* cartridge image enhanced to improve presentation
| * cartridge image enhanced to improve presentation |
NEW!
Speakeasy Phoneme Editor Operating Instructions v1
Added 3/6/2011 thank you Paul D. for the find!
1. Phoneme Editor.t.prg
2. Phoneme Speak.t.prg
Missing Software Alert! There is some additional software out there for BLK5 = $A000-$BFFF that adds command(s) to BASIC: Smoothtalker. Also missing: Gametalker and Terminaltalker. If you have one or more of these programs then please contact me at "rmelick650 at google dot com" so I can host them here for everyone to enjoy.
Speakeasy is a voice synthesizer designed to allow voice to be added to adventure and cartridge games on the VIC-20. It comes in a cartridge that plugs into the VIC's expansion port. The synthesizer, produced by Personal Peripheral Products, can be programmed from BASIC or machine language by POKE-ing to only one address. The package includes an editor that allows the user to append, insert, and delete phonemes in strings to create phrases and sentences. The 256 phoneme buffer can be stored on tape or disk. The Speakeasy cartridge, including the editor tape, sells for $79.
Personal Peripheral Products P.O. Box3423 Fox Valley Mall Aurora, IL 60505
Several ICs populate the board:
Votrax sc-O1-a p8143 5107c Speech Synthesizer (US Patent 4,433,210) NSC 130c lm 386n-1 Low Voltage Audio Power Amplifier NSC p227 dm7406n Hex Inverting Buffers with High Voltage Open-Collector Outputs Mitsubishi m74ls75p811900 4-BIT D LATCH (temporary storage) Mitsubishi m74ls27p812200 TRIPLE 3-INPUT NOR GATE
All the Votrax speech synthesizers owe their existence to the discrete speech synthesizer design created in 1970 by Richard T. Gagnon. In 1980, Votrax designed and manufactured an integrated circuit speech synthesizer called the SC-01/SC-01-A. This IC proved very popular in the third party market, like this SPEAKEASY-C unit, and was produced until at least 1984. The Smithsonian has a fantasitc site about the topic of voice synthesis.
 Optional COM 64 Adapter |  Optional Speaker Box |
Here is a BYTE magazine article (Features, Feb. 1981, page 164) about the SC-01 by two Votrax Employees, and here is the SC-01[-A] phonetic speech dictionary. The Protecto / Speakeasy expects decimal values (0 to 63) for the phonemes to be poked into 38912 ($9800). So, you need to update the Table 1 in the dictionary and number each line in decimal from 0 to 63. It is already in order! Just start at the first line "00 EH3 59 jacket" and number from each line from 0 to 63. The table continues on to the following page.
You will use the decimal number to POKE instead of the hex number printed in the left column as the, "Phoneme Code." You can then say any word from pages 5-22 in the back of that dictionary by making the hex-to-decimal substitution for the phoneme codes shown in Table 1.
Sample Code
Example phoneme programming sequence:
3E, 11, 32, 31, 2A, 3E, 29, 34, 34, 2B, 3E, 1D, 06, 21, 29, 1F, 3E
Protecto / Speakeasy ("POKE 38912") Sequence:
62, 17, 50, 49, 42, 62, 41, 52, 52, 43, 62, 29, 06, 33, 41, 31, 62
Translation:
"Shut your face."
Hear it:
This is from a real VIC-20 on 12/10/2010.
Program listing of SHUT YOUR FACE for the Vic 20
LOAD address $1001 220 PRINT"SPEAKING" 230 FORJ=1TO17:READA 250 POKE38912,A 260 IFPEEK(38912)<128THEN260 270 NEXTJ 280 POKE38912,63 300 DATA62,17,50,49,42,62,41,52,52,43,62,29,6,33,41,31,62
I now wondered what it would be like to send random phonemes to the Votrax. I thought it must sound like someone speaking in tongues. I immediately thought of Robert Tilton, the TV televangelist who disturbed me so much in my youth. "This could give VIC his own voice," I thought, "... his own language!" The link below is a sample recording. You can listen for hidden messages amongst his endless babble. Is it inspired? If you are lonely, VIC could be that loyal companion who never shuts up! victongues.mp3
