Converting written texts into spoken audio from a voice is among the most useful and important IT operations. I had already talked about the so-called Text-to-Speech technology some time ago with the best free tools to convert words written into Italian spoken voice .
You can then extend the discussion with two alternative and very similar programs that allow you to convert text written on your computer into an mp3 audio file that can be listened to on your PC or from any portable mp3 player or Ipod.
1) The DSpeech program allows you to use your computer to read a text written aloud and to save the audio in an mp3 file.
The main advantage is that it supports high quality virtual voices, also in Italian .
In general, the text to speech are all paid but on the Dimio.altervista.org website you can both download the DSpeech program and the voices (of the SAPI5 type) in all languages, including Italian.
Among the features of the program listed on the Dimio site are:
the possibility of choosing different voices and making them speak together by building a dialogue.
Through voice recognition it can be configured to answer user questions.
You can make your computer speak by making it read a word text, a copy and paste text, a web page and even a pdf (you need an additional plugin).
The DSpeech program, naked and raw, alone, is useless because the voices are incomprehensible but, by downloading the one in Italian from the link made available by the site, you get a completely different effect.
The female voice has a perfect pronunciation and can be downloaded for free together with other voices in English, French, German and Spanish .
To have other voices you have to look for those of the type SAPI5 (Real Speak) which are all paid or use the less precise Sapi4 ones including the eSpeak, however decent and understandable.
All links for free downloads and (very simple) instructions are on the Dspeech developer page .
There are no big configurations to do except volume, speech speed and voice timbre settings.
2) Balabolka is another excellent free Text to Speech program that allows you to read Italian texts in an understandable and clear voice.
By downloading Balabolka you get software that reads only in English with SAPI5.
To enable the Italian language it is necessary to download the free Italian SAPI4 voice provided by Microsoft (if it does not appear you must also install the Microsoft Speech Api 4 component).
Alternatively you can also use the eSpeak recommended for DSPeech or, from the official website there is information about the Italian voice SAPI5 not entirely perfect but much more colloquial and real.
The program is then very simple to use, just copy and paste the text to be read on the interface, select the item from the drop-down menu at the top and press the green play button with which the computer starts reading the text.
You can also upload text files, both Word, that txt or pdf, to be read on the computer.
The text can also be converted to an mp3 audio file and saved on the computer.
3) eSpeak is a text to speech software that allows you to read a text written with an Italian voice on your computer.
eSpeak is available for Windows, Linux and Mac .
4) A third program is VIVO which transforms the computer into a speaking PC that reads everything that is written.
I do not think it is necessary to say how useful this operation is to make the PC read a text and convert the text into speech; practically you can listen to the reading of a book as if it were a school lesson or convert a document to listen to it in the car if you don't have time and so on.
