Pocketbook models with TTS?

[Spinningwoman]

I’m interested in getting a Pocketbook for the TTS capability but I’m finding it surprisingly hard to filter out which models do/don’t have this, and also whether there is a voice quality difference between models. I’m in the U.K. i know the Era and the Touch HD3 do have TTS - is there any quality difference? (Eg, like the older Kindles have TTS but the voice is very robotic compared with modern voices). I think I know that the Touch Lux models don’t have it - is that right? I’m really wishing I could find a simple comparative list of models (including older ones that come up on eBay) to help me here. Thanks a lot.

[Michal Jancik]

Originally Posted by Spinningwoman

.

Readers that are compatible with newer firmware versions have better voice quality (because they use a new TTS engine and new voices).

If you buy a PB ERA or HD3, you will have the exact same voice packs.


A sample of English TTS voices :

[BETH TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...h_3.12.5.1.mp3
[JAMES TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...s_3.12.5.1.mp3
[JULIE TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...e_3.12.5.1.mp3
[KATE TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...e_3.12.5.1.mp3
[PAUL TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...l_3.12.5.1.mp3
[JACK TTS - en/us] : https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...k_3.12.5.0.mp3
[SOPHIE TTS - en/us] https://download.pocketbook-int.com/...e_3.12.5.1.mp3

... these are indicative, not a complete list of available voices.

[Spinningwoman]

That’s really helpful, thank you.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by Michal Jancik

Readers that are compatible with newer firmware versions have better voice quality (because they use a new TTS engine and new voices).

I thought that all PocketBook ereaders have been using the Ivona speech engine for a long time. Have they switched to a new engine recently?

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I thought that all PocketBook ereaders have been using the Ivona speech engine for a long time. Have they switched to a new engine recently?

The Ivona voices are still available for download (from here) and manual installation as .pbi files. But if you want to download OTA from the GUI then it's the newer ReadSpeaker voice .pbi files which are available for download. Both seem to work fine.

Personally I haven't noticed that ReadSpeaker are 'better' than Ivona. However I've been using Ivona Amy UK as my go-to TTS voice for so many years (Windows, Android) that I may be biased.

I'm fairly new to PocketBook but I did have a PB360 about 10 years ago, so not a complete newbie.

Similar to the OP I bought a Touch HD3 purely to try out its TTS capabilities. I've been pleasantly surprised with the Voice quality although I have found that, no matter which Voice I choose, occasionally a few words will be 'skipped over'. So it's not perfect.

[Michal Jancik]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I thought that all PocketBook ereaders have been using the Ivona speech engine for a long time. Have they switched to a new engine recently?

•The above mentioned TTS voices are not "Ivona" but "Readspeaker".

• I can't tell you exactly, but somewhere from (~2021) from version FW 6.4* some minor changes took place in TTS.

[INFO NEW TTS VOICES] :

• You can find more information on the official website of Pocketbook
https://pocketbook.ch/en-ch/news/text-to-speech-ch

• "PocketBook Users Enjoy Books Read Aloud by ReadSpeaker’s Lifelike Voices" :
https://www.readspeaker.com/blog/poc...peaker-voices/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• When I bought Inkpad 3, I backed up TTS .pbi voices, when I want to install them today, I get the error "your file is no longer supported", so I conclude that some changes have taken place.

[Spinningwoman]

A further question - I’ve downloaded the user manuals for Era and Touch 3HD and as far as I can see there isn’t any way of setting a timer on TTS playback (eg as a sleep timer). The iOS app is also lacking in this regard, although there i can set a system timer to stop playing. It seems a big omission- I often use a book reader as a sleep aid. I can’t see it on the audiobook player either. Am I missing anything? Thanks.

[HvdB]

I have a PB Touch hd3 and for me the TTS voices in Dutch are the best I ever heard on devices. Better than the Google TTS on my Onyx Boox Nova Air.

Considering audiobooks: I can change the high and the speed of my downloaded zip/ mp3' s. I am able to listen to an audiobook and read the same ebook at the same time. For sleeptimer options etc I use an old smartphone with only Wifi and the app Simple Audiobook Player Pro from Google Playstore.

[Spinningwoman]

Thanks - it’s a shame about the timer. I currently use my phone and can obviously carry on doing that, but it would be good to use the device. Thanks!

[JPK]

I've had difficulty getting new TTS voices onto my new Pocketbook Era.

Can you give me the URL of the page where they are listed?

You mentioned saving voices, which makes me wonder, is it possible to download a new voice-pack to a desktop computer and then install it on the Era? If that is possible, where do you put them on the e-reader?

My Pocketbook Era prompted me to download new voices directly from it, but it could not make the connection (and there was no problem with Wifi). Does that mean you have to have a Pocketbook account to get the voices?

[Spinningwoman]

I don’t know if you need a Pocketbook account. I’ve got one and was able to download new British voices. The voice packs are on the support page of pocketbook.ch


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by JPK

You mentioned saving voices, which makes me wonder, is it possible to download a new voice-pack to a desktop computer and then install it on the Era? If that is possible, where do you put them on the e-reader?

These are the notes I made for myself when I installed Ivona Voice .pbi files manually:

1. copy .pbi to PB root
2. find .pbi file using Library - Folders
3. tap it and follow on-screen instructions. pbi will be automatically unpacked/installed
4. after installation completed, delete installation file

Originally Posted by JPK

My Pocketbook Era prompted me to download new voices directly from it, but it could not make the connection (and there was no problem with Wifi). Does that mean you have to have a Pocketbook account to get the voices?

I don't have a PB account but I had no problem downloading the RealSpeaker Voices from the GUI via wi-fi.

[HvdB]

Originally Posted by JPK

I've had difficulty getting new TTS voices onto my new Pocketbook Era.
My Pocketbook Era prompted me to download new voices directly from it, but it could not make the connection (and there was no problem with Wifi). Does that mean you have to have a Pocketbook account to get the voices?

I have a PB Touch HD3 and I am able to download voices without a computer.
I open an e- book on my e-reader, tap in the middle of a page. (The Wifi is on). I tap on 'Voice'. I have already Dutch and English voices on my e- reader, but there I can choose the language I want to have on my e-reader for TTS and also the male or female voice (s) I want to download and install in that language.

Doesn' t this work on the Era?