Read aloud feature

[alsharawy]

Hello Kovid and other members.I have some questions and some small requests.
First I have to thank you for this unique app which helped a lot of people, in the last years.
Secondly, I suggest adding more voices in the read aloud feature especially for Arabic(my native language) and Chinese (the most mother tongue have native speakers), for the Arabic language you add the Jordan voice which is good but if you can add Egyptian voices it would be better (Egypt represents 1\3 of the total Arabic world populations i.e more than 100 million inhabitants).

Since I am interested in language learning and learning more than 5 languages currently have to say that Calibre was a lifesaver for me particularly I depend on EPUB files through downloading or converting. I am interested in Piper and other TTS apps - and improvements - but I'm not tech savvy in using command line apps - classic person prefers apps with an exe file and traditional GUI in Windows apps. you embedded it in the app and saved my soul since calibre is my default EPUB reader and can work offline.

My question is, can I add more voices to my program directory on my device so it enriches that feature more and more?AND IF IT POSSIBLE HOW?

Also, if there is a possibility to make the program read aloud two languages in a file - through for example a plug-in or by telling the app in advance that this file has two languages so and so and it detects them?Most of my files are bilingual and if it can read them it will be a great contribution and save our time to look for audiobooks - especially in the last version it these voices seems better and less robotic.I know that you are working on adding more voices in the next versions but I hope that every widely spoken language has more than a high quality voice it will be wonderful.

Thanks again for your effort and valuable contributions and to all who add any feature to this fabulous app.

[theducks]

I suspect you have read the Help entry.
https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/viewer.html#read-aloud

Your second request would require Translation logic as the book normally only has 1 language.

I only speak 1 language (I can order a Beer in about 3 and say Thank You). Way back when, I never saw a need. Now I regret not learning some. others.

[kovidgoyal]

You can add voices by adding voices to your OS TTS services and configuring the viewer to use that. There's no trnaslation and read aloud facility I'm afraid.

[alsharawy]

Originally Posted by theducks

I suspect you have read the Help entry.
https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/viewer.html#read-aloud

Your second request would require Translation logic as the book normally only has 1 language.

I only speak 1 language (I can order a Beer in about 3 and say Thank You). Way back when, I never saw a need. Now I regret not learning some. others.

Thanks for your response Mr. theducks.

I read it quickly but since I am not such a nerd, I did not grasp the whole details. I am not skilful in tech details, absorbing or handling. Learning languages is some kinda a passion, but if you are OK with one language, peace . Actually if you learnt a language and there is no space for practicing, you will forget it and go to the loop later when you blame your self and after some years you will try to remember it again.
The epub I speak about is previously translated via large engines such as google or microsoft or even using the translation plug in calibre as a medium.

[alsharawy]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You can add voices by adding voices to your OS TTS services and configuring the viewer to use that. There's no trnaslation and read aloud facility I'm afraid.

Thanks Kovid, I got it but I think Microsoft voices(in windows) are still robotic not like piper voices and they are less than edge browser voices, right? I have added them in bulk through the settings (the voices of the languages I am interested in). Sometimes I use readest app - for reading bilingual files - but since it depends on edge it does not work offline, on the contrary of calibre. I use also thorium reader but it is robotic.