Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine  SOLVED

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Loki@99
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Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi,

It will be great if you can add Microsoft online TTS engine in TTS engines list.

Microsoft Edge Read aloud feature
image.png

Voices feel way more natural than Microsoft Speech Runtime.

I don't know if they are free to use though.

There is this repo on github but I also don't know if it's the same TTS and how will be its integration in PDFXCE
https://github.com/rany2/edge-tts

Thanks for considering this,
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Paul - PDF-XChange
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi, Loki@99

I have passed the request on to the Devs and will let you know what comes.
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi again loki@99,

the devs have agreed to do this at some point. It is not going to materialize right away, but it has been formalized in the ticket RT#6936: Feature Request :: Editor :: support for Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi Paul,

Any update on this ?
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Daniel - PDF-XChange
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Daniel - PDF-XChange »

Hello, Loki@99

I am afraid that this task is still a long time away from implementation.

Kind regards,
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine  SOLVED

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi Daniel,

It's okey.

I just managed to get Microsoft Edge online TTS work in PDFXCE and it's a complete game changer.

image.png

Below are the steps to do so

1. Download NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter
NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter_v0.2.2_x86_x64.zip
(20.05 MiB) Downloaded 195 times
2. Extract it
3. Run Installer
image(4).png

4. This step is optional but you can select what languages to add before installation
image(5).png

5.Install 32 bits and 64 bits
image(1).png

6. In PDFXCE Preferences > Speech, set Text-to-speech engine to Microsoft SAPI 5.x
image(2).png

7. Select any online voice you like
image(3).png

Additional info
- Custom pitch works
- Custom speech rate doesn't work (Edit : Fixed in NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter v0.2.2)

Maybe devs can look into NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter code as it's open-source
https://github.com/gexgd0419/NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter
Last edited by Loki@99 on Wed Nov 13, 2024 9:05 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Loki@99 wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2024 11:19 am Additional info
- Custom pitch works
- Custom speech rate doesn't work
I suspect the rate issue is a bug on PDFXCE side cause I tested with the TTS tester(TtsApplication.exe) in NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter_v0.2_x86_x64 > x64 folder and there was no issue when changing rate.

image(1).png

No issue as well with Balabolka Portable 2.15.
image.png

Thanks for investigating,
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi, Loki@99

thanks for this post. It was easy to follow your instructions and I have the additional voices working here also.

If I change the Pitch the reader cannot be heard. Is that the symptom you experienced? Or is there simply have no impact when changing the pitch?
image(1).png
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi Paul,
Paul - Tracker Supp wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2024 4:26 pm If I change the Pitch the reader cannot be heard. Is that the symptom you experienced? Or is there simply have no impact when changing the pitch?
It's not the issue. You can change the pitch and hear the modification when clicking Read Text Aloud button to play the sample.

As I said, custom pitch work but the issue concerns speed rate which doesn't work

Steps to reproduce
1. Change speed rate
2. Click on Read Text Aloud

image.png
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi, Loki@99

then we are seeing different results. I use Windows 10. I will test on Windows 11.

I can confirm that for me changing the pitch as shown does indeed stop the voice being audible.

So I will be discussing this with the devs.
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Paul - Tracker Supp wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2024 4:51 pm Hi, Loki@99

then we are seeing different results. I use Windows 10. I will test on Windows 11.

I can confirm that for me changing the pitch as shown does indeed stop the voice being audible.

So I will be discussing this with the devs.
Again, you're talking about pitch (green circle) but the bug I'm talking about is concerning speed rate (red circle). There is a misunderstanding here.

image.png
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi, Loki@99

no, I actually fully understand both what you reported and what I an seeing.

What you are reporting about the "Use default speech rate" is reproduced here.

What I am saying about the pitch is definitely happening here for me. It may not be for you, in which case you can ignore the comment, I was simply letting you know that I reproduced what you reported as well as a different behaviour.

I was really only asking for confirmation you see the same. You confirmed that you do not, that is what I was looking for.

thank you
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Paul - Tracker Supp wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2024 7:47 pm no, I actually fully understand both what you reported and what I an seeing.

What you are reporting about the "Use default speech rate" is reproduced here.

What I am saying about the pitch is definitely happening here for me. It may not be for you, in which case you can ignore the comment, I was simply letting you know that I reproduced what you reported as well as a different behaviour.

I was really only asking for confirmation you see the same. You confirmed that you do not, that is what I was looking for.
I got it now.

Waiting for devs investagation then.
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Paul - PDF-XChange »

Hi, Loki@99

no worries, I really appreciate being able to add those extra voices.

The devs will look into fixing it in time. It is not currently the highest priority, but it is formally in the system now with RT#7157: Feature Request :: Editor :: Read Out Loud extended support for Microsoft online TTS engine

enjoy
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi Paul,

I updated NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter to v0.2.2 and there was no issue with speech rate tweak anymore.
https://github.com/gexgd0419/NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter/releases/tag/v0.2.2

I don't know if it was addressed in v0.2.1 cause I didn't try it.

Version in the tutorial on this thread was 0.2.0. I updated the file to v0.2.2

Thanks for checking this,
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MedBooster
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by MedBooster »

+1 the more adapted speech engines the better

*yes, and thank you very much @Loki99 for the effort made.


+1 in the sense that I agree with your requests for tickets for further improvements regarding this.
e.g. the most recent
RT#7157: Feature Request :: Editor :: Read Out Loud extended support for Microsoft online TTS engine
Last edited by MedBooster on Wed Nov 13, 2024 7:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My wishlist https://forum.pdf-xchange.com/viewtopic.php?p=187394#p187394
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

MedBooster wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 9:54 am +1 the more adapted speech engines the better
Didn't you read the whole thread ?

I provided a tutorial above. It's already supported
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by MedBooster »

Hello Loki@99


The Github link you gave, does it contain another version than the first download link? To fix the pitch issues etc.?

Also, about earlier posts, what do you use Balabolka for in PDF-XCE? Is that a way to add more voices into PDF-XCE itself? Or just a way of testing the same voices that you use within PDF-XCE itself through SAPI 5 x?
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Loki@99
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Loki@99 »

Hi,

@MedBooster
MedBooster wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:19 pm The Github link you gave, does it contain another version than the first download link? To fix the pitch issues etc.?
Yes. As I said above, version 0.2.2 doesn't have any pitch or rate issue. It works perfectly.
MedBooster wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:19 pm Also, about earlier posts, what do you use Balabolka for in PDF-XCE? Is that a way to add more voices into PDF-XCE itself? Or just a way of testing the same voices that you use within PDF-XCE itself through SAPI 5 x?
Balabolka was just for SAPI testing purpose. It doesn't have any interaction with PDFXCE
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Re: Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by MedBooster »

Feel free to share your favourites:
viewtopic.php?p=188993#p188993


After using it for a while I can agree it microsoft sapi 5x sounds much better than the other free options, less "robotic" distortions, more stable, less hiccups.

I recommend those interested to try it
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Read Out Loud - Microsoft online TTS engine

Post by Dimitar - PDF-XChange »

:)
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