

[Dabzy]

Champion, fingers crossed!

I knew something would crop up... Lol, way of the "programming come release it to the masses" scenerio innit!

Dabz

[Stevie G]

Works now BUT the speech doesn't sound good. Difficult to describe ... kinda grainy with weird artifacts. 

It's maybe my system, although I've never really had sound issues with Blitz. I'm using a version with inbuilt fmod - v1.108.

Hopefully someone else with Blitz can try and confirm.

[Dabzy]

Well, the dafault one is roboty, but if you look at the BlitzMax-NG example number 4, you can see how to list and use different (More human) voices.

Also, the speech comes from your Windows default sound driver.

All in all, on my system, it sounds grand, even the default one, yes, very much Stephen Hawkings sounding, but, not bad.

Dabz