Somehow I was afraid that this would be all there was on this forum.
Okay, then.
What’s going on with the singing mode? Vibrato isn’t difficult to program, but you’re not allowing any non-phoneme Votrax opcode to process.
More fun as well, if you’d care to hear it. Depends on if I’m the only one here.
This is almost like the Submachine.
Okay. Most of my problems have been answered by the big manual itself. I thought I could use some of the key symbols to alter the speech, but that appears to actually need more the VOTRAX system itself hooked up to a machine instead of an interface like yours.
GW-BASIC has been gone for a long time. I wonder if there are other more modern languages that can work with VOTRAX? Guess it’ll be the one capable of interacting with physical ports on the computer. I note my favorite language (perl) can work with a parallel port. Let’s see what I can do with that.
I’ll be back as soon as I can see what I can do with this.
A few days ago I obtained a TNT unit.
Time to put out a few more details here.
I’m a member of both the local pinball club and the local arcade game collectors club in Seattle. In fact, I have nine working pinball machines ready to play at my house.
The VOTRAX was actually used in a number of Gottlieb and Mylstar pinball and video games. For pinball, there was Haunted House, Black Hole, and Caveman (the first hybrid pin/videogame), For videogames there was Wizard of Wor, Gorf, and Q-Bert. There are more, but those are the most well-known games that use a VOTRAX chip. We have a Gameroom Show every June. Last year it was in Tacoma and we got more than 350 pinball and video games in there! So, next year since we’ll have more space, we’re going to get some historical displays up as well. We would like to feature a working VOTRAX system.
The unit came with an RS-232 plug, but I don’t yet know if it’s a modified plug.
It powered right up and announced “System Ready!” when I rigged it up.
Now I need to find a way to connect a Windows system to the VOTRAX.
Basically, the Votrax IC is controlled by an Arduino. It’s mounted on a “shield” that I designed, and it allows very fine pitch control, to make it able to talk with natural inflection, or even sing. The Arduino receives a list of phonemes via the serial port from the host computer. The host computer does the text-to-speech preprocessing.
So now I need to find an Arduino so I can hook up the inflection lines that aren’t hooked up on the TNT unit? I’ve read that actually gives you sixteen degrees of control over a pitch. I’ve also read on the PSS system there’s a built in ADSR envelope as well.
Yes, I need both of those features.
Thanks for giving me some tips. There are other people currently trying to sort this out as well. http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?4762-VOTRAX-Type-N-Talk
but I’m at the very end of it, since not a lot of progress has been made in hooking up the TNT to a modern-day computer.
So you’ve got the four inflection lines hooked up too? Neat!
I checked the RS-232 plug that came with the VOTRAX and it appears to be hooked up thusly:
VOTRAX 6 – 6, 8, 20
VOTRAX 7 – 7
VOTRAX 8 – 6, 8, 20
The box needs to see pin 8 (DCD) active. Connecting it to the box’s own DSR (pin 20) output provides the proper level. HyperTerminal didn’t need the DOS COM port driver, it still needs to see DTR (pin 6) held active. Connecting Pin 6 to Pin 20 drives it to the proper level.
This should enable two-way communication.
That’s at least what I’ve picked up from the tech manual I’ve found.
Steve
Sometimes there is a problem with the serial port where the Votrax systems is interfaced, and I have to reset it manually. I need to find the time to implement a proper automatic solution. In the meantime, when that happens please wait for a few hours and the system should be up and running again.
Thank you so much for allowing access to this project you have running.
It worked for me as well, for five times. On the fourth word I was developing it seemed to hang. Also looked like wrong file name came up.
A couple of questions. I did not check the email download box yet but.. If I do then I can have the created file as MP3 or WAV ?
I have an Arduino and SC01a would love your help.
I as another poster mentioned am avid pinball collector. Black Hole pinball machine uses the SC01. But it has very limited speech call outs. I don’t think it was memory issue as much as it was just hurry up get it out the door. I would love to get a few more speech call outs and somehow tie them into the machine. Announcement of multi ball start for one. Either by faking pre recorded wav or MP3 and having maybe Arduino inject into the sound amp. Or by injecting directly to the SC01. Or by making a separate Arduino sound card to play the files and just tap into the same speaker. Well not really sure what is simpler. If anything. Look forward to hearing your advice.
Thanks so Much, your creation is( DJ UH1 S T PA0 )WAY COOL!
@Chris. I am not sure what kind of kind of problem you are talking about when you say “it seemed to hang”…
Also, what kind of advice would you like to have from me ?
About the MP3 and WAV files, that is what the website produces: an audio file that you can download with your web browser when you visit the page corresponding to your user id.
Paguyu, if you can get an sc-02, can you please add that in? I like the sound of the sc-02, and it has been used on some blind friendly devices, but if you can, can you get it?
I do have an SC-02 and some time ago I started prototyping a board to add it as an option in the web site. Then I got side-tracked by other projects. My plan was also to add the SpeakJet as a third option. I’ll see if I can get some time and motivation to resume work on that 🙂
I have no idea. I would guess that they didn’t use any TTS algorithm, instead they programmed it by concatenating phoneme by phoneme manually. I might be wrong of course.
Real Votrax 
Somehow I was afraid that this would be all there was on this forum.
Okay, then.
What’s going on with the singing mode? Vibrato isn’t difficult to program, but you’re not allowing any non-phoneme Votrax opcode to process.
More fun as well, if you’d care to hear it. Depends on if I’m the only one here.
This is almost like the Submachine.
I’d care to hear it
Okay. Most of my problems have been answered by the big manual itself. I thought I could use some of the key symbols to alter the speech, but that appears to actually need more the VOTRAX system itself hooked up to a machine instead of an interface like yours.
GW-BASIC has been gone for a long time. I wonder if there are other more modern languages that can work with VOTRAX? Guess it’ll be the one capable of interacting with physical ports on the computer. I note my favorite language (perl) can work with a parallel port. Let’s see what I can do with that.
I’ll be back as soon as I can see what I can do with this.
A few days ago I obtained a TNT unit.
Time to put out a few more details here.
I’m a member of both the local pinball club and the local arcade game collectors club in Seattle. In fact, I have nine working pinball machines ready to play at my house.
The VOTRAX was actually used in a number of Gottlieb and Mylstar pinball and video games. For pinball, there was Haunted House, Black Hole, and Caveman (the first hybrid pin/videogame), For videogames there was Wizard of Wor, Gorf, and Q-Bert. There are more, but those are the most well-known games that use a VOTRAX chip. We have a Gameroom Show every June. Last year it was in Tacoma and we got more than 350 pinball and video games in there! So, next year since we’ll have more space, we’re going to get some historical displays up as well. We would like to feature a working VOTRAX system.
The unit came with an RS-232 plug, but I don’t yet know if it’s a modified plug.
It powered right up and announced “System Ready!” when I rigged it up.
Now I need to find a way to connect a Windows system to the VOTRAX.
May I ask how your kit is set up?
Thank you very much!
Steve Cartoon
Basically, the Votrax IC is controlled by an Arduino. It’s mounted on a “shield” that I designed, and it allows very fine pitch control, to make it able to talk with natural inflection, or even sing. The Arduino receives a list of phonemes via the serial port from the host computer. The host computer does the text-to-speech preprocessing.
So now I need to find an Arduino so I can hook up the inflection lines that aren’t hooked up on the TNT unit? I’ve read that actually gives you sixteen degrees of control over a pitch. I’ve also read on the PSS system there’s a built in ADSR envelope as well.
Yes, I need both of those features.
Thanks for giving me some tips. There are other people currently trying to sort this out as well.
http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?4762-VOTRAX-Type-N-Talk
but I’m at the very end of it, since not a lot of progress has been made in hooking up the TNT to a modern-day computer.
Thanks! Hope to hear from you soon!
Steve
So you’ve got the four inflection lines hooked up too? Neat!
I checked the RS-232 plug that came with the VOTRAX and it appears to be hooked up thusly:
VOTRAX 6 – 6, 8, 20
VOTRAX 7 – 7
VOTRAX 8 – 6, 8, 20
The box needs to see pin 8 (DCD) active. Connecting it to the box’s own DSR (pin 20) output provides the proper level. HyperTerminal didn’t need the DOS COM port driver, it still needs to see DTR (pin 6) held active. Connecting Pin 6 to Pin 20 drives it to the proper level.
This should enable two-way communication.
That’s at least what I’ve picked up from the tech manual I’ve found.
Steve
Hi Paguyu
Just a quick message to say thank you for giving me online access to the Votrax – I am only scratching the surface so far.
All the best from London
Ben
Seems to have stopped working – I only tried it 3 times with short excerpts of speech and now it is not showing any new files for download.
Any chance of some help.
Ben
Sometimes there is a problem with the serial port where the Votrax systems is interfaced, and I have to reset it manually. I need to find the time to implement a proper automatic solution. In the meantime, when that happens please wait for a few hours and the system should be up and running again.
Thank you so much for allowing access to this project you have running.
It worked for me as well, for five times. On the fourth word I was developing it seemed to hang. Also looked like wrong file name came up.
A couple of questions. I did not check the email download box yet but.. If I do then I can have the created file as MP3 or WAV ?
I have an Arduino and SC01a would love your help.
I as another poster mentioned am avid pinball collector. Black Hole pinball machine uses the SC01. But it has very limited speech call outs. I don’t think it was memory issue as much as it was just hurry up get it out the door. I would love to get a few more speech call outs and somehow tie them into the machine. Announcement of multi ball start for one. Either by faking pre recorded wav or MP3 and having maybe Arduino inject into the sound amp. Or by injecting directly to the SC01. Or by making a separate Arduino sound card to play the files and just tap into the same speaker. Well not really sure what is simpler. If anything. Look forward to hearing your advice.
Thanks so Much, your creation is( DJ UH1 S T PA0 )WAY COOL!
Chris
@Chris. I am not sure what kind of kind of problem you are talking about when you say “it seemed to hang”…
Also, what kind of advice would you like to have from me ?
About the MP3 and WAV files, that is what the website produces: an audio file that you can download with your web browser when you visit the page corresponding to your user id.
Paguyu, if you can get an sc-02, can you please add that in? I like the sound of the sc-02, and it has been used on some blind friendly devices, but if you can, can you get it?
I do have an SC-02 and some time ago I started prototyping a board to add it as an option in the web site. Then I got side-tracked by other projects. My plan was also to add the SpeakJet as a third option. I’ll see if I can get some time and motivation to resume work on that 🙂
What tts did Kraftwerk use with their Robovox, that was used on The Mix?
I have no idea. I would guess that they didn’t use any TTS algorithm, instead they programmed it by concatenating phoneme by phoneme manually. I might be wrong of course.
Speaking of the website real VOTRAX, every single ID is invalid. How do you do it?
What is the actual error message that you are getting?