Using Microsoft Azure cloud voices

Please note: Azure cloud Text-to-speech is a paid service by Microsoft. It works only when you have a very fast Internet connection. They will charge you for usage when you exceed their free quota. You must give them your billing information (valid credit card or other) to use it, even if you don't exceed the free quota. Please check their current pricing at: Microsoft pricing page.

We, Hyperionics Technology, are not responsible for any Microsoft service charges and we do not guarantee that all the information below is accurate or current. IT IS YOUR SOLE RESPOSIBILITY to review all the terms conditions, prices, to fill the forms accurately and to monitor your usage of this service to avoid excessive charges, and to protect your secret keys from abuse by others.
Click "I agree" below to see the information on using this service.

To use Azure voices, you'll have to create a Microsoft Azure account, and obtain a valid API key and Endpoint. In addition to my textual instructions below, you could also watch this YouTube video, created by another company for their product, but for the same purpose of enabling Azure TTS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZi0fhJtLJI

Follow these instructions:

• Press HERE to create a free Azure account, then press "Start free" button

• Log in with your Microsoft account, or create a new account if necessary

• Fill the required information then press "Sign up" button

• Press the menu button (3 horizontal lines) at top-left and click "Create a resource"

• On the Create a resource page type Speech into the search box at top and press Enter, then under the "Speech" tile press "Create".

• Wait until the resource creation is finished, and when you receive a notification that its done, press "Go to resource"

• Press "Keys and Endpoints in the menu

• Copy either KEY 1 or KEY 2, save it somewhere safe, copy the ENDPOINT and save it too.

• Go to @Voice app, press the round button with up arrow near bottom-right, then press the “Change voice or language” button.

• On top of the screen select "Use Microsoft Azure voices...", then press the MANAGE API KEY button

• Paste here your Key and Endpoint and press VERIFY AND SAVE button.

IMPORTANT: Guard your key, do not expose it on the web, don't send by email etc. Otherwise someone could intercept it and generate speech or use other Azure servics and Microsoft would bill you. If you suspect that the key was stolen or abused, regenerate your keys in Microsoft Azure portal under "Keys and Endpoints".

Is it worth it? In my opinion, no. The local TTS voices, which are either free or you buy once for a small one-time fee, are almost as good, safer, work offline, cost almost nothing etc. Some users were pestering me for months to provide this option, so here it is... - Greg

How to view the current month usage:

Azure portal changes often, but as one of the users pointed out, you can see the usage on "Cost analysis" page - you may enter "cost analysis" into the search box on top of Azure portal pages. This will show you how much money they want from you for the current period etc. I still don't know where and how to see the actual usage, e.g. how many words where generated so far, to know how close I am to the free usage limit.

Using Microsoft Azure cloud voices in @Voice

How to view the current month usage: