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"Outstanding Program!!"
Version: Balabolka Portable 2.3.0.512
Pros
You can have it read back to you anything that you copy onto your clipboard. It's not tied to any one specific program. I used to use CliCkSpeak with Firefox, but it no longer works with the new versions. Worst part of it all, it doesn't work with any other programs. Balabolka Portable works flawlessly, and best of all, it's free!
As for many saying that the voice sounds robotic, that may be due to the fact you might still be running an older Operating System. If you upgrade to Vista or Windows 7, I believe you will hear a much more normal sounding voice. This has been my experience as I moved through all the OS's. As far as I'm aware, this program and many others only work as well as your system allows. Meaning, it works within your computer's capability specs.Cons
None, Nothing, Nada!
Summary
Bottom line: If you want an invaluable program to read text back to you effectively and clearly, use this program. I don't really use it's interface, I just open the program, minimize it so it stays open. Then I just highlight and copy anything on any program I want read, right click it, copy, then right click on the Balabolka Portable icon on the Taskbar and choose Read Clipboard Aloud. That's it.
I highly recommend this program. By the way, I'm running Windows 7 64_bit and it works just fine. -
"Outstanding!!!"
Version: Balabolka Portable 2.3.0.511
Pros
Although not perfect, nothing ever is, this program works flawlessly! It read text back with a nice natural flow. The voice it as good as the OS your using can produce. The fact that you can save the text as an audio file just completes it for me.
Cons
None really. I didn't give it a full 5 stars only because I didn't have much other programs to compare it too in order to find out what this program might be lacking. Thus far, it works perfect
Summary
Thus far, it works perfect! I highly recommend it to anyone! I've only tried it on my OS and it works fine. If it helps, I'm running Windows 7 64-bit, 12 gig RAM, and the i7 Core Intel processor which is a real speed demon.
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"Nifty little program."
Version: Balabolka Portable 2.2.0.497
Pros
One great use for the program is teaching a child to read. My 3 year old is entering words in from story books to read book at same time is learning to read and spell.
Cons
Do not have any negative comments
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"(Almost) Portable TTS program"
Version: Balabolka Portable 2.0.0.488
Pros
It really works as advertised and is portable, if you are satisfied with the one male SAPI5 voice or the two female voices on Windows 7. Many features.
Cons
If you are not happy with the limited choices of SAPI5 voices on Windows 7 or XP, you will have to install tv-enusa.exe on the computer It will install with no trouble on Windows XP, and with very little trouble on Windows 7 for SAPI4 voices.
Summary
This program works better than the regular, permanently type of installed program my Windows 7 computer. The voice varied in speed on that program quite a bit, but not with this portable version. This is enough reason to use build over the one that is permanently installed on the computer. If you want a variety of voices, a dozen or two of SAPI4 voices, you must install, TV_ENUA.EXE, on your computer. Windows XP, has no problem with doing that installation, and Windows 7 wants to convert TV_ENUA.EXE into a compatible file, so let it, and it then installs without a problem.
Sorting through added features that I use over the years is a problem with many them. They suffer from ever increasing bloat and deciding if any of the new features are worth it and using the menus to set them up is irritating to me. This program can save files in many formats such as Ogg Vorbis files. My question is why? Many MP3 players won't play this type of file (Sandisk owners you're in luck, if you have some deep philosophical dislike for MP3 or WMA files many Sandisk players will play Ogg Vorbis.) This version may have some interesting features that my 2007 doesn't. It will do what the earlier Balabolka versions will do, convert text to speech and then save them as mp3 files, which is just about the only thing I require of a text to speech program, other than being understandable and keep a constant speed in speaking.
The nice things that the CNET editor has to say about this program, I agree with on this version. -
"Works like MS Talk but inflections seem better"
Version: Balabolka Portable 1.36.0.482
Pros
With MS voices, intelligibility and inflections are better
Cons
still crappy voice (computer voice)
Summary
I t works a bit better than MS but I have uninstalled and will look foe another
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