Author Topic: converting text to voice  (Read 5041 times)

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Bob

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converting text to voice
« on: May 04, 2018, 12:33:04 PM »
I wish to use a page of text as a soundtrack for a new slide show. Now I am very familiar with the converse, 'voice recognition'. But the web offers many programs to convert text to voice. It is the old problem: which program is a 'safe' download? Has anyone attempted to do what I hope to do? Anyone have experience converting PDF or docx to MP3?

Thanks, Bob

rsutter

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2018, 04:56:19 PM »
Hi Bob,
Narrator, built into Windows, should do this for you.  No download is required.
Learn more at https://www.pcmag.com/news/352390/how-to-use-windows-10s-narrator-to-read-your-screen-aloud
Ralph Sutter

Bob

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2018, 12:22:25 PM »
Thanks, Ralph. But I want to do more than simply hear the text read. Can I make a recording of the narration? Realize that I need an audio file to add to a video slide show - just as I would add a musical score - MP3 or wav? is that possible?
Bob

rsutter

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2018, 12:20:09 PM »
Hi Bob,
You can launch the freeware audio recording program, Audacity and then have Windows narrate. Stop the recording and export it as an .mp3 file.
Ralph

Bob

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2018, 01:19:00 PM »
Ralph, I had wondered about Audacity (which I have on my HD}. Would it be asking too much of you to type out a 'menu' of steps for opening first Audacity (easy) and then opening Narration so Audacity can 'see' it for recording (and save as MP3) _ when you have time, of course? [the 'text' to read are chapters from my biography that Elise authored and is now in print]  :-)

Bob

rsutter

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2018, 07:28:51 PM »
In response to Bob, I uploaded to Dropbox a video screen capture of how I used Windows Narrator and Audacity to create an .mp3 audio file.
I don't use Narrator routinely.  As such, the screen reader voices lots of unnecessary information.  With a more skillful operator, Narrator and Audacity together should be able to produce acceptable audio.
See my video screen capture at https://www.dropbox.com/s/ua2l9twt673ehy4/Screen Capture.mp4?dl=0
Ralph Sutter

rsutter

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Re: converting text to voice
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2018, 02:00:04 PM »
Hello Again Bob,
I investigated some freeware speech to text programs.  You will find a list at https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-text-to-speech-software
I downloaded the first three on the list.  The third program, Panopreter, seemed closest to what you requested.  Download Panopteter Basic from
https://www.panopreter.com/download/dlpb.php
I have attached a video screen capture showing how Panopreter works.
I've noticed that you must be logged in to this bulletin board to view the attachment. To make the attachment more widely accessible, I also uploaded it to the SLO Bytes web site.
View it at www.slobytes.org/bb-attachments/panopreter.mp4
Ralph Sutter
« Last Edit: May 08, 2018, 06:33:22 PM by rsutter »