Text-To-Speech in Indian Regional Language

Introduction

Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology has revolutionized the way we interact with digital content. From reading out loud text from articles and books to aiding the visually impaired, TTS has numerous applications. However, while converting English text to English speech is straightforward, converting text to speech in regional languages poses unique challenges. This blog explores the current scenario, trends, and available resources for TTS conversion, with a particular focus on regional languages.

The demand for regional language support in TTS systems is growing. Despite the availability of numerous TTS services, most offer limited support for regional languages. This limitation often requires the use of multiple services to achieve the desired output.

English Text to Regional Language Speech Workflow

A typical workflow for converting English text to regional language speech involves:

  1. English Text to Regional Language Text: Translating English text into the target regional language.
  2. Regional Language Text to Speech: Converting the translated text into speech.

Challenges and Solutions

  • Limited Language Support: Many TTS services offer extensive support for English but limited support for regional languages. For instance, while Amazon Polly supports Hindi and English, other regional languages require alternative solutions.
  • Service Limitations: Free versions of TTS services often have usage limitations. For more extensive use cases, paid versions or services with existing credits, such as AWS, are recommended.

Available Resources

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS offers a robust solution for TTS, particularly for Hindi and English, through Amazon Polly.

  • Amazon Translate: Converts English text to Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi and many more.
  • Amazon Polly: But Amazon Polly can only Converts Hindi text to Hindi speech for india it suports other Country languages. It supports multiple output formats, including AAC, suitable for digital audio compression.

ChatGPT's paid version supports various regional languages, making it a versatile option.

  • Supported Regional Languages: Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Nepali.
  • Supported Output Format: AAC, preferred by platforms like YouTube, Android, and iOS. There are many other Formats

Google's TTS service supports a wide range of languages, making it another viable option for regional language support. You can find the full list of supported languages here.

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft also offers TTS services, though an active Azure Cloud account is necessary for access.

Open Source Solutions

Several open-source TTS projects offer flexibility and customization options:

Other Service Providers

While there are many TTS service providers, the following are particularly efficient for English and Hindi: