Xref: utzoo rec.ham-radio:3623 sci.electronics:1883 comp.ai:1219 comp.misc:1677 comp.periphs:704 sci.lang:1762 rec.games.video:510
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!lawrence
From: lawrence@bbn.COM (Gabe Lawrence)
Newsgroups: rec.ham-radio,sci.electronics,comp.ai,comp.misc,comp.periphs,sci.lang,rec.games.video
Subject: Re: voice synthesizer package needed
Message-ID: <5854@ccv.bbn.COM>
Date: 7 Jan 88 17:54:57 GMT
References: <611@ndsuvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: lawrence@BBN.COM (Gabe Lawrence)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Lines: 44
Keywords: voice synthesizer request

In article (Todd Michael Bezenek) writes:
>
>I am looking for a voice synthesizer package that produces good
>quality voice.
>
>   The North Dakota State University Amateur Radio Society is
>developing a microprocessor-based control unit for a remote radio
>site.  We need a good voice synthesizer which will be interfaced to the
>control unit.  The audio must be of a quality that will be easily
>understood when transmitted via radio.  It is not necessary that the
>synthesizer package come with any support hardware whatsoever.
>
>   Our budget for the interface is $100.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Todd M. Bezenek		       

Check out the "What's New" article on pg. 86 of the January '88 BYTE citing
the new Heath HV-2000 speech processing system.  It's an IBM-compatible
half-size plug in card consisting of a speech synthesizer, audio amplifier,
a speaker, and a 60K buffer.  It will read ASCII text files or ASCII data
received through the serial port and it even includes some terminal-emulation
software to add speech to modem communications.

Technically speaking, the HV-2000 uses a basic set of 64 phonemes for word
and/or sentence construction and allows you to specify up to 4 durations,
16 rates, 4096 inflection levels, 32 transition levels, 8 transition rates,
8 articulation rates, 49 musical notes and 16 amplitude settings.  Pricing
for these things is $89.95/each.  Not bad considering I used to work for
a company which used those stupid VOTRAX beasts which costs us $400.00/each...

Details and orders should be addressed to Heath Company, Dept. 350-020, Hilltop
Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022.

Please send them all net inquiries, I know nothing beyond what I've described
in this posting.  Having never even _seen_ one of these boards, all standard
disclaimers apply.

				=Gabriel Lawrence=
				=BBN Communications=

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