DATAMATH  CALCULATOR  MUSEUM

Texas Instruments Speak & Spell (British Voice Type 1)

Date of introduction:  July, 1978 Display technology:  Fluorescent
New price:  $50 Display size:  8 alphanumeric
Size:  10.0" x 7.0" x  1.3" 
 254 x 177 x 34 mm3
   
Weight:  18.5 ounces, 526 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  4*C cells Date of manufacture:  wk 38 year 1980
AC-Adapter:  AC9199 Origin of manufacture:  Italy
Precision:   Integrated circuits:  TMC0271, TMC0281, TMC0350 (CD2303), TMC0350 (CD2304)
Memories:      
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

There are a lot of differences between American English and British English, therefore Texas Instruments had to change the Speech-ROM's of the original Speak & Spell to sell it on the United Kingdom market.

SpeaknSpell_UK_PCB.jpg (188730 Byte)SpeaknSpell_UK_1.jpg (69483 Byte)The pictured Speak & Spell (British voices) was manufactured late in 1980 and sports already the two additional jacks to connect an external power supply and a headphone. The printed circuit board (PCB) itself is identical with the original Speak & Spell but sports different Speech-ROMs. The CD2303 resp. CD2304 designation indicates the Custom Data stored inside.

An inside view of some other dismantled Speak & Spell products could be found here.

The pictured Speak & Spell sports the button keys with the huge 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

Even the Speak & Spells with the United Kingdom Speech-ROMs received all three designs, don't miss the early UK Type 2 and the later UK Type 3. Don't miss the rare Japanese edition of the Speak & Spell.



horizontal rule

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

© Joerg Woerner, July 14, 2005. No reprints without written permission.