You can reduce the MP3 audio file size in Text Speaker by selecting the proper values for Audio Frequency, Bitrate and Audio quality from the Audio Properties dialog. [image: MP3Properties.png] If you have selected high values for quality, bitrate and frequency, then the output MP3 file will be large. Try choosing a lower bitrate. Please note that the size of the MP3 file will also depend on the size of E-book which you are converting.

Yes, you can use different audio file formats for background music in Text Speaker. You can add background audio while converting your text file to MP3 format. Text Speaker supports MP3, WAV, WMA, MPA, ASF, MPEG, MPG and M1V file formats for background audio. [image: MP3Properties.png] Select the ‘Add background music to the output file’ option under Background Music section. Select audio file for background music using ‘Browse’ button.

You can read the email content in Outlook, Gmail or any mail reader using the keyboard shortcuts in Text Speaker. Go to ‘Settings’ and then select ‘Keyboard HotKeys’ tab. Choose the key combination to start speaking, stop speaking, pause/resume speaking as shown below. [image: HotkeySettings.png] Next, select the content from your Email and use the keyboard shortcuts to listen. You don’t have to copy the content of email to Text Speaker, anything on your screen can be read aloud.

Yes, you can convert the .doc files into .wav file using Text Speaker. Click on the ‘Open’ icon on the tool bar and select your document file. Next click on the ‘Convert to Audio’ icon on the tool bar and select WAV audio format. [image: AudioProperties.png] More details about audio formats can be found here: Creating Audio Files

In Text Speaker, you can skip the reading of the asterisk, or any other special character, by using the phoneme for silence from the phoneme table. [image: phonemes.png] Select the asterisk character, click on the ‘Pronunciation’ icon on the tool bar. Next, click on the ‘Phoneme Chart’ button and double click the ‘_’ phoneme for silence. Click OK and ‘Apply’ button. Finally click ‘Done’. Now, the asterisk character will not be pronounced while reading your novel.

The selection of a voice to learn a specific language is very important. There is a wide range of voices you can use with Text Speaker. For the French language, as spoken in France, select the 'Alain' and 'Juliette' voices from AT&T Natural Voices or the 'Mathieu' and 'Celine' voices from Ivona. If you are going to be in the French speaking part of Canada, the 'Chantal' or 'Arnaud' voices will work well for you. Here is an article that will help you select the right voices for your own use: https://www.deskshare.com/resources/articles/text-to-speech-voice-software.aspx

Text Speaker can create Talking Reminders. Here is how to schedule the reminders: Click on "Talking Reminders" option on the tool bar, you will see this dialog: [image: reminderwindow.png] Click on the "Create" button. Type the message in the text box, select Date and Time. You can repeat your reminders after some minutes, hours, days or years. [image: ReminderDetails.png] Select a voice to read aloud the reminder message. Click OK At the specified Date and Time, your message will be read aloud. This will help you remember the important work. To know more about Talking Reminders, refer this link: https://www.deskshare.com/help/ts/Reminders.aspx

When reading long e-books, you can easily return to the point where you left off by using the bookmark feature in Text Speaker. Follow these steps: Click Edit menu >> Add Bookmark. Give the bookmark a name. When you want to return to a bookmark, click Edit menu >> Go to Bookmark and choose a bookmark from the dropdown. [image: GotoBookmark.png] After returning to the required position, click Speak menu >> Speak from Current Cursor Position. Now, Text Speaker will start reading from the point where you have added a bookmark.

You can add a pause after the letter ‘C’. Text Speaker allows you to enter a customized pause length within your text. Put the cursor at the position where you want to add a pause, then click on the "Edit" menu >> Insert Pause. Use the predefined ‘0.25 seconds’ pause duration. Now, Text Speaker will take a pause after reading letter ‘C’ and the instructions will be much clearer. You can also add a comma after the letter ‘C’. The default timing after a comma is half a second.

Text Speaker allows you to set bookmarks within your document for easy reference. With bookmarks you can quickly return to the section of your document at any time. Go to the section in the document where you have a menu list and click Edit >> Add Bookmark. Give a name to the bookmark. You can add multiple bookmarks to your document and return to it. Now, whenever you want to do changes in menu list, click Edit >> Go to Bookmark and choose a bookmark from the dropdown. [image: GotoBookmark.png] This way, you can easily move to the point where you want to do changes.

You can hide Text Speaker from the task bar while reading text. Follow these steps: Click Tools >> Settings, select 'On close minimize Text Speaker to system tray' option under General Preferences section. [image: Settings.png] When you close the application window, it will be minimized to system tray and will be hidden from task bar. Now, you can use the keyboard short cuts to read your text.

Yes, Text Speaker can read the file aloud at a set time. You use the Talking Reminder feature to read your file. Follow these steps: Click on the 'Talking Reminders' icon on the tool bar. You will see following window: [image: reminderwindow.png] To schedule a new reminder, click on the 'Create' button. [image: ReminderDetails.png] Select the 'Text File Containing Message' option and browse your PC folders for the text document that you want to read aloud. Set the date and time for the reminder to appear. Set the time 5-10 minutes after you receive your file from the server. For example, if you receive the file at 12:00 then set the reminder time to 12:05 so that the new version of file is available at the folder location. Select the option 'Repeat every' and set it for 2 hours. When you receive a message file, it will be read aloud at a set time.

You can alter the way Text Speaker pronounces a word as you listen to the text. To change the way '35º Celsius' is pronounced, select it and click Tools >> Pronunciation. You will see following dialog: [image: PronunciationMain12.png] In the 'Word' field, the string '35º Celsius' will be added. In 'Pronunciation' field enter '35 degrees Celsius'. Click on Test button to check the pronunciation and the click on Apply button. That's it. Now, Text Speaker will read it as '35 degrees Celsius'.

Yes, you can read a document without copying or importing it into Text Speaker. You just need to select the text in the file and press the hotkey to listen to it. For each hotkey, choose a combination of modifier keys (shift, alt, and ctrl) with any alphabet or function key. Keyboard hotkeys are available to start, pause, resume, and stop the speech. You can set the Hotkeys from Tools >> Settings >> Keyboard Hotkey. Here is an example: [image: HotkeySettings.png]

Text Speaker can save you time by converting multiple documents to audio using Batch conversion. Click on the 'Open' icon on tool bar and select all your text files. Mark the files in the 'File List' for conversion. [image: SelectMultipleFiles.png] Click 'Speak' menu, select 'Convert Selected Files to Audio' and set the audio properties. Your all text files will be converted to audio files.

You can spell out a word, rather than pronouncing it using Text Speaker. For example, a computer program may have a "Graphical User Interface", which is abbreviated as "GUI". If you want Text Speaker to say "G U I" instead of "gooey" when it reads this abbreviation, you can mark it to be spelled. Select the word or phrase to be spelled. Click on the 'Edit' menu and select 'Spell Selected Word/Phrase' option. The text will be enclosed within the tags <spell> and </spell>. Now when you hear the particular word/phrase, it will be spelled out.

Yes, Text Speaker allows you to create an audio file for just the required parts of your content. Select the text you want to convert in the mp3 file and then click the 'Edit' menu >> 'Outline Area' or press 'CTRL+L'. One other way is to select the text, right click and select 'Outline Area' option. Here is an example: [image: AudioOutline.png] You can test your selected text before creating audio file by clicking 'Speak' menu >> 'Speak Outlined Text'. Convert the marked text to an audio file by clicking 'Speak' menu >> 'Convert Outlined Text' and listen to your key points. Insert pauses between topics by inserting a silence command in your text. Here is an example of a 10 second pause: Topic 1 <silence msec="10000"/> Topic 2

Text Speaker can read your documents aloud in a clear, human-sounding voice. When you are proofreading, hearing the words aloud makes it easy to catch common errors. Select a proper voice and adjust the pitch, reading speed and volume for more efficiency. Highlight each word while reading so it will be easier to locate the problem within the document. You can refer this article on 'Proofread Documents by Listening to Your Computer Read It' https://www.deskshare.com/resources/articles/proofread-documents.aspx

Text Speaker can easily create your .wav file. Just open the application, enter the text which you want to convert and save your text file. Go to the 'Speak' menu and select 'Convert Current File To Audio'. Select 'WAV' from 'Audio formats' drop down. Select the destination folder using 'Browse' button. Finally, click OK to convert your text file into a .wav file. [image: AudioProperties.png] There are many different voices that will work with Text Speaker. Here is a list of voices you can use: https://www.deskshare.com/text-to-speech-voices.aspx

Text Speaker allows you to enter a customized pause length within your text. Put the cursor at the position where you want to add a pause, then click "Edit" menu >> Insert Pause. Use one of the predefined pauses from .25 seconds to 5 seconds or click on user defined and enter the amount of time you would like. Test your files by clicking on 'Speak' option on tool bar. If the pause is satisfactory then save your text and convert it to a mp3 file. See the following example: *Turn text documents into MP3 audio or read them aloud on your PC.<silence msec="5000"/> This advanced text-to-speech application turns words into audio with natural sounding voices.<silence msec="10000"/> Text Speaker can read aloud your documents, or you can convert them into MP3 files to listen to anywhere at anytime! *