SAPI-4 synthesizers/voices pitch no longer increase during letter navigation

[DrSooom]

Steps to reproduce:

1. Select a SAPI-4 synthesizer like IBM ViaVoice TTS in the Speech NVDA Settings.
2. Set "Capital pitch change percentage" to "25".
3. If you want, disable the checkbox "Say "cap" before capitals". If this option is enabled, the word "cap" (in German "Groß") is spoken with the higher pitch level too.
4. Read "TESTtest" letter by letter.

Actual behavior:

The voice pitch does no longer increase during letter navigation.

Expected behavior:

The voice pitch should increase during letter navigation.

Notes:

• All three SAPI-4 voices work as expected in NVDA 2019.2.1.
• All three SAPI-4 voices don't work as expected in NVDA 2019.3.1.
• eSpeak NG still works as expected in NVDA 2020.1 Beta 1; but this isn't a SAPI-4 synthesizer.

System configuration

NVDA installed/portable/running from source:

Portable

NVDA version:

2020.1 Beta 1

Windows version:

Win7x64

Name and version of other software in use when reproducing the issue:

• SAPI-4, IBM ViaVoice TTS Runtime v6.610 - Deutsch
• SAPI-4, IBM ViaVoice TTS Runtime v6.610 - Français
• SAPI-4, IBM ViaVoice TTS Runtime v6.610 - UK English

Other questions

Does the issue still occur after restarting your computer?

Not tested.

Have you tried any other versions of NVDA? If so, please report their behaviors.

2019.2.1 (installed) and 2019.3.1 (portable); See notes above.

If addons are disabled, is your problem still occuring?

No add-ons are installed/used in NVDA 2019.3.1 and 2020.1 Beta 1 and I don't think that the installed/used add-ons in NVDA 2019.2.1 have any affects here.

Did you try to run the COM registry fixing tool in NVDA menu / tools?

No.

[zstanecic]

Hi daniel, For now, a workaround is to turn of the option # use spelling functionaliti when supported checkbox #

[DrSooom]

There are no differences if "Trust voice's language when processing characters and symbols" and "Use spelling functionality if supported" are disabled or enabled in NVDA 2019.3.1 and 2020.1 Beta 1. I've tested all four possible variants right now. Just let me know, if you need a debug logfile.

[Brian1Gaff]

Yes this affects that LH sappi 4 as well. I don't think any of the sappi 4 systems is as stable now. Its is an old system, i'm surprised Microsoft still support it.

[cary-rowen]

#12354 It seems to solve this issue. Can you test it with the latest alpha version?

[seanbudd]

Closing as fixed by #12354