eSpeak-NG for Blind People

axehell · November 22, 2021 at 11:57 AM

hello,

Message for dev of libreelec:

I'm blind and i try to use libreelec 10.0...

-installing libreelec on raspberry: noproblem

--installing plug-in kodi screen reader: no problem

-enable ssh: very difficult for blind people but it's OK

But here is the problem!!!

Your distro is too closed and it's impossible to install espeak and libttspico-utils.

Could you add this packages on libreelec? (I think that's very easy for you)

Could you never delete this packages for future version?

For information it's works fine on OSMC matrix and it's very easy!

Best regard

(Google trad is my best friend on internet)

**chewitt** · November 22, 2021 at 3:03 PM

There is an open pull-request to restore eSpeak (now eSpeak-NG) in https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.tv/pull/5786

Can you explain the purpose for libttspico-utils? - I mean, clearly it does TTS, but how is it used and by what applications?. Apologies if these are dumb questions but current staff don't have much exposure to users with accessibility needs.

**CvH** · November 22, 2021 at 4:29 PM

It would be nice to know what programs are actually used. Currently we would implement it without any possibility to test it at all.

axehell · November 22, 2021 at 5:32 PM

hello,

Blind people have choices of tts engine on kodi screen reader in add-on config.

On linux we can use espeak or pico tts.

on windows just sapi is available.

Espeak was present in libreelec 9.2.8, It disappear in 10.0.

for infos:

add-on: https://github.com/pvagner/service.xbmc.tts/tree/2to3

Backends: https://github.com/pvagner/backends/tree/2to3

tts engine (espeak or pico or the 2) is just that we need.

No pb on OSMC matrix...

espeak and pico are present in all other distro and it's less 80mo for the 2 tts.

No risk for your precious! lol

Best regard

**CvH** · November 22, 2021 at 6:41 PM

tx, we have a look

picotts is better compared to espeak if I remember correctly ?

Currently there is STT for LE in the works (okay kodi ...) and this works already pretty good, I also saw that they offer TTS with likely much more real sounding like voices. No idea if "proper" backends are also supported at all ? So maybe worth a try to implement this too.

axehell · November 22, 2021 at 7:23 PM

yes, it's correct picotts is better compared to espeak but it's just little less speed.

For "ok kodi":

I already know that it can't work with kodi screen reader...

there is no backends for this engine tts and nobody work on the kodi screen reader add-on more one year ago. it's already very good that's add-on works on matrix.

Big thanks to peter for convert this add-on in python3.

the best could be to create an install script picotts or espeak and install it via ssh, like that just people whose need this packages will install its..

Best regard, sorry for my english!

**chewitt** · November 23, 2021 at 1:50 PM

80Mo is 80MB or 80Kb? .. 80MB would be refused in our main images, but 80Kb would be no issue.

axehell · November 24, 2021 at 7:04 PM

hello,

Sorry, 80mo: it's the size after installing espeak and libttspico-utils.

I have no idea of the packages' size.

**Da Flex** · November 24, 2021 at 8:08 PM

"Mo" can only mean Megabyte when it's about speech samples.

axehell · November 24, 2021 at 8:51 PM

I stop google traduction because i think it create a confusion.

Mo=mega-octet

80Mo is the space of memory required on sd-card for installing espeak and libttspico.

**Da Flex** · November 24, 2021 at 9:26 PM

I never heard about Mega-Octet. Wikipedia says an Octet is a Byte, so it's Megabyte.

axehell · November 24, 2021 at 9:46 PM

Sorry, it's just my fault.

you certainely never came in France or francophone country lol

Byte ou octet, une définition en un clic

Mégabits ou megabytes... la différence est de taille. Un byte est une chaîne de bits. Qui n’est pas toujours constituée de 8 digits... même si, par convention,…

www.zdnet.fr

And if you have doubt about the source:

Octet — Wikipédia

Best regard

**CvH** · November 25, 2021 at 11:13 AM

i think we can put it into a addon so size won't matter

axehell · November 25, 2021 at 2:40 PM

Hello,

Puting engine tts in a add-on? no idea if it will work with kodi screen reader add-on.

You are most better than me for that!

But i think that's an hard work, i'm wrong?

I wouldn' t like to wast your time...

So, big thanks for your interest!

Best regard.

**chewitt** · November 26, 2021 at 4:24 AM

As long as the binaries are in the $PATH it doesn't matter whether they were embedded into the image or packaged as an add-on.

donkamillo · December 3, 2021 at 4:42 PM

Hi!

I'm beginning to lose track of all my forum accounts...

I'm using LibreElec for a while now. The 9.2.6 has the eSpeak still in the images. So, if the size of the package was no problem then, what makes it so problematic for 10.0.1?

I ask because a separate addon brings added complexity for the installation for blind users. I now have to install the screen reader addon and have to find the eSpeak-Addon. For me, with my limited vision, this is already a big problem. I can du this, but this would take about a half hour or so. But how does a completely blind person do this?

I memorized the keypresses for the installation of the screen reader from a ZIP-file. Fortunately I have a running LibreElec 9.2.6, so it is much easyer to memorize the keypresses for restoring a backup. Downgrading from 10.0.1 back to 9.2.6 and restoring the backup was dificult, but my 9.2.6 is running and speaking to me again!

So, again the question, if size didn't matter for 9.2.6, why should it for 10.0.1? Sorry, couldn't resist... The eSpeak is an artificial voice, and those are normally very small. And for Kodi, the speech does not have to be as naturally sounding as possible. I just want to browse my library or select a TV recording. The naturally sounding voices are normally a few hundred megabytes. That would make the machine running LibreElec very unresponsive. And I have to say, I have no idea why peaple like those voices. They litterally hurt my ears! The pronounciation may be good, but the speech melody, the up and down of the voice because of punctuation, that is just as unnatural as possible.

I know this is not a pressing matter for you. But I would like to ask you if you could put the eSpeak back in the image or release an addon as soon as possible? Sooner or later addons for Kodi 18 will stop working. Scrapers, players whatever. At least then I would like to be able to upgrade.

I have to say, english is not my native language, its german. So if my message sounds unfriendly, angry or so, this is definitivley not my intention. After reading it myself I am still unsure, if I should send it. But my english is not that good to find words to describe the situation better.

Regards!

PS: This is really funny! :-= Had to edit this around because there were words, that were not accepted. OK, that makes writing even more difficult...

**chewitt** · December 4, 2021 at 2:47 AM

You clearly didn't follow the thread. eSpeak is not an issue. The size discussion was about picotts; If this is 80MB it will not be added to our images (which are often ~125MB total size) and it will need to go into an add-on.

**CvH** · December 5, 2021 at 1:41 PM

from a quick glance its just around 7mb, I linked a POC at the pr