NVDA Addon for Indian Language Text to Speech (TTS)
Next Generation (NG) Text To Speech (TTS) for Indian Languages
The Next Generation (NG) TTS engine uses Deep Neural Network algorithm to generate natural (human) sounding speech for Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia and Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
Version 1.5 simplifies installation by making the Hear2Read NG voice manager accessible through the NVDA menu (NVDA key+N, or clicking the NVDA icon in the taskbar tray). It is no longer a separate program accessed using the desktop icon. All other addon features and NG voices are the same as in version 1.4.
Users updating to v1.5 from an older version should uninstall the older version using Windows Add/Remove program. This will remove both Hear2Read shortcut icons (NG Manager and NG.nvda-addon) from the desktop.
Version 1.4 is available for users who are relying on the Tutorials available on the TUTORIALS page, while we are working on tutorials for version 1.5.
* Released version 1.5 simplifies installation by making the Hear2Read NG voice manager accessible through the NVDA menu (NVDA key+N, or clicking the NVDA icon in the taskbar tray). It is no longer a separate program accessed using the desktop icon. All other addon features and NG voices are the same as in version 1.4. * Users updating to v1.5 from an older version should uninstall the older version using Windows Add/Remove program. This will remove both Hear2Read shortcut icons (NG Manager and NG.nvda-addon) from the desktop.
Date
Description
Sep 10, 2024
Hindi - Added letter recordings enabling typing and spell mode
Jul 11, 2024
* Hindi - New voice using more recordings improving the pronunciation accuracy * Nepali - Added letter recordings enabling typing and spell out mode
Apr 19, 2024
* Added volume setting to control Hear2Read NG voice volume separate from the system volume * Spell out (NVDA Key+Shift or Ctrl+. key twice) and typing volume is also scaled just like the synthesised output volume
* ASCII text with numbers is read completely in the English voice, numbers in ASCII context are no longer spoken in the regional voice
* Updated support for NVDA 2024.1, as well as raised minimum supported NVDA to 2022.1
Mar 19, 2024
* Added support for spell out mode(NVDA Key + Ctrl + double tap '.') and typing. Note this is not the same as cursor movement. Currently, there is full support for Kannada, other languages will be added soon. * Corrected a bug where changing voices in NVDA could cause a crash
Feb 21, 2024
* NOTE: The changes in this release are significant. Therefore, earlier versions of the Hear2Read NG Manager (1.1 and older) must first be removed (uninstalled) using Add-Remove function under Windows settings. * Starting with this release (1.2), the Voice Manager has been renamed to simply Manager and it manages all aspects of the Hear2Read NG Addon.
* When you install 1.2, two icons are added on the desktop:
-- Hear2Read NG Manager, and -- Hear2Read NG.nvda-addon (The naming convention is dictated by NVDA) * The Hear2Read NG Manager now updates all 3 parts of Hear2Read NG software for Windows:
-- TTS Engine DLL (Dynamically Linked Library used by Windows OS), -- Language specific phonetic data, and -- NVDA Addon python module * When of any of these modules are updated, a prompt to restart NVDA is displayed so that changes come into effect
* Because the DLL cannot be updated when it’s in use by NVDA, i.e. the selected synthesizer is Hear2Read NG, the Manager checks to find out if NVDA is using Hear2Rerad synthesizer. If so, the user is prompted to change to a different synthesizer temporarily, i.e. while the DLL update is installed. Once the DLL update installation is complete, the user is prompted to restart NVDA, and change back to the Hear2Read NG synthesizer.
* The phonetic data and the addon python module can be updated while Hear2Read synthesizeris in use. Once the update is complete, the user is prompted to restart NVDA for the updates to come into effect.
Jan 5, 2024
- Releasing Marathi and Malayalam NG voices for everyone (General Availability) - Updated Odia rules to correct pronunciations of ଐ, ଔ, ଘ, ଟ, ଣ, ତ, ଳ and ଢ଼
- Corrected numbers for Assamese, Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali and Odia
- Updated engine to support improved Gujarati and Marathi voices with new pronunciation rules for stress
Dec 15, 2023
Version 1.0 Official Release of Nepali, Assamese, Gujarati and Odia. The NG TSS engine generates more natual sounding speech.
Oct 10, 2023
Version 0.7 Added Beta support for Malayalam and Assamese.
Sept 5, 2023
Version 0.6 First Release providing support for Nepali.
Sanskrit is only supported by the original Hear2Read TTS NVDA Addon. It is available here.
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Installation Instructions
After the Installer has been downloaded,
run it and follow its instructions. The Installer will add two files to your desktop; H2R_Speak.nvda-addon (the NVDA addon code),
and H2R_Speak Voice Manager (which will allow you to add Indic voices to the addon).
Be sure to agree with the Licence Agreement and check the "Create a desktop shortcut" box.
After installing, do the following:
Install the H2R Speak NVDA Addon
Start NVDA
Find H2R_Speak.nvda-addon on the Desktop
Double click on H2R_Speak.nvda-addon and a dialog box will popup
Answer all required questions
NVDA will ask you to restart NVDA, click on Yes.
You can also install the addon by going to tools->Manage add-ons in NVDA.
NOTE: Once the H2R_Speak.nvda-addon has been added to NVDA, it can be deleted from the Desktop.
Install at least on Indic Language voice
Run the H2R_Speak Voice Manager (found on your desktop. The Voice Manager
will show you which voices are already installed on you machine.
You my install or uninstall voices by checking the box next to the voice you
want to install or uninstall.
Installation Instructions
After the Addon has been downloaded, open it while NVDA is running to install it and follow the prompt to restart NVDA. Once NVDA is restarted, the voice manager to download new voices is available in the NVDA menu (NVDA+N or clicking the NVDA icon in the taskbar system tray).
Navigate through the voices available in the voice manager and select the voice by pressing Enter or double clicking to start voice download. Once the download is completed, you will have to restart NVDA to be able to use the voice
Installation Instructions
After the Installer has been downloaded, run it and follow its instructions. It will add two icons on the desktop:
Hear2Read NG Manager, and
Hear2Read NG.nvda-addon (The naming convention is dictated by NVDA)
Be sure to agree with the License Agreement and do not uncheck "Create a desktop shortcut" box.
Hear2Read NG Manager now updates all 3 parts of Hear2Read NG software for Windows:
TTS Engine DLL (Dynamically Linked Library used by Windows OS),
Language specific phonetic data, and
NVDA Addon python module
When of any of these modules are updated, a prompt to restart NVDA is displayed so that changes come into effect.
The DLL cannot be updated when it’s in use by NVDA, i.e. the selected synthesizer is Hear2Read NG. The Manager checks to find out if NVDA is using Hear2Rerad synthesizer. If so, the user is prompted to change to a different synthesizer temporarily, i.e. while the DLL update is installed. Once the DLL update installation is complete, the user is prompted to restart NVDA. After this, user can change back to Hear2Read synthesizer.
The phonetic data and the addon python module can be updated while Hear2Read synthesizer is in use. Once the update is complete, the user is prompted to restart NVDA for the updates to come into effect.
