Difference between revisions of "SP0256"

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(SP0256-related Datasheets)
(Overview)
 
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* [[SP0256 Allophones]]
 
* [[SP0256 Allophones]]
 
* [[SP0256 Pin-Outs]]
 
* [[SP0256 Pin-Outs]]
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* [[SP0256 on Printer Port (DIY)]]
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== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
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The SPO256 is a Speech Synthesizer chip used in many hardware Speech Synthesizers of the 8bit era. The SP0256 contains a Voice Generator, a small microprocessor, and a built-in ROM which contains 16Kbit (2Kbyte) of program code.
 
The SPO256 is a Speech Synthesizer chip used in many hardware Speech Synthesizers of the 8bit era. The SP0256 contains a Voice Generator, a small microprocessor, and a built-in ROM which contains 16Kbit (2Kbyte) of program code.
  
A number of different version of the SP0256 exist. The most common is the SP0256-AL2, where -AL2 means that the built-in ROM contains preprogrammed english allophones.
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A number of different versions of the SP0256 exist. The most common is the SP0256-AL2, where -AL2 means that the built-in ROM contains preprogrammed english allophones (all 59 phonemes of the English language plus 5 pauses of different lengths).
  
 
== Technical ==
 
== Technical ==
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* [[SP0256 Allophones]]
 
* [[SP0256 Allophones]]
 
* [[SP0256 Pin-Outs]]
 
* [[SP0256 Pin-Outs]]
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== More Technical ==
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* [[SP0256 Measured Timings]]
  
 
== CPC Speech Synthesizers ==
 
== CPC Speech Synthesizers ==
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The original General Instrument datasheets seem to call the chip SP0256 (0=digit zero). Some third-party datasheets look more like SPO256 (O=Letter O) though.
 
The original General Instrument datasheets seem to call the chip SP0256 (0=digit zero). Some third-party datasheets look more like SPO256 (O=Letter O) though.
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== Block Diagram ==
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[[File:SP0256 - Block Diagram.png]]
  
 
== SP0256-related Datasheets ==
 
== SP0256-related Datasheets ==
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* SPB640 - external speech fifo
 
* SPB640 - external speech fifo
 
* US Patent 4,296,279 - might cover the SP0256 (or rather the old SP0250) (not sure, it's in cryptic patent language)
 
* US Patent 4,296,279 - might cover the SP0256 (or rather the old SP0250) (not sure, it's in cryptic patent language)
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* [[Media:SP0256-AL2-Disassembly.txt]] - SP0256-AL2 disassembly
 
* http://spatula-city.org/~im14u2c/intv/tech/sp0256_instr_set.html - reverse engineered instruction set by Joe Zbiciak and Frank Palazzolo (caution: this doc has the opcodes in same bit-order as Target values, which is probably not the way how it was originally intended. In practice it makes no real different, except that the opcode summary looks more nicely sorted when "unreversing" the opcode bits)
 
* http://spatula-city.org/~im14u2c/intv/tech/sp0256_instr_set.html - reverse engineered instruction set by Joe Zbiciak and Frank Palazzolo (caution: this doc has the opcodes in same bit-order as Target values, which is probably not the way how it was originally intended. In practice it makes no real different, except that the opcode summary looks more nicely sorted when "unreversing" the opcode bits)
  
[[Category:Programming]] [[Category:Hardware]]
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[[Category:Programming]][[Category:Music and sound]][[Category:Electronic Component]]

Latest revision as of 10:28, 21 June 2024


Overview

The SPO256 is a Speech Synthesizer chip used in many hardware Speech Synthesizers of the 8bit era. The SP0256 contains a Voice Generator, a small microprocessor, and a built-in ROM which contains 16Kbit (2Kbyte) of program code.

A number of different versions of the SP0256 exist. The most common is the SP0256-AL2, where -AL2 means that the built-in ROM contains preprogrammed english allophones (all 59 phonemes of the English language plus 5 pauses of different lengths).

Technical

More Technical

CPC Speech Synthesizers

SP0256 on Printer Port (DIY)

SP0256 Speech ROM

  • SP0256-AL2 ROM (caution - the bytes in the file are in reversed bit-order, ie. the "Target" values are unreversed, all other opcodes and parameters are reversed)

SP0256 or SPO256 - Letter O vs digit 0

The original General Instrument datasheets seem to call the chip SP0256 (0=digit zero). Some third-party datasheets look more like SPO256 (O=Letter O) though.

Block Diagram

SP0256 - Block Diagram.png

SP0256-related Datasheets