CHIM Text-to-Speech Services
CHIM supports local and hosted text-to-speech services through configurable TTS connectors. The recommended services are listed first, followed by the other supported connectors.
Recommended
PocketTTS
CPU-oriented local text-to-speech using the standard CHIM voice cache workflow. PocketTTS can connect to either the dedicated PocketTTS server or an audio.cpp OpenAI-compatible speech endpoint.
- Best for: easiest local baseline.
- Default local endpoint:
http://127.0.0.1:8086. - CHIM recognizes the supported PocketTTS runtimes and can fall back to the matching local service automatically.
- Voice samples can be synchronized individually from TTS Studio.
OmniVoice
Local multi-language text-to-speech with language-specific voice libraries. CHIM can switch the active language, import voice samples into the selected library, and fall back to compatible voices when a requested voice is unavailable.
- Best for: a managed local voice library with language controls.
- Default local endpoint:
http://127.0.0.1:8021. - Driver id:
omnivoice.
Chatterbox
Local text-to-speech service using the same general voice cache and management flow as XTTS and PocketTTS, but aimed at a more expressive output path.
- Best for: recommended local expressive speech.
CHIM XTTS
The dedicated XTTS path in CHIM. This is the service to use when you specifically want the CHIM XTTS workflow, uploaded voice samples, and the familiar clone/cache flow.
- Best for: XTTS-specific voice cloning workflow.
- Driver id:
xtts-fastapi. - Supports paralinguistic tag prompts in the current server config.
Inworld
Hosted text-to-speech with language, model, temperature, and speed controls. It is a good option if you want a cloud voice service instead of running speech locally.
- Best for: hosted voice generation with cloning support.
- Strengths: voice cloning flow, multi-language support, model selection.
- Needs: Inworld workspace and API credentials.
Cartesia
Hosted text-to-speech with current language and model options, including the newer sonic line in the server schema.
- Best for: higher-end hosted voice path with strong language support.
- Strengths: multiple models, speed control, automatic voice sync from the CHIM voice cache.
- Needs: Cartesia API key.
TTS Studio
TTS Studio manages voice samples across XTTS, Chatterbox, PocketTTS, OmniVoice, Cartesia, and Inworld. Each provider tab reports its connection state and exposes the controls supported by that service.
- Test a voice before assigning it to an NPC.
- Synchronize or regenerate one missing voice without rebuilding the entire voice cache.
- Upload and synchronize all local samples when preparing a provider.
- Select an OmniVoice language library before importing, testing, or synchronizing voices.
- Use Fallback Voices to choose a default voice for each Skyrim race and gender when an NPC has no usable voice assignment. The connector's normal male or female fallback remains the final backup.
Other Services
MeloTTS
Local text-to-speech that maps strongly to Skyrim voice types. This is useful when you want a voice-type oriented local setup instead of the XTTS-style cloned voice flow.
Mimic3
Local HTTP text-to-speech service with direct voice, rate, and volume controls. Useful if you want simple local synthesis without using the XTTS-family flow.
Piper Text-to-Speech
Local Piper endpoint integration. Good for self-hosted offline speech if you are comfortable downloading and managing voice models manually.
Kokoro
Local Kokoro endpoint integration. It appears as a valid current text-to-speech driver in the connector system and uses a local HTTP endpoint.
KoboldCPP Text-to-Speech
Local text-to-speech path exposed through the KoboldCPP extra text-to-speech endpoint. Use it only if your local KoboldCPP stack is already set up for speech.
Zonos
Zonos Gradio endpoint integration for users who want that specific self-hosted model family. It supports a wide language list and CHIM voice cache style voice ids in the current schema.
xVASynth
Legacy-friendly local Skyrim voice workflow tied to xVASynth models. Use this only if you already know you want the xVASynth route.
Azure
Hosted Azure speech synthesis with mood/style support, voice selection, and prosody controls. This is still one of the more configurable cloud voice options in the CHIM stack.
ElevenLabs
Hosted ElevenLabs speech with model, stability, similarity, style, speed, and optional v3 audio tag controls.
OpenAI Text-to-Speech
Hosted OpenAI speech synthesis using the current audio speech endpoint. Useful if you want a direct OpenAI voice path instead of a separate cloud text-to-speech provider.
Deepgram
Hosted Deepgram text-to-speech. It is still a valid current CHIM service, but it is more of an alternative pick than a main quickstart choice.