Product: Speech Pack
By: D.C.P. Microdevelopments
From: Gladstone Electronics
1585 Kenmore Ave.,
Buffalo, NY 14217 or 1736
Ave. Rd., Toronto M5M 3Y7
Price: $119.95
Speech Pack gives you computer-generated speech through your ZX/TS. Speech Pack is a black box with a special processor and ROM containing words. It has three other sockets so other word ROMs can plug in. Speech Pack does not obstruct other ZX/TS add-ons–a printed circuit board edge is provided on back of Speech Pack. If you want to connect an external amplifier, a 3.5mm jack plug socket is provided (it is the same size as the tape leads, so words can even be recorded on tape).
Speech Pack is memory-mapped in two RAM locations (49149 and 49148) and is simply POKEd with the number of the 16-bit word required. Include a PAUSE before the next word is spoken to give the processor time to output.
The word may be any one of 72 included in the first ROM (provided with SP). With the extra available ROMs you can get up to 249 words.
Most of the words are measurements, such as a complete set of numbers in the first ROM from zero to a million. The first ROM contains the alphabet, including Zee for Z (as opposed to Zed). Because the processor stops talking as soon as you POKE another word, you can create new words by shortening spoken words. But only word beginnings can be used in this way.
Speech Pack’s voice is clear with sufficient volume for a single user. It’s easy to use and entertaining—part of the challenge is finding out how many other words you can create.