Tips on Choosing Text to Speech Software

Text to Speech (TTS) software, base on the amazing speech synthesis computer technology, allow you to convert any text on your PC to audible speech. More and more computer users, including writers, students, business people, and those with visual impairment or learning disabilities, use TTS software to improve the work efficiency, learn languages, make proofreading effective, or just reduce eye strain from too much reading. It's time to sit back and let your computer read to you! Here are some advices for choosing the TTS program suits you best. Consider Features You Need The basic function of Text to Speech programs is converting written words into speech. Normally, users hear the synthesized speech on computer speakers directly. This is the most common and effective way to using TTS software. Just sit back and relax, let your PC read your daily reading, technical material or lengthy report to you, instead of view the tiny text on the computer screen. The way will help you to reduce eye strain enormously from too much reading. You can also use this feature to improve your reading comprehension and speed by listening while reading. As a most significant function, almost all the professional TTS products include this feature. Another important feature for most users is Text to MP3/Text to WAV. It's a perfect solution and great time-saver of busy people. You can easily save your online newspapers, emails, course work and practically any other type of text to MP3 for portable audio players such as iPods. Now you can listen to these reading materials while exercising, commuting or traveling. Your MP3 player isn't just for music anymore! This amazing feature will transform your daily commutes into hours of productivity. So, for educators, students, writers, legal professionals, commuters, truck drivers and people of a variety of professions and walks of life, the text to audio file function is a must-have to recapture their lost time. It should be considered primarily when you choose TTS utility. Consider Features You May Need Most TTS software allows you to adjust the speed of the speech. This feature is quite useful in some cases, especially for foreign language learners. You can decrease the speed to be even one-tenth of the normal, and then listen to the pronunciation of every word carefully. Pronunciation editor is another feature to help to use TTS software better. No software is perfect. Sometimes, you need to modify the pronunciation of some special words. Some TTS software supply more accessorial utilities, such as the speech alarm, speech reminder, or even command-line converter. You may also consider these minor features when you choose your favorite TTS tool. Speech Voices Speech engines, often called voices, are the core component of TTS software. In other words, TTS programs must use voices to synthesis speech. There are dozens of voices of different languages available on the Internet so far. Some voices are totally free and the others are commercial. Generally, free voices are from Microsoft and L&H company. Commercial voices are from AT&T, NeoSpeech, Cepstral and IVONA company. Fortunately, speech voices are independent with Text to Speech software. This means that you can download or purchase voices from any third-party web site or company as long as they are compatible with Microsoft SAPI5 or SAPI4.