Hackaday · Creativity & design

DECtalk Speech Synthesizer Emulated for Apple II

A new hardware emulator card brings the advanced DECtalk speech synthesis capabilities, famously used by Stephen Hawking, to the 8-bit Apple II computer.

The Perfect Paul ][ card, developed by Michael Wessel, is a drop-in DECtalk emulator designed for the Apple II. This allows 8-bit computer users to experience high-end speech synthesis previously unavailable due to cost.

The emulator card features an RP2040-based Raspberry Pi Zero, an I2S DAC, amplifier, speaker, and bus-interface logic. It is accessed by POKEing DECtalk commands to specific memory addresses, making integration straightforward.

The project's design suggests it could be adapted for other 8-bit era machines. A video demonstration showcases the emulator's performance, replicating the distinctive sound of the original DECtalk.

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