A Poll About Text-to-Speech Feature

Yar-PocketBooker · 01-29-2010, 09:49 PM

How important is having a Text-to-Speech feature in your reader? Specially if it does not come for free...)

fjtorres · 01-29-2010, 10:27 PM

For what it is worth, I think that:
The main problem with on-the-fly TTS is it has to be very, *very* good before it can be of any use. Anything less becomes an annoyance and quickly wears out its welcome even among those who ike the idea.
I've tried TTS with MS Reader, Kindle, and other computer apps and just about the only setup that I've found tolerable for more than a few minutes is the AT&T Natural Voices Audrey on MS Reader. Kindle and the other systems suffer from overly artificial inflexions and fail to pronounce too many words too often; it disrupts the narrative flow.

I don't think it is a total waste but I do think it is more trouble than its worth. For now.

Given the current state of hardware/software, I think a utility that converts ebooks to audiofiles on a PC and then combines the audio and text for synchronized playback might be more effective than on-the-fly TTS. Given that ePub allows for embedded multimedia, that might be a better solution.
Or not.
<Shrug.>
I would rather see more effort go to improved typographics, more/better legacy format support (lit?, prc, pdb), better parsing of document formats (rtf, doc, txt) in areas like centered text, chapter detection, etc.
In other words, more of what makes the PB360 better than the other existing 5" readers.

Oh, yeah: a few commercial dictionaries would be welcome. Don't have to be free, just available as an option to hunting over the net for PD stuff to convert. Not all Pocketbook buyers are going to want to go on a scavenger hunt for dictionaries; it would be a shame for such robust dictionary support to go to waste for lack of readily available western dictionaries.

rmm200 · 01-29-2010, 10:48 PM

Kindle did it right. The benefit was largely negated by the Authors Guild. "By Jove, people who buy our books will use them only the way we approve, and that does not include listening to them!"

Very shortsighted attitude.

Robert

poshm · 01-29-2010, 11:31 PM

I wouldn't be interested in paying extra for TTS but if it is included on the device, it is something that might get used now and then.

I do like listening to audiobooks - some are read in a boring manner but others like Eragon are fantastically narrated with the reader doing different voices and putting in a lot of emotion. Audiobooks are generally better to listen to.

Ulli · 01-30-2010, 08:29 AM

I would use it time-to-time, but what would be really interesting is a dictionaryspeech e.g to learn the spelling of language.

HarryT · 01-30-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmm200

Kindle did it right. The benefit was largely negated by the Authors Guild. "By Jove, people who buy our books will use them only the way we approve, and that does not include listening to them!"

Would you really sit down and listen to a book read by the Kindle's TTS? I couldn't bear to do so, myself.

brecklundin · 01-30-2010, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmm200

Kindle did it right. The benefit was largely negated by the Authors Guild. "By Jove, people who buy our books will use them only the way we approve, and that does not include listening to them!"

Very shortsighted attitude.

Robert

Yup...I have to admit, I was hugely surprised at the quality of the TTS on the K2. It's far from perfect but it's very well done and will only improve over time. Remember this, there are some folks who are auditory learners so for them to hear the words as they read along will help them retain the content. And sometimes it is just nice to listen to it being read while doing the dishes...of course I also have an Audible account that I enjoy a LOT.

Something else as a study aid, and I am thinking down the line here, but once profs make their notes available to students and they can convert them into docs which can be read by TTS, then as a student if rewriting their notes, they can also listen to the key points from the prof/teacher's notes. And even the student's own notes if we can ever get HWR on ereaders.

ficbot · 01-30-2010, 11:42 AM

It was one of the reasons I bought a Kindle. I am not a big music person so I use this feature often at the gym and while commuting. If I have the choice i.e. I am in a situation where I can straight-up read, I will do it. But if I am walking, at the gym etc I find the Kindle TTS perfectly serviceable. I did try the Astak TTS and it was terrible, I would never use it. It's why I bought the Kindle.

Barcey · 01-30-2010, 01:06 PM

If the quality is decent it's an important feature to me. I used to commute to Toronto on the Go Train and then have a 15 minute walk to work. When I was really into a book I would have loved to be able to switch to TTS and listen during the walk.

View Poll Results: How important is to have a Text-to-Speech feature in your ereader?
Yes, I think it's a must for all modern readers, even if it makes them a little more expensive	8	20.51%
Well, I may use it from time to time	15	38.46%
No, it's a waste of money	16	41.03%
Voters: 39. You may not vote on this poll

01-29-2010, 09:49 PM	#1
Yar-PocketBooker Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 6976 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New York Device: PocketBooks and Onyxes and anything E-Ink...	A Poll About Text-to-Speech Feature How important is having a Text-to-Speech feature in your reader? Specially if it does not come for free...)

01-29-2010, 10:27 PM	#2
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	For what it is worth, I think that: The main problem with on-the-fly TTS is it has to be very, very good before it can be of any use. Anything less becomes an annoyance and quickly wears out its welcome even among those who ike the idea. I've tried TTS with MS Reader, Kindle, and other computer apps and just about the only setup that I've found tolerable for more than a few minutes is the AT&T Natural Voices Audrey on MS Reader. Kindle and the other systems suffer from overly artificial inflexions and fail to pronounce too many words too often; it disrupts the narrative flow. I don't think it is a total waste but I do think it is more trouble than its worth. For now. Given the current state of hardware/software, I think a utility that converts ebooks to audiofiles on a PC and then combines the audio and text for synchronized playback might be more effective than on-the-fly TTS. Given that ePub allows for embedded multimedia, that might be a better solution. Or not. <Shrug.> I would rather see more effort go to improved typographics, more/better legacy format support (lit?, prc, pdb), better parsing of document formats (rtf, doc, txt) in areas like centered text, chapter detection, etc. In other words, more of what makes the PB360 better than the other existing 5" readers. Oh, yeah: a few commercial dictionaries would be welcome. Don't have to be free, just available as an option to hunting over the net for PD stuff to convert. Not all Pocketbook buyers are going to want to go on a scavenger hunt for dictionaries; it would be a shame for such robust dictionary support to go to waste for lack of readily available western dictionaries. Last edited by fjtorres; 01-29-2010 at 10:46 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
iPad iBooks Text to Speech Feature	kjk	Apple Devices	3	06-12-2010 05:26 PM
Does the planned EZ Reader Plus have text-to-speech feature?	Sylver	Astak EZReader	1	05-10-2010 01:15 PM
K2 Text to Speech	SarahW	Amazon Kindle	5	04-23-2010 10:18 PM
No more text to speech???	pippin65	Amazon Kindle	22	11-16-2009 04:27 PM
Text to speech	Chelley	Introduce Yourself	5	03-09-2009 12:33 PM

01-29-2010, 10:48 PM	#3
rmm200 Groupie Posts: 195 Karma: 414 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bend, OR Device: Sony PRS-600	Kindle did it right. The benefit was largely negated by the Authors Guild. "By Jove, people who buy our books will use them only the way we approve, and that does not include listening to them!" Very shortsighted attitude. Robert

01-29-2010, 11:31 PM	#4
poshm Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1003580 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Cambs, UK Device: PocketBook 360, Sony Reader Touch, Ipod touch & Kindle 2	I wouldn't be interested in paying extra for TTS but if it is included on the device, it is something that might get used now and then. I do like listening to audiobooks - some are read in a boring manner but others like Eragon are fantastically narrated with the reader doing different voices and putting in a lot of emotion. Audiobooks are generally better to listen to.

01-30-2010, 08:29 AM	#5
Ulli (-: Posts: 667 Karma: 1310 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Frankonia Device: PocketBook 360°,302	I would use it time-to-time, but what would be really interesting is a dictionaryspeech e.g to learn the spelling of language.

01-30-2010, 11:42 AM	#8
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	It was one of the reasons I bought a Kindle. I am not a big music person so I use this feature often at the gym and while commuting. If I have the choice i.e. I am in a situation where I can straight-up read, I will do it. But if I am walking, at the gym etc I find the Kindle TTS perfectly serviceable. I did try the Astak TTS and it was terrible, I would never use it. It's why I bought the Kindle.

01-30-2010, 01:06 PM	#9
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	If the quality is decent it's an important feature to me. I used to commute to Toronto on the Go Train and then have a 15 minute walk to work. When I was really into a book I would have loved to be able to switch to TTS and listen during the walk.

Advert

Advert