FoxyVoice is a Firefox extension that provides text-to-speech functionality using Microsoft Win32 Speech API (SAPI). With FoxyVoice you can do a tuning of your browser and you can listen to the page being read; or browse on one page and listen to another page being read for higher degree of sensory overload. The soothing voices that comes with SAPI also makes FoxyVoice a competent virtual hypnotist.
What are the requirements for FoxyVoice?
FoxyVoice only runs on a Windows system with SAPI installed. To
see if your system is ready, check your Control
Panel->Speech->Text to Speech tab. On Windows XP, FoxyVoice
should run without installing additional components. For other
versions of Windows it may be necessary to install the Speech
SDK.
And obviously you need Firefox. Currently it supports Firefox 0.9+.
How do I adjust the voice setting?
Text-to-speech settings such as male/female voice and reading speed are configured from the Control Panel->Speech->Text to Speech tab. For more information visit Microsoft Knowledge Base Article – 306902 How To Configure and Use Text-to-Speech in Windows XP
In future versions of FoxyVoice an option panel will be provided.
I can’t stand the Microsoft voices. How can I add new voices?
Here is a comment from a user:
“It is of note that XP Home only comes with Microsoft Sam as a voice. If you install the Speech SDK from Microsoft’s website, it adds two more voices including the much more pleasant Mary. I think it would be useful to inlclude this information in the FAQ.”
If you have tried the MS voices and still not satisfied, you’ll have to pay for new voices. Look for voices that works with SAPI 5.
When it comes to voices, my opinion is you get what you pay for. Here are some commercial voices that are better than the free voices from MS.
AT&T Natural Voices™
Check prices or purchase through this link to support FoxyVoice
Listen for yourself and try the demo
These voices are the best I’ve heard. The feedback I got from users running FoxyVoice with NV are very positive. Well worth the price if you intend to use text-to-speech on a regular basis. If you are not impressed with the demo then you should probably hire a personal assistant to read the text out for you. At the time of this writing, the 8khz version is $30 US.
NeoSpeech Voices
Check prices or purchase through this link to support FoxyVoice
Live demo, doesn’t work with FireFox, at least for me
Disclaimer: I haven’t tried NeoSpeech with FoxyVoice since I don’t have it installed, nor have I heard any users using this combination. If you tried it, please contact me. Theoretically they work together just fine since they are both SAPI 5.
These voices are priced lower than the AT&T voices. That’s about it.
I want to play/pause/stop FoxyVoice. How?
You can use FoxyVoice by clicking on its icon, located on the
status bar. Here is what it looks like when it is idle:
When you left click on the icon, it starts reading the entire page, and
its icon changes to reflect the status:
FoxyVoice also works on selected text. Highlight the text you want to be read, and left click on the icon to start reading.
To pause, left click on it. You can resume playing by left
clicking on it again. Here is what the icon looks like when paused:
To stop reading, right click on the icon.
FoxyVoice can also be triggered via the context menu.
Firefox itself is preventing me from installing FoxyVoice from this site.
It says on the top of the page that “To protect your computer, Firefox prevented this site…”
Click on “Edit options” on the top of the page then allow this site to install the software.