New voice in Calibre

JohnnyBook · 10-02-2024, 07:37 AM

I frequently use "read aloud" when reading the books on my computer.

Today when I started "read aloud" up, it downloaded something (~100mb) and the voice was very different. I assume previously it was using the computers TTS voices, sort of robotic and quite a few mis-pronunciations, but I have been using it for years and was use to its quirks.)

The new voice sounds very human and only a few mis-pronunciations and is Much better.

In checking the site and the "what's new" on the download page, I see Calibre now uses Piper TTS support, and that is the new voice I am hearing.

But I could not find any info on accessing or controlling it in Calibre.

Mostly I would like to change the voice. The female one now is great, but when I am reading a violent war story, I kind of want to hear a man reading it....

Hearing "I unloaded a full clip from the AK-47 into him, shredding his body and spraying blood all over the room behind him" just does not have the same effect when hearing it in a nice delicate female voice.

kovidgoyal · 10-02-2024, 07:56 AM

Click the gear icon on the read aloud popup bar and you can select whatever voice you like.

JohnnyBook · 10-02-2024, 08:09 AM

LOL. I checked everywhere else but that....

Thanks, found it.

jonathan2022 · 10-02-2024, 10:50 AM

Kristen voice is the one i go with for mysteries and i would also use for war. (usa voice) it has the most emotion in it. I hope as it develops. more uk voices will be added. a voice like ava on edge would be nice. but Kovidgoyal i dont think has control over that. anyone use windows 11 does it have more options ?

DNSB · 10-02-2024, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan2022

Kristen voice is the one i go with for mysteries and i would also use for war. (usa voice) it has the most emotion in it. I hope as it develops. more uk voices will be added. a voice like ava on edge would be nice. but Kovidgoyal i dont think has control over that. anyone use windows 11 does it have more options ?

I've attached an image with the English language voices on my Windows 11 system that are shown when I click on the gears icon.

Comfy.n · 10-03-2024, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Click the gear icon on the read aloud popup bar and you can select whatever voice you like.

https://github.com/dnhkng/GlaDOS/tree/main/models

And I'm glad we're allowed to replace an existing voice in calibre cache folder.

I did that just for the lolz

kovidgoyal · 10-03-2024, 03:59 AM

Ah, I remember Portal 1 played it many moons ago.

jonathan2022 · 10-03-2024, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

I've attached an image with the English language voices on my Windows 11 system that are shown when I click on the gears icon.

Thanks for replying. I am on windows 10 . My computer doesn't meet the windows 11 requirements. I had heard windows 11 had more options for voices but that must be for accessibility program

10-02-2024, 07:37 AM	#1
JohnnyBook Groupie Posts: 184 Karma: 126824 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Out There Device: K3 W/3G (Fixed screen!) & Paperwhite Wifi	New voice in Calibre I frequently use "read aloud" when reading the books on my computer. Today when I started "read aloud" up, it downloaded something (~100mb) and the voice was very different. I assume previously it was using the computers TTS voices, sort of robotic and quite a few mis-pronunciations, but I have been using it for years and was use to its quirks.) The new voice sounds very human and only a few mis-pronunciations and is Much better. In checking the site and the "what's new" on the download page, I see Calibre now uses Piper TTS support, and that is the new voice I am hearing. But I could not find any info on accessing or controlling it in Calibre. Mostly I would like to change the voice. The female one now is great, but when I am reading a violent war story, I kind of want to hear a man reading it.... Hearing "I unloaded a full clip from the AK-47 into him, shredding his body and spraying blood all over the room behind him" just does not have the same effect when hearing it in a nice delicate female voice.

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10-02-2024, 07:56 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,521 Karma: 24495784 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Click the gear icon on the read aloud popup bar and you can select whatever voice you like.

10-02-2024, 08:09 AM	#3
JohnnyBook Groupie Posts: 184 Karma: 126824 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Out There Device: K3 W/3G (Fixed screen!) & Paperwhite Wifi	LOL. I checked everywhere else but that.... Thanks, found it.

10-02-2024, 10:50 AM	#4
jonathan2022 Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 213232 Join Date: Mar 2022 Device: android	Kristen voice is the one i go with for mysteries and i would also use for war. (usa voice) it has the most emotion in it. I hope as it develops. more uk voices will be added. a voice like ava on edge would be nice. but Kovidgoyal i dont think has control over that. anyone use windows 11 does it have more options ?

10-03-2024, 03:59 AM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,521 Karma: 24495784 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Ah, I remember Portal 1 played it many moons ago.

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