I’m starting to wonder if perhaps I have something setup wrong when it comes to using Azure properly. Or maybe MS is just shortchanging us in what it could potentially do?
I’ve noticed when using ATC with Azure Text-to-speech active that I’m consistently getting only roughly 5-8 different controller voices, including those emanating from other aircraft. Yet Microsoft themselves boast on their Azure website that over 200 different voices are accessible with the Azure “product”. I think that also includes the option of having people speaking English, but with a foreign accent, as you might find in real life aviation. (In real life, all controllers speak English on the radio, but there’s no requirement that they are native speakers or have no accent, so it’s common to get say German accented controllers when flying in Germany, etc.)
That said, I’m more interested in increasing the variety of voices than I am in worrying about accents, which should probably be an end-user selectable option even if it’s hypothetically available, though it would be nice.
I don’t think it’s got anything to do with installed language packs, because I have a lot of those, and I think they only come into play when using the “Windows Offline” option under text-to-speech, and to me anyway, that option makes everyone sound like they’re 3rd grade children.
So, are you experiencing the same 5-8 voices (I haven’t kept a log, that’s just a guesstimate) that I am? Is MS just shortchanging us MSFS users of the other 195 (give or take) available voices, or do I have something setup wrong?
I appreciate any insights or assistance that anyone can offer…
Signed,
Tired of hearing the same controllers over and over and over again
The low number of voices is confusing in a busy area where multiple controllers and planes will be communicating with the same voice. It’s better than the 3 distinct voices we had at launch, but there really needs to be more variety. They need to use what Azure has available.
I think changing your copilot avatar will give you a gender voice based on the gender of the avatar, but I haven’t tested if all males have the same voice or if all females do, too.
As far as my original question goes, it does seem that MS is holding back on us for some reason. I mean, fercrissake, they’ve got 200+ voices to pick from according to their own damm website, and they’re giving us 5? 8 maybe?
Come on guys, let the voices loose!!
I suppose the good news is that it’s not my fault, but that also means I can’t fix it.
Perhaps this should be moved over to the bugs channel so it can get some votes?
I checked, I already have Azure on, but I still have 2 voices all the time. To be accurate with the pilot’s male voice I have 3, always these three wherever I go to…
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