The Batch Voice Import process

This section describes the Batch Voice Import (BVI) process. Figure 1 shows the components involved.

Before you can use the BVI supplied utilities, read Getting started with Batch Voice Import, then the process is as outlined below:

  1. Import Wave file: bvi_rec is the first stage in the process. It digitizes the input audio data and stores it into a flat (continuous, unstructured) AIX file. See bvi_rec: Batch Voice recording utility.

    If your audio input is already in a data file, you can start with bvi_seg using bvi_aiff or bvi_wav if required. See bvi_seg: Batch Voice segmentation utility.

    bvi_wav allows you to use a Windows wave (.wav) file as the source for your batch voice input. See bvi_wav: Windows wave file import utility.

    bvi_aiff allows you to use an Apple Macintosh AIFF (audio interchange file format) file as the source for your batch voice input. See bvi_aiff: AIFF file import utility.

  2. bvi_seg reads the flat audio file and determines, from the level of voice activity (signal level), the position of each voice segment within it. See bvi_seg: Batch Voice segmentation utility.
  3. bvi_desc allows you to listen to each segment created by bvi_seg and assign segment numbers, descriptions, and so on. See bvi_desc: Batch Voice description utility.
  4. bvi_play plays each segment in a voice file, displaying the segment number, description, voice directory name, and so on. This enables you to check that everything is correct before running the bvi_imp utility. See bvi_play: Batch Voice playback utility.
  5. bvi_list creates a file containing the characteristics of a range of segments in a specified voice segment database. This file format is exactly the same as that created by bvi_desc, allowing an existing voice directory to be updated easily with new voice data. See bvi_list: Batch Voice list utility.
  6. bvi_imp is the final step in the process. It takes each segment in turn and puts it into the voice segment database, compressing and filtering if necessary. See bvi_imp: Batch Voice import utility.

The bvi.control file contains operating parameters for all the utilities. See The Batch Voice Import control file (bvi.control).

bvi_copy and bvi_delete are not part of the import process, but they are useful for managing voice directories. See bvi_copy: Batch Voice copy utility and bvi_delete: Batch Voice delete utility.

Figure 1. The Batch Voice Import Process - Components
This diagram shows the flow of data between the BVI utilities that were described in the text preceding the diagram. It also shows that the voice input can come through a microphone or from a DAT tape, is processed through an Audio Adapter, and is played back either through speakers by headphones.