THE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP
SC-01 / SC-01A Tester Board
Arduino-compatible diagnostic tester-board kit for exploring and testing SC-01 and SC-01A speech chips.
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Hear your vintage chip talk
This Arduino Uno diagnostic tester-board kit supports the Votrax SC-01 and SC-01A. It gives collectors, restorers, and experimenters a way to exercise a speech chip outside the machine that normally uses it. A bench test can help distinguish a chip problem from a fault elsewhere in a vintage speech system.
What the diagnostic software exercises
The diagnostic pattern tests audio output level, all 64 phoneme codes, all four inflection settings, variable clock rates, and the strobe and acknowledge/request (A/R) signals. Exercising the phoneme set at different inflections lets you listen for missing or abnormal sounds, while the handshake tests check the interface used to send the next phoneme.
Make the tests your own
The supplied Arduino software is open source, so you can edit the test pattern or create your own speech experiments. The example sketch includes individual phoneme commands, phrase sequences ending with STOP, a diagnostic routine, and a Q*bert-style random vocalization routine. The Arduino’s USB connection lets a PC or Mac control the chip. The schematic shows the six phoneme-selection lines, two inflection lines, strobe, and A/R connected to the Arduino, providing access to experiment with the chip’s control interface. The adjustable clock lets you explore how timing changes the voice.
Schematic
Inside the tester
The board brings together the chip interface, adjustable clock circuit, audio filtering, and an LM386 speaker amplifier. The schematic also shows an output connection for headphones or amplified speakers. Keeping the control and audio circuitry together makes the board useful for listening tests as well as software development.
What you need
The current listing is a tester-board kit; the Votrax speech chip and Arduino Uno are not included. Assemble the kit using the supplied documentation and load the Arduino software. The download files below provide the supporting materials, and the schematic is also available separately. Use the Buy on eBay button for current availability and purchasing details.
Feedback
“High quality orange pcb, arrived in excellent condition. Reasonable price. Looks great.” — 5***1, eBay