Amstrad SSA-1 Speech Synthesizer

Amstrad SSA1 box cover

The bundle

A Speech Synthesizer from Amstrad based on the SPO256-AL2 Speech Synthesizer

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

• SP0256
• SP0256 Voice Generator
• SP0256 Instruction Set
• SP0256 Allophones
• SP0256 Pin-Outs

Supported Games

• 3D Boxing
• 3D Stunt Rider
• Alex Higgin's World Snooker / World Pool
• Darkwurlde
• Glen Hoddle Soccer
• Roland In Space
• Tubaruba

Caution - Some webpages do (incorrectly) list further games: Gremlins (spanish version), Seablood and Robin of Sherwood (these contain code for using Port FBEC & FBEF for some kind of data transfer - not for speech). Also, Dragon Gold is listed as speech game (not sure why, it doesn't seem to use any special I/O ports; unless different versions of that game exist?)

Pictures

• Amstrad SSA1
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  Frontpage

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  Inside

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  Inside

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  Inside

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  Inside

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  Hi-Res image showing text on ceramic oscillator

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  Box (open)

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  Box (side)

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  Interface and Speakers

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  Manual and Tape

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  Box (front)

Reviews

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  The SSA1 compared to the dk'Tronics synth

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Examples of the Amstrad synth in use

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Other Speech Synthesizers

• Dk'tronics Speech Synthesizer
• MHT Speech Synthesizer (MHT Ingenieros)
• TMPI speech synthetizer (TechniMusique)

Downloads

• 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)

Manual

File:Amstrad SSA-1 User Instruction Manual.pdf

Manual of the Amstrad SSA-1 Speech Synthesizer Individual pages