I'm reading about 150 pages of text on screen, every day. I will have to read about 15.000 in the next upcoming months. No joke.
Text to speech reader free download - Easy Translator, TextSpeech Pro Elements, CK's Text-to-Speech to MP3, and many more programs. Text Reader is a simple to use speech synthesizer which will read any text you want for you and gives you the option to save it as an audio file so you can send it to someone else or listen to it by yourself when you are on your way. The reader itself is similar to the Kindle app in appearance, with one-click (or tap) buttons for changing font size, color theme (day, night, or sepia), and viewing the table of contents.
Well, the problem is this: I suffer from a sort of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which forces me to read every sentence up to 10 times until I really get it. Mac OS X Snow Leopard has a built-in text reader with the name 'Alex'.
Although it is already pretty good quality, I know there are far better natural sounding voices out there. I have heard already voices that are absolutely amazing compared to Alex. They're so good, that you can't tell anymore the difference between a real person or a computer. Alex still has this 'metal factor' in its voice, which makes my ears hurt after 8 hours of listening.
The next problem with Alex is, that he never makes a break after a sentence. Also, it's not possible to think about a sentence and then continue reading. It's also not possible to have him repeat a sentence, without tedious text selection and shortcut usage.
Actually, the best tool I can imagine would have the option to read a sentence and move on to the next one after pressing a special key, OR repeating the previously one after pressing a special key. That would help so much! And if that's even with one of those bell lab / AT&T / whatever super-natural voices, even better!
But it would be already a great relief if there was just a better tool to control Alex. To let him make breaks after sentences or let him speak big chunks of text sentence-by-sentence with fine-grained control over repetition and moving on.
Is there anything?
Chealion5 Answers
Have you tried downloading the extra voices? My view is that OSX offers nice British English voices and a South African female voices. All these these are free. Go to system>dictation & speech and try to change the system voice. I used AT&T in windows in past years but not recently so I cant say that they are the same as what AT&T currently has to offer.
If you have alot to read, have a look at one of the answers to one of my questions. Mac OSX Text to Speech Batch - I split a large file into about 300 text files and will need more. I want each one read out in a different voice, to make it sound more like a radio show... and make me realise that there is a new topic/page.
Good luck with your reading!
Cepstral sells high-quality voices. If you're using text-to-speech that much, perhaps it's worth it to spend $30 or whatever to get one.
Festival or something that uses Festival? http://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival/
Have you given GhostReader ($40US) a look? I haven't personally used it but it does have the features you're looking for (skipping to the next sentence, and back and a larger selection of voices - but none of the AT&T and Bell Labs voices).
Chealion
ChealionHmm, I really appreciated the say command and some shell scripting. E.g. extract sentences and wait for user action to repeat or next one. But the voice as you said is very hmm lets say.. you must get used to it... HTH
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Screen readers are a form of assistive technology.
Current screen readers[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRLTTY | The BRLTTY Team | *nix, Windows console, DOS, Android | Free and open source (GPL2) | Available to download; part of most Linux distributions |
| ChromeVox | Chrome OS or, with a speech processor, Linux, Mac, Windows | Free | ChromeVox is a screen reader for Chrome and Chrome OS. | |
| COBRA | BAUM Retec | Windows | Commercial | Supports Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) and the Java Access Bridge. |
| Edbrowse | Karl Dahlke | *nix console | Free and open source | Makes a complete audio desktop, including web access with JavaScript support. |
| Emacspeak | T. V. Raman | Emacs (on *nix) | Free and open source | Turns Emacs into a 'complete audio desktop'. |
| iZoom | Issist | Windows | Commercial | Screen magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. Includes support for Mozilla Firefox. |
| JAWS | Freedom Scientific | Windows and DOS | Commercial for Windows; freeware for DOS | Includes support for MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF. |
| Lingspeak | Lingit | Windows | Commercial | A visual screen reader, which highlights the object and text being read. Supports MSAA, Java Access Bridge (OpenOffice), per line reading from Win32 classes 'Edit'(Notepad) and 'RichEdit'(Wordpad), MS Word. UIA and IAccessible2 is being worked on. One-month trial version available. |
| MAGic | Freedom Scientific | Windows | Commercial | Speech magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. It can be used together with JAWS. |
| Metalmouth | Evaluera Ltd. | All that run Chrome browser | Free and open source (Apache 2.0) | metalmouth is a simplified open source screen-reader application which can be used to read out any HTML5 web pages and interact with most HTML5 input controls. It also supports multi-tab navigation. |
| Microsoft Narrator | Microsoft | Windows | Commercial | Bundled with recent versions of Windows, this basic screen reader makes use of MSAA. |
| Microsurf | Microsurf | All that run Chrome browser | Free | Microsurf is a screen reader for Chrome |
| NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) | NonVisual Desktop Access project | Windows | Free and open source (GPL2) | Programmed and scriptable in Python. Supports Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Word, Excel and Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird. Supports web content using JavaScript. Supports Java Access Bridge. IAccessible2 is supported. |
| Orca | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source ( LGPL 2.1) | The development of Orca was started by Sun Microsystems as part of the GNOME project with contributions from many community members, but since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, Orca turned into a completely community-driven project. It supports AT-SPI, so it works with the GNOME desktop, Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird, OpenOffice/LibreOffice and GTK+, KDE/Qt and Java Swing/SWT applications. Though it is developed by the GNOME project, it is the most popular screen reader for Unix like systems with graphical environments other than GNOME, like KDE or Unity. |
| PC-Talker | Kochi System Development | Windows | Commercial | Japanese screen reader. Supports MSAA and Flash[1] |
| PCVoz | EzHermatic | Windows | Commercial | Available to buy or download trial. Supports MSAA. |
| ScreenReader (formerly Supernova) | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows | Commercial | Includes a screen magnifier and output to Braille devices. 30 day Free Trial available for download. Supports MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF. |
| Simply Talker | EcoNet International | Windows | Commercial | Trial download available. |
| SpeakEasy Media System | NDU | Windows | Commercial | Specialized suite of vocalized programs designed for ease of use |
| SUSE-Blinux | Novell | Linux | Free and open source | |
| System Access | Serotek | Windows | Commercial | Trial download available. Supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (including DHTML/Ajax and Flash), Outlook Express, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype, and Adobe Reader. No support for Java yet. |
| TalkBack[2] | Android 1.6+ | Open Source | Use with SoundBack and kickback | |
| TalkButton[3] | Upward Spiral Software | Mac | Commercial | TalkButton works together with Microsoft Word to create an extensive text-to-speech environment. Features include highlighting of spoken text and keyboard echo. Trial version available. |
| Text to Speech[4] | SpeakComputers.com | Windows | Freeware |
|
| Thunder ScreenReader | Sensory Software | Windows | Freeware | Last update 2015[5]. Supports MSAA. |
| Virtual Vision | MicroPower | Windows | Commercial | Brazilian screen reader. Supports MSAA. |
| VoiceOver | Apple Inc. | Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, and Apple TV | Free, Commercial | Free and included with any Apple product. No installation or setup required. Available in over 30 language voices, which are also included for free. See Apple Accessibility [6] for more information. |
| WebAnywhere | University of Washington | Web | Free and Open Source (new BSD) | Doesn't require any software installation to run so can be used at any public terminal that has sound available - works on any platform. |
| WinZoom | Clarity | Windows | Commercial | Screen reader with magnifier. USB version does not require any installation and can be used on any public computer. |
| Screen Access for All | National Association for the Blind, New Delhi | Windows | Open source | Last update: 2004 |
| ZoomText | Ai Squared | Windows | Commercial | Includes a screen magnifier. Trial download available. |
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
Unfinished Screenreader Projects[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screenful | Screenful Team | Windows | Open source | Concept is done. Due to problems finding skilled developers, the project is idling |
| The Longhorn Screen Reader Project | OSSRP Team | Windows Vista | Open source | Concept ideas have been made. Latest news said that the project had not succeeded. Whether or not they will continue or let it die is not known at the moment. |
| Apple Pie Project | Simnix Software | Windows Phone 7 & 8 | Open source https://web.archive.org/web/20100109011430/http://applepie.codeplex.com/ | To help blind and partially sighted people to use a Windows Phone. |
Discontinued and/or obsoleted screen readers[edit]
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95Reader | SSCT | Windows | Commercial | Japanese screen reader; latest version (ver. 6.0, release date unknown) has specific support for Internet Explorer 6 and Macromedia Flash 6 [7], so seems obsolete and its availability seems unlikel |
| ASAP (Automatic Screen Access Program)[8] | MicroTalk | Dos | Commercial | |
| ASAW (Automatic Screen Access for Windows)[9] | MicroTalk | Windows | Commercial | |
| Blindows | BAUM Retec (formerly Audiodata) | Windows | Commercial | Substituted by COBRA |
| DRACULA family | Eurobraille | Windows | Commercial | |
| Enable Reader Professional Speech System | Enable Talking Software | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Enhanced PC Talking Program | Computer Conversations | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Fire Vox | Charles L. Chen | All that ran Firefox browser up to version 3.6 | Free and open source | For browsing with Firefox only (plugin), is not compatible with Firefox 3.6 or newer, that made it obsolete long ago |
| Gnopernicus | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source (LGPL 2) | It was developed by BAUM Engineering, a partner company of Baum Retec AG. Used to be bundled with GNOME, but it was replaced by Orca in GNOME 2.16. Included a screen magnifier. It supported AT-SPI. |
| HAL | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows, DOS | Commercial | Windows version was superseded by Supernova (later renamed to ScreenReader) |
| HT Reader | HT Visual | Windows | Commercial | Included support for MSAA and PDF. Disappeared from the price list of HT Visual [10], absolutely no other sign of it being available |
| Leitor de Telas | MC / CPqD | Windows | Free | Brazilian Portuguese screen reader. MSAA support. Latest info about it is from December 2007 [11] |
| Linux Screen Reader (LSR) | GNOME | *nix | Free and open source (New BSD License) | It was an alternative screen reader to Orca led by IBM started in 2006. However, it was ceased in 2007 when IBM focused their resources in other projects.[12] It supported AT-SPI. |
| LookOUT | Choice Technology | Windows | Commercial | Was also available integrated with a screen magnifier. Last mention of it is from 2003. [13] |
| Mobile Speak | Code Factory | Symbian OS, Windows Mobile | Commercial | Full-fledged screen readers and Braille interfaces that let you access your mobile phone. One-month trial version available. The discontinuation of Simbian in 2013 and of Windows Mobile in 2010 made it obsolete. |
| Model T Reader | Dolphin Computer Access | DOS | Freeware | |
| Pocket Hal | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows Mobile PDA and PDA Phones | Commercial | |
| PROVOX | Kansys, Inc. | DOS | Uncertain | |
| Screen Reader | Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (RCEVH) | BBC Micro and NEC portable | ||
| Screen Reader/2 | IBM | OS/2 | Commercial | |
| Smart Hal | Dolphin Computer Access | Windows Mobile and WM Smartphone | Commercial | |
| Soft Vert | TeleSensory Systems | DOS | Commercial | |
| Talks & Zooms [14] | Nuance Communications | Symbian OS Series 60 3rd and 5th Ed and Simbian^3 | Commercial | Presentation and free Trial Version to be found on the site. The discontinuation of Simbian OS in 2013 made this obsolete. |
| TeleTender | TeleTender.org | All Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, Windows, Android etc.. | Free | TeleTender is a voice communication platform for sight impaired people, embedded with a cloud based screen reader. Users can interact with any web pages on the internet by issuing voice commands over the phone. To use it, just dial one of its access numbers. |
| Tinytalk | OMS Development | DOS and perhaps Windows | Shareware | |
| Virgo | BAUM Retec AG | Windows | Commercial | Substituted by COBRA. |
| Window Bridge | Syntha-voice Computers (now out of business) | Windows | Commercial | |
| Window-Eyes | GW Micro (merged with AI Squared in 2014, [15] acquired by VFO Group, later Vispero, in 2016[16]) | Windows | Commercial | As of 2017, no longer available for sale. |
| WinVision | Artic Technologies | Windows | Commercial | Not officially discontinued, but there has been no further release since 1997. |
| Screen reader | Creator | Supported platforms | License | Notes |
Software aids for people with reading difficulties[edit]
- Automatik Text Reader from Davide Baldini (Firefox extension)
- BrowseAloud from Texthelp Systems Inc
- Capture Assistant from Renovation Software
- ClaroRead from Claro Software
- Claro ScreenRuler Suite from Claro Software
- ClickHear[17] from gh LLC
- ClickHear Mobile[18] from gh LLC
- ClipSpeak[19] (last update: 2009) from Daniel Innala Ahlmark
- EasyTutor from Dolphin Computer Access
- EnVision: basic multi-featured Windows accessibility tool
- Kurzweil 1000 (for the visually impaired) and Kurzweil 3000-firefly (for those with reading or writing difficulty) from Kurzweil Educational Systems
- Penfriend from Penfriend Ltd
- Proloquo from AssistiveWare
- ReadHear[20] from gh LLC
- ReadSpeaker from ReadSpeaker Holding B.V.
- Read & Write from TextHelp Systems
- ReadPlease from ReadPlease Corporation [21]
- Read:OutLoud from Don Johnston, Inc.
- Screen Reader from SourceBinary.com (no longer available, latest trial version can be obtained from other download sites)
- SodelsCot[22] from Sodels Factory
- TextAloud from NextUp.com
- Ultra Hal TTS Reader from Zabaware, Inc.
- VoiceText from Neospeech, Inc.
- yRead from Spacejock Software
References[edit]
- ^Bob Regan, Best Practices for Accessible Flash Design (PDF)Archived 2007-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^TalkBack: An Open Source Screenreader For Android
- ^Talkbutton.net
- ^Speakcomputers.com
- ^https://www.webbie.org.uk/blog/end-of-the-thunder-screenreader/
- ^Apple Accessibility
- ^95Reader ver 6.0 product information page (in Japanese)
- ^Wael Zakareya
- ^Kenneth Frasse, GUI Access: A Comparison of Screen-Readers (Part I), Access Review (Summer 1997)
- ^HT Visual price list (in Czech)
- ^Leitor de telas has become freely downloadable from the homepage of the Ministry for Communication of Brasil (in Portuguese)
- ^'Status of IBM a11y'. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^Lookout screen reader information page
- ^Talks & Zooms product homepage
- ^'Ai Squared And GW Micro Merge Forces'. Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
- ^'Breaking: VFO Group, owners of Freedom Scientific and Optelec, Acquires AI Squared'. Retrieved Apr 16, 2019.
- ^ClickHear
- ^ClickHear Mobile
- ^Clipspeak.codeplex.com
- ^ReadHear
- ^Ross, Ian (1 May 2004). 'Software developer builds on artificial intelligence'. Northern Ontario Business. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via Highbeam.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|dead-url=(help) - ^Sodels.com