Message-ID: <240@utcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Dec-84 00:24:37 EST
Article-I.D.: utcs.240
Posted: Tue Dec  4 00:24:37 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 00:41:08 EST
References: <515@genrad.UUCP> <410@ihuxu.UUCP>
Reply-To: wjr@utcs.UUCP (William Rucklidge)
Organization: University of Toronto - General Purpose UNIX
Lines: 28
Summary: 

> I would not think that the SID chip has sufficient filtering capability
> to synthesize recognizable speech.

On the contrary, the SAM speech synthesizer program produces easily
recognizable speech using only the SID chip. It does turn the VIC chip off
while speaking, to eliminate processor freezes, but this can be disabled and
the voice quality deteriorates only marginally.

The program requires no extra hardware and takes up a small amount of BASIC
memory, and adds a few new commands to BABASIC, notably "SAY".
Text to be spoken can be written either as phonetics,`or as normal English
spelling (with the "Reciter" loaded), and SAM does its best (quite good) to
pronounce English's irrational spelling system.

The voice's tone, speed and quality can be changed easily - there is even a
demonstration program that sings "The Star Spangled Banner" (atrociously, but
the tune and words are fairly clear), and recites several well-known speeches.

This message brought to you with the aid of the Poslfit Committee.
"You can always put something in a box."
William Rucklidge	University of Toronto Computing Services
{cbosgd,decvax,harpo,ihnp4,utcsrgv,{allegra,linus}!utzoo}!utcs!wjr
-- 

This message brought to you with the aid of the Poslfit Committee.
"You can always put something in a box."
William Rucklidge	University of Toronto Computing Services
{cbosgd,decvax,harpo,ihnp4,utcsrgv,{allegra,linus}!utzoo}!utcs!wjr