(using Tor Browser 13.5.1)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=balabolka

...
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm
Balabolka (version 2.15)
Balabolka is a Text-To-Speech (TTS) program. All computer voices installed
on your system are available to Balabolka. The on-screen text can be saved
as an audio file. The program can read the clipboard content, extract text >from documents, customize font and background colour, control reading from >the system tray or by the global hotkeys. Balabolka supports text file >formats: AZW, AZW3, CHM, DjVu, DOC, DOCX, EML, EPUB, FB2, FB3, HTML, LIT, MD, >MOBI, ODP, ODS, ODT, PDB, PRC, PDF, PPT, PPTX, RTF, TCR, WPD, XLS, XLSX. >Balabolka
The program uses various versions of Microsoft Speech API (SAPI); it allows >to alter a voice's parameters, including rate and pitch. The user can apply
a special substitution list to improve the quality of the voice's articulation.
This feature is useful when you want to change the spelling of words. The >rules for the pronunciation correction use the syntax of regular expressions. >Balabolka can save the synchronized text in external LRC files or in MP3 tags >inside the audio files. When an audio file is played with players on a >computer or on modern digital audio players, the text is displayed >synchronously (at the same way, as lyrics for songs).
Download Balabolka
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.zip

(22.6 MB), extracted . . .
(23.2 MB / 18 Files, 0 Folders), installed . . .
(C:\Program Files (x86)\Balabolka / 48.1 MB / 453 Files, 11 Folders)

Size: 22.6 MB
Version: 2.15.0.875 Changelog
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/changelog.txt
Licence: Freeware
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11
Portable Version: Download (23.6 MB) >https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka_portable.zip

(balabolka_portable.zip / 23.7 MB), extracted . . .
(balabolka_portable / 47.6 MB / 473 Files, 13 Folders)

Portable Balabolka does not require an installation and can be run from a
USB drive.
A computer must have at least one voice installed.
Command Line Utility: Download (763 KB) >https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balcon.zip
The utility contains no graphical user interface and works only from the >command line.
The application handles various command line parameters to be able to read >text aloud or save as an audio file.
Text Extract Utility: Download (5.8 MB) >https://www.cross-plus-a.com/blb2txt.zip
The program allows to extract text from the various types of files. The >extracted text can be combined into one file or/and split into few files.
The utility works from the command line, without displaying any user >interface.
* Balabolka is a Russian word, it can be translated as "chatterer".
The program allows to use skins for customizing your window appearance. >Download Skin Pack (6.7 MB, 107 skins)
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/skins.zip
Voices
Balabolka can use the Microsoft Speech API 4.x/5.x voices and the
Microsoft Speech Platform text-to-speech engines.
SAPI 4
All voices for SAPI 4 became obsolete; they are not recommended for >installing anymore.
Use the fresh versions of speech engines.
SAPI 5
RHVoice – free and open source speech synthesizer (it supports Czech, >English, Esperanto, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese, >Russian, Slovak, Tatar, Ukrainian and Uzbek):
RHVoice (official site)
https://rhvoice.org/
Voices for Windows >https://github.com/RHVoice/RHVoice/blob/master/doc/en/Binaries.md#sapi-5 >UkrVox – free Ukrainian voice created by Yaroslav Kozak (Lviv, Ukraine): >UkrVox Igor
https://ukrvox.biblprog.com/
Ekho – free TTS engine (it supports Cantonese, Mandarin and Zhaoan Hakka): >Echo (Chinese)
https://www.eguidedog.net/ekho.php
Hear2Read – free voices for Indic languages (Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, >Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu):
Hear2Read Windows SAPI TTS Software
https://hear2read.org/TTS_for_windows.php
To get better voice quality, you can purchase commercial TTS engines.

[end quoted excerpt]

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 7/28/2024 11:19 AM, D wrote:

(using Tor Browser 13.5.1)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=balabolka

...
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm

$35. If it can actually extract clear text from all those
file types that would be impressive, but I'm highly skeptical.
Even dedicated programs like xpdf make a lot of errors
extracting from PDF. To accurately extract from so many
file types would be an enormous task.

Do you actually use any of these programs you're
advertising? You haven't mentioned your own personal
experience or opinion.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

???? Mighty Wannabe ??? <@.> wrote:
...

Why torture yourself with command line when you are using Windows?

Balabolka portable (with GUI): https://portableapps.com/apps/accessibility/balabolka-portable

Or just get it directly from its official web site: https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka_portable.zip. Great app too.
--
"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." --Matthew 7:28-29. SDCC, Olympics, DP&W, etc.
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

D wrote on 7/28/2024 11:19 AM:

(using Tor Browser 13.5.1)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=balabolka

...
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm
Balabolka (version 2.15)
Balabolka is a Text-To-Speech (TTS) program. All computer voices installed >> on your system are available to Balabolka. The on-screen text can be saved >> as an audio file. The program can read the clipboard content, extract text
from documents, customize font and background colour, control reading from
the system tray or by the global hotkeys. Balabolka supports text file
formats: AZW, AZW3, CHM, DjVu, DOC, DOCX, EML, EPUB, FB2, FB3, HTML, LIT, MD,
MOBI, ODP, ODS, ODT, PDB, PRC, PDF, PPT, PPTX, RTF, TCR, WPD, XLS, XLSX.
Balabolka
The program uses various versions of Microsoft Speech API (SAPI); it allows >> to alter a voice's parameters, including rate and pitch. The user can apply >> a special substitution list to improve the quality of the voice's articulation.
This feature is useful when you want to change the spelling of words. The
rules for the pronunciation correction use the syntax of regular expressions.
Balabolka can save the synchronized text in external LRC files or in MP3 tags
inside the audio files. When an audio file is played with players on a
computer or on modern digital audio players, the text is displayed
synchronously (at the same way, as lyrics for songs).
Download Balabolka
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.zip

(22.6 MB), extracted . . .
(23.2 MB / 18 Files, 0 Folders), installed . . .
(C:\Program Files (x86)\Balabolka / 48.1 MB / 453 Files, 11 Folders)

Size: 22.6 MB
Version: 2.15.0.875 Changelog
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/changelog.txt
Licence: Freeware
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11
Portable Version: Download (23.6 MB)
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka_portable.zip

(balabolka_portable.zip / 23.7 MB), extracted . . .
(balabolka_portable / 47.6 MB / 473 Files, 13 Folders)

Portable Balabolka does not require an installation and can be run from a
USB drive.
A computer must have at least one voice installed.
Command Line Utility: Download (763 KB)
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/balcon.zip
The utility contains no graphical user interface and works only from the
command line.
The application handles various command line parameters to be able to read >> text aloud or save as an audio file.
Text Extract Utility: Download (5.8 MB)
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/blb2txt.zip
The program allows to extract text from the various types of files. The
extracted text can be combined into one file or/and split into few files.
The utility works from the command line, without displaying any user
interface.
* Balabolka is a Russian word, it can be translated as "chatterer".
The program allows to use skins for customizing your window appearance.
Download Skin Pack (6.7 MB, 107 skins)
https://www.cross-plus-a.com/skins.zip
Voices
Balabolka can use the Microsoft Speech API 4.x/5.x voices and the
Microsoft Speech Platform text-to-speech engines.
SAPI 4
All voices for SAPI 4 became obsolete; they are not recommended for
installing anymore.
Use the fresh versions of speech engines.
SAPI 5
RHVoice – free and open source speech synthesizer (it supports Czech,
English, Esperanto, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese,
Russian, Slovak, Tatar, Ukrainian and Uzbek):
RHVoice (official site)
https://rhvoice.org/
Voices for Windows
https://github.com/RHVoice/RHVoice/blob/master/doc/en/Binaries.md#sapi-5
UkrVox – free Ukrainian voice created by Yaroslav Kozak (Lviv, Ukraine): >> UkrVox Igor
https://ukrvox.biblprog.com/
Ekho – free TTS engine (it supports Cantonese, Mandarin and Zhaoan Hakka): >> Echo (Chinese)
https://www.eguidedog.net/ekho.php
Hear2Read – free voices for Indic languages (Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada,
Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu):
Hear2Read Windows SAPI TTS Software
https://hear2read.org/TTS_for_windows.php
To get better voice quality, you can purchase commercial TTS engines.

[end quoted excerpt]

Why torture yourself with command line when you are using Windows?

Balabolka portable (with GUI): https://portableapps.com/apps/accessibility/balabolka-portable

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Correction. Babaloka seems to be free. I was looking at the Cross-A
price -- their other software.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)