Jun 24,2019 • Filed to: PDF Reader
Using Preview’s speech feature to listen to a PDF Preview is the default program for opening PDF documents on the Mac. Preview’s speech feature can read PDF documents using the system voices built into Mac OS X.
Many of us might not be familiar with PDF Audio Reader. It is a text to audio program that allows you to read your PDF text out load. In this article, we will introduce several popular PDF audio reader tools for Mac, Windows, iPhone/iPad and Android, which will help you learn how to choose the best PDF voice reader for your needs.
- When you’ve installed Reader, open up a PDF file that you’d like the computer to read to you. Open the “View” menu, point to the “Read Out Loud” submenu, and then click the.
- Wrapping Up: PDF Voice Reader for Windows If you don’t want anything fancy and just get it done and over with, Adobe Reader is a good option. You can have it read PDF files page-wise or entire file.
- The cutting edge vBookz PDF Voice Reader has an advanced text-to-speech high quality voices with 17 languages. It's the best way to follow and read documents on iPad, iPhone or iPod. VBookz Audiobooks adds orientation and navigation tools that enhance the reading experience.
- The Most Powerful Text to Speech Reader Try your own text and documents now! Watch Video Go To Online Reader. Explore more about us. Login from any computer to convert any written text such as MS Word, PDF files, non-DRM eBooks, and webpages into spoken natural sounding speech. It supports Windows and Mac computers.
- When you’ve installed Reader, open up a PDF file that you’d like the computer to read to you. Open the “View” menu, point to the “Read Out Loud” submenu, and then click the “Activate Read Out Loud” command.
- More and more operating systems, smartphones, and other devices contain built-in abilities to show PDF files. Even so, a dedicated PDF reader often has a number of advantages over the built-in PDF reader you may already have, like viewing options, better search, and a lot more.
Part 1: What is PDF Audio Reader?
Before we define what a PDF Audio Reader is, we must differentiate it from a PDF Reader, the two terms confuse both people and search engines alike. A PDF Reader is simply a software or program that is used to open, or, sometimes in the case of reader/writers, edit and create PDF files. A PDF Audio Reader, on the other hand, is a text to speech software (TTS). Its primary purpose is to convert text into audio. In other words, it reads text out loud.
Most PDF Audio Readers have the capability to read not just PDF files but also Word and web (HTML), Kindle and other text file formats. Initially the software was created to assist the visually impaired, but now all users can take advantage of the software. Many are trying to avoid eyestrain like in the case of writers proofreading their own work. They use TTS software to read their work back to them so they can take a little break from staring at the computer screen. In other applications, usually in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, TTS Apps are used to convert important text messages and/or emails to speech when the user is doing something that occupies their hands and eyes, like driving for example. Others simply like to relax and listen to the audio conversion of an e-book or long article instead of actually reading the text.
Part 2: Top 5 PDF Audio Reader for Mac
#1: Text2Speech
Text2Speech is a PDF Audio Reader that can be used with Mac. It is downloadable from the (Apple) App Store and for additional features you can purchase or upgrade to the paid version Text2Speech Pro. This TTS comes with 10 voices, but if you are running OS X Lion 10.7, it gives you the option of downloading additional voices from iTunes. Mac devices running OS X Lion can also download upgrades to support 26 additional languages. Text2Speech also has a Windows version.
#2: Voice Dream
Voice Dream is overflowing with features but despite that, it comes with a clean user-friendly interface. Some of the features of this TTS that stand out include its having 37 built in voices and the capability to purchase hundreds of additional voices from third party vendors like Ivona, Acapela and Neo Speech. Prices range from $2.00 to $5.00. Other noteworthy features include its ability to remember where your last session ended when reading long materials like e-books and making a playlist to queue short reading materials like articles. Voice Dream also has a sleep timer you can use to have the app read you a bedtime story. There are more unique features in this PDF Audio Reader that you might like to check out on their website.
#3: TextSpeech Pro
TextSpeech Pro is not software. It can be purchased for $29.99. TextSpeech uses all Apple and Cepstral voices. As can be expected from a paid software TextSpeech Pro uses high quality voices and you have the option of downloading more voices. There are more features available if you purchase the more expensive De Lux version. TextSpeech Pro in total is a very good PDF Audio Reader. The only downside is the cost.
#4: Toau for Mac
Toau is a PDF Audio Reader for Mac that is light at 2.21 MB and thus is quite fast to download. There is no need to install the software and according to user reviews has the fastest conversion time. There is very little processing lag, between the time the text is loaded to the time it is converted to speech. Toau cannot download its own voices, however. It uses the default voice on your Mac so if you want it to change voices you need to download voices through your Mac’s system preferences and change the System Voice there. All in all, Toau exceeds expectations for a software its size. Toau is compatible with Mac OSX 10.7 or later.
#5: GhostReader
GhostReader is the Mac version of the PDF Audio Reader. It has almost the same features as its Windows counterpart, but includes the ability to bookmark audiobooks from your converted PDF e-books, a feature not found on the converted files of other converters. The downside of this software is that it can be a bit expensive, but you can add additional voices. A newly purchased Ghost reader can have as much as 20 license credits to purchase additional voices.
Part 3: Top 5 PDF Audio Reader Tools for Windows
1#: Natural Reader
The Natural Reader is a download Text to Speech software available in both Windows and Mac versions and also offers a paid version with additional features. This software allows you to control the reading speed and lets you customize the voices. This version only has one female voice; the paid version has more voice choices and the option of saving the converted text as MP3, WAV, WMA and other audio file types. Natural Reader can open and convert Word, PDF, PowerPoint, and more and if the file is in an unsupported format you can always copy and paste the text onto the text area and the software can convert it from there. However, it does converts text in segments and during the transition between segments the words tend to get either mumbled or skipped.
2#: Balabolka
Balabolka is a Windows-based PDF voice reader, and since it utilizes Windows components, is not designed to work on a Mac. It utilizes Microsoft Speech API4 files to synthesize speech. Microsoft SAPI is usually bundled with Windows but if not it can easily be downloaded. Balabolka is capable of reading PDF, DOC, RTF, HTML and more. For unsupported formats, you can still copy and paste the text directly on the Balabolka window. It saves the converted file in a variety of formats including MP3, WAV, WMA and others. Balabolka is also highly customizable. You can change skins and it has the ability to download more voices online.
3#: Deskbot
Deskbot is another Windows-based application. Deskbot is capable of reading from the clipboard so all you have to do is highlight the text you want it to read and press Ctrl+C (copy) and Deskbot will read it for you. Another convenience this software has is the “Read with Deskbot” item on the browser context menu when you right click on a webpage, just choose it and Deskbot will read the contents of the page automatically.
4#: Dspeech
Dspeech is also a PDF voice reader for Windows that has all the standard reading and saving capabilities of top Text to Speech converters and more. Its support goes all the way to providing links where you can download or purchase additional voices. Dspeech also utilizes SAPI and other Windows components so it is light to download. What makes this unique is that it has the capability to reverse the process; it has a voice recognition function where it can convert the user’s captured voice into text. Dspeech also has an open source Multilanguage upgrade where you can download additional code to enable it to properly read other languages including German, French, Japanese and Chinese among others, You can visit their website for the complete list. The only issue with Dspeech is that it has conversion speed issues and it sometimes cannot pick up on context.
5#: Ultra HAL TTS Reader
Ultra HAL comes out on top, not because of its high-tech features, but because of its simplicity. It boasts a simple and clean, user-friendly interface. It reads text either typed or pasted on its window and saves in WAV audio format. It doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but its simplicity makes it very useful for the visually impaired.
Edit PDF before Reading the PDF out Loud with PDFelement Pro
If you work with PDF files frequently, you may want to edit PDF text before turning it into audio. PDFelement Pro can help. This PDF editor allows you to edit any text, pages, graphics and more in a PDF. You can also convert and share PDFs if needed. Its OCR feature lets you work on scanned PDF files with ease. There are also security options to protect your PDF files.
Why Choose this PDF editor:
- Edit the text, images, and links in your PDF file easily.
- Combine multiple files into PDF and split PDF into several files.
- Convert PDF to Word, Excel and more formats, and batch convert multiple PDFs.
- Create PDF from other formats and create PDF forms easily.
- Use advanced OCR technology to edit and convert scanned PDF files with ease.
Part 4: Top 5 PDF Audio Reader Tools for Android
#1: Ivona Text To Speech HQ
Ivona is a Text to Speech app with high voice quality and a very big variety of voices to choose from. Ivona’s voice options are compatible on other TTS Apps and amazingly, you can download both the app and its voice upgrades. Ivona is notable for its ability to achieve near natural speech, which could even be customized to user preference. The downside is that Ivona uses a bigger data package to achieve this quality and thus takes up a lot of disk space and, would need to download huge data files when adding new voices.
#2: SVOX Classic
SVOX Classic is one of the most used TTS apps on the market. The reason is its support for over forty languages, and a variety of voices as well. That is almost twice the number of languages that other TTS apps offer.
#3: Loquendo TTS
Loquendo only offers one voice, Susan, but she is one of the quirkier voices available. When reading posts, especially on social networks, this voice reads out emoticons by giving their equivalent sounds like laughing, crying, sighing, and a variety of sounds. This feature is unique to Loquendo. It does not seem to justify the app’s high price though, considering that it has problems with reading long files like long articles and e-books.
#4: SVOX Pico
SVOX Pico is a version of SVOX and is often bundled in with the purchase of an Android device. The TTS is pretty functional but it has one of the most robotic sounding voices. A user needs to upgrade to SVOX classic to access additional paid voices.
#5: CereProc
CereProc is another playful Android TTS app. It has the functionality and voices common to other TTS apps but it has additional animal voices offered like, dog, pig, dodo etc. Although these voices are pretty incomprehensible, you can always use them to amuse yourself and your friends. The downside of CereProc is that it is not appropriate as a serious business software.
Part 5: Top 5 PDF Audio Reader for iPad/iPhone
1#: Voice Dream for iOS
Voice Dream for iOS is a lighter version of Voice Dream for Mac. Despite being light it is still packed full of features and still boasts the same clean and easy to use interface. Some of its notable features include bookmarking for long documents and note taking capabilities. Unlike the Mac version though, it does not have the copy/paste option (Clipboard read) for unsupported formats. Voice Dream is optimized for both the iPhone and the iPad.
2#: Voice Reader Text to Speech
Voice Reader probably has the best quality and most professional sounding voice around when it comes to TTS Apps for iOS. The app comes with 32 voices and supports 21 languages. It is capable of multitasking, by listening and translating a text document while you perform another task on your phone or tablet. Voice Reader is optimized to handle online text like emails, RSS Feeds, social network posts and more. Voice Reader Text to Speech is supported by both the iPhone and the iPad.
3#: Speech Magnet
Speech Magnet has some of the characteristics of the Mac TTS software; it has clipboard reading capabilities. This means that you can copy the text you want Speech Magnet to read and then launch the app. There is no need to paste because the app directly reads from the clipboard. Speech Magnet also has auto start capabilities meaning it starts reading the moment the app is launched. It can also run in the background for convenience. Speech Magnet is a simple yet powerful tool. Unfortunately, it is only supported by iPhone and not iPad.
4#: Voice Brief
The Voice Brief Text to Speech app is described as a voice assistant app developed for iPhone. As a TTS app, it has special features like having four high quality voices to choose from, customizable content and multitasking. The app has additional features more often associated with virtual assistant apps than with a TTS app. These features include a background listing option, an alarm clock, and a built in browser.
5#: Web Reader
The Web Reader app is an iPhone TTS app optimized for reading web content like web pages, emails, blog and social network posts, and similar text files online. Standout features of Web Reader include its image-blocking feature to allow written content to load faster and auto speaking from background when multitasking. Web reader also works well with local sync apps like Dropbox. The downside with this App is that it is an iPhone only app and its features are more focused on online than offline functions.
Create PDF for PDF Audio Reader - iSkysoft PDF Creator
The above mentioned PDF audio reader is great, but what if your files are not in PDF format, but rather a Microsoft Office format? iSkysoft PDF Creator for Mac (or PDFelement Pro for Windows) allow you to convert Word, Excel and PPT to PDF effortlessly. View more features:
Key features of iSkysoft PDF Creator:
- Create PDF from DOC, DOCX, XLS， XLSX， PPT, and PPTX.
- Batch convert Microsoft Office files to PDFs all at once.
- Make high quality PDF files that retain the original formatting.
Text to Speech (TTS) software allows you to have text read aloud to you. This is useful for struggling readers and for writers, when editing and revising their work. You can also convert eBooks to audiobooks so you can listen to them on long drives.
We’ve posted some websites here where you can find some good TTS software programs and online tools that are free or at least have free versions available.
NaturalReader
NaturalReader is a free TTS program that allows you to read aloud any text. The free version of the software converts Microsoft Word files, webpages, PDF files, and emails into spoken words. It includes Microsoft Voices and allows you to change voices and adjust the reading speed. Simply select any text and press one hotkey to have NaturalReader read the text to you. There are also paid versions that offer more features and more available voices.
Ultra Hal TTS Reader
Ultra Hal TTS Reader is a program that will read text out loud in one of its many high quality voices. The free version includes many high quality computerized voices and reads text files out loud, as well as instant messages, standard Windows dialogs, and text from the clipboard, which allows the program to read text from webpages and emails. You can also use Ultra HAL TTS Reader to convert a document into a WAV audio file, which can be burned to a CD or converted to an MP3 file.
ReadClip
ReadClip is a TTS reader that also offers a rich text editor that can read and spell check any text document, and allows you to manage several text and picture clips on the clipboard, and generate MP3 files. The TTS reader part of the software is free and will never expire. However, the other features are “try before you buy” features and you must buy the software to continue using them. You can keep the TTS reader hidden or it can display the text it’s reading in the clipboard and highlight each word as it’s read aloud. Besides monitoring the clipboard, you can also copy and paste text into the program, or type the text into the program, or load the text from a file.
Read4Me TTS Clipboard Reader
The Read4Me TTS Clipboard Reader allows you to read the contents of the clipboard aloud using a pre-installed SAPI5 TTS voice when you press a hotkey. Multiple hotkeys can be set for different languages, voices, speech rates, and volumes. Read4Me can also convert text files to MP3 files.
Kyrathasoft Text To Speech
Kyrathasoft Text To Speech is a portable program that allows you to use the default installed Microsoft Voice and SAPI to convert text files to the spoken word, that it saves into a WAV audio file. It is completely free and fully functional. There is no evaluation period and no crippled features.
FeyRecorder
FeyRecorder is a TTS conversion tool with natural voices that allows you to listen to any text document spoken aloud. You can also use the software to convert other sound sources into audio files, such as CDs, tapes, DVDs, online radio, and video games. The formats FeyRecorder can generate include MP3, WMA, OGG, VOX, AU, and AIFF. The audio files can be transferred to any portable device that handles them for on-the-go listening.
yRead
yRead3 allows you to load a plain text (TXT) file in a resizable window to be read out loud using human speech. Use yRead to listen to eBooks, your own writing, or any other piece of text.
yRead3 is an updated version of the software that runs on XP, Vista, and Windows 7, and requires at least .NET Framework 3.0 to run. You can also download yRead2 and run both versions on the same computer.
Panopreter
The free version of Panopreter Basic will read a text file, an RTF file, an MS Word document, or an HTML webpage to you aloud. You can also input text into the program window to be read aloud. It supports a variety of languages and voices and allows you to create WAV audio files and MP3 audio files from the text.
Text2Speech
Text2Speech is a free program that converts text into audible speech. You can play the text at a custom rate and volume, have the text be highlighted as it’s read, and export the text into a WAV file or an MP3 file. The program required .NET Framework 2.0 to run.
DeskBot
DeskBot is a free program that includes a clipboard reader, text reader, and time announcer for Windows. Select text in any application and press Ctrl + C to have it read aloud. For available commands and options, right-click on the DeskBot icon in the system tray. DeskBot will also read the contents of the clipboard when it changes.
DeskBot adds a “Read with DeskBot” item to the Internet Explorer context menu, when you right-click on a webpage.
PowerTalk
PowerTalk is a free program that allows you to have your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations spoken out loud. When you open a PowerPoint presentation and let it run as usual, PowerTalk speaks the text on the slides as it appears, and also hidden text attached to images. The speech in PowerTalk is provided by synthesized computer voices that come with Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
ClipSpeak
ClipSpeak is a small, portable, TTS tool that speaks text copied or cut to the clipboard. It’s compatible with all SAPI5 speech synthesizers. You can also use ClipSpeak to convert text to MP3 files for listening to on CDs, computers, smartphones, and portable media players. If you want other languages, look at eSpeak, which is a compact, open source speech synthesizer for English and other languages that works in Windows and Linux.
DSpeech
DSpeech is a free, portable TTS program that can read written text files in different formats aloud (such as TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, and HTML files) and also has Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) functionality. The ASR allows you to use DSpeech to convert your own voice to text.
DSpeech allows you to save the output as a WAV, MP3, AAC, WMA, or OGG file. You can select different voices, or combine them to create dialogs among different voices for books or scripts, and DSpeech is compatible with all the vocal engines (SAPI4 and SAPI5 compliant). You can also have the content of the clipboard read to you.
Balabolka
Balabolka is a TTS program that allows you to read clipboard content and text from several types of files, such as DOC, EPUB, HTML, MOBI, LIT, CHM, PRC, PDF, and RTF files. The program uses various versions of the Microsoft Speech API (SAPI). This allows you to change a voice’s parameters, including rate and pitch.
To use the Microsoft SAPI4 voices, download and install the Microsoft Speech API file. You can also download the MS Speech Control Panel for the Windows Control Panel that allows you to easily list the compatible TTS engines installed on your system and customize their settings.
Balabolka also allows you to create digital audio files from text, including MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, AAC, and AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate).
One interesting feature of Balabolka is that you can save subtitled text in the LRC format or in the metadata of the audio file. This allows you to follow along with the text as the audio plays.
Pdf Voice Reader Free Download
ReadTheWords.com
ReadTheWords.com is an online TTS tool that can generate a clear sounding audio file from almost any written material. Simply copy text from your file into their text box, or upload a Microsoft Office document, PDF file, TXT file, or HTML document. You can also enter a web address, or RSS feed URL, and ReadTheWords.com will read the text from that webpage or RSS feed out loud.
ReadTheWords.com allows you to save what it’s reading. You can download it to your computer or portable music player or smartphone. You can even embed the file in your website.
Odiogo
Odiogo allows you to create TTS podcasts from RSS feeds that can be downloaded to a PC, iPods/MP3 players, and mobile phones. People wanting to listen to your content can subscribe to your podcasts through iTunes, iPodder, or other similar services. You can also promote your audio content on podcast directories.
If you run a blog, you can have your blog posts turned into high quality audio files. Odiogo is compatible with all blog engines that publish RSS feeds, such as WordPress, Typepad, and Blogger. They generate MP3 files that are stored on their servers, and they let you know when the audio version of your blog is ready.
You can also make money from embedded ads in the audio versions of your blog posts and RSS feeds.
NOTE: As of the writing of this article, Odiogo was upgrading their service and they were not accepting new signups.
TTSReader
TTSReader is a free, TTS program that allows you to read TXT files or RTF files aloud and save them to WAV or MP3 files. It highlights the text being currently read and allows you to skip sentences or paragraphs while reading. TTSReader supports rich text formatting and both SAPI4 and SAPI5 voices. It can automatically read what’s in the clipboard and you can convert multiple documents to audio at a time.
TTS Add-ons for Browsers
You can also read text using add-ons or extensions in web browsers.
- SpeakIt! – SpeakIt for Google Chrome reads selected text using TTS technology with language auto-detection. It can read text in more than 50 languages.
- FoxVox – FoxVox for Firefox allows you to turn your blogs and articles into podcasts. It speaks any text you highlight in a webpage, and it can create audiobooks from the text in MP3, OGG, and WAV formats.
- SpokenText – The SpokenText Firefox extension allows you to easily record any text on public webpages simply by clicking a Record Web Page button on the toolbar. This extension is also available for Chrome.
- SpeakingFox – The SpeakingFox add-on for Firefox for Mac OS X converts text to audible speech.
Simultaneous Stanza Reader – For Mac
Simultaneous Stanza Reader for Mac OS X is a free, TTS reader that reads text files aloud and displays the text stanza-after-stanza. You can easily use this program to read books from Project Gutenberg aloud.
Free Pdf Voice Reader For Windows
If you’ve found any other useful TTS readers, let us know.
READ NEXTFree Pdf Voice Reader
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