.gitignore

@@ -37,3 +37,6 @@ media-files/video/*.mp4
 
 # Small public-domain demo evidence clip for the auk voice-editing demo
 !auk/*.wav
+
+# VibeVoice 4-speaker spike test clip - committed for remote review
+!vibevoice-spike/*.mp3

vibevoice-spike/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# VibeVoice (community fork) 4-person podcast spike
+
+Standalone experiment, not integrated into the webui or the production
+pipeline. Tests whether VibeVoice (https://github.com/vibevoice-community/VibeVoice)
+can generate a 4-speaker podcast scene in one pass, cloning our four
+established character voices (Kevin, Marge, Terry, Priya) from their
+existing approved `reference_audio` in the-service-station repo.
+
+- `scripts/trailer_promo_4speaker.txt` - the test script: the real
+  "sausage rolls" trailer scene from `the-service-station/scripts/trailer-promo.md`,
+  converted from our `[Character|tags]` format to VibeVoices required
+  `Speaker N: ...` plain-text format (tags dropped - VibeVoice has no
+  per-line emotion/timing control).
+- `trailer_promo_4speaker_vibevoice-1.5b.mp3` - the generated result
+  (VibeVoice-1.5B, seed 42). 47s of audio generated in 14.5s (RTF 0.31x).
+
+Setup lives outside this repo (not committed): `.venv/` here is a fresh
+isolated venv (`pip install -e /root/projects/VibeVoice`, pinned
+`transformers==4.51.3`), pointed at the already-downloaded
+`VibeVoice-1.5B` weights under `/root/projects/ComfyUI/models/tts/VibeVoice/`.
+
+## Findings (2026-09-30)
+
+Whisper-transcript check against the script: mostly faithful, not
+word-perfect. Two small unscripted insertions ("I am here!" before Priyas
+line, "For me," before Marges reply) and one substitution ("He will." ->
+"You will."). No repetition/collapse like the AuK chain-corruption bug -
+just minor ad-libbing, not catastrophic.
+
+No audible AI disclaimer or obvious background music in this run - both
+are documented risks for this model family (see
+`the-service-station/research/vibevoice-2026-08-21.md` and
+`vibevoice-community-fork-2026-08-21.md`), so treat this one clean run as
+encouraging, not conclusive.
+
+Steves call after listening: pursue 7B (weights already downloaded, same
+venv/script, swap `--model_path`) or not worth it given the limitations
+the prior research already flagged.

vibevoice-spike/scripts/trailer_promo_4speaker.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+Speaker 1: The Service Station. Three facts, one car park, and absolutely no reason to be in a hurry.
+Speaker 2: Except for me, obviously. I'm always in a hurry.
+Speaker 3: I had a Sinclair Spectrum in 1984, and I will find a way to bring it up.
+Speaker 1: He will.
+Speaker 4: I still don't understand why the sausage rolls are relevant, but here we are.
+Speaker 2: They're always relevant, Priya.
+Speaker 1: Every week: one underdog, one argument, and one fact Marge gets wrong.
+Speaker 2: I get one fact wrong per episode. Tops.
+Speaker 3: It's usually about football.