DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments Super Speak & Spell (91)
Date of introduction: | 1991 | Display technology: | LCD |
New price: | 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 13 year 1992 |
AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | USA | |
Precision: | Integrated circuits: | TSP50C42 (CSM42030), TSP60C19 (CMM19048), HD44780 |
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Memories: | |||
Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
This wonderful hybrid uses the housing of the original Speak & Spell from 1980 with the modern electronics of the first Super Speak & Spell.
Dismantling this Super Speak & Spell manufactured in March 1992 by Texas Instruments in the United States reveals a clean design centered around just three Integrated Circuits:
• TSP50C42/CSM42030: TSP50C50 VSP (Voice Synthesis Processor) with 8-bit microcontroller and 8k Bytes Mask ROM for both program and voice and
128 Bytes + 16 Nibbles RAM • TSP60C19/CMM19048: VSM (Voice Synthesis Memory) with 256k Bits • Hitachi HD44780: LCD Controller for monochrome dot matrix liquid crystal display with 8-bit Interface |
The main differences inside the first Super Speak & Spell and this product are the Speech-ROMs:
• Super Speak & Spell: TSP50C42/CSM42020, CMM18004
• Super Speak & Spell (91): TSP50C42/CSM42030, CMM19048
Don't miss the El Loro Profesor and El Loro Parlanchin with their wonderful Spanish language, the French speaking La Super Dictée Magique and finally the Italian speaking Grillo Parlante Piu.
Tired of the blue line? Believe it or not, customers in China enjoyed already in 1990 their own "Professor" in bright red colors.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.