Software Alternatives & Startups

SAM TTS VS ShellNewHandler

Compare SAM TTS VS ShellNewHandler and see what are their differences

SAM TTS

Experience the nostalgic Microsoft SAM text-to-speech voice from Windows XP. Our modern implementation, SAM TTS, brings the classic Microsoft Speech API voice to your browser with authentic retro computer speech sounds.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Free
ShellNewHandler

SourceForge.net: ShellNewHandler details page

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, ShellNewHandler should be more popular than SAM TTS. It has been mentioned 2 times since March 2021.

social mentions
1 vs 2
AI Text To Speech popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

SAM TTS
ShellNewHandler
Website samtts.com sourceforge.net
Pricing —
Platforms
Web
—
Company Startup from the United States · 1 - 9 employees · 2025 —
Listed in

About SAM TTS and ShellNewHandler

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

SAM TTS
ShellNewHandler

Experience the Classic Microsoft SAM Voice OnlineRelive the iconic Microsoft SAM experience in your browser SAM TTS brings back the nostalgic charm of Microsoft SAM, the classic Windows XP voice, with a powerful and lightweight text-to-speech engine that runs entirely in your browser. Whether...

Read more about SAM TTS

No description of ShellNewHandler yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

SAM TTS 3 features
ShellNewHandler 0 features
  • Authentic Voice Synthesis
    Recreates the original Microsoft SAM voice from Windows XP using phoneme-based synthesis.
  • Fully Browser-Based
    Runs directly in modern web browsers with no downloads or installations required.
  • Customizable Voice Parameters
    Adjust pitch, speed, mouth, and throat settings for personalized speech output

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

SAM TTS
ShellNewHandler

Overall verdict

  • SAM TTS is a browser-based recreation of the classic 1982 Software Automatic Mouth speech synthesizer, offering a fun, nostalgic, robotic voice tool rather than a modern, natural-sounding TTS solution. It's good for what it is—a retro novelty and educational curiosity—but not suited for professional or realistic voice needs.

Why this product is good

  • Faithfully recreates the iconic vintage robotic voice from classic 8-bit computing era
  • Free and easily accessible directly in the browser with no installation required
  • Great nostalgia value for those who remember Commodore 64 or Apple II era software
  • Lightweight and simple interface that's easy to use instantly
  • Useful for retro-style projects, memes, or historical tech demonstrations

Recommended for

  • Retro computing enthusiasts and hobbyists
  • Developers wanting a nostalgic voice effect for games or apps
  • Content creators making retro-themed videos or memes
  • Educators demonstrating the history of speech synthesis technology
  • Users looking for a fun, quirky voice generator rather than natural-sounding TTS

Overall verdict

  • ShellNewHandler is a niche, lightweight utility hosted on SourceForge designed to give users more control over the Windows 'New' context menu (the ShellNew menu). It can be considered good for its specific narrow use case, but it is an older, minimally maintained tool that may not suit all users, especially those on modern Windows versions.

Why this product is good

  • Provides direct control over customizing the Windows right-click 'New' menu, allowing users to add or remove file type entries
  • Lightweight and free, without bundled bloatware typical of some other free utilities
  • Simple and focused in scope, making it easy to understand for its specific purpose
  • Open distribution via SourceForge allows transparency and no-cost access

Recommended for

  • Power users who want to declutter or customize the Windows New context menu
  • IT administrators managing standardized desktop environments across multiple machines
  • Users comfortable with older utility-style tools and Windows registry-related tweaks
  • Not recommended for casual users seeking modern, actively supported software with regular updates

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
SAM TTS
ShellNewHandler
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
AI
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing SAM TTS and ShellNewHandler.

What makes your product unique?

SAM TTS's answer

Microsoft SAM Text to Speech is the only browser-based TTS tool that authentically recreates the legendary voice of Microsoft SAM from Windows XP. It combines nostalgia, technical precision, and modern convenience in one lightweight package. With full control over voice parameters and instant WAV export, it offers both fun and functionality unmatched by other retro voice tools.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

SAM TTS's answer

Unlike generic TTS engines, Microsoft SAM Text to Speech delivers a unique and nostalgic voice experience that stands out. It’s ideal for retro-themed projects, content creation, and creative expression. Its zero-installation, browser-native design ensures maximum accessibility, while its customization features give users far more creative control than typical TTS platforms.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

SAM TTS's answer

Our core users include developers, indie game creators, retro computing fans, content creators, meme-makers, educators, and anyone nostalgic for early 2000s Windows experiences. They value character, creativity, and ease of use in their tools—and they love bringing a familiar voice into modern contexts.

What's the story behind your product?

SAM TTS's answer

The project began as a passion effort to revive one of the most iconic voices in computing history: Microsoft SAM. We wanted to take the classic charm of the Windows XP voice and make it instantly available to everyone, without requiring any downloads or technical knowledge. Built with modern tools but inspired by retro tech, Microsoft SAM TTS is our tribute to a digital voice that defined a generation.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

SAM TTS's answer

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

JavaScript (phoneme synthesis and audio playback)

Web Audio API

React

Next.js

TailwindCSS

Vercel (hosting and deployment)

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

SAM TTS's answer

Indie game developers creating retro-style voiceovers

YouTube creators adding character voices to videos

EdTech instructors demonstrating early TTS technology

Meme creators and nostalgic internet users

Developers building voice-powered web experiences

User comments

Share your experience with using SAM TTS and ShellNewHandler. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

SAM TTS 1 mention
ShellNewHandler 2 mentions
  • Bringing Microsoft SAM Back to Life: How SAPI4 TTS Works in the Browser
    If you grew up with Windows 2000 or XP, you probably remember Microsoft SAM — the robotic, slightly eerie text-to-speech voice that could say anything you typed. It was the default voice of the Microsoft Speech API 4.0 (SAPI4), and for... - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • I recently got libreoffice, but now the new option in right click looks like a mess. Can someone help me get rid of them please?
    Use Shell New Handler. Run the portable app and simply untick the items you don't want to appear in your new context menu. Source: about 4 years ago
  • This menu should be easy to add/remove programs to... Who is really creating Access Databases from this menu often enough to keep it here? (Not me!) Is there an easy way to edit this?
    I've always used ShellNewHandler for this. It's a really simple portable utility that allows you to remove most of the items from that menu. Tested it out on Windows 11 and it's still compatible. Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to SAM TTS and ShellNewHandler

When comparing SAM TTS and ShellNewHandler, you can also consider the following products.