SPO256-AL2 speech processor chip on a BS2

r3dsk1n

I was gifted one of these a few years ago and right now I'm doing a class project so I decided to break it out.
I've come across a few articles about howto hook it up, however I'm not sure if I need a crystal for it. would a simple schmitt trigger work? if not is there a way to get the stamp to work as an oscillator for it?

Duane Degn

This old forum post seems to suggest the crystal is important. I don't think a BS2 could be used as an oscillator. I'm not sure if Propeller would even be able to produce the required frequency.

The post I linked to mentions the SpeakJet. Don't get a SpeakJet, there's a much better option. I don't recall what the newer, less expensive chip is called right now buy erco wrote an article about it in Robot magazine. If you're interested, I'm sure I could find a link to the new chip. I think it was called "RoboVoice" or something like that.

Another text to speech option is the Emic2. It's works really well but costs more than the other option I mentioned (but not named).

Edit: I should have checked the "Similar Threads" section. The first link takes you to the less expensive text to speech option.

erco

Duane hit the key points in those threads. If you want a vintage project and enjoy a treasure hunt, round up the 3.12 MHz crystal and the companion TTS chip, the CTS256 . Per Gordon McComb, you can use a cheap and plentiful colorburst crystal (3.579 MHz) in a pinch, but the sound will be off somewhat. Ask Ken at http://www.speechchips.com/shop but it looks like he's out of everything except his own creation, the RoboVoice, which is a modern one-chip solution but sounds very similar to the SP0256 synthesizer plus the TTs chip. A much simpler alternative, the chip is $17. The Speakjet is pricier with similar sound. The Emic-2 is the priciest at $54 but is a complete ready to use module and has MUCH better sound. http://www.parallax.com/product/30016

COMPLETELY UNRELATED: Just found this nifty Chinese TTS synthesizer chip: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SYN6288-TTS-voice-module-Speech-synthesis-Text-sound-GB2312-GBK-BIG5-UNICODE-/290932942456?pt=Intercoms_Access_Controls&hash=item43bcf46678

Buck Rogers

erco wrote: »

Duane hit the key points in those threads. If you want a vintage project and enjoy a treasure hunt, round up the 3.12 MHz crystal and the companion TTS chip, the CTS256 . Per Gordon McComb, you can use a cheap and plentiful colorburst crystal (3.579 MHz) in a pinch, but the sound will be off somewhat. Ask Ken at http://www.speechchips.com/shop but it looks like he's out of everything except his own creation, the RoboVoice, which is a modern one-chip solution but sounds very similar to the SP0256 synthesizer plus the TTs chip. A much simpler alternative, the chip is $17. The Speakjet is pricier with similar sound. The Emic-2 is the priciest at $54 but is a complete ready to use module and has MUCH better sound. http://www.parallax.com/product/30016

COMPLETELY UNRELATED: Just found this nifty Chinese TTS synthesizer chip: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SYN6288-TTS-voice-module-Speech-synthesis-Text-sound-GB2312-GBK-BIG5-UNICODE-/290932942456?pt=Intercoms_Access_Controls&hash=item43bcf46678

Hello!
erco, it is considered to be more of the realm of one of my alter ego's to do what you did there. That being said, both erco and Duane and definitely you Gordon, are very right with that remarkable chip.

After the classic "Speak and Spell" chipsets that TI made that family set a standard. Incidentally if you ever get it to work, your going to notice that it has a regional accent. It has an odd twang connected with the region where the vendor is based.

erco

@redskin: Almost forgot, I bought some Ebay China 3.2 Mhz crystals since 3.12 is so rare. PM me if you want one. I haven't tried them yet.

hover1

50 correct XTALS available on ebay. OUTRAGEOUS shipping though.

Maybe Ken @ Speechchips should make him an offer since he is out of stock.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-12-Mhz-Crystal-oscillator-HC-49-U-10-pieces-New-/400301360569

blittled

I also have the SPO256 and I used the 3.579 Mhz crystal with no problem. The crystal is something that is required. I had the chip hooked up to a BS2 at one time and was able to make it say phrases but I lost the code a long time ago. If you Google it you'll find many examples of how to hook one up to a micro-controller.

erco

hover1 wrote: »

50 correct XTALS available on ebay. OUTRAGEOUS shipping though.

Maybe Ken @ Speechchips should make him an offer since he is out of stock.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-12-Mhz-Crystal-oscillator-HC-49-U-10-pieces-New-/400301360569

XLNT find, Jim. I made him a lowball $10 offer since his shipping is so high, but non-negotiable. On the off chance he bites, I'll offer some here.

Buck Rogers

erco wrote: »

XLNT find, Jim. I made him a lowball $10 offer since his shipping is so high, but non-negotiable. On the off chance he bites, I'll offer some here.

Hello!
While doing some other research on this chipset, I came across one. In it one of our members mentions something that may actually be inaccurate. It concerns the maker General Instruments and the newer company Microchip. As I recall when these chips came out, the company was indeed all General Instruments. Also the companion chip for it, it translates text to speech, is actually a TMS7000 processor second source, and in fact they say so. The part can have stuff added to it, if someone knew that dialect.

About the same time the satellite direct market started up the company started to see its original business, that of making cable TV gear start to stumble. They think they can make it on their microchip building line, but it turns out to be a <DELETED!> big fallacy. So they decide to start spinning things off. The chip builder becomes Microchip and stays there in Arizona. The cable TV gear largely goes up for grabs, the set top boxes were sold to one other company, the cable MODEMS were sold to Motorola who formed a Broadband Sector to attempt to make money on the deal. (They aren't.) Eventually that set top box company is bought by Cisco, and as it happens Microchip is making a fortune selling PIC processors. (In fact the largest buyer happens to be Parallax.)

Currently if someone finds something branded GI such as the items we are discussing, or the game part, or the sound generator, or the UART parts, they actually own something that's worth a <DELETED!> lot of assorted precious stones, on all planets including this one.

My problem is one of trying to find out how to get it to work with a BS2. I think I know where the stuff is roosting for connect it to a BS1, but I'd prefer the BS2.

erco

Said Ebay xtal seller never even replied to my lowball offer, but I searched and ordered some elsewhere. 3.12 MHz crystals. I'll test them and see how they work with a SP0 256 versus my 3.2 MHz crystals. I may even have one of the 3.579 colorburst crystals somewhere to try.

I'll have extras, $3 each shipped if anybody wants one. PM me. I wonder if Speechchips Ken wants any. Maybe not, since it looks like he's out of most everything except his own fine SP0-512, which don't need no stinking crystal.

In a related story, I just got this oddball alarm clock variant off Ebay, the SP0-256-17 for my collection. $12 gone: http://www.speechchips.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151156571496

NWCCTV

So what can one do with these ? I am not sure but I may have some of them from my great garage sales this past summer. If they are selling and erco is buying maybe I can find a use. If not I will post on the classifieds for sale. I am pretty sure I saw at least one in my bag(s) o goodies.

erco

@Andy: Like I said, I got one for my speech chip collection, but who knows if & when I'll ever use it? So don't quit your job just 'cuz you found a few in your pile, they're not incredibly valuable, at least not yet. I just like to collect, or hoard as some say.

The -17 is a special version of the 256 chip, (which requires the companion TTS chip to be most useful) which has built-in phrases for a talking alarm clock, no TTS chip needed.