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Texas Instruments La Dictée Magique

Date of introduction:  1983 Display technology:  Fluorescent
New price:   Display size:  9 alphanumeric
Size:  10.0" x 7.0" x  1.3" 
 254 x 177 x 34 mm3
   
Weight:  16.7 ounces, 474 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  4*C cells Date of manufacture:  wk 13 year 1985
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Italy
Precision:   Integrated circuits:  TMC0270/CD2702, TMC0280/CD2801, CD2352
Memories:      
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

Nothing else than the French speaking version of the Speak & Spell (Type 2). 

Don't miss the German Buddy, Italian Grillo Parlante and Spanish Speak & Spell.

This La Dictée Magique is an from an early manufacturing lot. Please notice the gold lettered "Texas Instruments" on the display screen (mostly gone on the pictured one) and the large "TI" logo on the keyboard. Later models got a slightly different design. Find a later model here.

Dismantling this La Dictée Magique manufactured in March 1985 by Texas Instruments in their Rieti, Italy facility reveals a design centered around three Integrated Circuits:

TMC0270/CD2702: 4-bit microcontroller with 2k*9 Bits ROM and 9*64 Bits RAM
TMC0280/CD2801: TMS5100 VSP (Voice Synthesis Processor)
TMC0350/CD2352: TMS6100 VSM (Voice Synthesis Memory) with 128k Bits

A lot of educational and speaking products were sold by Texas Instruments in France, as of today we know:

France United States
Les Balles Magiques Listen & Learn
Le Clown Magique Magic Clown
le Calcul magique Maths marvel
Les Nombres Magiques Math Star
L´Ordinateur Magique Mouse Computer
Le Zoo Magique Peek-A-Boo Zoo
La Musique Magique Speak & Music
La Lecture Magique Super Speak & Read
La Super Dictée Magique Super Speak & Spell
La Dictée Magique Speak & Spell
Le Petit Ours Magique Teddy Touch & Tell
Le Super Livre Magique Touch & Discover
Le Livre Magique Touch & Tell

 

Press the Play button and listen La Dictée Magique tunes.
Find more sound samples in the DOWNLOAD section.
Powered by Yahoo Media Player.

 

LesMots_Module_P1.jpg (141138 Byte)In addition to the ten different English speaking Speak & Spell Cartridge Libraries five French speaking "Module Magique" were introduced:

Name Grade Words Description Module Word List
MODULE No1   123 Identical with the later "Les Mots De Base" module. ModuleNo1.jpg (52862 Byte)
(FR: 0.6M Bytes)
Les Mots De Base
- MODULE No1 -
  123 Contains words in everyday use. Helps to master the spelling of a basic French vocabulary.
(FR: 0.6M Bytes)
MODULE No1   203 Advanced vocabulary to challenge children and adults.
(FR: 0.8M Bytes)
Les Mots Difficilies
- MODULE No2 -
  203 Advanced vocabulary to challenge children and adults. LesMotsDiff_Module.jpg (56858 Byte)
(FR: 0.8M Bytes)
Les Animaux Familiers
- MODULE No3 -
  182 Spelling of the French names for a variety of familiar animals and their surroundings. LesAnimauxFamiliers.jpg (47564 Byte)
(FR: 0.2M Bytes)
Les Magasins De La Rue
- MODULE No4 -
  171 Familiarizes with the French words for the goods on sale at the newsagent's, the boutique, the butcher's and the grocer's. LesMagasins_Module.jpg (61333 Byte)
(FR: 0.6M Bytes)
Les Extra-Terrestres
- MODULE No5 -
  134 Learn to spell the French words associated with the favorite sci-fi stories. LesET_Module.jpg (60354 Byte)
(FR: 0.7M Bytes)

Please find the manuals of the listed modules in the Download Section of the Datamath Calculator Museum.

Name Grade Words Description Module Wordlist
Mighty Verbs
(Europe)
4-6 120 Adding s, ed, and ing to verbs that require doubling a constant or changing y to i. MightyVerbs_FR_Module.jpg (54374 Byte)
(US: 0.6 MByte)
Vowel Power
(Europe)
2-4 140 Vowel sounds are often irregular and create pronunciation as well as spelling problems. VowelPower_FR_Module.jpg (54411 Byte)
(US: 0.4 MByte)

Please find the manuals of the listed modules in the Download Section of the Datamath Calculator Museum.

La Dictée Magique Tunes

French
Epelle

Composer: Martin Pscherer
Contact info: Martin Pscherer
Permission by: Martin Pscherer


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If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.

© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.