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Uh... I'm looking for...

JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
I am a hobbiest in electronics as some of you know, and I wonder if I could ask for some help in locating some ancient items from another era?

I'm looking for two items that deal with early computer speech synthesis:

Vortrax Speech Synthesizer (Phoneme based and built to interface directly with the TRS-80)...

...or a stand alone (Allophone based) module that can interface with an 8 bit port, or even a serial port for that matter.

or both! :p

I'd prefer to obtain the stand alone Vortrax unit but I know that after 20-30 years, I can't be picky...

So if any of you have an item like this hanging out up in the rafters of your garage, or are harboring numerous wasp nest colonies in some shed somewhere...

I'd love to obtain one of these objects for a project I am working on.

Some will ask why I don't just use a software emulator, and the answer has to do with the fact that I'm using a very limited resource device which requires an external device to carry it's own weight in memory and cpu load.

;)

Cheers!

Comments

  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    Making a robot eh?
  • Lord RefaLord Refa Creepy, but in a good way
    ULTRON!!!
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    He's trying to make a robitic version of Stephen Hawking!

    Jake
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by croxis [/i]
    [B]Making a robot eh? [/B][/QUOTE]

    uh... actually...

    :p
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Well I did find a source for the SPO256-AL2 chipset if I have to build it myself...

    Anyone else who is interested in the data sheets from Radio Shack's old days can go to these links:

    [url]http://support.radioshack.com/support_supplies/doc17/17517.htm[/url]
    SPO256-AL2 Narrator Chip (276-1784) voice synthesizer (GI)

    [url]http://support.radioshack.com/support_supplies/doc17/17519.htm[/url]
    CTS256A-AL2 Processing Chip (276-1786) text to speech controller (GI)
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Wait till I get back to Auckland and I can go look in [url=http://www.surplustronics.co.nz/shop/]Surplustronics[/url] for you. They have everything.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Biggles [/i]
    [B]Wait till I get back to Auckland and I can go look in [url=http://www.surplustronics.co.nz/shop/]Surplustronics[/url] for you. They have everything. [/B][/QUOTE]

    Well I see I can get 74xxx series stuff there if nothing else! ;)

    :D
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    I may actually have something like those from an old digital logic class. Never could get them to work. The best I ever got was "eeeeeeeeeeeee".

    I'll try and check tomorrow.
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    Found them.

    Two chips from Archer, circa 1981-19844.
    [list]
    [*]Archer SP0256-AL2 (Cat. No. 276-1784) Voice Synthesizer IC - Allophone Speech Set (original package with instructions)
    [*]Archer CTS256A-AL2 (Cat 276-1786) Text-to-Speech Controller IC - Companion to SPO256-AL2 Voice Syntehesizer (original package with instructions)
    [/list]
    They've been stored in my garage in a dry place, but I can't guarantee their condition. Send me a private message if your interested. No charge (hey, its Christmas!)
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    oooh...

    PM sent...

    :)
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    BTW Bobo, Biggles, and anyone else who's interested...

    [url=http://www.speakjet.com/]SpeakJet[/url]

    No new news since Feb 2004, I wonder if any of these are still being made either?

    :confused:
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    Based on the "Where to buy" links, it looks like they can still be purchased.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    A couple more options for enthusiasts who need speech synthesis on a chip (more or less)...

    [url]http://www.textspeak.com/oemtts.htm[/url]

    [url]http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/shop/Speech_Synthesizer_SP032006.htm[/url]
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Package received today Bobo... Thank you very much!

    ;)

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone...

    :D
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year right back at you, and to everyone onthe boards!
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