Problem with TTS voices in Viewer v6.12

[jackie_w]

@kovid,

E-book viewer: Read aloud: On Windows switch to using the new Microsoft speech subsystem with access to more voices

Unfortunately this v6.12 update to Viewer Read aloud means I now have access to fewer voices, not more. I can no longer access any of my 3rd-party purchased IVONA voices. This is very disappointing. Is there anything I can do? I'm using Windows 11 Home in case that's relevant.

In v6.11 all installed 64bit voices, from both MS (incl. Cortana) and IVONA, could be made to work OK in both Viewer Read aloud and in my user plugin TTS to MP3. In fact the list of available voices was identical in both.

In v6.12 only the MS voices appear in Read aloud. Thankfully IVONA and MS Cortana voices *are* still available to my TTS to MP3 plugin.
Looking at viewer-webengine.json

  "tts_sapi": {
    "voice": "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Speech\\Voices\\Tokens\\IVONA OEM NextUp OpenSAPI amy22"
  },
  "tts_winspeech": {
    "voice": "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Speech_OneCore\\Voices\\Tokens\\MSTTS_V110_enGB_GeorgeM"
  },

it appears that a different Win registry key is now used for Read aloud. Is there any possibility of making installed voices from both old and new keys available to Read aloud?

[kovidgoyal]

It's now using the winrt winspeech subsystem which Microsoft says is what should be used in modern apps. SAPI is deprecated. I have no idea how to get that subsystem to read more voices. Note that you can continue to use SAPI in calibre by setting a "plugin tweak" in Preferences->Tweaks->Plugin tweak of

prefer_winsapi = True

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It's now using the winrt winspeech subsystem which Microsoft says is what should be used in modern apps. SAPI is deprecated. I have no idea how to get that subsystem to read more voices. Note that you can continue to use SAPI in calibre by setting a "plugin tweak" in Preferences->Tweaks->Plugin tweak of

prefer_winsapi = True

Thank you. This tweak will suit me just fine for as long as SAPI still works. I don't think I've ever noticed that Tweaks page 'Plug-in tweaks' button before ... but I've only been using calibre for 14 years.

I wonder if this is MS's way of trying to force people into using a paid subscription charging TTS by wordcount sent to the cloud? Do you know whether there are any currently perceivable benefits of using the winrt winspeech subsystem?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Note that you can continue to use SAPI in calibre by setting a "plugin tweak" in Preferences->Tweaks->Plugin tweak of

prefer_winsapi = True

Brilliant!! Great foresight

Curious - but why a plugin tweak and not a regular tweak?

BR

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Thank you. This tweak will suit me just fine for as long as SAPI still works. I don't think I've ever noticed that Tweaks page 'Plug-in tweaks' button before ... but I've only been using calibre for 14 years.

I wonder if this is MS's way of trying to force people into using a paid subscription charging TTS by wordcount sent to the cloud? Do you know whether there are any currently perceivable benefits of using the winrt winspeech subsystem?

I am not an audiophile to me there was no real difference in speech quality. There is access to more out of the box voices, for instance I now have access to Indian accented english voices which I didnt with SAPI. I have no idea what Microsoft's game plan is, which is why I left SAPI support in there.

The new API's save to wav function produces very crackly audio for me.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Brilliant!! Great foresight

Curious - but why a plugin tweak and not a regular tweak?

BR

Thanks. I dont expect this option to be around forever, given the deprecation of the old API. but as long as it work I will leave it in.