v0.10.2-beta1 2023-12-19

[nimroddolev]

✨ Features

• Added FFmpeg Arguments parameter to the chime_tts.say and chime_tts.say_url services, allowing FFmpeg conversions of the generated audio.
• Added support for FFmpeg audio conversion of generated audio.
• Added audio duration value to chime_tts.say service response value object.

🧰 Improvements

• Added fix for double back slashes in user configured folder paths.

🐞 Bugfixes

• Fixed default service parameter values.

What's Changed

• Bump actions/setup-python from 4.7.1 to 5.0.0 by @dependabot in Bump actions/setup-python from 4.7.1 to 5.0.0 #55
• Bump ruff from 0.1.6 to 0.1.7 by @dependabot in Bump ruff from 0.1.6 to 0.1.7 #54
• Bump ruff from 0.1.7 to 0.1.8 by @dependabot in Bump ruff from 0.1.7 to 0.1.8 #58

Full Changelog: v0.10.1...v0.10.2-beta1

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This discussion was created from the release v0.10.2-beta1 2023-12-19.

[nimroddolev]

This beta release introduces support for running FFmpeg conversion jobs on the audio generate by the chime_tts.say and chime_tts.say_url services, as well as some other improvements.

The main use case for the new FFmpeg support is for playback on 3rd party media_player entities such as Alexa and Google Home speakers.

I don't personally own any of these speakers so I can't test on actual hardware, but for those of you who do I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the feature, and in general as well.

To install the beta:

1. Open the Chime TTS repository in HACS
2. Click on the ⋮ button in the top right
3. Select the ↻ Redownload option
4. Enable the Show beta versions option
5. Select version v0.10.2-beta1 from the updated version drop-down list

Thanks!

[dbullendsl]

my old setting was /config/www/chime_tts not a big difference, I must have been running the most recent release version as I had only recently discovered your integration.

[nimroddolev]

Thank you. I fixed the issue for the next release

[dbullendsl]

Ok, no problem - I'm trying to figure out how to pass options to amazon_polly to get the voice changed - no luck so far. Anything I've tried results in having to either reload the integration or restarting home assistant as the tts service stops.

[nimroddolev]

I don't think it's possible.

As I understand it, the voice for Amazon Polly is part of Amazon Polly's configuration in your configuration.yaml, and not a parameter you can include in the Options when sending off the request for the TTS audio.
I thought of creating multiple Amazon Polly tts platforms, each with a different voice configuration, but I don't think you can have more than 1 instance of Amazon Polly in Home Assistant.

If you find something to the contrary let me know, i'm also interested.

[dbullendsl]

I'm sure you're right, although Amazon AWS alludes to the idea it can be done with their Alexa Tool Kit. But that's way beyond the scope of what you're trying to do. For now I'm going to stick to using the notify.alexa_media service call.

[KEV-github]

I have been trying to get this to work with Alexa.
See my config attached
Alexa is replying with to send tts set up my public url in the intergration configuration. Any ideas what ive missed.

[nimroddolev]

Hi @KEV-github.

Alexa speakers will only play MP3s from publicly accessible URLs (so not local files on). So you need to make sure your Home Assistant instance is accessible remotely. Here's a guide with a few options to do this in case you haven't already.

Once that's configured, you simply need to enter your external address to your HA instance into the Amazon Media Player integration's configuration. Go to Settings --> Devices & Services --> Alexa Media Player --> Configure and then enter the external URL to your Home Assistant instance.

I don't own any Alexa speakers, so perhaps @dbullendsl you could verify this is correct?

[dbullendsl]

the chime path looks wrong, look at your settings these work for me

here's a script that works:

alias: call chime tts
sequence:
  - service: chime_tts.say_url
    data:
      chime_path: bells
      end_chime_path: null
      delay: 0
      final_delay: 0
      tts_playback_speed: 100
      tts_platform: google_translate
      cache: true
      ffmpeg_args: " -y -ac 2 -codec:a libmp3lame -b:a 48k -ar 24000 -write_xing 0"
      message: "{{message}}"
    response_variable: chime_tts
  - service: notify.alexa_media
    data:
      message: <audio src= "{{chime_tts.url}}"/>
      target:
        - media_player.office_echo_dot
      data:
        type: tts
mode: single
fields:
  message:
    selector:
      text: null
    name: message

you can test this by going to developer tools, under services and enter service call to script:call_chime_tts, check the Message box and enter your message.

[nimroddolev]

I think you might have an issue with your configuration values. I was successful:

---

My configuration:

---

The result of the chime_tts.say_url service call:

[dbullendsl]

one other thing I was wondering, the address in your URL looks like a local URL not available publically, as far as I recall Amazon requires a public URL. That means getting a SSL certificate also - look into the DuckDNS addin in the add in store - that can get you a public URL in the duckdns.org domain and SSL certificates so then Amazon access your server with proper credentials. It's all free - so it's just the matter of getting it set up.

[nimroddolev]

the address in your URL looks like a local URL not available publically

No, I obscured my domain but I can assure you the address is publicly available.

as far as I recall Amazon requires a public URL. That means getting a SSL certificate also

Yes, that’s exactly what I wrote in my comment

[KEV-github]

I have been reading through your reply's and set up my external Nabu Casa url in the amazon intergration. Am I Correct in saying this should now let me play mp3 and tts on my alexa's.?
I have also changed my Chime config as shown above.

[nimroddolev]

Yes, is it working for you?

[KEV-github]

this what I get with a basic call service

[KEV-github]

The mp3 file it creates is showing in my /local/Chime_tts file

[KEV-github]

Just need to work out the yaml config to play on my Alexa . Notify or media_player play

[nimroddolev]

The YAML looks correct, but Chime TTS only sees your local address, not your external one. Perhaps you need to set your external address in the settings?

Go to Settings --> System--> Network and scroll down to the Home Assistant URL section.
You should set the Internet address to your Nabu Casa URL.

[KEV-github]

Yes its set to This

[KEV-github]

if I use this call service it plays the chime and the message

[nimroddolev]

Good to hear, but the URL from chime_tts.say_url is incorrect in your case. I can't reproduce the issue but i'm investigating.

[nimroddolev]

@KEV-github I have release a new beta version, v0.10.2-beta2 which I hope fixes your external URL issue (among other improvements).

Please upgrade and report in this discussion if it solved your issue.

To install the beta:

1. Open the Chime TTS repository in HACS
2. Click on the ⋮ button in the top right
3. Select the ↻ Redownload option
4. Enable the Show beta versions option
5. Select version v0.10.2-beta2 from the updated version drop-down list

[KEV-github]

@dbullendsl

Can you check this script what I copied from above. 'Im getting error messages .Thanks

[nimroddolev]

The parameter ffmpeg_args was renamed in beta2 to audio_conversion. It should work once you change the name.
Can you please try to use the in-built "Alexa" option? Eg:

alias: call chime tts
sequence:
  - service: chime_tts.say_url
    data:
      chime_path: bells
      tts_platform: google_translate
      cache: true
      audio_conversion: "Alexa”
      message: "{{message}}"
    response_variable: chime_tts
  - service: notify.alexa_media
    data:
      message: <audio src= "{{chime_tts.url}}"/>
      target:
        - media_player.kevin_s_echo_zibgee
      data:
        type: tts
mode: single
fields:
  message:
    selector:
      text: null
    name: message

[KEV-github]

Still getting error message.

[nimroddolev]

Is the error for the service call to chime_tts.say_url or to notify.alexa_media ?
You can remove the second service call to see which one is causing the error.
@dbullendsl are you able to please see if you have the same issue?

[dbullendsl]

I'm not getting the same error, but I do get an error that the response_variable [chime_tts] is undefined from within the section trying to play on the alexa. My trace on the script doesn't show any value for '{{chime_tts.url}}'

When I simply call the service chime_tts.say_url I do get a response variable as a return that is correct.

[nimroddolev]

I think there is an accidental space character between the ‘=‘ and "{{chime_tts.url}}" :

<audio src= "{{chime_tts.url}}"/>

Could that be it?

[KEV-github]

I dot know what the issue was. Maybe the copy and paste didn't like it. So I created it using the visual editor and it worked.
It looks exactly the same though🤷🏻

[nimroddolev]

Got it. Glad it’s finally working 👍

[KEV-github]

Great work and thanks. Is there any way to make the chime longer and the speech louder.
Thanks. Kevin

[nimroddolev]

You can add your own chimes (see the wiki) and you change use the volume parameter to adjust the volume.