TTS or eBook readers

[ArizonaGuy]

Can anyone recommend a good free (or low cost) TTS engine to use with eBook readers? Or a more expensive one that offers a free trial? The ones I have downloaded (NaturalReader and Speachify) not only are expensive but did not seem to have free trials. Amazon has Polly but it seems to require cutting and pasting for use.

I currently have a couple of non-Kindle e-ink devices, a Boox Note Air 4C and a ViWoods AiPaper Mini, both of which I use a lot and like and several eReadering apps that I use (Moon+, KoReader and some others). The ViWoods does not have any built-in TTS software and I thought I would download something from the Android Play Store to use when my eyes are tired or it is dark and I want to relax or when I am traveling. The ViWoods is small enough to easily carry and use when traveling but does not offer any TTS pre-installed.

[ArizonaGuy]

And as a related question, one of my eReading apps is KOReader but I could not find anything in settings to set up TTS. Can it use TTS? And, if so, where is the setting hidden in all of those menus?

Thanks.

[DNSB]

There is an plugin for KOReader to do TTS but it requires a live link to the website since the heavy lifting is done there. ... checked and the plugin was called Aloudit. You can download the plugin from their site.

[danicca]

I have pocketbook app on Meebook which has TTS. I tried it and, while it's clearly not audiobook, it's quite decent.

[Quoth]

A decent phone will offer better quality and battery run time for TTS than any eInk. The semi-sleep while reading and not turning page advantage of eink is lost.
Many have no BT or 3.5mm jack.
All phones have BT and some good new ones also have 3.5mm jack.

I tried TTS on an Android eink. Not as flexible or reliable as Pocketbook on a current or near current Android phone. The eink Android is usually older and more limited even when same old version as a phone (such as Android 8).

[ArizonaGuy]

Originally Posted by Quoth

A decent phone will offer better quality and battery run time for TTS than any eInk. The semi-sleep while reading and not turning page advantage of eink is lost.
Many have no BT or 3.5mm jack.
All phones have BT and some good new ones also have 3.5mm jack.

I tried TTS on an Android eink. Not as flexible or reliable as Pocketbook on a current or near current Android phone. The eink Android is usually older and more limited even when same old version as a phone (such as Android 8).

I have not tried TTS on any of my phones so I am not even aware if they already have a TTS engine installed, but if they don't then I still have the same question. What is a good and not expensive TTS engine that will work on Android?

None of my recent phones, including some very expensive models, have a 3.5mm jack. They all now seem to require BT earbuds for sound. Fortunately I have a lot of decent BT earbuds but because the earbuds will not generally pair with more than one device I now have too many of them ...