Speech software available?

[bob2131]

hi, i remember years ago reading that there was a speech software on mac that spoke to you eg if you had a text file open, it would read it out to you. In a robotic voice no less! but still handy.
(maybe the voices have improved over the years? )

I know acrobat has a speech function where it reads you the pdf, but those voices are pretty poor and hard to follow.

Does Mac OSX come with something built into it?

Or are there 3rd party apps that are available now?

Basically where i can type in a paragraph on textedit or open a pdf, and then that software would read it out for me.

thanks for any info.

 

[BobZune]

If you just want Text to Speech, you can use the built in feature. Look in the SystemPreferences under Speech - Text to Speech tab. You can set up a convenient short cut key for it. Then select text and hit that key and you can hear the voice speaking to you. There are several voices you can select from but I believe Alex, the default, is a bit more sophisticated than the others.

 

[bob2131]

If you just want Text to Speech, you can use the build in feature. Look in the SystemPreferences under Speech - Text to Speech tab. You can set up a convenient short cut key for it. Then select text and hit that key and you can hear the voice speaking to you. There are several voices you can select from but I believe Alex, the default, is a bit more sophisticated than the others.

thankyou.
yes i just discovered the built in voiceOver utility in my mac!
where have i been? man, i wish i knew about this before.
i hate reading off from the screen as its bad for your eyes.

Basically, all my pdf manuals etc/books, with this function of speaking to me, is basically turning the pdf's into audio books.

But... is there a way to record the speech into an audio file? mp3 maybe?

for example this whole comment. I select it, make it talk back to me with speech utility, and then making an audio file from it... ?

 

[BobZune]

Very possible. See http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080427091554310 and comments for example. Do a web search for --> how to create audio books in mac os x

Have fun!

 

[bob2131]

Very possible. See http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080427091554310 and comments for example. Do a web search for --> how to create audio books in mac os x

Have fun!

oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!

i am so happy now. i had no idea.

that link you sent, some of that stuff is way too advanced for me to understand yet.

but ive tested it out and it works fine.
thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[bob2131]

ive noticed the audio file is outputted using the normal speed of Alex.

When you change the voice speed in system pref and Voiceover utility, it has no effect on the automater text to audio file.