How Text-to-Speech Works

Continued from page: 1

Friday, April 12, 2002

Software: Cool App

CoolSpeaking is a text-to-speech application, which can read out text from e-mail, documents and Web pages. An added feature of this application is that it can read out text while you are typing in any application. It can also convert text to WAV, so any one can listen to it. The application can read out text from various sources. You can either copy and paste text from any document into its main window or open a text file. Under the Tools menu there is an option called Monitor Clipboard, which automatically reads out whatever is copied to the clipboard. 

Another option is Real-time speaking, which reads out text as soon as you type it in any application, say a chat window or a Word document. You can also adjust the speed at which is reads by dragging the speed bar at the bottom. To change the voice, go to Tools and select Speaking Properties. Here you can choose from the pre-defined list, or even go to their website and download additional voices. 

To convert text to WAV, go to File menu and choose WAV wizard. You can now choose from various voices, select the voice speed and specify the path to save it. Click on Next and you’ll be asked to paste the text, which you want to convert, into the window that pops up. Just click convert after that and you’re done. 

You can change the look and feel of the interface by applying different skins. For this, go to File, select Skins and choose the one you want. Clicking on Get more skins takes you to their website, from where you can download more skins. Additional options for a welcome message and hourly time readout are available under the Tools menu in Preferences. 

Sachin Makhija

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