[[Image:Amstrad SSA1.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Amstrad SSA1 box cover]]
[[Image:Ssa-1.JPG|right|thumb|250px|The bundle]]
A Speech Synthesizer from [[Amstrad]] based on the [[SPO256]]-AL2 Speech Synthesizer
== Software ==
A Speech Synthesizer from * |SAY,@<string> - Converts a string af [[AmstradASCII]] based text to speech* |ECHO,<mode> - Activates text to speech conversion on text printed to the screen.* |APHONE,<allophone>[,<allophone>] - Send allophones directly to the interrupt driven allophone buffer.* |ROOM,@<value> - Find out how many free locations in the allophones buffer.* |QUIET - Clears the allophone buffer.* |SPON - Activates the speech interrrupt event.* |SPOFF - To prevent output of data from the allophone buffer.* |SPSTATUS,@<value> - Read the status of the speech processor.* |SPOUT,<allophone>[,<allophone>] - Sends allophones directly to the SPO256 Speech Synthesizersoundprocessor.
== Technical Specs. ==
In the SSA-1, the SP0256-AL2 speech chip is clocked by a 3.12MHz ceramic resonator (unlike the similar dk'tronics device, where it is clocked at 4MHz).
The SSA-1 uses I/O port: [[I/O_Port_Summary|#FBEE]], of which (according to the manual) only A10,A4,A0 are decoded.
Port FBEEh READ - SP0256-AL2 Status:
bit7 Status 1 (0=Speech Busy, 1=Ready/Halted) (SBY Pin, Standby)
bit6 Status 2 (0=Ready to Receive Data, 1=Busy) (/LRQ Pin, Load Request)
bit5-0 Not used (garbage, probably usually high)
Port FBEEh WRITE - SP0256-AL2 Allophone:
bit7-0 Allophone number
Port FAEEh WRITE - Accidently used in the included RSX driver cassette (the driver sets BC=FBEEh and executes OUTI, which pre-decrements B, so the OUT accidently goes to FAEEh - the driver works despite of that bug since FBEEh is mirrored to that address).
* A new allophone number can be send when Status.Bit6=0.
* The allophone number should/must be in range of 00h..3Fh (6bit).
* However, the whole 8bit databus is connected in the SSA-1.
For details on the speech chip, see:
* [[SP0256]]
* [[SP0256 Voice Generator]]
* [[SP0256 Instruction Set]]
* [[SP0256 Allophones]]
* [[SP0256 Pin-Outs]]
== Software Support ==
=== Games ===
* [[3D Boxing]]
* [[3D Stunt Rider]]
* [[Alex Higgins World Pool]]
* [[Alex Higgins World Snooker]]
* [[Darkwurlde]]
* [[Glen Hoddle Soccer]]
* [[Roland in Space]]
* [[Tubaruba]]
=== Serious Software ===
* [[FutureOS]] (limited)
'''Caution''' - Some webpages do (incorrectly) list further games:
Gremlins (spanish version),
Seablood and Robin of Sherwood (these contain code for using Port FBEC & FBEF for some kind of data transfer, possibly for [[PDS development system]] - but, not for speech).
Also, Dragon Gold is listed as speech game (not sure why, it doesn't seem to use any special I/O ports; unless different versions of that game exist?)
== Pictures ==
<gallery caption="Amstrad SSA1">
Image:Amstrad ssa1 1.JPG|Frontpage
Image:ssa1 5.JPG|Inside
Image:ScreenPacked.jpg|Box (open)
Image:ScreenBoxed.jpg|Box (side)
Image:FullSSA1.jpg|Interface and Speakers
Image:FullManual Tape.jpg|Manual and Tape
Image:SSA1 FullBox.jpg|Box (front)
Image:Amstrad SSA-1 Schematic.png|Schematic
</gallery>
<gallery caption="Amstrad SSA1 (300dpi scans by [[Robcfg]])">
Image:SSA1_Front.jpg|Front
Image:SSA1_Back.jpg|Back
Image:SSA1_PCB_Top.jpg|PCB Top
Image:SSA1_PCB_Bottom.jpg|PCB Bottom
</gallery>
== Reviews ==
<gallery>image:Amstrad Computer User8507 014.jpg|The SSA1 compared to the dk'Tronics synthimage:Amstrad Computer User8507 015.jpgimage:Amstrad Computer User8507 016.jpg</gallery> == Weblinks Examples of the Amstrad synth in use == {{#ev:youtube|fesVxipNaw8|300}} {{#ev:youtube|v8WKbKK3Apg|300}} == Downloads ==* [[Media:Amstrad SSA-1 (Main Program).zip]] (cassette)* [[Media:Amstrad SSA-1 (Programas Basic).zip]] (cassette)* [[Media:SSA-1.zip|Amstrad SSA-1 drivers (English)]] [http://www.jonathanen.com/pages/Items/Amstrad/SSA-1/SSA-1.zip] (DSK for Emulators)* [[Media:Sp0256-al2-reversed-bit-order.zip|SP0256-AL2 ROM]] ('''caution''' - the bytes in the file are in reversed bit-order, ie. the "Target" values are unreversed, all other opcodes and parameters are reversed)
== Manual ==
<gallery caption="* [[File:Amstrad SSA1 SSA-1_User_Instruction_Manual.pdf]] (Manualpdf)">Image:Ssa1 frontpage.* [[Manual of the Amstrad SSA-1 Speech Synthesizer]] (jpg|Frontpage's)Image:ssa1 p1.jpg|Contents / Page 1Image:ssa1 p2-3.jpg|Page 2-3== Other Speech Synthesizers ==Image:ssa1 p4-5.jpg|Page 4-5Image* [https:ssa1 p6-7//github.jpg|Page 6com/lambdamikel/Speak-7Image:ssa1 p8SID Speak-9.jpg|Page 8SID ''SSA-91 emulation''] Speech Synthesizer, SID Soundcard, MIDI IN SID+AY SynthesizerImage:ssa1 p10-11.jpg|Page 10-11* [[Dk'tronics Speech Synthesizer]]Image* [[MHT Speech Synthesizer]] (MHT Ingenieros)* [[TMPI speech synthetizer]] (TechniMusique) [[Category:ssa1 p12-13.jpg|Page 12-13Amstrad Products]]Image[[Category:ssa1 p14-15.jpg|Page 14-15FutureOS]]Image[[Category:ssa1 p16-17.jpg|Page 16-17Manual]]Image[[Category:ssa1 p18-19.jpg|Page 18-19Music and sound]]Image[[Category:ssa1 p20-21.jpg|Page 20-21</gallery>Peripherals]]