How to Make Your Own Kindle Audio Adapter for Less Than $5
Last week Amazon announced Voiceview for Kindle, an accessibility feature for blind and visually impaired Kindle owners. Voiceview is accessed through the Kindle audio adapter, which comes bundled with a $140 Kindle Paperwhite 3 and a $20 credit.
The audio adapter is also available separately as a $20 accessory which works with the Oasis and the Voyage, and is only available in the US.
Or, you can make your own audio adapter for less than $5.
Early tests by AlleseBook.de and other sites have revealed that the Kindle audio adapter is really just a generic USB audio adapter with a microUSB plug on one end and a headphone port on the other.
You can make your own, and it will cost you anywhere from $2 to $10 to do so.
Here's how.
You'll need to get a microUSB to full-sized USB adapter, a USB audio adapter, and a pair of headphones or earbuds (which you should already have).
If you buy them on Amazon, the pair of components will cost you about $5 (for the audio adapter) and about $5 (for the USB size adapter). Or, if you don't mind waiting for a few weeks you can find the both components on Ebay for under a buck each (audio adapter, size converter).
Once you have the components, all you have to do is plug them into your Kindle and the Voiceview for Kindle should work automatically on the Kindle Oasis, or the latest Kindle Paperwhite.
If you have a Kindle Voyage, you'll need to download the TTS voice from this page on Amazon.com. It will come as an update file you can install on the Voyage, and once you've done so Voiceview should work just fine:
As far as other Kindle models are concerned, the latest official word from Amazon is that the $79 basic Kindle will not be getting this feature. Amazon's Peter Korn told The Kindle Chronicles that Voiceview for Kindle requires 512MB RAM, while the basic Kindle only has 256MB RAM.
The next basic Kindle model, codenamed "Woody", should have this feature, however.
P.S. You should keep in mind that VoiceView for Kindle is designed specifically as an accessibility feature. There's no way to turn on just TTS and have your ebooks read to you. When you plug in the audio adapter, both the audio navigation and the TTS is enabled. While that can be a bit frustrating for Kindle owners who have no trouble seeing the screen, let's not forget that this is not designed for them.
Why the two pieces? Why not simply buy a micro-USB to 3.5mm adapter for about $4-5 instead? A quick Amazon search reveals many examples of such a thing.
I spent ten minutes and didn’t find one. Two other bloggers didn’t find one either.
But you’re right; it would be the better and simpler option. Got a link?
Sure, here’s one:
http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Universal-Interface-Earphone-Adapter/dp/B00EM9PXES/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1463418823&sr=8-8&keywords=micro-USB+audio+adapter
Here’s another for $3.70. They all seem to have pretty low review scores so maybe it won’t work at all. 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Audio-micro-Converter-Cable/dp/B00NIGLTJY/ref=pd_sim_23_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41zc-sdUILL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0899XPM6FD2BH3D8P7VB
Thanks!
And yes, the low review scores are a problem. I have a couple microUSB adapters and I’d never rate them that low.
The Library of Congress offers a free service to people with visual or physical handicaps that impair their ability to read. It includes an audio reader, a vast library of audio book cartridges, free mailing, and the device has very good audio.
Thanks, Richard.
Has anyone found the TTS voice file referenced in the article because the links broken? It appears amazon removed it.
The link was broken. I fixed it.
Try it now.