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In this video installment, we demonstrate how SpeechPlayer TTS is also able to convert text to WAV or MP3 audio file. This feature is great for producing personal audio books — which you can take along on your portable MP3 audio player.

SpeechPlayer can optionally embed converted text as ID3 lyrics in the MP3 file. MP3 players/devices capable of displaying unsynchronized lyrics will be able to display the embedded text.

The video below shows the MP3 file being played back on Windows Media Player along with the speech transcript displayed inside the player after the conversion.

Please note that the text-to-WAV/MP3 feature is not available in the free edition of SpeechPlayer.

SpeechPlayer TTS is also able to work with eSpeak voices. eSpeak is an open-source speech synthesizer for English and other languages. The Windows version of eSpeak comes with a SAPI5 interface, and thus making it compatible with SpeechPlayer.

However, at time of writing this post, there isn’t any support for the Malay language. I’ve put together an experimental implementation for the Malay language using the eSpeak platform (as demonstrated in the video below).

In the previous video on SpeechPlayer, we have demonstrated the built-in US English voice in Windows Vista i.e. Microsoft Anna. This time around, we have a video on SpeechPlayer and Microsoft Lili. Whilst Microsoft Lili is meant to read aloud Chinese text, it can also handle English text — albeit with a Chinese accent.

If you have Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise Edition, you can get the Microsoft Lili voice from the Chinese (Simplified) Language Pack via Windows Update.

SpeechPlayer is able to utilize its unique closed captioning system to display Chinese sentence fragments as well.

The first video on the SpeechPlayer text-to-speech application is now up on YouTube. The video showcases a sample reading of a text passage in Wikipedia by Microsoft Anna — the US English voice in Windows Vista.

Do take note of the TV-like closed captioning feature which is unique to SpeechPlayer.

This is to announce that both SpeechPlayer editions (freeware and shareware) can now be downloaded from CNET’s Download.com. Download.com is one of the top software download sites on the web.

You can be assured that both editions of SpeechPlayer are 100% free of spyware as they have been independently tested by CNET.

You can also submit a review of SpeechPlayer on Download.com. Here are the links to the listing pages where you can share your experience with the CNET community:

• SpeechPlayer 1.0 (shareware)
• SpeechPlayer Free Edition 1.0 (freeware)

SpeechPlayer 1.0 text-to-speech application is now available for download and purchase. Use SpeechPlayer to listen to your emails, web pages, reports or any text on your PC.  Great for relaxing your eyes, proofreading, etc.

Why SpeechPlayer over other text-to-speech programs?

Unlike other text-to-speech programs, SpeechPlayer offers a unique TV-like closed captioning feature.  As no synthesized speech is perfect, closed captioning provides additional interpretive information for the words spoken by the synthesized voice. You can switch between applications or windows and the caption will nicely remain superimposed at the bottom of the screen while it reads out aloud the text passage to you.

SpeechPlayer editions:

SpeechPlayer is available in two editions: a full-featured shareware edition and a free edition with basic features.

Core features:

• Versatile clipboard text reader
• Configurable voice settings (voice selection, pitch, rate, and volume)
• TV-like closed captioning to complement listening experience
• Minimalist user interface
• Convenient mini player

The shareware edition includes the following additional features:

• Customizable closed captioning appearance (font type, font color, font size, background color, opacity)
• Mini player also includes advanced controls such as skip reading to next or previous sentence, and repeat
• Export spoken audio to WAV or MP3 (with embedded lyrics)
• Export spoken audio directly to iTunes in one click

System prerequisites:

• Windows7, Windows Vista or Windows XP SP2 or better
• .NET Framework 3.0 or above
• SAPI 5.1-compliant text-to-speech voices
• iTunes 8 or above (if iTunes playlist export support is required; applies only to shareware edition)

The shareware edition is available for $19.95 for a single user license; a 15-day free trial period is available.

Go ahead, give SpeechPlayer a try today!

SpeechPlayer 1.0 Release Candidate 2 (RC2) text-to-speech application is now available for download!

Changes since RC1:

• Improved error handling when exporting spoken text to file
• Fixed UI issue where repeat toggle button is not highlighted on initialization

RC2 is expected to be the last release candidate; the final release will be shipped very soon. Feel free to leave your feedback on our contact form.

SpeechPlayer 1.0 Release Candidate (RC1) text-to-speech application is now available for download!

Changes since Beta release:

• Changed clipboard-copy trigger behavior
• Fixed UI display when switching to application while in minimized window state
• Fixed exception when opening help file from within SpeechPlayer — after being launched from installer
• Updated help file with correct information about LAME MP3 library download
• Improved automatic filename generation for speech export operation
• Fixed truncated MP3 ID3 lyrics issue
• Fixed exception caused by changing voice prosody after an export operation

Final release is just around the corner.  Feel free to leave your feedback on our contact form.

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SpeechPlayer 1.0 Beta text-to-speech application is now available for download!

(SpeechPlayer is available in two flavors: a full-featured shareware edition and a free edition with fewer features.)

Feel free to leave your feedback on our contact form.