Once in a while, all of us face a need to get some text synthesized into speech. Maybe we want to know how someone would pronounce a complicated word, or sometimes we just want an entire passage to be read out to us.
These online tools are a great help when you face such a requirement. Some of them will allow you only to synthesize a small passage; others would read out entire PDF or DOC files to you!
1. Vozme
vozMe an online text to speech tool with an ultra-simple interface; a baby could use it! You have a large text box where you type or copy-paste whatever you want to convert to speech, and click the ‘Create MP3’ button. That’s it. A new window would open, and in a few seconds, your MP3 file would start playing. Large chunks of text were translated – the text field seems to accept a pile of text easily.
- Save as MP3 file.
- Integrate into websites or blogs (WP plugin available)
- Add as iGoogle gadget
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2. Expressivo
This text to speech conversion tool from Expressivo has a maximum limit of 200 characters. So large chunks or text at one go are out. But it is easy enough to use. Type or copy-paste your text, choose one of the four voice options (You have female US-English, female Romanian, male Polish and female Polish accents as options), and hit Read Me.
- Epressivo produces a short URL to the speech file you created which you can email, IM or blog
- Option of entering text directly into the address bar of the browser
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3. Cepstral
At Cepstral, the text to speech conversion converts the text into a .WAV file. Type in the text, hit Say It, and you will be asked to download s small WAV file. The ability to save the file is a great convenience here.
4. Ivona Speech Synthesizer
The Ivona Speech Synthesizer text to speech conversion tool online has a charcter limit of 200, and the same voice options as Expressivo. Ivona, however, allows you to save the converted speech file as an MP3 for private, non-commercial use.
5. SpokenText
SpokenText is packed with features – but it wants you to register, a small hassle. The registration is a bit too comprehensive – but I think it’s worth filling it out. Once you click on the link in the activation email, your registration is ready to go.
Log in, and click on the button ‘Create a New recording’. Choose from one of the 5 voice options, choose a words-per-minute speed for spoken text and – there is no text box! You have to upload a PDF, .txt, .DOC or .PPT file.
- Conversion from multiple file formats.
- Conversion status indicator
- Email notification on conversion
- Filter words
- Your own Spokentext web address to share your recordings
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6. Talkr
Talkr is not so straightforward – but that’s only if you land up on the site looking for a text to speech synthesizer. Talkr is not for that exactly – have an RSS feed you want read out?
Yes, this one is for instant podcasts – it converts RSS feeds into MP3 files for podcast! Once you sign up, all you need to do is to point it towards a feed of your own or someone else’s and it converts it into an MP3 file.
- Player to embed the mp3 file into your blog
- MP3 voice mails
- Listen to text only blogs anytime!
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