Votrax Speech Emulation #155
Description
Emulated MAME Votrax and BBC Micro
Pernod at StarDot shared a proof of concept where an emulated BBC Micro could output screen text (via *FX3,1) at 9600 baud to an emulated Votrax speech synthesiser. This gives a period correct emulation of one if not the first speech synthesiser people would have had access to on the BBC Micro.
His demo is of the text adventure Lords of Time speaking in the classic Gorf/Berzerk voice heard around arcades, but also commonly in use for early electronic assistive technology. He is using MAME's emulation of the Votrax SC-01 chip, with the Beebenabling serial VDU output with *FX3,1 to send all screen text to it at 9600 baud.
There's more on this in a request to JSbeeb - with comments from Pernod. And a bit in Acorn User from 1983.
Would be great fun, and a proper dip into the much more authentic world of assistive technology, and straining to understand on and off the unique Votrax synth.