How To Manage Third-Party Dependencies
SheevChat keeps optional playback, media-conversion, and local TTS tools in one manager. Install only the tools required by the features you use.
Open the Dependency Manager
- Open Settings → General.
- Expand Third-party Dependencies.
- Review each tool's status, installed size, and path.
- Click Install or Remove on the appropriate card.
Wait for an installation or removal to finish before closing SheevChat. If a tool requires a system package manager, follow the displayed instruction and restart SheevChat afterward.
Choose the Tools You Need
| Tool | Used by |
|---|---|
| yt-dlp | Resolving, inspecting, and downloading viewer clips for Clip Overlay. |
| FFmpeg | Converting downloaded clips and uploaded videos into OBS-friendly media. |
| MPV | Optional local media playback helpers and selectable local output devices. |
| Piper TTS | Lower-resource local AI voices for app and overlay TTS. |
| Kokoro TTS | Higher-quality local AI voices for app and overlay TTS. |
Browser-native YouTube song requests do not require yt-dlp, FFmpeg, or MPV. Clip downloads remain a separate workflow and can still require yt-dlp and FFmpeg.
Configure a Tool After Installation
Installing a dependency makes it available; its feature settings remain in the relevant area:
- Configure Piper or Kokoro voices and test TTS under Settings → Audio.
- Configure clip permissions and formats under the built-in
!playclipcommand. - Configure YouTube and Spotify queues in Media Requests.
For OBS-routed Piper or Kokoro speech, install the engine here, select or test its voice in Audio settings, then use a Send to Overlay TTS action. Every active Overlay Builder source receives the global audio path without a receiver widget. See How To Configure and Use Text-to-Speech.
Remove an Unused Tool
- Confirm no active feature depends on it.
- Click Remove on its dependency card.
- Reopen the related feature and confirm it falls back or reports the missing requirement as expected.
Removing Piper or Kokoro while it is the selected TTS engine returns SheevChat to the system voice engine. Removing yt-dlp or FFmpeg prevents dependent clip or conversion operations until the tool is installed again.
Marketplace Dependencies Are Separate
The General dependency manager handles SheevChat's shared optional tools. Dependencies required by an installed Marketplace package remain managed from that package's Package Details page.
Common Problems
- Install remains unavailable: The tool may require installation through the system package manager shown in its card.
- Feature still says a tool is missing: Refresh the feature or restart SheevChat after installation.
- YouTube music says the browser player is disconnected: Open Media Requests in a browser; installing yt-dlp or MPV will not connect the browser player.
- Clip download fails: Confirm yt-dlp is installed. OBS Compatible conversion also requires FFmpeg.
- Local AI voice is unavailable: Install its engine here, then select a voice under Settings → Audio.
- Marketplace package still needs a dependency: Open that package in Marketplace; package-specific dependencies are managed separately.