Text to Speech dedicated device for EPUBs.

Katsunami · 06-07-2013, 05:19 PM

Even though my eyesight is poor, I'm not blind, so I can read normal books. Still, I've been wondering about this.

Does a dedicated TTS-device that reads EPUBs exist?

I'm thinking along the lines of an iPod Shuffle, or one of those very simple USB-stick type MP3-players without a screen. It would have controls like an audio player, like this:

Home: Go to Home.
Pause/Play: Start speaking titles when on Home-screen, otherwise continue/start TTS from the current position in the book.
Back / Forward: Flip a page. The reader says something like: "Backward, page 211" when pressing the button. It's not necessary to flip pages while the reader is TTS-ing.
Rewind: Go to the beginning of the book.

And some stuff for menu's / TOC and so on, for which a menu button could be used, and back/forward function like an up/down button, for example.

I know there are TTS-applications for phones and tablets, and reading applications with TTS, but these require sight to operate. If a dedicated device has 25 books loaded or so, then it doesn't require sight; maybe a person is able to reload the device using a computer, or if not, a family member or caretaker can reload it if necessary.

Does something like this exist? I've been looking, just out of curiousity, but I can't find anything.

Of course, it would be possible to use a TTS application on the computer, record its output to MP3, and use an MP3-player, but that's a lengthy way to do it.

Audiobooks are expensive, and braille books even more so. ($130 per Lord of the Rings volume :X)

Xanthe · 06-07-2013, 11:33 PM

The Cool Reader app has a Read Aloud feature that converts an ebook's text into speech.

tomsem · 06-07-2013, 11:52 PM

IOS has excellent accessibility features, and iBooks implements them very well, as does the Kindle app. You can operate an ipad or iphone without any vision with VoiceOver turned on. Most apps do not implement it however. It takes additional development effort.

I have been using VoiceOver just for the TTS, and it is pretty good.

meeera · 06-07-2013, 11:53 PM

I believe Voiceover work in iBooks, which has TTS. I think it works in the iOS Kobo app, too.

tomsem · 06-08-2013, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

I believe Voiceover work in iBooks, which has TTS. I think it works in the iOS Kobo app, too.

Kobo app does not work at all well with VO. Afaict whatever support it has is accidental.

meeera · 06-08-2013, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Kobo app does not work at all well with VO. Afaict whatever support it has is accidental.

You can sideload epubs into iBooks, then.

Billi · 06-08-2013, 03:37 AM

The Pocketbook and Onyx devices have quite good tts-support.

06-07-2013, 05:19 PM	#1
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	Text to Speech dedicated device for EPUBs. Even though my eyesight is poor, I'm not blind, so I can read normal books. Still, I've been wondering about this. Does a dedicated TTS-device that reads EPUBs exist? I'm thinking along the lines of an iPod Shuffle, or one of those very simple USB-stick type MP3-players without a screen. It would have controls like an audio player, like this: Home: Go to Home. Pause/Play: Start speaking titles when on Home-screen, otherwise continue/start TTS from the current position in the book. Back / Forward: Flip a page. The reader says something like: "Backward, page 211" when pressing the button. It's not necessary to flip pages while the reader is TTS-ing. Rewind: Go to the beginning of the book. And some stuff for menu's / TOC and so on, for which a menu button could be used, and back/forward function like an up/down button, for example. I know there are TTS-applications for phones and tablets, and reading applications with TTS, but these require sight to operate. If a dedicated device has 25 books loaded or so, then it doesn't require sight; maybe a person is able to reload the device using a computer, or if not, a family member or caretaker can reload it if necessary. Does something like this exist? I've been looking, just out of curiousity, but I can't find anything. Of course, it would be possible to use a TTS application on the computer, record its output to MP3, and use an MP3-player, but that's a lengthy way to do it. Audiobooks are expensive, and braille books even more so. ($130 per Lord of the Rings volume :X)

06-07-2013, 11:52 PM	#3
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,939 Karma: 27060151 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	IOS has excellent accessibility features, and iBooks implements them very well, as does the Kindle app. You can operate an ipad or iphone without any vision with VoiceOver turned on. Most apps do not implement it however. It takes additional development effort. I have been using VoiceOver just for the TTS, and it is pretty good. Last edited by tomsem; 06-08-2013 at 12:04 AM.

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06-07-2013, 11:33 PM	#2
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	The Cool Reader app has a Read Aloud feature that converts an ebook's text into speech.

06-07-2013, 11:53 PM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,814 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	I believe Voiceover work in iBooks, which has TTS. I think it works in the iOS Kobo app, too.

06-08-2013, 03:37 AM	#7
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	The Pocketbook and Onyx devices have quite good tts-support.