SP0256 Questions
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Hello from Gregg C Levine
Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And a
range of
comments.
Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has one
with it,
SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since the
notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and did
you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of it,
if it still exists?
Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code, I am
asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer kit,
a long time ago.
In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
companion to
the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a CTS256-AL2,
based
on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because that
part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is something
short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
BS1, in fact.
Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
function of
the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
recovers
from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect they
might
get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And a
range of
comments.
Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has one
with it,
SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since the
notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and did
you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of it,
if it still exists?
Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code, I am
asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer kit,
a long time ago.
In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
companion to
the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a CTS256-AL2,
based
on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because that
part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is something
short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
BS1, in fact.
Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
function of
the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
recovers
from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect they
might
get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments
<hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> Hello from Gregg C Levine
> Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And a
> range of
> comments.
> Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
> SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has
one
> with it,
> SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since
the
> notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and
did
> you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of it,
> if it still exists?
>
> Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code, I
am
> asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer
kit,
> a long time ago.
>
> In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> companion to
> the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a
CTS256-AL2,
> based
> on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
>
> But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because
that
> part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is something
> short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
> BS1, in fact.
>
> Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
> function of
> the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
> recovers
> from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect
they
> might
> get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
>
> Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
>
> "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
I'm not Jon Williams - but I did have similar questions a few months
ago when I built my own speech synthesizer using this chip. If you
search the archives on this yahoo group for 'SPO256" - you'll find the
entire discussion I had with Jon 6-7 months ago.
My speech chip is labeled SPO256A-AL2 and it's dated 1981 - so it's
truely ancient. I actually bought this part in the early 80's but
couldn't get it to work so I shelved the project for 20 years. I'm
happy to report I finally did get it working with Jon's help. The
original circuit and program for this BASIC Stamp 1 project was
published a few years ago in Nuts&Volts, column 40. You can download
the article and program here (Volume 1):
http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/downloads/nvcol
umns/Nuts_Volts_Downloads.asp
Since this chip requires 8 input pins - the circuit in column 40 uses
a shift register to cut this down to 4. If you're using a BS2 - you
have plenty of pins to make a direct connection without using the
shift register. I hope you have a large breadboard if you're planning
on using the BS1 with shift register - because you'll also need to
build a small audio amplifier (one based on the LM386 is in the
article) and I also had to rig up external power based on a 7805
regulator (because the speech chip requires more power than my
Homework board could provide).
That is the exact same part I have. Both of them. I had temporarily
forgotten about the N&V resource, thank you for reminding me.
Actually the SPO256 I am using has its own perfboard to run on. I
decided then mount it on one of the boards from RS to support it,
since it was too big to use a breadboard. The logic that will be
controlling it, a SN74164, for example will be on my breadboard.
Since the code from the files folders is using the top portion of the
Stamp1 I/O region, that means I should be able to squeeze in my own
devices.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "fab4442003" <fab4442003@y...>
wrote:
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
> <hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> > Hello from Gregg C Levine
> > Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And
a
> > range of
> > comments.
> > Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
> > SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has
> one
> > with it,
> > SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since
> the
> > notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and
> did
> > you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of
it,
> > if it still exists?
> >
> > Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code,
I
> am
> > asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer
> kit,
> > a long time ago.
> >
> > In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> > companion to
> > the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a
> CTS256-AL2,
> > based
> > on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
> >
> > But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because
> that
> > part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is
something
> > short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this,
a
> > BS1, in fact.
> >
> > Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
> > function of
> > the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
> > recovers
> > from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect
> they
> > might
> > get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
> >
> > Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
> >
> > "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> > "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
>
> I'm not Jon Williams - but I did have similar questions a few months
> ago when I built my own speech synthesizer using this chip. If you
> search the archives on this yahoo group for 'SPO256" - you'll find
the
> entire discussion I had with Jon 6-7 months ago.
>
> My speech chip is labeled SPO256A-AL2 and it's dated 1981 - so it's
> truely ancient. I actually bought this part in the early 80's but
> couldn't get it to work so I shelved the project for 20 years. I'm
> happy to report I finally did get it working with Jon's help. The
> original circuit and program for this BASIC Stamp 1 project was
> published a few years ago in Nuts&Volts, column 40. You can download
> the article and program here (Volume 1):
>
> http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/downloads/nvcol
> umns/Nuts_Volts_Downloads.asp
>
> Since this chip requires 8 input pins - the circuit in column 40
uses
> a shift register to cut this down to 4. If you're using a BS2 - you
> have plenty of pins to make a direct connection without using the
> shift register. I hope you have a large breadboard if you're
planning
> on using the BS1 with shift register - because you'll also need to
> build a small audio amplifier (one based on the LM386 is in the
> article) and I also had to rig up external power based on a 7805
> regulator (because the speech chip requires more power than my
> Homework board could provide).
do know it was around when I was in high school (late 70s); so it's not
a kid. I have seen other parts for variants of the chip, but like I
said, I've never personally use them; I tend to keep things simple.
-- Jon Williams
-- Applications Engineer, Parallax
-- Dallas Office
Original Message
From: Gregg C Levine [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=rjgdz2ivBh1lgYVHbf08nbsma9TDq4p1ijt1jURp4ereoYnAWbP7w2BphnuHqbSpRvMpVUzdwlA3u6WCdqaeT14mqF2Vpxr3ng]hansolofalcon@w...[/url
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 12:24 AM
To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SP0256 Questions
Hello from Gregg C Levine
Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And a
range of
comments.
Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has one
with it,
SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since the
notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and did
you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of it,
if it still exists?
Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code, I am
asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer kit,
a long time ago.
In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
companion to
the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a CTS256-AL2,
based
on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because that
part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is something
short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
BS1, in fact.
Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
function of
the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
recovers
from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect they
might
get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
1. The SP0256-AL2 and the SP0256-017 are the same except for the
sounds they have programmed in the them. The -AL2 has 59 allophones
while the -017 has video game related words. I believe both support
the SPR0-016 ROM to add additional words.
2. The design is pretty old. Radio Shack sold seconds of the SP0256-
AL2 and the SP0256-19 during the 80's but the design was around
sometime in the late 70's. The SP0256 was the next generation of the
SP0250 which was much more difficult to program. GI did make an
SP1000 with speech recognition and synthesis in one chip but that
never really saw the light of day.
When GI was bought by Microchip, Microchip took over all the GI
designs however no one at Microchip that I have talked to knows
anything about the SP0256-AL2 and they do not seems to have the chip
masks. Rochester Electronics owns many of the old GI masks (SP1000,
etc...) but they do not have the SP0256-AL2 mask either.
3. The CTS-256 was also sold by Radio Shack during the 80's. It used
an algorithm from the Navel Research Lab text to code to convert
ASCII test to SP0256-AL2 codes. IMHO, it did a pretty good job given
the limited code space.
I have a free downloadable program (CHIPTALK) on my website that
takes english and converts it to codes using the same algorithm.
http://www.speechchips.com/downloads/chiptalksetup.exe
Regards,
Ken
www.speechchips.com
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
<hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> Hello from Gregg C Levine
> Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And a
> range of
> comments.
> Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
> SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has
one
> with it,
> SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since
the
> notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and
did
> you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of it,
> if it still exists?
>
> Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code, I
am
> asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer
kit,
> a long time ago.
>
> In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> companion to
> the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a CTS256-
AL2,
> based
> on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
>
> But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because
that
> part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is something
> short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
> BS1, in fact.
>
> Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
> function of
> the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
> recovers
> from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect
they
> might
> get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
>
> Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
>
> "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
One correction, and one comment.
The correction, as I understand it, GI was making chips until the
division that is now Microchip decided to be spun off, or GI decided
to do that. I would have to check with the folks at Microchip to
supply the actual dates. It happened about the same time that GI
decided to concentrate on making cable TV hardware, and support gear.
But your essentially correct regarding GI, and Microchip.
I have the CTS device here, I also have the documentation that RS
provided for all three. But the one thing I didn't have was the
material that you provided, and thank you for making that program
available. Remember the UART that was the 1013? Or the keyboard
encoder that was the 2376? That was theirs, too. The Apple used that
encoder.
And Ken, once again, thank you.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke."· Obi-Wan Kenobi
>
Original Message
> From: Ken [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=KUe-O9ykCCg_BqvwxOUYSDDh2DG897sE_4oIniHTFiHoHfo0ZsyEfLgQWuEcbPAJzmDYdhtmERfgKM1L]kenlem@m...[/url
> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:44 AM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: SP0256 Questions
>
> Hi,
>
> 1. The SP0256-AL2 and the SP0256-017 are the same except for the
> sounds they have programmed in the them. The -AL2 has 59 allophones
> while the -017 has video game related words. I believe both support
> the SPR0-016 ROM to add additional words.
>
> 2. The design is pretty old. Radio Shack sold seconds of the
SP0256-
> AL2 and the SP0256-19 during the 80's but the design was around
> sometime in the late 70's. The SP0256 was the next generation of
the
> SP0250 which was much more difficult to program. GI did make an
> SP1000 with speech recognition and synthesis in one chip but that
> never really saw the light of day.
>
> When GI was bought by Microchip, Microchip took over all the GI
> designs however no one at Microchip that I have talked to knows
> anything about the SP0256-AL2 and they do not seems to have the chip
> masks. Rochester Electronics owns many of the old GI masks (SP1000,
> etc...) but they do not have the SP0256-AL2 mask either.
>
> 3. The CTS-256 was also sold by Radio Shack during the 80's. It
used
> an algorithm from the Navel Research Lab text to code to convert
> ASCII test to SP0256-AL2 codes. IMHO, it did a pretty good job
given
> the limited code space.
>
> I have a free downloadable program (CHIPTALK) on my website that
> takes english and converts it to codes using the same algorithm.
>
> http://www.speechchips.com/downloads/chiptalksetup.exe
>
> Regards,
> Ken
> www.speechchips.com
>
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
> <hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> > Hello from Gregg C Levine
> > Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device. And
a
> > range of
> > comments.
> > Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on it,
> > SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other has
> one
> > with it,
> > SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since
> the
> > notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh, and
> did
> > you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of
it,
> > if it still exists?
> >
> > Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded code,
I
> am
> > asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer
> kit,
> > a long time ago.
> >
> > In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> > companion to
> > the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a CTS256-
> AL2,
> > based
> > on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
> >
> > But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because
> that
> > part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is
something
> > short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for this, a
> > BS1, in fact.
> >
> > Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
> > function of
> > the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my ISP
> > recovers
> > from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect
> they
> > might
> > get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
> >
> > Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
> >
> > "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> > "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
Thanks for the correction. I'm going to spend some time and create a
history page for the SP0256-AL2 and I'll remember to credit you. I'd
love to have the dates, if you wouldn't mind. Do you have a good
contact inside Microchip?
GI made all sorts of interesting chips for home computers!
Thanks for the information.
Regards,
Ken
http://www.speechchips.com
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
<hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> Hello from Gregg C Levine
> One correction, and one comment.
> The correction, as I understand it, GI was making chips until the
> division that is now Microchip decided to be spun off, or GI decided
> to do that. I would have to check with the folks at Microchip to
> supply the actual dates. It happened about the same time that GI
> decided to concentrate on making cable TV hardware, and support
gear.
> But your essentially correct regarding GI, and Microchip.
>
> I have the CTS device here, I also have the documentation that RS
> provided for all three. But the one thing I didn't have was the
> material that you provided, and thank you for making that program
> available. Remember the UART that was the 1013? Or the keyboard
> encoder that was the 2376? That was theirs, too. The Apple used that
> encoder.
>
> And Ken, once again, thank you.
>
> Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
>
> "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> "Use the Force, Luke."· Obi-Wan Kenobi
>
> >
Original Message
> > From: Ken [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:kenlem@m...]
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:44 AM
> > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: SP0256 Questions
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > 1. The SP0256-AL2 and the SP0256-017 are the same except for the
> > sounds they have programmed in the them. The -AL2 has 59
allophones
> > while the -017 has video game related words. I believe both
support
> > the SPR0-016 ROM to add additional words.
> >
> > 2. The design is pretty old. Radio Shack sold seconds of the
> SP0256-
> > AL2 and the SP0256-19 during the 80's but the design was around
> > sometime in the late 70's. The SP0256 was the next generation of
> the
> > SP0250 which was much more difficult to program. GI did make an
> > SP1000 with speech recognition and synthesis in one chip but that
> > never really saw the light of day.
> >
> > When GI was bought by Microchip, Microchip took over all the GI
> > designs however no one at Microchip that I have talked to knows
> > anything about the SP0256-AL2 and they do not seems to have the
chip
> > masks. Rochester Electronics owns many of the old GI masks
(SP1000,
> > etc...) but they do not have the SP0256-AL2 mask either.
> >
> > 3. The CTS-256 was also sold by Radio Shack during the 80's. It
> used
> > an algorithm from the Navel Research Lab text to code to convert
> > ASCII test to SP0256-AL2 codes. IMHO, it did a pretty good job
> given
> > the limited code space.
> >
> > I have a free downloadable program (CHIPTALK) on my website that
> > takes english and converts it to codes using the same algorithm.
> >
> > http://www.speechchips.com/downloads/chiptalksetup.exe
> >
> > Regards,
> > Ken
> > www.speechchips.com
> >
> > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
> > <hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> > > Hello from Gregg C Levine
> > > Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device.
And
> a
> > > range of
> > > comments.
> > > Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on
it,
> > > SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other
has
> > one
> > > with it,
> > > SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first, since
> > the
> > > notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh,
and
> > did
> > > you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo of
> it,
> > > if it still exists?
> > >
> > > Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded
code,
> I
> > am
> > > asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech synthesizer
> > kit,
> > > a long time ago.
> > >
> > > In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> > > companion to
> > > the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a
CTS256-
> > AL2,
> > > based
> > > on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI TMS7000.
> > >
> > > But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented because
> > that
> > > part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is
> something
> > > short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for
this, a
> > > BS1, in fact.
> > >
> > > Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the 'post'
> > > function of
> > > the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my
ISP
> > > recovers
> > > from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I suspect
> > they
> > > might
> > > get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
> > >
> > > Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
> > >
> > > "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> > > "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi
Not really. I knew a few people at their offices somewhere on LI, back
about five or more years back. They might still be there, then again,
they might not. Best thing to do would be to hit their website, and
check its histories pages. Yes they did. I also have here the GI chip
that made sounds.
And thanks!
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke."· Obi-Wan Kenobi
>
Original Message
> From: Ken [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=NGGtnDT_gOFf6BaKHSwF0bSPT3rfQ8-stbn9MjGFI7ibXq3iFYrGZTbtqL-OMD2Yn5-ff_lR7Tu6sB9y]kenlem@m...[/url
> Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 9:57 AM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: SP0256 Questions
>
> Hi Gregg,
>
> Thanks for the correction. I'm going to spend some time and create
a
> history page for the SP0256-AL2 and I'll remember to credit you. I'd
> love to have the dates, if you wouldn't mind. Do you have a good
> contact inside Microchip?
>
> GI made all sorts of interesting chips for home computers!
>
> Thanks for the information.
>
> Regards,
> Ken
> http://www.speechchips.com
>
>
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
> <hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> > Hello from Gregg C Levine
> > One correction, and one comment.
> > The correction, as I understand it, GI was making chips until the
> > division that is now Microchip decided to be spun off, or GI
decided
> > to do that. I would have to check with the folks at Microchip to
> > supply the actual dates. It happened about the same time that GI
> > decided to concentrate on making cable TV hardware, and support
> gear.
> > But your essentially correct regarding GI, and Microchip.
> >
> > I have the CTS device here, I also have the documentation that RS
> > provided for all three. But the one thing I didn't have was the
> > material that you provided, and thank you for making that program
> > available. Remember the UART that was the 1013? Or the keyboard
> > encoder that was the 2376? That was theirs, too. The Apple used
that
> > encoder.
> >
> > And Ken, once again, thank you.
> >
> > Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
> >
> > "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> > "Use the Force, Luke."· Obi-Wan Kenobi
> >
> > >
Original Message
> > > From: Ken [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:kenlem@m...]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:44 AM
> > > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> > > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: SP0256 Questions
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > 1. The SP0256-AL2 and the SP0256-017 are the same except for the
> > > sounds they have programmed in the them. The -AL2 has 59
> allophones
> > > while the -017 has video game related words. I believe both
> support
> > > the SPR0-016 ROM to add additional words.
> > >
> > > 2. The design is pretty old. Radio Shack sold seconds of the
> > SP0256-
> > > AL2 and the SP0256-19 during the 80's but the design was around
> > > sometime in the late 70's. The SP0256 was the next generation
of
> > the
> > > SP0250 which was much more difficult to program. GI did make an
> > > SP1000 with speech recognition and synthesis in one chip but
that
> > > never really saw the light of day.
> > >
> > > When GI was bought by Microchip, Microchip took over all the GI
> > > designs however no one at Microchip that I have talked to knows
> > > anything about the SP0256-AL2 and they do not seems to have the
> chip
> > > masks. Rochester Electronics owns many of the old GI masks
> (SP1000,
> > > etc...) but they do not have the SP0256-AL2 mask either.
> > >
> > > 3. The CTS-256 was also sold by Radio Shack during the 80's. It
> > used
> > > an algorithm from the Navel Research Lab text to code to convert
> > > ASCII test to SP0256-AL2 codes. IMHO, it did a pretty good job
> > given
> > > the limited code space.
> > >
> > > I have a free downloadable program (CHIPTALK) on my website that
> > > takes english and converts it to codes using the same algorithm.
> > >
> > > http://www.speechchips.com/downloads/chiptalksetup.exe
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Ken
> > > www.speechchips.com
> > >
> > > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Gregg C Levine"
> > > <hansolofalcon@w...> wrote:
> > > > Hello from Gregg C Levine
> > > > Jon, I've got one, maybe two questions regarding this device.
> And
> > a
> > > > range of
> > > > comments.
> > > > Q1 Which one did you use? I've got two parts here, one has on
> it,
> > > > SPO256-AL2, but no serial speech ROM, SPRO-016. And the other
> has
> > > one
> > > > with it,
> > > > SPO256-017. But I suspect that it's the same as the first,
since
> > > the
> > > > notes that came with it, call it by the first one's name. Oh,
> and
> > > did
> > > > you use an SPRO-016 in your design? And can you post a photo
of
> > it,
> > > > if it still exists?
> > > >
> > > > Q2 How old is this design? Despite the date on the uploaded
> code,
> > I
> > > am
> > > > asking that one, because RS discontinued the speech
synthesizer
> > > kit,
> > > > a long time ago.
> > > >
> > > > In fact I came across a part that was supposed to be used as a
> > > > companion to
> > > > the SPO256-AL2, it's a text to speech synthesizer chip, a
> CTS256-
> > > AL2,
> > > > based
> > > > on the GI PIC7000, which was a second source of the TI
TMS7000.
> > > >
> > > > But I suspect it was even before the Stamp was invented
because
> > > that
> > > > part is preprogrammed for the job, and making it work, is
> > something
> > > > short of the classic miracle. I prefer using the Stamp for
> this, a
> > > > BS1, in fact.
> > > >
> > > > Incidentally, any replies to this, will be done from the
'post'
> > > > function of
> > > > the website, as I am having some technical difficulties as my
> ISP
> > > > recovers
> > > > from the severe storms we had this past week. Although I
suspect
> > > they
> > > > might
> > > > get things repaired by the beginning of next week.
> > > >
> > > > Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
> > > >
> > > > "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> > > > "Use the Force, Luke." Obi-Wan Kenobi