The Various Ways To Convert Text To Speech

Converting text to speech (TTS) has become increasingly important for a variety of applications, including accessibility, content creation, and virtual assistants. There are several methods and tools available that can help you convert text to speech. Here’s a breakdown of various ways to do so:

1. Built-in TTS on Devices (OS-Level)

Many operating systems have built-in TTS functionality, allowing you to convert text into speech without third-party tools. These solutions are typically free and readily available.

• Windows:

  • Windows has a built-in Narrator feature that reads text aloud. You can activate it by pressing Ctrl + Win + Enter or through Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator.
  • Microsoft Edge also offers a read-aloud function to read web pages aloud.

• macOS:

  • macOS has a built-in TTS feature under System Preferences > Accessibility > Speech. You can use the "Speak Selection" option to highlight text and have it read aloud.

• iOS:

  • iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) have a built-in TTS feature called Speak Screen. To enable it, go to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content, and turn on Speak Screen. Swipe down with two fingers on the screen to hear the content read aloud.

• Android:

  • Android has a Text-to-Speech engine that can be activated by going to Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak. Once enabled, you can highlight text, and it will be read aloud.

2. Online TTS Tools

There are many online platforms that offer text-to-speech conversion with a variety of voices, accents, and languages. Many of these tools are free with limited functionality or offer premium versions for higher-quality voices and additional features.

• Google Text-to-Speech: Google offers TTS functionality in both Android devices and as a service via Google Cloud Text-to-Speech API. It provides high-quality voices and supports multiple languages.

  • Link: https://cloud.google.com/text-to-speech

• Natural Reader: Natural Reader is an online text-to-speech tool with several natural-sounding voices. It offers both free and paid versions and supports reading text from different file formats (e.g., PDFs, Word documents).

  • Link: https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/

• TTSReader: TTSReader is a simple web-based tool that reads text aloud. It supports multiple languages and voices and is very user-friendly.

  • Link: https://ttsreader.com/

• ResponsiveVoice: ResponsiveVoice offers text-to-speech for websites, apps, and various use cases. It supports over 50 languages and is widely used for accessibility purposes.

  • Link: https://responsivevoice.org/

3. TTS Software Applications

There are standalone software applications that offer more advanced features and functionality for text-to-speech conversion, often with additional customization options.

• Balabolka (Windows): Balabolka is a free TTS software for Windows that supports multiple file formats (e.g., DOCX, PDF, HTML). It uses installed voices on your system and allows you to adjust speech rate, pitch, and volume.

  • Link: http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm

• Voice Dream Reader (iOS and Android): Voice Dream Reader is a popular app for iOS and Android that can read text from many file types, including PDFs, Word documents, and web pages. It offers a range of voices and customization features.

  • Link: https://www.voicedream.com/reader/

• Kurzweil 3000: Kurzweil 3000 is a comprehensive educational tool that includes TTS features, designed for people with learning disabilities. It reads text from digital documents and web pages and can be used on Windows and macOS.

  • Link: https://www.kurzweiledu.com/

4. TTS Browser Extensions

Browser extensions are handy tools that can read aloud text on any website or online document. These extensions can convert content into speech without needing to switch between applications.

• Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader (Chrome Extension): This extension reads text from web pages in Chrome. It supports various languages and offers different voices for better personalization.

  • Link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/read-aloud-a-text-to-speec/gkakljkpegokjlglcmapenoeofpiccih

• Speechify (Chrome and Firefox Extensions): Speechify is an excellent text-to-speech browser extension that can read aloud text from websites, PDFs, and even Google Docs. It offers high-quality voices and a premium version with advanced features.

  • Link: https://www.speechify.com/

5. AI-Powered TTS Services

AI-powered text-to-speech services offer natural-sounding voices and more advanced customization, like changing emotions or tones in speech.

• IBM Watson Text to Speech: IBM's Watson TTS service provides high-quality, natural-sounding voices and is customizable for specific use cases. It supports various languages and is often used in enterprise solutions.

  • Link: https://www.ibm.com/cloud/watson-text-to-speech

• Amazon Polly: Amazon Polly, part of the AWS suite, offers advanced TTS capabilities with lifelike voices powered by machine learning. It supports multiple languages and provides options for speech modulation and prosody control.

  • Link: https://aws.amazon.com/polly/

• Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services: Microsoft's Azure platform offers a powerful Text-to-Speech API with customizable voices, including neural voices that sound more human-like. It’s designed for use in applications like virtual assistants and accessibility tools.

  • Link: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/cognitive-services/text-to-speech/

6. TTS for Audio and Video Production

TTS tools can also be used in content creation for voiceovers, podcasts, audiobooks, and video narration. These AI-driven tools help streamline production processes.

• Descript: Descript offers TTS services where you can create voiceovers from text and even edit audio as if it were a text document. It's a popular tool among content creators for creating podcast episodes or video narrations.

  • Link: https://www.descript.com/

• Speechelo: Speechelo is a paid TTS software that turns text into realistic human-like voiceovers. It’s designed specifically for video creators, offering a variety of voices and language options.

  • Link: https://speechelo.com/

• Murf.AI: Murf.AI provides AI-powered voiceovers that sound natural and are used for podcasts, videos, and other content creation purposes. It also allows you to adjust the pitch, tone, and speed of the voiceover.

  • Link: https://murf.ai/

7. Programming Libraries and APIs

For developers, there are numerous libraries and APIs available for integrating TTS functionality into applications or websites.

• Google Cloud Text-to-Speech API: The Google Cloud API enables developers to incorporate TTS into their web and mobile applications. It supports a variety of languages and voices.

  • Link: https://cloud.google.com/text-to-speech

• ResponsiveVoice API: ResponsiveVoice offers a simple API for adding TTS functionality to your website or application. It supports 51 languages and a range of voices.

  • Link: https://responsivevoice.org/api/

• Pyttsx3 (Python Library): Pyttsx3 is a Python library that provides a platform-independent TTS API. It works offline and supports multiple voices.

  • Link: https://pyttsx3.readthedocs.io/

Conclusion:

There are many ways to convert text to speech, ranging from simple, built-in TTS features in operating systems and mobile devices to advanced AI-powered tools and programming APIs for developers. Depending on your needs—whether it's accessibility, content creation, or integration into an app—there’s a solution that fits your requirements. Many of these tools are easy to use and offer a wide variety of voices, languages, and customization options to enhance the listening experience.