Fletch Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I apparently have a disk for the Alien Voice Box II speech synthesizer called the VOICE BOX II - ATARI - SPEAKING, SPELLING, AND SINGING © 1983 THE ALIEN GROUP. I have no idea why I have this because I never owned such a beast. If anyone has one and needs this disk here it is! Here is what the Voice Box II does: http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issu...I_For_Atari.php Fletch voice_box_ii.atr.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhod Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 GERMAN Version http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...em=330326559238 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Just curious, is there anything on side 2 of that disk, I could be mistaken but there are possibly 3 sides or disks for this device. I apparently have a disk for the Alien Voice Box II speech synthesizer called the VOICE BOX II - ATARI - SPEAKING, SPELLING, AND SINGING © 1983 THE ALIEN GROUP. I have no idea why I have this because I never owned such a beast. If anyone has one and needs this disk here it is! Here is what the Voice Box II does: http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issu...I_For_Atari.php Fletch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hmm, I don't think I bothered to check that. I will see what I can find Just curious, is there anything on side 2 of that disk, I could be mistaken but there are possibly 3 sides or disks for this device. I apparently have a disk for the Alien Voice Box II speech synthesizer called the VOICE BOX II - ATARI - SPEAKING, SPELLING, AND SINGING © 1983 THE ALIEN GROUP. I have no idea why I have this because I never owned such a beast. If anyone has one and needs this disk here it is! Here is what the Voice Box II does: http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issu...I_For_Atari.php Fletch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Does anyone have one of these devices? Are there any videos or audio clips of this in operation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ripdubski Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I would like to have but not been able to locate any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Does anyone have one of these devices? Are there any videos or audio clips of this in operation? Sadly I only have the original Voicebox... I would love to have a VB II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sadly I only have the original Voicebox... I would love to have a VB II Same here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 It would be great if someone could re-produce one of these. I'd also like to see someone make a new Midi-Mate so more people could play multi-player Midi-Maze. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockdoc2010 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Well It should not be too far off the wish list. Digital voice construction, text to speech and synthesizing tones and music is HOT right now due to the AVR and ARM microcontrollers Siri is talking to millions with an almost perfect voice. Google the EMCIE voice monster. I am having the last couple of parts on the way for my final chapter of building the CTS256A-AL2/SPO256A-AL2 code to speech phonetic allephone processor syntizer doohicky that I paid like 45$ for the chips back in 1984. It would have been a royal pain to figure out how to flash the eeprom and the 4016 chip was another twenty bucks then. I now gave three different chip types going to be produced into various circuits so that my arduino will be bitching about his life to everyone who walks past his sensors.. get your AY-3-8910 for 11.75$ at B&C or BEST as there is a stand alone board that plays ST midi synth tunes and all the other seemingly cool easy to handle chips are still massively under-manufactured. I need to different ones in addition to the 3.12mhz crystal for my dinosaur "voicebox" that I found the chips for two weeks ago when I went after a stash of 1050 chips I pulled out during a floppy upgrade I did back in 84. I just threw 16$ at Lothorek for printing a PCB and figuring out how to give me stereo by adding a POKEY chip so I am sure one of these motivated atari/electro\modding gurus will have us paying happily for a remake of that unit that as well. But on a good note... my 600xl will have a hard drive, output to svga, probably be slated for a laptop conversion and will be carrying on conversations with me and my cats and possibly be correctly and efficiently talking to the birds. We got to do something with those micro controllers since the market for girl robot parts has all dried up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NGFrankW Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Does anyone have one of these devices? Are there any videos or audio clips of this in operation? Yes. Both versions. One with a green and the other with a red label. The audio signal is routed via the serial connector, like the tape audio channel, to the TV speaker. Still searching for the disk of the first version. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Yes. Both versions. One with a green and the other with a red label. The audio signal is routed via the serial connector, like the tape audio channel, to the TV speaker. Any chance you could take a high resolution of the top and bottom of the PCB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Yes. Both versions. One with a green and the other with a red label. The audio signal is routed via the serial connector, like the tape audio channel, to the TV speaker. Still searching for the disk of the first version. Frank Check out this post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/158228-voice-box-by-the-alien-group/?do=findComment&comment=1945979 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NGFrankW Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Check out this post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/158228-voice-box-by-the-alien-group/?do=findComment&comment=1945979 Oh. Thank you. I have missed this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NGFrankW Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Any chance you could take a high resolution of the top and bottom of the PCB? The Voice boxes uses the Votrax SC-01A Speech Synthesizer chip. Some information and data books can be found here: http://www.redcedar.com/sc01.htm Atari has distributed the Voice Box II in Germany in its own packaging: And a quick (non Atari) demo here: I have made some pictures of both PCB versions in the year 2009. Let me search... Frank 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NGFrankW Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Any chance you could take a high resolution of the top and bottom of the PCB? Here they are. Voice Box PCB, Version I: Voice Box PCB, Version II: I have made these PCB pictures 2009 without the intention to reproduce them and hope the visible cables doesn't interfere to much for a possible reproduction Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 A reproduction would be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Would be very costly though. That voice chip is the same as used on arcade games Gorf, Q*Bert, Wizard of Wor, Reactor, and Vanguard and a bunch of pinball machines. They are rare and expensive. Would be brilliant to add the voice to those games though ! (All of those games got an Atari version, but I don't think Reactor did while I do remember playing that on the 2600). Edited February 24, 2014 by Level42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebulon Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Digital voice construction, text to speech and synthesizing tones and music is HOT right now due to the AVR and ARM microcontrollers Sounds like you might be interested in this: http://www.avoidspikes.com/dsplib/chips/sp025x.html http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/gi/speech/General_Instrument_SP0250_Speech_Synthesizer_preliminary_datasheet.pdf I'm hoping to see the day when this technology is taken farther. After all, without it, I never would have known that fighter pilots were needed in sector wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Would be very costly though. That voice chip is the same as used on arcade games Gorf, Q*Bert, Wizard of Wor, Reactor, and Vanguard and a bunch of pinball machines. They are rare and expensive. Would be brilliant to add the voice to those games though ! (All of those games got an Atari version, but I don't think Reactor did while I do remember playing that on the 2600). There was a guy on ebay selling the SC-01A's for $25 for 1, but would throw in an additional one free. I got a couple of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 (edited) The Voice boxes uses the Votrax SC-01A Speech Synthesizer chip. Some information and data books can be found here: http://www.redcedar.com/sc01.htm Atari has distributed the Voice Box II in Germany in its own packaging: I have made some pictures of both PCB versions in the year 2009. Let me search... Frank What voltage is the power supply output listed for the alien voicebox? Edited February 27, 2014 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NGFrankW Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 What voltage is the power supply output listed for the alien voicebox? This is a 12V power supply. It's not required for an ATARI 400,800 or 1200XL because they have already +12V on pin 12 of the SIO connector: 1 1 2 4 6 8 0 2 ----------- /o o o o o o\ /o o o o o o o\ ----------------- 1 3 5 7 9 1 1 1 3 1 clock in (to computer) 2 clock out 3 data in 4 GND 5 data out 6 GND 7 command (active low) 8 cassette motor control 9 proceed (active low) 10 +5V/ready 11 audio in 12 +12V (400/800) 13 interrupt (active low) Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 There was a guy on ebay selling the SC-01A's for $25 for 1, but would throw in an additional one free. I got a couple of them Want to sell me one ? I have a working Q*bert mainboard (for my still empty q*bert cab) with an untested soundboard so I'm hoping it is OK but even so it wouldn't hurt to have a spare at hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Want to sell me one ? I have a working Q*bert mainboard (for my still empty q*bert cab) with an untested soundboard so I'm hoping it is OK but even so it wouldn't hurt to have a spare at hand. If I had an extra spare, I would But out of the two I have left, 1 is set aside for a 2nd build of a 1450xl motherboard and the other is my spare in case one of the others fail... Sorry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 (edited) No problem at all, I fully understand, I try to keep spares for my arcade games as much as possible too A 1450 XL..........wow.....just wow........I have only seen pictures of those, I guess none ever arrived in Europe... Edited March 2, 2014 by Level42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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