In message <3.0.16.19970208161734.4d97911e@pop-3.ukonline.co.uk>, Tim Kerby writes >Hi >I need a ***cheap*** voice synthesiser that operates on a minimum of lines >and gives decent results (clear for small children to hear). Command set >should be low so as to reduce PIC code needed. Cheap is very important. I >am willing to use a C84 as a dedicated controller if necessary. What sort of synthesiser? There are basically two types. One uses allophones, where each word is built up from about 40 basic sounds. These require very little storage, but the speech quality is rather poor. The other type plays back pre-recorded speech which has been compressed, and usually gives excellent speech quality. Also, how much speech do you want? If you want to replay lots of pre-recorded words and phrases the OKI chips are cheap, and the quality is very good. We have used them where I work. They use an external EPROM and are quite easy to interface to a controller (we use an HC11). I think there are newer ones with on-chip storage. Unfortunately, the development system you need to compress the recorded speech and program the EPROM is quite expensive - our distributor loaned us the kit, even though we only used a couple of the chips in a prototype. I was only peripherally involved with this (I defined the speech warning messages and did the recording and editing), so I can't help much. You might be able to find one of the General Instrument SP-025 (it was something like that) chips. I used one of these many years ago with the TRS-80. It was allophone-based and very easy to interface and use, but the quality wasn't very good. If you only want a few words or phrases, look at the ISD devices. The ISD1016 gives 20 s total recording time, and costs about #13 (UK). Leon -- Leon Heller, G1HSM leon@lfheller.demon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 118 947 1424 (home) +44 (0) 1344 385556 (work)