- Email: [email protected]
Speech from GIM …
Speech
from
GIM
General Instrument unveiled their speech synthesiser at Electronica '80 in November. The SP-0256 is an NMOS device resembling a singlechip microcomputer. This allows speech to be stored in a highly compressed digital format which reduces memory re.quirements 40-50 times over direct waveform encoding. The system stores a description of the acoustical properties of the speech, rather than time and amplitude information. This makes it possible to synthesise speech with widely varying storage requirements, using a single system. If it is desired to reproduce not only word pronunciation but also the vocal characteristcs of the original speaker, approximately 2000 bit/s of speech data is used. Where 'machine-like' quality is acceptable, as little as 700 bit/s may be used. Thus SP'-0256 can provide the performance of a linear predictive coding synthesiser or the memory economy of a format-type synthesiser as required. The chip incorporates four major function blocks~ • a software programmable digital filter that can be made to model a vocal tract - the VTM (vocal tract model)
Flexible combined Combining some of the proven structures and features of Unix with the flexibility and ease of application of Flex, a new operating system has been developed by software house Technical Systems Consultants. It is available on the Motorola 6809-based systems from Southwest Technical Products. UniFLEX is a complete multiuser multitasking operating system having applications in system development, text processing, business computing and education. It uprates SWTPc's microcomputer to the status of a minicomputer and supports a 12-terminal system with 384 kbyte memory and 17 Mbyte disc storage. It uses 6809 assembler instead of C,
vol 5 no I jan/feb 1981
ences (usually words or phases) which may be called up directly. The SP-0256 chip is capable of reproducing up to 256 discrete sequences without extra ROM, each sequence being called by loading its 8-bit address into the command register of the device. It should be available toOEMs at under $10.
. . a 1 6 k ROM • a microcontroller which controls the data flow from the ROM to the VTM • a D/A converter for the conversion of the digitally synthesised speech into an audio signal voltage •
(Genera/Instrument Microelectronics Ltd, Regency House, 1-4 Warwick Street, London WI2 5WB, UK. Tel: 01-439 1891)
Through the addition of external ROMs the system may be expanded to address 491 kbit directly and up to 382.5 sequ-
• . . and Nat
Semi
c h i p s in t o o
National Semiconductor has introduced a system for digital storage and reproduction of human speech. Designated the speech processor set (SPS) it is designed to interface with most microprocessors. The SPS comprises several NMOS ICs - a speech processor chip and one or more speech ROMs - which with a simple external filter, audio amplifier and loudspeaker produce high quality speech. Among the features of the set are 256 possible addressable expressions, TTL and Microbus compatability, onchip debounce for inter-
operating
systems
the usual language of Unix, and is said to be more efficient. The speed of disc transfer is increased by 10-15 times over Flex, with an overall increase in speed of up to 30 times when Motorola's 2 MHz 6809 is introduced soon.
UniFLEX has no practical limitations built into the software; almost all of them are hardware imposed. It supports a hierarchical file system allowing file systems up to I000 Mbyte and disc capabilities capacities of over 8000 Mbyte. All files are fully protected and a user may read, write or execute protect files on an individual basis. All system I/O is device-independent since I/O devices and files are
facing to manual switches and interrupt capability for cascading words or phrases. The advantage claimed for National's SPS is its simple structure: it is much easier to use since the system is not constrained by the microprocessor (even quite low cost processors can be used) and it lends itself well to volume applications. Initially only custom vocabulary chips will be available. Deliveries begin in June. (National
Semiconductor (UK) Ltd, 301 Harpur Centre, Home Lane, Bedford, UK. Te# (0234)47147. Telex: 826209)
treated in an identical fashion. Any combination of interrupt-driven devices may be attached to the system. A sample configuration might have a 90 Mbyte disc, a 30 Mbyte disc, two floppies, a parallel-driven printer and eight user terminals. Any running task may initiate another task in an asynchronous manner and intertask communication is also supported. Task swapping may take place on these systems incorporating an appropriate swapping device. In real-time applications, where swapping may be detrimental, it is possible to lock a task in main memory. The price, including the first year's maintenance, is £250. (Southwest
Technical Products (Computers) Co. Ltd, 38 Dover Street, London WI, UK. Tel: 01-491 7507)
43
from
GIM
General Instrument unveiled their speech synthesiser at Electronica '80 in November. The SP-0256 is an NMOS device resembling a singlechip microcomputer. This allows speech to be stored in a highly compressed digital format which reduces memory re.quirements 40-50 times over direct waveform encoding. The system stores a description of the acoustical properties of the speech, rather than time and amplitude information. This makes it possible to synthesise speech with widely varying storage requirements, using a single system. If it is desired to reproduce not only word pronunciation but also the vocal characteristcs of the original speaker, approximately 2000 bit/s of speech data is used. Where 'machine-like' quality is acceptable, as little as 700 bit/s may be used. Thus SP'-0256 can provide the performance of a linear predictive coding synthesiser or the memory economy of a format-type synthesiser as required. The chip incorporates four major function blocks~ • a software programmable digital filter that can be made to model a vocal tract - the VTM (vocal tract model)
Flexible combined Combining some of the proven structures and features of Unix with the flexibility and ease of application of Flex, a new operating system has been developed by software house Technical Systems Consultants. It is available on the Motorola 6809-based systems from Southwest Technical Products. UniFLEX is a complete multiuser multitasking operating system having applications in system development, text processing, business computing and education. It uprates SWTPc's microcomputer to the status of a minicomputer and supports a 12-terminal system with 384 kbyte memory and 17 Mbyte disc storage. It uses 6809 assembler instead of C,
vol 5 no I jan/feb 1981
ences (usually words or phases) which may be called up directly. The SP-0256 chip is capable of reproducing up to 256 discrete sequences without extra ROM, each sequence being called by loading its 8-bit address into the command register of the device. It should be available toOEMs at under $10.
. . a 1 6 k ROM • a microcontroller which controls the data flow from the ROM to the VTM • a D/A converter for the conversion of the digitally synthesised speech into an audio signal voltage •
(Genera/Instrument Microelectronics Ltd, Regency House, 1-4 Warwick Street, London WI2 5WB, UK. Tel: 01-439 1891)
Through the addition of external ROMs the system may be expanded to address 491 kbit directly and up to 382.5 sequ-
• . . and Nat
Semi
c h i p s in t o o
National Semiconductor has introduced a system for digital storage and reproduction of human speech. Designated the speech processor set (SPS) it is designed to interface with most microprocessors. The SPS comprises several NMOS ICs - a speech processor chip and one or more speech ROMs - which with a simple external filter, audio amplifier and loudspeaker produce high quality speech. Among the features of the set are 256 possible addressable expressions, TTL and Microbus compatability, onchip debounce for inter-
operating
systems
the usual language of Unix, and is said to be more efficient. The speed of disc transfer is increased by 10-15 times over Flex, with an overall increase in speed of up to 30 times when Motorola's 2 MHz 6809 is introduced soon.
UniFLEX has no practical limitations built into the software; almost all of them are hardware imposed. It supports a hierarchical file system allowing file systems up to I000 Mbyte and disc capabilities capacities of over 8000 Mbyte. All files are fully protected and a user may read, write or execute protect files on an individual basis. All system I/O is device-independent since I/O devices and files are
facing to manual switches and interrupt capability for cascading words or phrases. The advantage claimed for National's SPS is its simple structure: it is much easier to use since the system is not constrained by the microprocessor (even quite low cost processors can be used) and it lends itself well to volume applications. Initially only custom vocabulary chips will be available. Deliveries begin in June. (National
Semiconductor (UK) Ltd, 301 Harpur Centre, Home Lane, Bedford, UK. Te# (0234)47147. Telex: 826209)
treated in an identical fashion. Any combination of interrupt-driven devices may be attached to the system. A sample configuration might have a 90 Mbyte disc, a 30 Mbyte disc, two floppies, a parallel-driven printer and eight user terminals. Any running task may initiate another task in an asynchronous manner and intertask communication is also supported. Task swapping may take place on these systems incorporating an appropriate swapping device. In real-time applications, where swapping may be detrimental, it is possible to lock a task in main memory. The price, including the first year's maintenance, is £250. (Southwest
Technical Products (Computers) Co. Ltd, 38 Dover Street, London WI, UK. Tel: 01-491 7507)
43