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Scotrail auto announcers
- Thread starter AilsaBus
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Certainly a downgrade from what they had (Fletcher Mathers)
Ben Conlin
Member
- Joined
- 19 Aug 2018
- Messages
- 74
Yeah definitely a downgrade, at least the 385s still have fletcher Mathers for now.
scotraildriver
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jun 2009
- Messages
- 1,848
Whilst you might think the voice is a downgrade the new system is a massive upgrade. Previously all the announcements were manually recorded and had to be uploaded to each cab individually via flash drive. Making any changes to the system literally took months. The new system can be edited in seconds and new routes instantly created in the event of engineering works,diversions etc. Previously it would simply be tuned off.
Strathclyder
Established Member
That as may be on the operational/technical side of things and I'm all for what you outline, but the audio quality of the new annoucements on the 318s/320s on the passenger side is a significant downgrade compared to the Fletcher Mathers announcements, which is what most respondents are getting at I think.
I knew it was only a matter of time before Ms. Mathers' voice would disappear completely off the ex-SPT stock, but what I didn't expect was the audio quality of the replacements to drop through the floor like it has.
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The sound quality is appalling, whoever recorded them must've had the entire microphone inside their mouth.
Strathclyder
Established Member
The 334s I've had recently haven't gained the new announcements, though they'll be in the queue to get them I suspect.
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Yes, the audio quality was dismal and the dialogue seemed rather robotic and stilted from what I've heard of it so far. Like the 334's infamously stilted anouncements, but worse somehow.
Whether it's to do with the PIS systems on the 318s/320s being fairly long in the tooth themselves (the one in the 318s & 320/3s dates from the SPT Rail era iirc) and the new system not meshing smoothly or not, it can't really be overlooked that, audio quality-wise at least, the new announcements are awful. Just to head off any notions that my dislike of the new system/voice is purely for the sake of nostalgia for the Mathers voice.
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I've been hearing these announcements recently on the north Clyde lines and agree with the other posters. Whilst they might be technically better behind the scenes, the quality and clarity of the audio is exceptionally poor - they sound unprofessional and amateurish.
Heard these new announcements on the 380s this week, they certainly sound a lot more robotic and don't flow anywhere near as well as the previous announcements.
The system may be an upgrade, but the audio announcements certainly are not.
The system may be an upgrade, but the audio announcements certainly are not.
Transilien
Member
We’re now approaching CARDONALD 
. She always sounds like she had a bad time there.
. She always sounds like she had a bad time there.
It also need to learn how to form proper sentences. I've noticed a few times that it will says something like "This Hyndland" instead of "This IS Hyndland". They should have just left the old system the way it was as there was nothing wrong with it and it had been around for years.
Or at least give whoever voiced/programmed it some training in clear enunciation, pauses etc.
Despite being Scottish, I find the new announcements more difficult to understand than English language announcements made by many continental European operators by a significant margin.
Despite being Scottish, I find the new announcements more difficult to understand than English language announcements made by many continental European operators by a significant margin.
I really don’t understand why Fletcher Mathers had to be replaced, I agree there was little wrong with it.
I also dislike how she seems to bark orders at the train too - it’s almost like the old “Sonia” announcements have returned.
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Post #5 states there clearly was something wrong with it, from a technical standpoint. Perhaps the audio quality just needs to improve with a better voice actor / recording equipment.
It’s a text to speech voice using a non-trained voice from a ScotRail employee (from Paisley) and AI technology. That’s why it sounds rubbish. A huge downgrade in my opinion. She sounds like she’s just woken up and is very confused about Inverkeithing.
Transilien
Member
Why has this become a trend in recording announcements. Employees aren’t trained voice actors and shouldn’t be getting their jobs! Also, fletcher mathews is very much alive and well, it wouldn’t have been hard to get her back in to do the AI announcements. The 170 I am on has the old announcements still thankfully!
I would imagine it'll all come down to cost - a professional voiceover actor will be a lot more expensive than paying a willing employee to do it.
Then they should get an employee who can at least string a sentence together and not someone who sounds like they've just woke up from an all night bender to do it.
I also mean no disrespect to anyone from Paisley here, but it’s a shame they’ve used her voice as compared to Fletcher Mathers, it seems to lack any kind of warmth or softness. That may well be a casualty of the way it is edited mind!
Yes, I didn't want to mention that but it feels very out of place over here in the East of the country!