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Difference between revisions of "The Speaker" - CPCWiki
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Last modified on 20 May 2026, at 18:27

Difference between revisions of "The Speaker"


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(The Speaker synthesizer)
 
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=== The Speaker ===
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[[File:SpeakerROM.jpg|thumbnail|Speaker ROM]]
  
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The Speaker is a software speech synthesizer, originally written by Xavier Grossetete and published as a BASIC listing in French Magazine CPC Infos in 1991. It was later retyped by [https://norecess464.weebly.com/news/the-speaker-an-impressive-text-to-speech-program-for-the-amstrad-cpc NoRecess] in 2011 and distributed as a DSK file called -SAY.dsk.
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== The Speaker ==
  
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The original code has been disassembled by [[CPSoft]]. It is being converted into a ROM extension, which will soon be available to download. The Z80 assembly source code will also be available to download.
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The Speaker is a software speech synthesizer for the Amstrad.
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It was originally written by [https://rk.nvg.ntnu.no/bbc/doc/Speech.html David J. Hoskins]. David describes how he developed the original program for the BBC microcomputer. This was then published as "Speech!" for the Amstrad and Spectrum computers by Superior Software in 1986.
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It was then republished under the name "The Speaker" in a BASIC listing in French Magazine [https://cpcrulez.fr/applications_music-the_speaker__CNFO.htm CPC Infos] by Xavier Grossetete in 1991.
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This listing was retyped by [https://norecess464.weebly.com/news/the-speaker-an-impressive-text-to-speech-program-for-the-amstrad-cpc NoRecess] in 2011 and distributed as a DSK file called -SAY.dsk.
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This original code has been disassembled by [[CPSoft]] and has been converted into a ROM extension format. The Z80 assembly source code is also available to download.
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== Usage ==
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Add SpeakerROM.rom to a ROM bank on your Amstrad emulator.
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Type |SPHELP to view the usage instructions.
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<code>|SAY,"HELLO WORLD"</code> - Say a phrase. The program converts the string into phonemes.
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<code>|SPEAK,"/HEH4/HEH3/HEH2/HEH1/"</code> - Say a phrase without the program converting phonemes.
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<code>|SPEED,1-20</code> - Alter the speed of the speech
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<code>|CENTRE</code> (or <code>|CENTER</code>) - Output speech using channel B
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<code>|LEFT</code> - Output speech using channel A
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<code>|RIGHT</code> - Output speech using channel C
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<code>|SPON</code> - Turn on automatic text to speech output (&BB5A jumpblock patched)
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<code>|SPOF</code> - Turn off automatic text to speech output
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== Still to do ==
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* Investigate if there is a way of outputting speech without disabling interrupts.
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== Download ==
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* [[Media:SpeakerROM.zip|Speaker ROM]] - The Speaker Speech Synthesizer in ROM format
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* [https://www.mimosquest.com/downloads/CreatingTheSpeakerROM.pdf Creating The Speaker ROM] - How I disassembled The Speaker for conversion to ROM
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Source code for Speaker ROM can be downloaded from [https://github.com/chrisperver/speakerrom GitHub]
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[[Category:Applications]]
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[[Category:Music and sound]]

Latest revision as of 18:27, 20 May 2026

Speaker ROM

The Speaker

The Speaker is a software speech synthesizer for the Amstrad.

It was originally written by David J. Hoskins. David describes how he developed the original program for the BBC microcomputer. This was then published as "Speech!" for the Amstrad and Spectrum computers by Superior Software in 1986.

It was then republished under the name "The Speaker" in a BASIC listing in French Magazine CPC Infos by Xavier Grossetete in 1991.

This listing was retyped by NoRecess in 2011 and distributed as a DSK file called -SAY.dsk.

This original code has been disassembled by CPSoft and has been converted into a ROM extension format. The Z80 assembly source code is also available to download.

Usage

Add SpeakerROM.rom to a ROM bank on your Amstrad emulator.

Type |SPHELP to view the usage instructions.

|SAY,"HELLO WORLD" - Say a phrase. The program converts the string into phonemes.

|SPEAK,"/HEH4/HEH3/HEH2/HEH1/" - Say a phrase without the program converting phonemes.

|SPEED,1-20 - Alter the speed of the speech

|CENTRE (or |CENTER) - Output speech using channel B

|LEFT - Output speech using channel A

|RIGHT - Output speech using channel C

|SPON - Turn on automatic text to speech output (&BB5A jumpblock patched)

|SPOF - Turn off automatic text to speech output

Still to do

  • Investigate if there is a way of outputting speech without disabling interrupts.

Download

Source code for Speaker ROM can be downloaded from GitHub