fredm@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Fred Martin) (03/22/91)
In article <C-1-JW#@irie.ais.org>, danr@ais.org (Daniel Romanchik) writes: > Anyone know where I can find a stand-alone voice synthesizer? > > I think that there used to be a company called Votrax that made > something like this, but I can't find their address or phone number. Something similar is presently available from "B.G. Micro", a surplus company: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- B.G. Micro / PO Box 280298 / Dallas, TX 75228 / (214) 271-5546 "PC/XT COMPATIBLE TEXT TO SPEECH BOARD" $69.95 A very powerful and amazing speech card, uses the new [sic] General Instruments SPO256-AL2 speech chip and the CTS256A-AL2 text to speech converter. This board uses one slot on the motherboard and requires a COM serial port. Board may also be used in a stand alone environment (external power supply necessary) with almost any computer that has an RS232 serial port. To use the board it is only necessary to send English text to the RS232 input on the board. The board includes a 1500 byte text buffer and handshake line to allow you to send data to the board the same as you would send data to an RS232 serial printer. You can set up batch files that will make your computer greet you with a ``Good Morning Master,'' etc., every time you turn it on. Demonstration software and a library building program are included on a 5.25" PC/XT diskette. Full documentation and schematics are also included. For information on a low cost speech synthesizer system for the visually impaired, please send for free packet TM-1. Also available: Stand alone power supply for above board, $19.99 + $2.50 shipping and handling. Terms: add $3.25 postage; orders over $50 add 85 cents insurance; Texas residents add 8.25% tax. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I've used the GI chip set before... it's pretty marginal quality, but definitely intelligible, and very easy to use. The English text-to-allophone chip is a very cool idea, and it does actually work. If anybody buys one of these, post to the net and let us know how it works! - Fred Martin Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with BG Micro. This is not a commercial post. I posted ordering information for your convenience only.
gbell@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Greg Bell) (03/24/91)
In article <C-1-JW#@irie.ais.org>, danr@ais.org (Daniel Romanchik) writes: > Anyone know where I can find a stand-alone voice synthesizer? > Try RC Systems at (206) 672-6909 (Phone/Fax). They make a text-to-speech board that is "Less than $100 in OEM quantities". I've heard it over the phone and the quality is very good (especially compared to the GI allophone chips). They basically did an A-D storage of all phonemes and stored it on an on-board EPROM. Not as easy as it sounds, because according to the guy I talked to, they spent years perfecting the phonemes and code (interpolation algorithms etc). Anyway, call them and ask for a demo over the phone. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who: Greg Bell Address: gbell@ucsd What: EE hobbyist and major Where: UC San Diego -----------------------------------------------------------------------------