# Q: RE: node-red-contrib-play-audio \>\> voices

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [4 November 2026 15:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054 "2026-11-04T15:28:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![StrongTown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@StrongTown](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StrongTown)\
**Post date:** [4 November 2026 15:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054/1 "2026-11-04T15:28:40Z")

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I decided it was time to update my rpi4 (rev B) Home Controller from Bookworm to Debian Trixie (13). For full disclosure I read it is a challenge to upgrade Bookworm to Trixie, best to start from scratch, so I did on a separate pi (leaving my Home Controller and the 2.6Mb flow file running) and used raspberry-pi imager on a new (Sandisk Ultra 64Gb) SD card. Using the port (custom) version of Trixie as recommended seemed to cause me odd challenges so I opted on the 2nd run to choose `Raspberry Pi OS (other)` and chose `Raspberry Pi OS Full (64bit)` since I had lots of disk. Interestingly I find this Full version actually seems to run generally quicker (certainly loads the web browser, NR editor and file mgr quicker). There are however lots of apps on this new Home Controller card I'll never use as it has but one purpose.

Any how, getting to the point, everything is working as expected however I have one issue to resolve. On my (dashboard v1) pages I have buttons one can select that "teach" (speak in the browser) about what that column of buttons or items do or indicates. I use `node-red-contrib-play-audio` for this.

My challenge is that it isn't working because when I try to select the voice to use there is nothing there, no voices. Can anyone suggest how I might fix this? (install proper voices in Deb Trixie)

TIA

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**Author:** ![Rei\_Kurosawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rei\_Kurosawa](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Rei_Kurosawa)\
**Post date:** [4 November 2026 16:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054/2 "2026-11-04T16:15:12Z")

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Which browser are you using for the Node-RED editor, and is that browser running on the new Pi or on another computer?

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**Author:** ![StrongTown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@StrongTown](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StrongTown)\
**Post date:** [4 November 2026 16:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054/3 "2026-11-04T16:22:29Z")

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OH, good question!

Firefox, running on the same computer as NR (rpi4). It does work when I use my laptop Firefox and access the Dashboard on the local net.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [4 November 2026 21:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/q-re-node-red-contrib-play-audio-voices/102054/4 "2026-11-04T21:38:13Z")

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(Not what you want to hear, but.....) 😉

I am sticking with Buster at my end.

But I do something like what you are doing but do it differently.

I use the `exec` node and use something like `omxplayer` and send it the `msg.payload`.

That works.

Just saying.