ReadHear (formerly gh PLAYER) — Quick Start Guide for New Users

ReadHear (formerly gh PLAYER): Top Features and Tips

ReadHear, previously known as gh PLAYER, is an audio playback and accessibility app designed to make listening to text and multimedia easier and more customizable. Below are the top features and practical tips to get the most out of ReadHear.

1. Clean, Intuitive Interface

• What it does: Simplifies navigation with a minimalist layout, large controls, and clear labels.
• Tip: Use the gesture shortcuts (swipe left/right to skip tracks, two-finger swipe for playback speed) to navigate faster without opening menus.

2. High-Quality Text-to-Speech (TTS)

• What it does: Converts articles, documents, and web pages into natural-sounding speech with multiple voice options and languages.
• Tip: If a voice sounds robotic, switch to a high-quality or premium voice and adjust pitch slightly for more natural cadence. For dense technical text, increase the slight pause between sentences in settings.

3. Advanced Playback Speed and Pitch Controls

• What it does: Lets you change speed from 0.5x to 3.0x and adjust pitch independently so speech remains intelligible.
• Tip: For comprehension while saving time, try 1.25x–1.5x. Use a small pitch increase if higher speed makes the voice too low.

4. Smart Bookmarks and Highlights

• What it does: Save points in audio, tag important sections, and export highlights for later review.
• Tip: Create a simple tag system (e.g., “Quote,” “Reference,” “Review”) to quickly filter highlights when studying or writing.

5. Offline Listening and Sync

• What it does: Download converted audio for offline use and sync listening progress across devices.
• Tip: Download long articles on Wi‑Fi and enable background playback to continue listening while using other apps.

6. Integration with Read-Later Services and Cloud Storage

• What it does: Connects to popular read-later services and cloud accounts to pull in content directly.
• Tip: Link your most-used services in settings and enable automatic import for new saved items to keep a steady listening queue.

7. Custom Pronunciation and Dictionary

• What it does: Lets you add custom pronunciations for names, acronyms, and technical terms.
• Tip: Add frequently mispronounced terms once; ReadHear will apply them across articles and voices.

8. Accessibility and Display Options

• What it does: Offers adjustable text size, contrast modes, synchronized highlighting, and dyslexia-friendly fonts.
• Tip: Use synchronized highlighting while listening to follow along visually; switch to high-contrast mode in bright environments.

9. Sleep Timer and Segment Repeat

• What it does: Set timers to stop playback after a period and repeat specific segments for memorization or clarification.
• Tip: Use segment repeat to practice language phrases or re-listen to complex explanations without manual rewinding.

10. Developer and Automation Tools

• What it does: Provides APIs and shortcuts for power users to automate conversions and integrate into workflows.
• Tip: Create a shortcut to auto-convert newly bookmarked articles into audio and save them to a designated playlist.

Quick Starter Checklist

1. Link read-later and cloud accounts.
2. Choose a preferred TTS voice and set base speed (try 1.25x).
3. Add custom pronunciations for common names/terms.
4. Enable offline downloads for long-form content.
5. Configure bookmarks/tags for study or reference.

Using ReadHear’s features together—custom pronunciations, synced highlights, and playback controls—turns reading into a flexible, efficient listening experience.