Amstrad SSA-1 Speech Synthesizer
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A Speech Synthesizer from Amstrad based on the SPO256-AL2 Speech Synthesizer
Contents
Software
- |SAY,@<string> - Converts a string af ASCII text to speech
- |ECHO,<mode> - Activates text to speech conversion on text printed to the screen.
- |APHONE,<allophone>[,<allophone>] - Send allophones directly to the interrupt driven allophone buffer.
- |ROOM,@<value> - Find out how many free locations in the allophones buffer.
- |QUIET - Clears the allophone buffer.
- |SPON - Activates the speech interrrupt event.
- |SPOFF - To prevent output of data from the allophone buffer.
- |SPSTATUS,@<value> - Read the status of the speech processor.
- |SPOUT,<allophone>[,<allophone>] - Sends allophones directly to the soundprocessor.
Technical Specs.
The clock frequency (passed to the speech chip) is fixed, the exact frequency is unknown (?)
Uses I/O port: #FBEE, of which (according to the manual) only A10,A4,A0 are decoded.
Port FBEEh READ:
bit7 Status 1 (0=Speech Busy, 1=Ready/Halted) (SBY Pin, Speech Busy) bit6 Status 2 (0=Ready to Receive Data, 1=Busy) (/LRQ Pin, Load Request) bit5-0 Not used (garbage, probably usually highz)
Port FBEEh WRITE:
bit7-6 Reserved (must be zero) bit5-0 Allophone number ;data can be send when Status.Bit6=0
Supported Games
- 3D Boxing
- 3D Stunt Rider
- Alex Higgin's World Snooker / World Pool
- Darkwurlde
- Glen Hoddle Soccer
- Roland In Space
- Tubaruba
Pictures
Examples of the Amstrad synth in use
{{#ev:youtube|fesVxipNaw8|300}} {{#ev:youtube|v8WKbKK3Apg|300}}
Other Speech Synthesizers
- dk'tronics Speech Synthesizer
- TMPI speech synthetizer (TechniMusique)