Is anyone actually using Microsoft.tts?

Configuration
1

Hey folks,

I’m wondering if anyone is successfully using the microsoft.tts component? I just tried it, and it crashed my home assistant hard.

I added the minimal configuration in configuraiton.yaml, only specifying my api_key, and tried calling the tts.microsoft_say service in the dev-service page, passing an entity_id and a message parameter in the yaml.

I’m just trying to find a more natural sounding alternative to google.tts which I find has odd rhythms.

2

Well that is spooky.
VERY spooky.

That exact same thing happened to me this morning (hence my other post [Backup SD-Card Hassio on Windows?] about how good snapshots are :slight_smile:). I did almost exactly the same as you for exactly the same reason. google-tts is a bit rubbish in terms of sounding natural.

Not only did my HA crash but even though it came back onto the network I could not access it in any way. Very strange. I reinstalled and recovered form last nights backup so no real harm done but I’m glad I probably know the cause now. Well, the high level cause at least…

3

Well, good to know that it isn’t just my system

If any one reading this is interested, my system is running HomeAssistant 0.73.1 on Ubunutu 18.04

4

It turns out that my issue was I was using the API key for the wrong speech API.

I started out by trying to reproduce the calls made by the component. The first call to get the auth token was failing with a 401 unauthorized. You need to have a key for the Bing Speech API, not the Speech Services API, or the Custom Speech API (gee, thanks Microsoft, too much choice :))

5

Thanks for the update, I might set up another HA Pi and give it a try but I am loathe to risk my ‘operational’ system after what happened to me!

I suppose the question is, are you still using it and is it any better than Google TTS?

6

Bing Speech API doesn’t seem to be available any more. Is there a way to get a api key for Bing Speech API?
As of now the microsoft tts always crashes home assistant.

7

Same problem, Bing Speech API doesn’t appear to be available anymore

8

I use Amazon Polly platform and it work flawless. If you have time yoy can change the way it speeks very much, I habe not tested that feature. The first. year is free up to a limit and ones the sentences are created they can be reused for free from yourv local folder