Vocalizer Expressive2 Voice Manager for NVDA

Overview

The Vocalizer Expressive2 Voice Manager add-on is designed for convenient installation, removal, and management of Vocalizer Expressive2 synthesizer voices in the NVDA screen reader.

The add-on allows you to browse available voices for various languages, select synthesis quality, and manage installed voices directly from the NVDA interface. All voices are downloaded from a centralized server, ensuring access to the latest versions of voice packages.

Note:

1. For voices to work, you must install the VocalizerExpressive2Driver driver or the CerenceTTS driver for newer voices.
2. The manager downloads the voices from the website of the Russian-speaking community.

Download Drivers:

1. Vocalizer_expressive2_driver
2. CerenceTTS

The memo:

The first driver may not support new and updated voices, and the second driver may don't support many old voices. So if the voices don't work with the first driver, try the second driver, and if they don't work with the second driver, then try the first one.

Main Features

Browsing and Selecting Voices

When the manager dialog opens, the NVDA interface language is automatically detected. If a voice for the current NVDA language is available, it will be selected automatically. Otherwise, the first available language from the list will be selected.

The dialog provides two dropdown lists:

• Language a list of all available languages with voices. Each language is displayed in the NVDA interface language.
• Quality a list of available synthesis qualities for the selected language. Quality determines the size and performance of the voice package.

After selecting a language and quality, all available voices for these parameters are displayed in the table.

Voice Table

The table displays the following information about each voice:

• Name the voice name (e.g., "Lesya", "Satu").
• Gender the voice gender (male or female).
• Age the voice age category (usually "Adult").
• Status the current voice status:
  • "Installed" the voice is already installed.
  • "Not installed" the voice is available for installation.
  • "Will be installed after restart" the voice will be installed after NVDA restart.
  • "Will be removed after restart" the voice will be removed after NVDA restart.
• Version the voice package version.
• Size the voice file size in human-readable format (KB, MB, GB).

Column Management

Users can customize table column visibility through the context menu:

1. Right-click on the voice table.
2. Select "View" from the menu.
3. Check or uncheck items:
   • "Gender"
   • "Age"
   • "Version"
   • "Size"

Settings are saved and applied the next time the dialog opens.

Voice Management

The following actions are available for each voice:

Installing a Voice

1. Select the desired voice in the table.
2. Click the "Install" button or select "Install" from the context menu.
3. The voice package download and installation will begin.
4. After installation completes, the voice will be marked as "Will be installed after restart".
5. To complete the installation, NVDA must be restarted.

During installation, a progress dialog is displayed showing the download progress. For large files, this process may take several minutes.

Removing a Voice

1. Select an installed voice in the table.
2. Click the "Remove" button or select "Remove" from the context menu.
3. Confirm removal in the dialog that appears.
4. The voice will be marked as "Will be removed after restart".
5. To complete the removal, NVDA must be restarted.

Important: Voice removal is irreversible. If the voice is needed again, it must be reinstalled.

Downloading a Voice to PC

1. Select any voice in the table.
2. Click the "Download to PC" button or select "Download to PC" from the context menu.
3. The voice file will be downloaded to the "Downloads" folder of your user profile.
4. When downloading the same file again, a number will be added to the name (e.g., "voice (1).nvda-addon").

This feature is useful for saving voice installation files for future use or manual installation.

Context Menu

For quick access to voice management functions, use the context menu:

• Right-click on the voice table.
• The menu includes: "Install", "Remove", "Download to PC".
• Use the "View" submenu to change column visibility.

Operation Features

Automatic Language Detection

When the dialog opens, the add-on automatically detects the NVDA interface language and selects the corresponding voice language. If no voices are available for the current NVDA language, the first language in the list is automatically selected.

Data Caching

Voice data is downloaded from the server and stored locally. The cache is automatically updated 24 hours after the last download. This allows you to:

• Reduce loading time when reopening the dialog.
• Work with the add-on when offline.
• Browse available voices even during temporary server issues.

Error Handling

If issues occur with server connection or data loading, the add-on uses the local cache if available. If no local cache is available, the user is prompted to check the Internet connection and try again.

If an error occurs during installation or voice download, an appropriate message with a retry suggestion will be displayed.

Parallel Downloading

Voice installation and downloading are performed in separate threads, keeping the NVDA interface responsive during operations. The progress dialog informs the user about the operation's progress.

Usage Recommendations

1. Before installing a new voice ensure you have a stable Internet connection. For large voice packages (over 50 MB), a fast connection is recommended.

2. After installing or removing a voice you must restart NVDA. Some voices may not work correctly until restart.

3. If errors occur check your Internet connection and try again later. If the issue persists, refer to the NVDA log (NVDA+F1) for additional error information.

4. To save disk space remove unused voices. Each voice can take from several megabytes to several hundred megabytes.

5. Use the download to PC feature to create backup copies of voice installation files. This can be useful when reinstalling the system or NVDA.

Supported Languages and Qualities

Languages

The add-on supports a wide range of languages, including:

• Asian languages: Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Sichuanese, Shaanxi, Dongbei), Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese.
• European languages: English (British, American, Australian, Indian, Irish, Scottish, South African), French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and many others.
• Middle Eastern languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi.
• Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri.

The full list of available languages depends on the server database and may be updated.

Synthesis Quality

The following qualities may be available for each language:

• Embedded (compact) minimal size, optimized for limited resources.
• Embedded (high) good quality with moderate size.
• Embedded (premium) high quality, larger size.
• Embedded (professional) professional quality, optimized for professional use.
• Premium (high) maximum quality, largest size.

The availability of specific qualities depends on the language. Some languages may have only one available quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are no voices displayed for my language?

Possible reasons:

• No voices are currently available for your language.
• The server is temporarily unavailable.
• Data loading failed due to Internet connection issues.

Can I install multiple voices simultaneously?

No, installation is performed sequentially for each selected voice. To install another voice, wait for the current operation to complete.

Why doesn't the installed voice appear in the synthesizer list?

The installed voice will become available in the synthesizer list only after restarting NVDA. After installation, you must restart NVDA.

Can I use the add-on without an Internet connection?

Yes, if voice data was previously downloaded and the cache has not expired (default is 24 hours). However, installing new voices requires an Internet connection.

How do I check a voice's size before installation?

The size of each voice is displayed in the corresponding table column. Size information is loaded together with voice data from the server.

What should I do if installation is interrupted?

If installation is interrupted (e.g., due to Internet disconnection), it is recommended to delete temporary files and try again. Temporary files are automatically deleted when the manager dialog is closed.

Is it safe to install voices through this add-on?

Yes, all voices are downloaded from the from the server of the Russian-speaking community and undergo integrity verification. The add-on uses standard NVDA add-on installation mechanisms.

How do I update an installed voice?

To update a voice, remove the current version, then install the new one. After restarting NVDA, the new voice version will be installed.

Is the manager compatible with other synthesizers?

This add-on is designed exclusively for managing Vocalizer Expressive2 voices. For other synthesizers, use their respective managers.