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Developer

Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

By Brien Posey January 2, 2014, 3:57 PM PST

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Voice to text
Voice to text
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Text-to-speech applications

Text-to-speech applications

This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

Text-to-speech applications have a number of differentrnuses. They can assist the visually impaired by reading various screen elements,rnand they’re also useful to writers. Text-to-speech engines havernthe ability to verbally read a document, thereby making the proof-readingrnprocess a lot easier. Here are five text-to-speech applications.

2textspeaker1.1214.jpg
2textspeaker1.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

1. Text Speaker

1. Text Speaker

rnText Speaker is a text-to-speech utility that has some really nice extras built in. It costs $29.95 (USD), but a free trial versionrnis available for download.

3textspeaker2.1214.jpg
3textspeaker2.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Text Speaker setup wizard

Text Speaker setup wizard

Follow the prompts to download and setup Text Speaker.

Figure A
Figure A
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Text Speaker voice properties

Text Speaker voice properties

In Text Speaker, the voice is fullyrncustomizable. You can download a varietyrnof different voices for use with the utility.

Figure B
Figure B
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Text Speaker conversion process

Text Speaker conversion process

Another nice feature in Text Speaker is the ability to convert a documentrnto an audio recording. 

Figure C
Figure C
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Text Speaker Talking Reminders

Text Speaker Talking Reminders

My personal favorite feature is the Talking Reminders.rnThe software allows you to set up reminders for various events, and then it verbally reminds you of them.

7verbose1.1214.jpg
7verbose1.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

2. Verbose Text to Speech

2. Verbose Text to Speech

Verbose Text to Speech is another utility for converting a block of text into speech. It costs $40.00 (USD), but a free trial isrnavailable for download.

Figure D
Figure D
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Verbose Text to Speech load text

Verbose Text to Speech load text

Text can be loaded from arnfile and pasted into the interface, or you can load a text file directly. 

Figure E
Figure E
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Verbose Text to Speech saving files

Verbose Text to Speech saving files

In addition to being ablernto read text aloud, the utility can also save the speech as an audio file or audio CD. 

Figure F
Figure F
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Verbose Text to Speech options

Verbose Text to Speech options

The utility also allows yournto choose from a couple of different voices.

11verbose5.1214.jpg
11verbose5.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Verbose Text to Speech voice pronunciations

Verbose Text to Speech voice pronunciations

Under Voice Pronunciation, check your Voice Selection.

12UltraHal1.1214.jpg
12UltraHal1.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

3. Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader

3. Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader is a free utility for converting text into speech. 

13UltraHal2.1214.jpg
13UltraHal2.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader File

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader File

The interesting thing aboutrnUltra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader is that it is more of a speech-enabled textrneditor than a text-to-speech engine. 

14UltraHal3.1214.jpg
14UltraHal3.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Edit

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Edit

Edit features.

Figure G
Figure G
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Format

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Format

The software offers basicrnfont formatting capabilities, which is something that you wouldn’t ordinarilyrnexpect to find in a text-to-speech utility.

Figure H
Figure H
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Options

Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader Options

Available options.

17sayvoice1.1214.jpg
17sayvoice1.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

4. Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader

4. Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader is a basic text to speech reader. It costs $47.98 (USD), but a free trial is available for download.

Figure J
Figure J
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader skins

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader skins

The one feature Sayvoice has that the otherrnutilities I reviewed didn’t is the ability to choose from arnvariety of skins.

19sayvoice3.1214.jpg
19sayvoice3.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader controls

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader controls

This lightweight utilityrndoesn’t have a lot of controls. You can pick from a few different voices, plus adjust the pitch and speed of the speech. 

Figure I
Figure I
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader export

Sayvoice Text to Speech Reader export

You can also export the speech to anrnaudio file.

Figure K
Figure K
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

5. Alive Text to Speech

5. Alive Text to Speech

Alive Text to Speech is another text to speech engine. It costs $29.95 (USD), but a free trial is available for download.

22Alive2.1214.jpg
22Alive2.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Alive Text to Speech conversion

Alive Text to Speech conversion

The cool thing about AlivernText to Speech is that the program starts out by giving you a quick tutorial onrnhow to use it. This is helpful because speech commands are integrated intornWindows Explorer.

23Alive3.1214.jpg
23Alive3.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Alive Text to Speech options

Alive Text to Speech options

The tool also features anrnadd-in for Internet Explorer. 

24alive4.1214.jpg
24alive4.1214.jpg
Five Apps: Text-to-speech tools

Alive Text to Speech with Windows

Alive Text to Speech with Windows

Additionally, the tool isrnconfigured to automatically use the Windows clipboard. When you copy a block ofrntext to the clipboard, the text is automatically read. Unfortunately, Alive Text to Speech does notrnseem to work with Windows 8. 

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By Brien Posey
* 1988 - Started teaching myself about computers \ * 1992 - Mainframe programmer for an insurance company \ * 1993 - Network Administrator for a different insurance company \ * 1996 - Author for The Cobb Group \ * 1998 - Network Administrator
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