test-drb March 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

191 participants
1003 discussions

by roblwill＠usaor.net

Hi! While sorting through a box of old stuff in my basement, I ran across this little box called a "SPEECH THING" It appears to have been manufactured by Covox, Inc., around 1991. It is a small tan box, about 1.5"x2"x1/2". It's got a male DB-25 connector on one end, and a female DB-25 on the other end. It's got a 3-foot length of wire (the type that's on Walkman headsets) coming out of the side. Only problem is whatever was on the other end of that wire was chopped off. Stripping the wires, the inner wire (they're coaxial) is red on one, and white on the other. The white wire is connected to "1" and "2" on the PCB. The red wire isn't connected to anything, although there is a "3" and "4" that it looks like it could be soldered to (but never was - there's no solder on the PCB contacts). Does anyone have any idea what this thing is, what it does, or what goes on the end of the wire (I have a feeling it's some sort of plug)? ThAnX, -- -Jason Willgruber (roblwill(a)usaor.net) ICQ#: 1730318 <http://members.tripod.com/general_1>

25 years, 4 months

Medieval methods... (was Re: Got a question....PDP? VAX?)

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

<SNIP><SNIP><HACK> > > IIRC the sets don't match the "natural" breakdown of the coins' values > > (1p/2p/5p, 10p/20p/50p, L1/L2/L5) but the system is still very elegant. It > > should be a lesson to the US Mint on how to avoid making mistakes. The L1 > > coin also makes a really nice "plnk" sound on a counter and has a motto on > > the edge. > </SNIP> Think I'll change my vacation plans from Great Britain to Mexico. At least I can count their money... and speak the language. ;-) Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

25 years, 4 months

Votrax emulators???

by arfonrg＠texas.net

Anyone know of any software that will emulate a votrax speech synthesiser? ---------------------------------------- Tired of Micro$oft?? Move up to a REAL OS.... ######__ __ ____ __ __ _ __ # #####/ / / / / __ | / / / / | |/ /## ####/ / / / / / / / / / / / | /### ###/ /__ / / / / / / / /_/ / / |#### ##/____/ /_/ /_/ /_/ /_____/ /_/|_|#### # ###### ("LINUX" for those of you without proportional spaced fonts) ---------------------------------------- Be a Slacker! http://www.slackware.com

25 years, 4 months

Speech Thing

by rmeenaks＠olf.com

I have the speech thing! It's been a long time since I fired up that baby. I used for speech synthesis and voice recognization eons ago. This was before the Sound Blaster for PCs. Let me look around and see if I still have the software... Ram -----Original Message----- From: Jason Willgruber <roblwill(a)usaor.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1999 11:30 PM Subject: Re: Speech Thing >O.K. At least I know what it is. Anyone have any idea where to get >software for it?? > >ThAnX, >-- > -Jason Willgruber > (roblwill(a)usaor.net) > ICQ#: 1730318 ><http://members.tripod.com/general_1> > >-----Original Message----- >From: John Ruschmeyer <jruschme(a)exit109.com> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1999 8:13 PM >Subject: Re: Speech Thing > > >> >>IIRC, the Speech Thing was what it sounds like, a speech synthasizer for >>the IBM PC. Basically, it plugged into the parallel port. The other end >>of the wire was probably a speaker (amplified, most likely). >> >>I seem to recall Covox being very big into speech recognizition and >>synthesis many years back. >> >><<<John>>> >> > >

25 years, 4 months

looking for an Exidy

by dogas＠leading.net

-----Original Message----- >> > Will someone please sell me one? >> >> Or me? (I bid on it too!) :) >> Stan >> > From: Lance Lyon > Can I add a third bid ? Damn... Maybe I'll get lucky someday and be able to step in between one of Stan or Lance's attempted purchases and cost them *more* money.

25 years, 4 months

KA620 ?

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

> I got a VAX CPU board and it is a KA620, what kind of VAX was that? I > haven't found it in the module list yet ... A KA620 is basically a KA630 without the full memory management logic. Useful for real-time embedded VAX applications, especially under VAXELN, but not supported by VMS. If you're really interested in this board, you can buy the _KA620-A CPU Module User Guide_ from DECDirect - part number EK-KA620-UG. You can still buy the VAXELN development tools from Compaq/Digital, which is the "supported" KA620 development suite, too. If you do, look forward to receiving about 600 lbs of printed manuals! -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

25 years, 4 months

KA620 ?

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

I got a VAX CPU board and it is a KA620, what kind of VAX was that? I haven't found it in the module list yet ... ==Chuck

25 years, 4 months

Speech Thing

by roblwill＠usaor.net

O.K. At least I know what it is. Anyone have any idea where to get software for it?? ThAnX, -- -Jason Willgruber (roblwill(a)usaor.net) ICQ#: 1730318 <http://members.tripod.com/general_1> -----Original Message----- From: John Ruschmeyer <jruschme(a)exit109.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1999 8:13 PM Subject: Re: Speech Thing > >IIRC, the Speech Thing was what it sounds like, a speech synthasizer for >the IBM PC. Basically, it plugged into the parallel port. The other end >of the wire was probably a speaker (amplified, most likely). > >I seem to recall Covox being very big into speech recognizition and >synthesis many years back. > ><<<John>>> >

25 years, 4 months

Eagles available

by donm＠cts.com

A chap in the San Diego area has a couple of Eagle II's in storage. One was working when placed there about two years ago, while the second was not. He could not remember whether they were II's or IIE's, but I will check and post that information. Items are available at no cost but shipping, which could mount up as they are large and heavy. If anyone is interested, please e-mail me and I will put you in contact with him. - don

25 years, 4 months

Medieval methods... (was Re: Got a question....PDP? VAX?)

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

> I gather the machine had some sort of support for doing arithmetic on > pre-decimalized currency, does anyone here know what that looked like? > It wasn't explained very well in the book. I don't know how the currency was handled on Leo, but as a reference for our American friends I shall say a few words on British currency prior to 1971. The basic unit was the pound. The symbol was the same as nowadays, viz. a scripty capital L with two horizontal bars through it (though often only one bar is written, for speed) On e-mail I generally use an ordinary L for pound (L stands for Livre (french = pound)) King Offa (?9th century) fixed the value of a penny at 1/240 of a pound. Later the shilling was fixed at 12 pence. (Pence is the plural of penny, in case you hadn't worked it out. "Pennies" is a word coined much more recently (pun intended)) So L1 = 20 s. (s stands for solidus (lat. = a silver coin of some sort) or sou (Fr. = a coin worth not a lot)) 1 s. = 12 d. (d stands for denarius (lat. = penny) or denier (fr. = penny)) Halfpence (pronounced ha'pence) were in use until 1969 (and re-introduced with decimalisation in 1971). Farthings (1/4 d) were in use at least until the mid 1940s, and may have been required for Leo. So to computerise the currency you probably need: A field for whole pounds A field for shillings (up to 19 with a carry at 20) A field for pence (up to 11 with a carry at 12) A field for farthings or ha'pence (up to the obvious numbers thereof) It would not likely be possible to ignore the fractions of pence, since even as late as the 1950s 1/2 d had a reasonable purchasing power, perhaps equivalent to one US dime today. Also, just as they do today, vendors loved prices ending ...nineteen shillings and elevenpence ha'penny. Philip.

25 years, 4 months

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test-drb March 1999