Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Mac OS software to record text files to audio files? (self.Blind)
submitted by Xenolog
Hello community!
I am considering moving my visually-impaired significant relative to Mac OS for all the convenience of Siri and stability (or at least I hope that Siri works on Mac OS as well as it does on Iphone).
Currently he is using a Windows with NVDA and megaton of helper software, which creates a very working and familiar environment for him, but the overall result is rather buggy and sometimes the environment stops working completely. I'm Ok with coming to help but the problem is that he can't do a thing with computer until I do come over and fix the environment for him.
The main question is if there are any programs on Mac OS to record text files to mp3 or other audio format via TTS, because listening to self-made audio books from mp3 players is almost his only core hobby and occupation.
In our country there are no well-working voice-controlled audio book library applications , and he wants to have control over what he is reading anyway. Or I just don't know of any such applications around.
​
Thank all you very much in advance!
I am considering moving my visually-impaired significant relative to Mac OS for all the convenience of Siri and stability (or at least I hope that Siri works on Mac OS as well as it does on Iphone).
Currently he is using a Windows with NVDA and megaton of helper software, which creates a very working and familiar environment for him, but the overall result is rather buggy and sometimes the environment stops working completely. I'm Ok with coming to help but the problem is that he can't do a thing with computer until I do come over and fix the environment for him.
The main question is if there are any programs on Mac OS to record text files to mp3 or other audio format via TTS, because listening to self-made audio books from mp3 players is almost his only core hobby and occupation.
In our country there are no well-working voice-controlled audio book library applications , and he wants to have control over what he is reading anyway. Or I just don't know of any such applications around.
​
Thank all you very much in advance!
Laser_Lens_4 2 points 3y ago
Siri with Voiceover for Mac OS sucks. Voiceover for Mac is overall rather buggy. Could you move them to an iPad instead? That's based on iOS which is getting much more attention from Apple at the moment. Mac has several advantages over Windows, including the ability to reinstall Mac OS without any sighted help, but there's a fair share of bugs as well.
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What kind of work does he do? I would check to see if the workflow can be done on an iPad first. Also, Apple will soon be transitioning to their own silicon on Macs, so it's possible they might become more useable in the near future.
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If you want books read aloud to him, you should look into the Victor Reader Stream. It can play books that are either recorded or are in a specific text format.
​
What kind of work does he do? I would check to see if the workflow can be done on an iPad first. Also, Apple will soon be transitioning to their own silicon on Macs, so it's possible they might become more useable in the near future.
​
If you want books read aloud to him, you should look into the Victor Reader Stream. It can play books that are either recorded or are in a specific text format.
Xenolog [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Hello there good sir!
I will look into Victor Reader Stream, thank you very much. It looks like a device he could actually use if internal menus are logical enough.
The main tasks he does on current PC are:
1) He chooses text files from massive local library, then he runs them through TTS software to create audio books, copies final mp3 files to his player and listens to them.
2) He opens web browser, searches for something like news and listens to the pages
3) He searches and listens to stuff on YouTube.
4) He fumbles around and cleans sound in Sound Forge, he was a sound recording engineer.
The main problem with touch devices in general is that he can't really grasp the concept of working with touch screen, due to the whole intuitive controls and show-only-what-context-requires touch interface design concepts, having no real cursor and scrolling screens - working space is not stable and you can't possibly make person remember screens by heart. The only mobile electronics he is able to work with are either simple and stable interfaces like mp3-players without touch or true-voice-controlled stuff like Iphone with Siri or our country's well-working and voice-controlled Alexa analogue. But I don't know any true voice-controlled audio book apps, which find audio books or read them aloud and remember last position :/
Personal computer-environments have very important feature of having stable interface, cursor and menu systems, which touch interfaces miss entirely - you can make screen reader read aloud where cursor is and which window is active, but you can't possibly do such thing on fluid modern touch interface.
I will look into Victor Reader Stream, thank you very much. It looks like a device he could actually use if internal menus are logical enough.
The main tasks he does on current PC are:
1) He chooses text files from massive local library, then he runs them through TTS software to create audio books, copies final mp3 files to his player and listens to them.
2) He opens web browser, searches for something like news and listens to the pages
3) He searches and listens to stuff on YouTube.
4) He fumbles around and cleans sound in Sound Forge, he was a sound recording engineer.
The main problem with touch devices in general is that he can't really grasp the concept of working with touch screen, due to the whole intuitive controls and show-only-what-context-requires touch interface design concepts, having no real cursor and scrolling screens - working space is not stable and you can't possibly make person remember screens by heart. The only mobile electronics he is able to work with are either simple and stable interfaces like mp3-players without touch or true-voice-controlled stuff like Iphone with Siri or our country's well-working and voice-controlled Alexa analogue. But I don't know any true voice-controlled audio book apps, which find audio books or read them aloud and remember last position :/
Personal computer-environments have very important feature of having stable interface, cursor and menu systems, which touch interfaces miss entirely - you can make screen reader read aloud where cursor is and which window is active, but you can't possibly do such thing on fluid modern touch interface.
CloudyBeep 2 points 3y ago
I can't answer your specific question, because the information I have about it is a few years old.
However, VoiceOver, the equivalent to NVDA on macOS, works quite well, and, assuming he learns to use it well, he shouldn't get stuck and need sighted assistance nearly as often as on Windows.
However, VoiceOver, the equivalent to NVDA on macOS, works quite well, and, assuming he learns to use it well, he shouldn't get stuck and need sighted assistance nearly as often as on Windows.
IronDominion 2 points 3y ago
True, but VO can be more difficult to learn in my experience, but is more stable than NVDA
RJHand 2 points 3y ago
More difficult to learn?
I disagree, both are there own thing. Plus VO has all the hints (you are currently on a button) etc that NVDA doesn't have. The help files are very similar though, but I believe voiceover has more of them, maybe not?
I disagree, both are there own thing. Plus VO has all the hints (you are currently on a button) etc that NVDA doesn't have. The help files are very similar though, but I believe voiceover has more of them, maybe not?
IronDominion 1 points 3y ago
I don’t know the exact number of help files, but I can see your point. It’s that VO is difficult, but some people prefer the focus on keyboard command Windows machines have over gestures that VO focuses on (for trackpad Macs at least)
RJHand 2 points 3y ago
You are in no way required to use the trackpad or touchbar on any mac. I see your point about keyboard commands, I agree. I personally only use it when I want to turn screen curtain on or off, but theres also shortcuts for all that stuff too.
devinprater 1 points 3y ago
He could use the Say command line command, if he is good at that. If not, there is the Speech Central app from the Mac app store which can convert text to audio files as well.
[deleted] 0 points 3y ago
[deleted]
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