British robot gentleman voice speak and spell (speed/pitch control)

[SineHacker]

I just got my first speak and spell in good working condition from a charity shop, and I'm working on it at the moment, I think I have found the right points for pitch control but I'm having some problems

I'm using a 470k pot, when the pot is at 0 (no resistance) it already kills the pitch noticeably - is there anyway to prevent this? I would like to add a I/O switch for the pitch control

when I turn the pot i get a nice desirable change in pitch, but when the pot nears its peak resistance it tends to kill the circuit.

I have been trying to attach other fixed resistors in parallel with the pot but this has failed to produce decent results so far and it's becoming frustrating

I understand that there are tons of different pcb's for the speak and spell series - from what I can work out, I'm working with the british 1986 modal (as described on the datamath site) - if it helps I'm connecting one point to a solder point connected to the 4th strip from the right hand side of the cartridge slot contacts and the other point to this strip of 5 connected solder points slightly above it

[the_zombiest]

yeah, you need to add a resistor in series, not parallel.
I think it's about 47k you need but a trim pot is probably preferable for fine tuning.
Have a look here: http://www.casperelectronics.com/finished-pieces/speak-n-spell/speakspell-bending/

[SineHacker]

yeah, you need to add a resistor in series, not parallel.
I think it's about 47k you need but a trim pot is probably preferable for fine tuning.
Have a look here: http://www.casperelectronics.com/finished-pieces/speak-n-spell/speakspell-bending/

I love the Casper Electronics site! wow, the speak and spell LFO looks amazing! I drilled holes in mine earlier, I hope I can doctor it to try this!

[Gordonjcp]

Wonder if it's Kenneth Kendall?  IIRC he recorded a ROM set for the BBC Micro speech synth, which (again IIRC) used the same TI chipset.

[the_zombiest]

it is amazing, the LFO circuit works in most toys too. I've got one hooked up to my speak & maths and 1 for my talking teacher. they're the business.

[the_zombiest]

Wonder if it's Kenneth Kendall?  IIRC he recorded a ROM set for the BBC Micro speech synth, which (again IIRC) used the same TI chipset.

Brian Cant did the voice for the UK Super Speak & Spell... I think. I remember reading that somewhere but can't verify it at the mo.... solder fumes affecting memory....

[Gordonjcp]

What a shame we will never be able to make a set of Oliver Postgate Speak'n'Spell samples...

Psssssh-ti-kuff, psssh-ti-kuff, psssh-ti-kuff psssh-ti-kuff psssh-ti-kuff....

[Circuitbenders]

Brian Cant did the voice for the UK Super Speak & Spell... I think. I remember reading that somewhere but can't verify it at the mo.... solder fumes affecting memory....

It was the same guy who did the voice for Postman Pat, i know that much, or at least i think i know that much. Maybe that was a dream i had.

[Gordonjcp]

It was the same guy who did the voice for Postman Pat, i know that much, or at least i think i know that much. Maybe that was a dream i had.

That would be (iirc) Ken Barrie.  I suppose it's possible, particularly if the British samples were introduced with the facelifted models.  Postman Pat started in 1981, so don't think he would have been as well-known as Brian Cant who had worked on children's TV for the BBC since the 1960s.

Given a recording I could probably tell you who it is.  If it's a really serious BBC "received pronunciation" accent then it probably is Kenneth Kendall - after all, who are you going to get to be the voice of the BBC Micro but a BBC newsreader?