Minor Experiments in Electronics
by Dave

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Today's
Experiment

Today's Experiment
ESP32 S3 with ACTUAL SC-01-A Votrax Speech Synthesizer
This is NOT a simulation or emulator of any kind. This is NOT a drop-in replacement such as a SC-01-Z. This project is based on an actual hardware 22-pin DIP IC Votrax SC-01-A acquired in the 1980s; the very one in the photo at the bottom of this page.

Step One:
Click here to open a separate streaming media player (Youtube Live) to hear the output.

Step Two:
Input your Hex Data for the SC-01-A in this form:

Inflection Bit 1
Inflection Bit 2
Clock Rate:
Hz (300000Hz to 1100000Hz acceptable range)

Step Three:
Click and wait for the stream to hit your player. This can take 12 seconds or longer.

** Programming Notes **
** Inflection Bits:
Bits 7 and 6 are "inflection" bits as per the spec sheet; bits 5-0 are phoneme payload. Checking one or both of the inflection bits buttons in this form forces every byte in the spoken phrase to 01, 10, or 11 (00 is the default). You can program each individual phoneme to include its own inflection bits, but its a REAL pain on this form. You'll have to manually code EACH phoneme to include the inflection you want.
For example, in the code example below, the standard, non-inflected coding of "Hello World is:
1b0223182335373e2d3a181e3e
If you want to code the word "Hello" with Inflection Bit 1 (bit 6), you'll have to set bit 6 in EACH PHONEME of that word to 1:
5b4263586375773e2d3a181e3e
** Terminator for Each Phrase:
For some reason, the SC-01-A does not pronounce the end of phrases properly unless you put a 3E at the end. You can see the 3E at the end of all the examples above. Also, use 3E to separate words from one another within your phrase.
** SC-01-A Clock Source:
In this CGI experiment, the SC-01-A is clocked externally by an AD9833 Direct Digital Synthesis IC. The form textarea for the clock speed (in Hz) actually sets the AD9833 to the frequency you specify. The SC-01-A spec sheet standard frequency is 720kHz, so that's why it is set to 720000Hz in that form section. The form accepts 300000Hz through 1100000Hz. Entries outside these bounds are rewritten to be in these bounds. Goofy bros will try inputting text or other special characters in this field. Try it for goofular results!
** Noise and Hum on the Audio Output:
The output of the SC-01-A is nasty looking analog, and the circuit in this CGI project's hardware is directly from the Votrax spec sheet. It is improved over the previous CGI experiment, but the SC-01-A output to the computer microphone/line input is still very noisy, even after improvement. Using the AD9833 as a clock source helped this issue, as it eliminated the RC oscillator and its susceptibility to instability. I've tried a million bypass capacitors, copper metal shielding, low-pass and bandpass filters, unbalanced-to-balanced audio conversion, but it all just distorts the output without improvement. So we're just going to stick with the good old spec sheet output circuit.


Here are some examples. You can either copy and paste into the textarea above then click SUBMIT, or simply click the appropriate radio button to send the example to the engine directly. The radio buttons honor the I1, I2, and CLOCK fields at the top of this page. If you copy/paste, be sure to copy the hexadecimal strings and not the quoted ASCII text. You can put regular ASCII into the form if you really want to but you'll hear gibberish as the output. Please feel free to send me your phrases (including your SC-01-A code) and I'll include them on this page.

"Hello, world!":
1b0223182335373e2d3a181e3e

"Привет" - Russian word meaning "Hello":
252b3c0f29002a3e

"Mrs. Tucker is a fat bitch.":
0c0b1f0a123e2a33193a3e0b09123e0621293e1d2e2a3e0e272a103e

"EMR; JMO; ST;":
3c292a3e0c3c293e2b08303e3e1e1a2f00193e0c3c293e3d1d3e3e11272a3e

"Shut your face.":
1132312a3e2934342b3e1d0621291f3e

"This is a test.":
380a1f3e0b09123e31233e2a02001f2a3e

"What are you looking at?":
2d23322a3e15313a3e223637373e181616190a143e2f002a3e

"Votrax SC-01-A Speech Synthesizer":
0f262d2a2b2f191f3e02011f1f3c2912210b2b35372d32310d0621293e1f253c292a103e1f0b0d3832231f150029123a3e

"У меня есть большой хрен.":
283e0c010d29153e293c1f2a3e0e2611343c3e1b2b020d3e

"Only strange people eat dookie."
35340d18293e1f2a2b06210d1e1a3e253c2531183e2c2a3e1e3637193c3e

"Cows are important because they give beef."
1915342d1f3e15313a3e0b090c2534342b2a000d2a3e0e3c193d123e383b3c3e1c0b090f3e0e3c291d3e

"Cows are important because they give leather."
1915342d1f3e15313a3e0b090c2534342b2a000d2a3e0e3c193d123e383b3c3e1c0b090f3e180200383a3e

"Cows are important because they give milk."
1915342d1f3e15313a3e0b090c2534342b2a000d2a3e0e3c193d123e383b3c3e1c0b090f3e0c0b0918193e

"Cows are important because they give great head."
1915342d1f3e15313a3e0b090c2534342b2a000d2a3e0e3c193d123e383b3c3e1c0b090f3e1c2b0621292a3e1b02001e3e

"Превед, Медвед!"
252b020f2202001e3e0c021e0f2202001e3e

"I want to find me a hot girl."
150009293e2d15230d2a3e2a3637373e1d1500290d1e3e0c3c293e0621293e1b15232a3e1c3a2b183e

Codes submitted by Tom Miller below:

"Kill Worluk for double score."
19270918032d26352b183319031d352b1e330e23181f1926352b3e

"If you get too powerful, I'll take care of you myself."
271d220936281c3b002a2a283725152d3a1d32183e8315000929182a2019193b2b320f223628030c1509291f3b181d3e

"You are in..."
223628332b270d3e

"The dungeons of Wor"
3833031e330d1a020d12330f2d26352b2b3e

"I'm..."
152309292f000c3e

"The Wizard of Wor"
38732d67123a1e734f036d26352b2b3e

"One bite from my pretties and you'll explode."
2d330d0e2308292a1d2b330c0c150922252b272a29221f3e3e2f000d1e223628183b19031f251826371e3e

"My creatures are radioactive."
0c15000929192b3c2a103a1f24232b2b061e2935372f00192a0b0f3e

"Worlock will escape through the door."
2d262b183319032d2718033b1f03190609222503382b2838331e26352b3e

"You won't have a chance for your dance."
2236282d350d2a1b6f0a0f03062a106e0d1f031d342b29352b1e6e0d1f3e

"Remember, I'm the Wizard not you."
2b3c0c7b0c0e3a3e550009290c38332d27123a1e3e0d152a293637373e

"If you can't beat the rest then you'll never get the best."
4b5d290937192f000d2a3e0e7c2a38322b3b1f2a3eb8420d293637180d020f3a3e1c422a38320e3b1f2a033e

"If you destroy my babies, I'll pop you in the oven."
271d2909281e3c1f2a2b352309210c08080009290e600e29221f3e150922182555252936280b0d382121330f3b0d3e

"Now I'm getting mad."
0d552337150009290c1c3b2a27140c2e001e3e

"You will never leave Wor alive."
2236282d27180d7b0f3a183c3c0f2d66752b32185500290f3e

"Gorwor, go after them."
1c552b2d352b3e1c35356f001d2a3a383b0c3e

"Watch the radar."
2d152a1038332b201e152b033e

"Worrior"
2d262b293a3e

"Now you get the heavyweights."
0d156377223637371c3b2a033932035b42490f3c2d4509222a1f3e

"You're asking for trouble."
2934342b6f005f5927141d262b2a2b734e23183e

"If you try any harder, you'll only meet with doom."
271d2936282a2b150009296f0d291b556b1e3a3e8322362818750d18290c2c3c2a2d27395e28280c3e

"Burwor, Garwor, and Thorwor, will do you in."
0e7a6b2d262b3e1c556b2d262b3e2f000d1e39666b2d262b3e2d27181e3668223628270d3e

"My worlings are very, very hungry."
0c150009292d666b1827141f15232b0f7b402b290f7b402b291b730d1c2b293e

"My magic is stronger then your weapons."
0c154049690c6f1e1a0b1927121f2a2b7d0d1c2b382f000d2934342b2d7b65320d1f3e

"Your bones will lie in the dungeons of wor."
2934342b4e26344d1f2d27180318150029270d38331e730d1a020d1f330f2d26352b2b3e

"While you developed science, we developed magic."
2d150009182276681e3c0f021823252a1f1509213b0d1f3e2d3c291e3c0f021823252a0c2f001e1a0b193e

"Hey, insert coin."
1b604b623e3e270d1f7a6a3e59753409220d3e

"Find me."
1d5549690d1e0c2c3c3e

"I'm out’ a spite."
1549690c030835371e15031f25084b692a3e

"Get ready."
1c3b2a2b3b1e293e

"You'd better hope you don't find me."
2236281e030e422a3a031b26252276681e260d2a5d5509220d1e4c2c3c3e

"Another coin for my treasure chest."
150d33393a0319353409220d1d262b0c5549622a2b02073a2a103b1f2a3e

"Ha ha ha ha."
1b551b551b151b153e

"My magic is stronger then your weapons."
0c154049690c6f1e1a0b1927121f2a2b7d0d1c2b382f000d2934342b2d7b65320d1f3e

"You'll get the arena."
223628181c3b2a3e3e382c03482b2c0d153ebe3e

"Another worrior for my babies to devour."
150d32383a032d262b293a1d352b0c1509220e20290e22291f2a281e2c0f1534372b3e

"Keep going, and you will find me."
196c25031c260b2214032e0d1e2936282d27181d550b220d1e0c2c3c3e

"A few more dungeons and you'll be a..."
151d3c28280c262b1e330d1a020d1f3e150d1e293668580e2c3c0320063e

"Worlord"
2d666b18262b1e3e

"Come back for more."
19150c0e2e191d262b0c26352b3e

"The dungeons of Wor await your return."
38331e734d1a3b0d1f03330f032d26352b2b152d4661292a032926352b2b093c2a7a2b0d3e

"Deep in the caverns of Wor you will meet me."
1e6c3c25270d383303192e0f3a0d1f03330f2d66752b2b3e3e223628372d27180c6c7c2a030c2c3c033e

"... thanks you."
39392f0014191f03293628373e

"You know you can do better."
2236280d757535223628192f000d1e36280e7b2a3a3e

"Hurry back, I can't wait to do it again."
1b7a6b290e2f00193e3e15000929192f000d2a2d4661292a2a36371e7628272a321c45420d3e

"You can start anew, but for now you're through."
223628192f000d1f2a552b2a150d76372d3ebe0e332a1d352b0d1563772934342b392b77373ebe3e

"He he he ho ho ho ha ha ha ha, that was fun."
1b6c1b6c1b6c1b261b261b261b151b151b151b153e386e002a03032d33121d330d3e

"Welcome, to my world of Wor."
2d7b1819330c3e2a370c150b292d357a581e330f2d26352b3e

"So you've come to score in the world of Wor."
1f662936370f19734c2a371f1926352b3e0b0d38322d357a181e330f2d66352b3e

"You're off to see the wizard, the magical Wizard of Wor."
2934342b3d1d2a36379f3c293833ad27123a1e3e38330c2f001e1a0b193218ad27123a1eb30f2d35342b3e

"Burwor hasn't eaten anyone in months."
0e3a2b2d262b1b2e1f0d2a2c2a020d3b0d292d330d030b0d0c330d391f3e

"My babies breathe fire."
0c1509290e600e29221f030e2b3c29391d5500212b3e

"I'll fry you with my lightning bolts."
15000929181d2b154040692209372d0b390c15000929182348692a0d27140e26182a1f3e

"Garwor and Thorwor become invisible."
1c152b2d262b2f000d1e39262b2d262b3e0e2919330c3ebe270d0f4b520b0e183e

"Thorwor is red, mean, and hungry for space food."
39262b2d262b3e27122b3b1e3e0c3c210d3e2f000d1e1b73541c2b291d262b1f250609291f3e1d37371e3e

"Worrior, Fear, I draw near, each time I appear."
2d262b293a1d210a2b3e150009291e2b3d0d210a2b3e3c2a102a1509220c15000929322561492b3e

"You've just been fried by..."
2936370f031a331f2a0e3b0d1d2b150b221e3e0e150a22

"Bite the bullet."
0e2315292a38330e3535182a3e

"Wasn't that lightning bolt delicious?"
2d331f0d2a382f2a182348692a0d27140e26182a031e2c180b11321f3e

"And my teleporting spell can be even faster."
2e0d1e030c150b222a02180225262b2a0b141f253b1803192f0d0e2c03033c0f3b0d1d2e1f2a3a3e

"Now you know the taste of my magic."
0d552337293637370d262638332a20051f2a03320f0c150a220c2f001e1a0b19033e

"Maybe you'll see me again."
0c20290e2c293637181f2c3c0c3c2c03331c06010d3e

"Your explosion was music to my ears."
2234342b02195f25186607330d032d321f0c62681f27192a280c150922033c3a2b1f3e

"I'll say it again."
15000929181f2022272a331c06010d3e

"Be forewarned, you approach the pit."
0e3c2c1d262b2d35262b0d1e3e293628373e32252b26352a103e383325272a3e

"Your path leads directly to the pit."
2934342b252e3903182c1e1f031e3a02192a1822032a28373e3e383325272a3e

"Deeper ever deeper in to..."
1e3c2c253a3e3b0f3a1e3c2c253a3e270d2a283e

"Beware, you are in the Worlord dungeons."
0e292d3b2b3e293628152b270d38332d262b18262b1e031e330d1a020d123e

"Ah you thought you could hide, but I'm the dungeon master."
24153e293628393d2a29362819171e1b150a221e3e0e332a150009290c3e3e38331e330d1a020d0c2e1f2a3a3e

"Thor, Bur, Gar dinner's ready."
3926352b030e3a2b031c242b3e1e674d3a1f032b7b091e293e

"Hey, Your space boots untied."
1b604b623e3e2934342b1f250621291f030e28372a1f03330d2a150a221e3e

"My beasts run wild in the worlord dungeons."
0c150009220e2c3c1f2a1f032b330d2d150a22181e3e270d38332d262b18262b1e3e1e330d1a020d123e

"Now your only chance is your dance."
0d1563772934342b260d18292a102e0d1f0b1f2934342b1e2e0d1f3e

"Are you fit to survive the pit?"
242b030322362803831d272a03032a2803831f3a0f080a220f03033833038325272a3e

"Oops, I must have forgotten the walls."
28251f3e3e152309290c331f2a1b2f0f1d262b1c152a020d38332d3d181f3e

"Were are you going to hide now?"
2d2f3a152b2236281c260b142a281b150a221e030d1523283e


Here is the way to build words. Using the cart below, connect the phonemes for your word together into a string of the corresponding hex codes. For example, to make the word "TEST", we examine the word and find 3 phonemes. T, EH1, S, and T again. So a look at the table below yields these codes: 2A for T, 02 for EH1, 1F for S, and 2A again for the last T. You must signal the end of your phrase with the 3E terminator. String them together and you get:
2a021f2a3e
Copy and paste that code into the above form and you will hear "TEST".

The overall layout of this project. Click the photo to SUPER-SIZE it.

Thanks to John Winger for the handy ascii_to_hex PERL routine used in this form!