DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments Speak & Spell (Type 4)
| Date of introduction: | 1986 | Display technology: | Fluorescent |
| New price: | Libraries: $17.95 | Display size: | 9 alphanumeric |
| Size: | 10.0" x 7.0" x 1.3" 254 x 177 x 34 mm3 |
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| Weight: | 16.7 ounces, 474 grams | Serial No: | |
| Batteries: | 4*C cells | Date of manufacture: | wk 29 year 1989 |
| AC-Adapter: | AC9199 | Origin of manufacture: | USA |
| Precision: | Integrated circuits: | TMC0271, TMC0281/CD2801, CD2350A | |
| Memories: | |||
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner | |
| Download manual: (Word List 1981-1992) | 
(US: 1.8M Bytes)
(US: 10.0M Bytes))
(US: 2.9M Bytes) |
This
Speak & Spell model from the year 1986 sports a slightly changed keyboard design please notice
the small TI logo. We know four different designs:
| Version | Manufactured | Word List | Keyboard | TI Logo |
| Type 1 | 1978-1980 | Full | Button | large |
| Type 2 | 1980-1981 | Full | Membrane | large |
| Type 3 | 1981-1986 | Reduced | Membrane | large |
| Type 4 | 1986-1990 | Reduces | Membrane | small |
The same technology like this Speak & Spell was used in two other products: Speak & Read and Speak & Math. View the more serious Language products like the Language Tutor.
For the United Kingdom market Texas Instruments just changed the Speech-ROMs and created the Speak & Spell (British Voice), while Radio Shack sold an identical product as Spellmaster.
Later in 1989 the Super Speak & Spell was introduced with a multiline LC-display. Another two years later marketing decided to switch back to the original housing. View the wonderful Super Speak & Spell (91) and don't miss the wonderful "Professor" sold in China.
Don't miss the appearance of the Speak & Spell in the movie „E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial“. Do you know Qubais Reed Ghazala? Get more tunes from your Speak & Spell with circuit-bending.
Dismantling this Speak & Spell manufactured in July 1989 by Texas Instruments in the United States reveals a design centered around three Integrated Circuits:
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TMC0271: 4-bit microcontroller with 2k*9 Bits ROM and 9*64 Bits RAM • TMC0281: TMS5100 VSP (Voice Synthesis Processor) • TMC0350/CD2350A: TMS6100 VSM (Voice Synthesis Memory) with 128k Bits |
The Speech-ROMs of the Speak & Spell vary depending on
the production date. Starting in 1981 the Word List was significantly reduced, differences in the voice tunes
of the 1991 models are not known:
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• 1979: TMC0351 and TMC0352 • 1981: TMC0350/CD2350(A) • 1990: TMC0350/CD62175 |
An inside view of some dismantled Speak & Spell products could be found here.
In 1986 we knew a total of 10 different plug-in modules for the Speak & Spell, a comprehensive overview including the wordlists could be found here.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.