Yep, released in 1976 so it says on wikipedia (so potentially about as accurate as facts from the Laird). Must have been early 80s when I got mine, used an LED display which was very much a 70s thing. It didn’t have a speech chip so it was boring, nor was it in ET.
I had no idea there were 3 versions, I only ever thought there was 2 as I did not know about the speak and read.
Shows you are never too old to learn something.
same mate, some of the stuff is obvious but at other times it’s really hard to tell wtf it’s saying. the “winter” sounded like “vintner” at best but i knew it couldn’t be as what child would know this archaic term for a wine seller !
You just want to reprogram it to say “Save keys to open doors”. Gauntlet obviously used a similar TI chip.
1
UnixAnt
2 years ago
I wish I’d kept mine – I had a British Speak & Spell in the 80s. Nowadays I’d quite like to circuit bend one & see what sort of unofficial sounds I could get out of it, same with the cheap Casio keyboards I had as a kid.
thre’s a clone version available from the “big fun” company for around £30 but it’s probably S.O.A.C compared to the original with all its patchable parts etc. it also says it has “the same classic voice” but the voice sounds a lot more realistic i don’t think i like it as much, there’s something very classic about the weirdness of the original speak and spell voice !
yes and apparently the voice is a real sampled human voice that they’re just processed to make it sound more machine like. it sounds totally different so their “the same voice you remember !” tagline is a load of shite !
Takes me back does this. My mate must have had the American speak and spell unit because we used to look at it with confusion when it asked us to spell colour and told us we were incorrect, bloody yanks 😂
Also yeah the English voice is terrible. Couldn’t make out half the things it was saying. I guess computerised speech was in its infancy back in those days. Fun video mate 👍🏻
i just discovered that there’s actually a really good speak and spell android app that’s free and you can even type “NOADZ” while playing it and the ads will never show up !
Takes me back does this. My mate must have had the American speak and spell unit because we used to look at it with confusion when it asked us to spell colour and told us we were incorrect, bloody yanks 😂
Also yeah the English voice is terrible. Couldn’t make out half the things it was saying. I guess computerised speech was in its infancy back in those days. Fun video mate 👍🏻
Jambon
2 years ago
Whoever designed the colour schemes on these machines is a genius because they all look fantastic. That British Speak & Spell really needs to enunciate though cos he’s letting the side down. Btw, thanks for the advice on how to deal with people having a mental health crisis. Next time it’s kicking off in Wetherspoons I’ll be sure to get involved and administer a nice calming chinese burn. Thanks for the vid.
and yes they all look great to this day. really cool looking machines ! i was surprised they are emulated to be honest but mame seems to be casting its net pretty wide these days i see now it is also even emulating some synthesizers which i did not try as i don’t know anything about them but i thought it strange to see !
I had the crap alternative, the Little Professor calculator.
i don’t think i ever saw one of them working. it was prior to the speak and spell i think was it not ? i think it was still texas instruments
Yep, released in 1976 so it says on wikipedia (so potentially about as accurate as facts from the Laird). Must have been early 80s when I got mine, used an LED display which was very much a 70s thing. It didn’t have a speech chip so it was boring, nor was it in ET.
I had no idea there were 3 versions, I only ever thought there was 2 as I did not know about the speak and read.
Shows you are never too old to learn something.
quite so mate ! i thought there was maybe another one too but i think i am getting confused with the speak & spell deluxe or something like that !
That voice really takes me back. I could never understand it then and I still cant now !
same mate, some of the stuff is obvious but at other times it’s really hard to tell wtf it’s saying. the “winter” sounded like “vintner” at best but i knew it couldn’t be as what child would know this archaic term for a wine seller !
You just want to reprogram it to say “Save keys to open doors”. Gauntlet obviously used a similar TI chip.
I wish I’d kept mine – I had a British Speak & Spell in the 80s. Nowadays I’d quite like to circuit bend one & see what sort of unofficial sounds I could get out of it, same with the cheap Casio keyboards I had as a kid.
thre’s a clone version available from the “big fun” company for around £30 but it’s probably S.O.A.C compared to the original with all its patchable parts etc. it also says it has “the same classic voice” but the voice sounds a lot more realistic i don’t think i like it as much, there’s something very classic about the weirdness of the original speak and spell voice !
They did a re-issue but it’s cheap and nasty compared to the original. I think it’s using a COB, so you can’t bend it.
yes and apparently the voice is a real sampled human voice that they’re just processed to make it sound more machine like. it sounds totally different so their “the same voice you remember !” tagline is a load of shite !
Takes me back does this. My mate must have had the American speak and spell unit because we used to look at it with confusion when it asked us to spell colour and told us we were incorrect, bloody yanks 😂
Also yeah the English voice is terrible. Couldn’t make out half the things it was saying. I guess computerised speech was in its infancy back in those days. Fun video mate 👍🏻
“honour” was one i had problems with when i was younger mate as it expected “honor” so i think my mate had an american one too !
i just discovered that there’s actually a really good speak and spell android app that’s free and you can even type “NOADZ” while playing it and the ads will never show up !
Takes me back does this. My mate must have had the American speak and spell unit because we used to look at it with confusion when it asked us to spell colour and told us we were incorrect, bloody yanks 😂
Also yeah the English voice is terrible. Couldn’t make out half the things it was saying. I guess computerised speech was in its infancy back in those days. Fun video mate 👍🏻
Whoever designed the colour schemes on these machines is a genius because they all look fantastic. That British Speak & Spell really needs to enunciate though cos he’s letting the side down. Btw, thanks for the advice on how to deal with people having a mental health crisis. Next time it’s kicking off in Wetherspoons I’ll be sure to get involved and administer a nice calming chinese burn. Thanks for the vid.
that’s the one mate just get right in there with an “indian burn” as the americans call it and that will resolve the situation !
Indian burn in the UK is when you’ve had a curry the night before and pop to the bathroom first thing in the morning.
and yes they all look great to this day. really cool looking machines ! i was surprised they are emulated to be honest but mame seems to be casting its net pretty wide these days i see now it is also even emulating some synthesizers which i did not try as i don’t know anything about them but i thought it strange to see !