Speaking & Writing Audio Files
Speaking Messages Aloud
There are two methods for choosing messages from the Message Header Pane for speaking.
The first method involves marking messages. Messages can be marked for speaking by highlighting one or more messages and choosing Mark Selected Messages For Speaking from the right click popup menu.
When you are ready to listen to marked messages, select Speaking Controls -> Speak Marked Messages Aloud from the menu.
The second method is to select one or more messages, and from the menu, select Speaking Controls -> Speak Selected Messages Aloud. The messages selected for speaking will be marked as above, but only this subset of marked messages will be spoken.
Writing Audio Files
There are two methods for choosing messages from the Message Header Pane for speaking.
The first method involves marking messages. Messages can be marked for speaking by highlighting one or more messages and choosing Mark Selected Messages For Speaking from the right click popup menu.
When you are ready to speak marked messages to audio file(s), select Speaking Controls -> Speak Marked Messages to File from the menu.
The second method is to select one or more messages, and from the menu, select Speaking Controls -> Speak Selected Messages To File. The messages selected for speaking will be marked as above, but only this subset of marked messages will be spoken to audio file(s).
See Audio File Options for settings that control how audio files are written. Available options include which voice(s) are used, the type and quality of encoding, and whether audio files are generated by message or by thread. Also, see Getting Better Voices for information on downloading additional voices for GroupsAloud.
Notes
The menu entries that control writing audio files (under the Speaking Controls menu) always apply to the currently selected newsgroup. You may view other newsgroups while the audio file(s) are being written, but writing audio files for other newsgroups must be performed as separate requests.
Getting Better Voices
GroupsAloud by default comes with older Text To Speech engines from Microsoft. There are other, newer engines available for download at http://www.nextup.com/TextAloud/SpeechEngine/voices.html
In the last couple of years, a few companies have developed really great sounding voices that are much closer to listening to real human speech. These voices are not available for free download, but must be purchased. Visit the web pages below to hear samples of these exciting new voices.
AT&T Natural Voices
http://www.nextup.com/attnv.html
Cepstral Voices
http://www.nextup.com/Cepstral.html
NeoSpeech Voices
http://www.nextup.com/neospeech.html
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