converting text to voice

[Bob]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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