User:MTGap

The KDE Text-To-Speech System, KTTS

Features

Converts text into audio
Highly Configurable
- Substitute misspoken words
- Choose speech synthesizers
Runs in the System Tray
Integrates with most KDE applications
- Speak text from clipboard
- Speak all or sections of text file in Kate
- Speak all or sections of HTML page in Konqueror
- Can be used for notifications (KNotify)

Description

KDE Text-To-Speech System or KTTS is an application that can run in the background to provide speech output of text throughout the desktop. It integrates with many applications and is simple to use.

Setup

Once installed you can start KTTS by going to your applications menu and under Utilites open kttsmgr. Or just start KRunner 'Alt+F2' and run 'kttsmgr'. KTTS is not initially setup and you will need to do this before using its speaking abilities.

Note:

You can also access the configuration from System Settings

The first step is to make sure you have a compatible speech engine installed. The following synthesizers are compatible with KTTS: Festival, Festival Lite (flite), Hadifix, Epos, and FreeTTS. Any engine that can be run from commandline can also be used with KTTS.

Now you can continue on and create a 'Talker.' Select the tab Talker from the Text-to-Speech Control Module and click 'Add.'

Configuration

Using KTTS

System Tray

If enabled in the configuration, KTTS will be availabe to you in the System Tray. Right-clicking it will reveal the menu which is straight forward and allows for control of the speech output.

Notice the 'Speak Clipboard Contents' in the menu, if the application isn't integrated with KTTS (Read more about the applications with KTTS built-in in the next section) you can copy the text you want spoken, and click 'Speak Clipboard Contents' to hear it read.