Settings
Text-to-Speech Settings
Configure text-to-speech providers and voices
Text-to-Speech Settings
Configure how Chatelope reads AI responses aloud.
Providers
OpenAI TTS
High-quality neural voices from OpenAI.
Setup:
- Go to Settings > Voice
- Select OpenAI as TTS provider
- Uses your existing OpenAI API key
Available voices:
- Alloy - Neutral, balanced
- Echo - Male, calm
- Fable - British accent
- Onyx - Deep, authoritative
- Nova - Female, friendly
- Shimmer - Soft, expressive
Browser TTS
Uses your system's built-in voices. Free and works offline.
Setup:
- Go to Settings > Voice
- Select Browser as TTS provider
- Choose from system voices
ElevenLabs
Premium voices with high naturalness.
Setup:
- Get an API key from elevenlabs.io
- Go to Settings > Voice
- Select ElevenLabs as provider
- Enter your API key
Voice Settings
Speed
Adjust reading speed:
- Range: 0.5x to 2.0x
- Default: 1.0x
Volume
Control playback volume:
- Range: 0% to 100%
- Default: 100%
Auto-Play
Automatically read new AI responses:
- Off - Manual playback only
- On - Auto-play all responses
- Smart - Auto-play short responses only
Quality Settings
Audio Quality
Higher quality uses more bandwidth:
- Low - Faster, smaller files
- Medium - Balanced (default)
- High - Best quality, larger files
Caching
Cache audio for repeated playback:
- Enable to save bandwidth
- Cached audio stored locally
- Clear cache in settings
Language Settings
Language Detection
Automatically detect message language:
- Enabled: Switches voice for different languages
- Disabled: Uses default voice for all
Preferred Language
Set fallback language:
- Used when detection fails
- Choose from supported languages
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
P | Play/Pause |
S | Stop |
→ | Skip forward 5s |
← | Skip back 5s |
↑ | Volume up |
↓ | Volume down |
Accessibility
Screen Reader Compatibility
TTS works alongside screen readers:
- Doesn't conflict with system reader
- Can be used for additional context
- Respects reduced motion settings
Focus Indicators
Visual feedback during playback:
- Highlights current message
- Shows playback progress
- Visible play/pause state
Cost
TTS providers have different pricing:
| Provider | Cost |
|---|---|
| Browser | Free |
| OpenAI | ~$0.015 per 1K chars |
| ElevenLabs | Varies by plan |
View TTS usage in Analytics > Voice Usage.
Troubleshooting
No Sound
- Check volume settings
- Verify speaker/headphones work
- Try browser TTS to isolate issues
Voice Not Loading
- Check API key is valid
- Verify internet connection
- Try a different voice
Poor Quality
- Increase audio quality setting
- Use a different provider
- Check your audio hardware