Let's Make 80s Computers Talk | 1980s Commodore Speech Synthesizer

video upload by Kari

"Today, I take a non-technical look at a couple of speech synthesisers from my collection on my C64 from the 80s. Specifically, the Commodore Magic Voice and Currah Speech 64."

You can find additional posts featuring the Currah speech synthesis here.

Rare Texas Instruments SN76477 Complex Sound Generator DIY Synth

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Rare Texas Instruments SN76477 Complex Sound Generator DIY Synth with stylophone keyboard works perfectly maybe need a better stylus pen for better contact results or clean the contacts works with a 9v battery but you can also plug it in to an ac adapter
sound comes out by JACK 1/4'
the enclosure design made by me you can go inside change battery on anything else just unscrew 4 screws

#The Texas Instruments SN76477 Complex Sound Generator was originally designed to produce sound effects for toys, pinball machines, home and arcade video games, etc
used 70's +80's components for this project
check pics the pdf file how it works"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Häxa - TI-82 Houstontracker Jazz

video by tubesockor

via @tubesockor

"The jazz drummer Lars Skoglund (La La Lars) released his latest single "Häxa" as sheet music and then let other musicians make their own versions. Here's mine - done on a Texas Instruments TI-82 calculator from 1993.

The calculator doesn't have a sound chip, instead it is using delicate bit flipping on the communications port to make audio, using the tracker "HoustonTracker 2". I've made a previous video about how that works, which includes my cover of the C64 song 'Warhawk':" [posted here]

Warhawk [C64] music on TI-82 Calculator - HoustonTracker 2

tubesockor

This one is in via @tubesockor

"This is a TI-82 remake of the Commodore 64 soundtrack for the game Warhawk, originally composed by Rob Hubbard in 1986. It is programmed down to the deepest details on a Texas Instruments TI-82 graphing calculator using “HoustonTracker 2”.
I start with a tech dive into how sound is generated on Commodore 64 and the TI calculator (which doesn’t have a sound chip) as well as 1-bit music in general. Then the song appears, including a custom-written visualiser that I made.

0:00 Welcome
0:20 Commodore 64 & SID
0:58 Texas Instruments TI-82
1:27 1-bit audio on TI-82
2:04 Pulse Interleaving
2:57 HoustonTracker 2 overview
3:47 Warhawk background
4:08 HoustonTracker 2 startup on TI-82
5:58 Warhawk performed on TI-82

HoustonTracker2:
* https://irrlichtproject.de/houston/"

Update:

Warhawk on C64 by Rob Hubbard:

C64 Rob Hubbards "Warhawk" Oscilloscope View



Unknown Planet by John Keating:

John Keating - The Unknown Planet - Space Experience - Studio 2 Stereo

Texas Instruments Speak & Read with 1/4" Output Jack

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Vintage Texas Instruments Speak & Read with original vinyl case and accompanying book with a 1/4" jack added. Tested with batteries and works great, some very slight cosmetic scuffs here and there and printing fading on the case, and an extra 1/4" output jack has been added for speaker or headphone amplification."

CLICK FOR MORE »

MINISYNTH ANALOG SYNTHESIZER. WORLD'S RAREST SYNTHESIZER. Ben Burtt hasn't got.

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

Anyone know what this is?

via this auction

"Rarest synthesizer in the World, as far as I know. Possibly a prototype, that never went into production?
Analogue / Analog Synthesizer with Line Out Socket and Speaker. Power Supply and voice/patch sheet, included.
Size : 13cm x 21.5cm . Will work with any 4.5Volt or 6Volt power supply, with + centre pin setting.
(Florian Schneider, Ralf Hutter, Graham Massey, Vince Clark, Martin Gore, Jean Micheal Jarre or Aphex Twin, have not got a Mini Synth)
(Even George Lucas and, Star Wars sound engineer friend, Ben Burtt, have not got a Mini Synth)
Reason for selling: Mini Synth needs a proven synth-master, to wield this analogue monophonic powerhouse.
Please, study all 9 photographs of the actual incredible items for sale."

Update via the comments: "based on the 3 switch 'Mixer' and the mixer truth table hand written on the back of the device, it looks to be based around the TI SN76477/SN76488 sound chip"

CLICK FOR MORE »

duality micro TI Shortcuts (MIX)

Published on Apr 20, 2018 evadum

"duality micro - TI - Shortcuts One
This is the first step for duality micro in the world of calculator music.



Written on the Texas Instruments Calculators TI-83, TI-83 Plus, 84 Plus
with the Houston Tracker 2.30 made by UTZ

www.irrlichtproject.de

PS: Big thanks for the support UTZ!!!
credits
released April 20, 2018

Special Thanks to UTZ and Tobi Munsch"

duality micro - HT2 (track1)

Published on Mar 31, 2018 evadum

"Here is the first track i built with the awesome houston tracker 2 on my Texas Instruments TI-83. A small step in HT2 but a big step for duality micro in the 1bit music world. Many thanks to utz from http://www.irrlichtproject.de/
https://www.youtube.com/user/irrlichtproject
for this wonderfull piece of software and his support!

www.evadum.de"

Texas Instruments Speak & Spell Circuitbent

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This Speak & Spell is fully functional and in good condition. Mod source unknown.

The Speak & Spell is a classic 70's/80's electronic spelling game that employs an early speech synthesis chip for it's voice production. As such they have also become one of the classic circuit bending projects with lots of mods available."

A New AxeSynth 2017

Published on Aug 29, 2017 Sprocketron

"This is a new custom made AxeSynth for a patron in Wisconsin.

Also known as 'The Atari' as played by the band MuteMath. [see some posts featuring MuteMath here]

It uses the vintage sound generator chip SN76477 made by Texas Instruments in the 1970's, and used in the classic video arcade games such as Space Invaders, Asteroids, and others."

Calculator Music

Published on Mar 14, 2017 Jason Hotchkiss

"http://hotchk155.blogspot.co.uk/2017/...

What passed for my own synth when I was about 10..

TI2550 calculator generates RF interference picked up on AM radio, distortion/lowpass filter applied (Moog Minifoofer Drive)."

EB.TV TECH: Thomas P. Heckmann's Devil's Kitchen Playlist

Published on Jan 21, 2016 Telekom Electronic Beats

Playlist:
STEELPHON S900 SYNTH PRESENTED BY THOMAS P. HECKMANN
SUZUKI OMNICHORD OM27 PRESENTED BY THOMAS P. HECKMANN
EDP WASP SYNTH PRESENTED BY THOMAS P. HECKMANN
TI LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR PRESENTED BY THOMAS P. HECKMANN
LINN LM-1 DRUM COMPUTER PRESENTED BY THOMAS P. HECKMANN

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Game Music & Sound Compilation in HD - TI TMS9919 chip

Published on Oct 26, 2015 MrCaliforniaD

"Played on a original 8-bit Texas Instruments TI-99/4A computer."

Calculator Music: HoustonTracker 2 for the TI-82/83/83+/84+

Published on Oct 6, 2015 The Lowest Fidelity

"HoustonTracker 2 is a music editor/sequencer for Texas Instruments graphing calculators. It outputs 1-bit sound through the calculator link port. HT2 features 4 voice polyphony, tons of effects, and a simple, tracker-style interface.

Downloads, documentation, and more at http://irrlichtproject.de/houston
source code at https://github.com/utz82/HoustonTracker2"

Red Martian Covers Kraftwerk at the Living Computer Museum Seattle

Uploaded on Aug 15, 2015 matrixsynth

[1st track in the set is actually Isi by NEU]

Red Martian covers Kraftwerk at the Free Play event at the Living Computer Museum in Seattle Washington, Saturday, Aug 15, 2015.
The Seattle Retro Gaming Expo was going on and Red Martian played.

http://redmartian.com
http://www.kraftwerk.com
http://www.seattleretro.org
http://www.livingcomputermuseum.org

Gear:
Realistic Moog MG-1
Roland GAIA
ARP AXXE
Sequential Circuits Prophet-600
acidlab MIAMI
Roland SVC-350
Texas Instruments Language Translator with German & English

BTW, if you do not recognize the name Red Martian, do a quick search for them on the top right here on MATRIXSYNTH.

A few pics before the show:

CLICK FOR MORE »

8 Classic TI-99/4A Speech Synthesizer Games & AtariVox+ for the Vectrex

Published on Jun 27, 2015 VectrexRoli

"Here we have a look at the 8 classic Texas Instruments TI-99/4A games Parsec, Alpiner, Star Trek, M*A*S*H, Microsurgeon, Moon Mine, Fathom and Buck Rogers. All those 1980´s games on cartridge work on unexpanded TI-99/4A home computers, but also support the optional speech synthesizer."

AtariVox+ for the Vectrex

Published on Oct 11, 2013

"The AtariVox+ speech synthesizer can be used both on Atari gaming consoles and also the Vectrex. Here I show you the device and you can listen how the voice output sounds like."

KRAFTWERK Computerwelt Voice Synthesizer by TEXAS INSTRUMENTS

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TRANSLATOR

the voice synthesizer used by Kraftwerk in their 1981 album COMPUTER WORLD (COMPUTERWELT) on the track NUMBERS.

great fun and great electronic sounds!

fully working with psu included"

1981 Profile on Texas Instruments Speech Synthesis

via noyzelab

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TRANSLATOR as used by KRAFTWERK in Computer World 1981

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Vintage NOS SEALED Norton Software Music Synthesizer for TI 99

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction