I absolutely love the tone of the GPWS callouts in the Boeing 737NG, and I was wondering whether the callouts where computer generated or a recording of a brilliant voice actor.
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Since the callouts are "fixed" and don't change it's easier and cheaper to design, manufacture, and certify the system using recorded voices. For each one, the software just needs to play the appropriate audio file.
I used to work on TCAS and the callouts were all just .wav files. Sometimes companies will hire voice actors (or subcontract to a recording company). We had an employee record the files.
Computer generated voice is useful where the content is highly variable such as the D-ATIS. (I know, it's a ground system but the concept applies.)
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$\begingroup$ They should totally use celebrities for the voices! $\endgroup$– TomMcWCommented Aug 16, 2018 at 4:15
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1$\begingroup$ @TomMcW Some of the voice actors become celebrities in their own right. The voice of "Bitchin' Betty" on the F/A-18, Leslie Shook, retired just a few years ago. Here's a link to the Boeing announcement. $\endgroup$– GerryCommented Aug 16, 2018 at 12:32
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$\begingroup$ Any idea who is the 737NG 's voice actor? $\endgroup$– lpydawaCommented Aug 17, 2018 at 0:17
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$\begingroup$ @lpydawa No, sorry. The 737 has a federated system. Most Voice alerts come from the TAWS, which is a Honeywell product. TCAS and Weather radar (predictive windshear) each provide their own alerts. They could be Honeywell or Rockwell Collins or less likely either ACSS or Thales. $\endgroup$– GerryCommented Aug 17, 2018 at 1:11