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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!im4u!ut-sally!seismo!sundc!netxcom!jallen
From: jallen@netxcom.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.misc,comp.periphs,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Text to Speech on PCs
Message-ID: <300@netxcom.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Feb-87 12:47:03 EST
Article-I.D.: netxcom.300
Posted: Fri Feb  6 12:47:03 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Feb-87 02:51:46 EST
References: <1879@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com> <968@valid.UUCP>
Reply-To: jallen@netxcom.UUCP (John Allen)
Organization: NetExpress Communications Inc. Vienna, Va.
Lines: 27
Xref: watmath comp.sys.ibm.pc:1460 comp.sys.misc:320 comp.periphs:183 sci.electronics:211

In article <968@valid.UUCP> markp@valid.UUCP (Mark P.) writes:
>The last time I perused my local Radio Schlock, they carried a pair of chips
>designed for this purpose.  One is a digital/analog allophone synthesizer,
>the other a microprocessor with a text-to-speech algorithm in ROM.  Total
>price is about $30!  Anyone know about the quality of the algorithm (i.e.
>coverage, inflection control, etc.) and if it is possible to extend the
>exception vocabulary, etc.?  If somebody out there sells a kit using this set,
>then the total price would certainly be under $150, since all you seem to
>need in addition is a standalone UART chip and an audio amplifier.  I would
>appreciate any information by e-mail, and will summarize.  Then again, perhaps
>I should just give in to my baser hacking instinct and buy the chip set. :-)

G.B. Micro, in Texas, sells an Assembled and Tested PC Board for $89.00,
which uses this pair of chips.  I haven't gotten one (yet anyway), but I
have dealt with G.B. Micro before, and was quite satisfied with their
service and fast delivery.  I built a board from scratch which used the
allophone part before the Text to Speech CPU was available.  I'd say I
spent upwards of $150 on that project, and although the speech quality
was good, the text to speech program I wrote was rather poor.  I'd like
to hear from anyone who's ordered the board from G.B. Micro.

John Allen
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