speech-dispatcher

speech-dispatcher [options]

--daemon
    Run speechd in daemon mode (background).

--foreground
    Run speechd in foreground (useful for debugging).

--kill
    Kill the currently running speechd daemon.

--version
    Print the version number and exit.

--help
    Display help information and exit.

--output-module
    Specify the output module to use.

--speech-synthesizer
    Specify the speech synthesizer to use.

--disallow-module-autoload
    Disallow module auto-loading.

--config-dir
    Specify the configuration directory.

speech-dispatcher is a system-wide text-to-speech (TTS) dispatcher.
It provides a common interface for software to use speech synthesis, allowing multiple applications to share a single speech server.
This reduces resource consumption and avoids conflicts that can arise from multiple applications attempting to access the same audio device simultaneously. speech-dispatcher handles details such as queuing requests, prioritizing speech, and managing audio output.
Clients communicate with speech-dispatcher through a client library, allowing developers to easily integrate TTS functionality into their applications without needing to know the specifics of the underlying TTS engine.
It supports various TTS engines via modules and can be configured to use different voices, languages, and audio output methods. speech-dispatcher aims to offer a standardized and flexible TTS solution for Linux desktop environment.

Configuration issues or conflicts with audio drivers can prevent speech-dispatcher from functioning correctly.
Some TTS engines may have licensing restrictions or require additional setup.

speech-dispatcher uses configuration files to control its behavior.
The main configuration file is typically located in /etc/speech-dispatcher/speechd.conf or ~/.config/speech-dispatcher/speechd.conf.
These files allow you to specify default voices, audio output settings, and other parameters.

If speech-dispatcher is not working, check the logs for errors and ensure that the correct TTS modules are installed and configured.
Also, verify that your audio output device is properly configured and that no other applications are interfering with the audio stream. Common error messages are usually related to permissions and audio device access.

speech-dispatcher was created to provide a centralized and standardized way to manage text-to-speech output on Linux systems.
Its development was driven by the need to resolve conflicts between multiple applications attempting to use TTS simultaneously and improve resource utilization.
Over time, it has become a widely used component of accessibility toolchains and desktop environments. speech-dispatcher is commonly used within Gnome and KDE desktop environments.

spd-say(1)