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LambdaSpeak Speech Synthesizer, Sample Player, RTC, MP3, Serial Interface, MIDI

Started by LambdaMikel, 08:56, 01 May 17

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LambdaMikel

#375
One thing I could try is fill also the front with copper - for VCC.Two negative things I read related to that are:

       
  • increases the chances of unintended shorts
  • makes soldering hard, because the copper absorbs a lot of heat
Well I ordered 3 of them by now and I believe if they should not work, then this is probably caused by issues unrelated to VCC, GND, or capacitors (after all, the breadboard prototype had MUCH WORSE electrical properties, and was working fine). We will see.

Sure thing, I can add the VCC copper pour. Or make the traces even wider by hand, even if that should not really be necessary. For the next batch.

But then, I also don't know how much I can trust these websites (see above) that do the trace / track width calculation for you.
So, what is wrong with the decoupling capacitors? Not close enough to the chips in your opinion?

Bryce

Quote from: LambdaMikel on 00:47, 16 March 19
I used this one to calculate VCC width - I am not drawing more than 600 mA  ;)

http://circuitcalculator.com/wordpress/?p=25/

What tool are you using?


So, just for the record - with the Oshpark 1 oz/ft^2 copper weight for the 2 layer prototype board, I can draw 850 mA of current and still be under the VCC width of the 9.84 mils... (this would be for 0,25 mm - I even used 0,30 mm). I appreciate your concern though.

In general, I must say that I trust the autorouting of a tool that is aware of the design rules (rather than guessing constraints) more than the hand layout of a hobbyist. Sure, Bryce's team is a different story (those are professionals, I am not).



IPC-2152 (the industry standard guidelines) says that a 0,3mm trace can carry 630mA with a trace length up to 250mm, so you should be fine.

Bryce.

Bryce


LambdaMikel

#378
Quote from: Bryce on 16:00, 16 March 19
Use this for your calculations: http://www.saturnpcb.com/pcb_toolkit/

Bryce.
Thanks for the link! Will check it out.

One more question - do you recommend VCC copper fill, or not worth the hassle?
(Heat absorb -> difficult soldering, chances of incidental shorts increased)

Bryce

No, a VCC plane is pointless on a device this small and with only two layers. VCC planes only make sense on devices that have regular big and sudden current changes and a free layer for VCC alone.

Bryce.

LambdaMikel

Just got mail from OshPark - the first batch is already on the way!
Will know on Sunday if the design works  :)

LambdaMikel

Happy Birthday, LambdaSpeak 3!
Happy to say (and a bit proud too, I must admit  :) ) that it worked out of the box, first time!

A couple more firmware updates, and it is ready to ship. I'll post a video soon.

So, after all, this project is FINALLY coming to an end, after 2 years of work.

robcfg

Nice!


Can it change the lights as it speaks Knight Rider style?  ;D

LambdaMikel

That's not possible unfortunately... the right bar is just databus latched, and the left status display is controlled by the CPLD, not the MCU.

XeNoMoRPH

your amstrad news source in spanish language : https://auamstrad.es

LambdaMikel

Thank you all!

I have the parts and capacity to build ~6 of these
(4 are already promised / allocated to other people).

In case anybody is interested in purchasing LS 3.0:

       
  • if you already own the text to speech daugherboard, the overall price INCLUDING SHIPPING is 50 $ (USD).
  • if you need the daughterboard, which costs 40 $, then the overall price including shipping is 90 $ (USD).
Please PM me if you are interested.


I will also publish the firmware and Gerbers for those that miss this opportunity. 

I will also assemble a DSK file that contains all the LS 3.0 and LambdaDrum programs shown in the videos, including the PCM samples for the drums etc.

With that being said, this is the end of this thread and also the end of the other threads about LambdaSpeak. Hope you don't mind that I'll also post this info in the other thread.

Thanks for your interest and CU in another thread,

Yours

LambdaMikel

PS No, not an April Fools' Day joke  :D

LambdaMikel

#386
Small update:

LS 3.0 now also has a serial interface on board, and new control bytes / commands have been added to the firmware, for high speed buffered serial communication. Different baud rates up to 250 k baud, parity, width, stop bits, all configurable. Easy to program, non-blocking IO. Tested with Emic 2 USART speech synthesizer; more tests to come tonight.

The new LS comes with a 4-pin serial header (VCC, GND, TX, RX) to which any standards serial USART device can be connected.

Shipping starts in 2 weeks (provided the redesigned PCB works).

The ATmega is almost full now... of the 64 KBs Flash ROM, I have like 512 bytes or the like left, so this project is finally *really* coming to an end  :D  (Compare this to the Mega Booster, which had 2/3rds of the ATmega flash ROM free... not saying that this makes it "better", but the reason for this is mainly that > 32 KBs are already consumed by the DECtalk / Epson firmware image for the speech synthesizer chip).


Another update to the board is - possibility to route audio output back into the CPC, for internal speaker. 2 more DIP switches for left / right channel routing.

LambdaMikel

Quote from: LambdaMikel on 20:49, 11 April 19
Small update:

LS 3.0 now also has a serial interface on board, and new control bytes / commands have been added to the firmware, for high speed buffered serial communication. Different baud rates up to 250 k baud, parity, width, stop bits, all configurable. Easy to program, non-blocking IO. Tested with Emic 2 USART speech synthesizer; more tests to come tonight.
Here is the bi-directional USART / serial test with the Emic 2 and BASIC terminal program:

https://youtu.be/ZLmwrpQ0wn8

LambdaMikel

... and a last test, this time with Amstrad NC100 Terminal:


https://youtu.be/uKeZEkyIqtg

This is using the

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GP9SLCH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

that had arrived in the meantime. Signal quality is good; the standard DB9 serial cable is 10 foot, and not glitches.

GUNHED

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)


LambdaMikel

Happy to announce that LS 3.0 will also come with RTC support - the 4 $


DS3231 module


https://www.ebay.com/itm/DS3231-AT24C32-IIC-Precision-Real-Time-Clock-RTC-Memory-Module-for-Arduino-USA/382781644430?epid=10014451982&hash=item591f905e8e:g:UiEAAOSwUnJcYdme


can be plugged in at the back.


This gives you a battery buffered RTC with calendar, temperature sensor, and of course the ability to get and set date and time from the CPC, in addition to a speaking clock function. Alarms are not supported.


I'll post a video tonight.


GUNHED

WoW! Now LS3 is a real multi-expansion!  :) :) :)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

LambdaMikel

... I promise that was the last feature. The ATmega is full now.

zhulien

Quote from: LambdaMikel on 19:33, 17 April 19
Happy to announce that LS 3.0 will also come with RTC support - the 4 $


I think I will pick the mp3 though over the clock. They both go in the same port right?  Which I wonder is this possible...  Aside from setting the time, it is mostly read.  To play mp3 it is always written.  If the clock can be set with commands that are ignored by the mp3, can they both exist together somehow?

GUNHED

Actually time for a multi-RTC management tool for CP/M Plus.  :P
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

LambdaMikel

#396
Quote from: zhulien on 10:27, 18 April 19

I think I will pick the mp3 though over the clock. They both go in the same port right?  Which I wonder is this possible...  Aside from setting the time, it is mostly read.  To play mp3 it is always written.  If the clock can be set with commands that are ignored by the mp3, can they both exist together somehow?
No, they don't - you can have MP3 and RTC at the same time.
MP3 is UART, and RTC + Calendar + Temperature Sensor is I2C. So they don't clash.

Here is the video:


https://youtu.be/5vfmYaa_OPY
The video only shows the "talking clock" and how to read the temperature via INP; obviously, you can also retrieve hours, minutes, seconds, and year, month, day, and weekyday in a similar way. And the calendar data can also be set in the same way as shown for the time.

So, for applications - yes, you can write an alarm clock that wakes you up to MP3 music. With the caveat that the CPC needs to stay on which is probably not what you want.
It would be nice if LS 3 could "bootstrap" the CPC - the RTC module has an alarm pin. Upon alarm it sets the pin high. This closes a relay. The relay turns on the CPC. The CPC has a ROM that then checks if the Alarm condition is met - and sends the "MP3 play music" command over UART...  :D You know: 


https://youtu.be/WjX1jU9pQeY
I am not going for this currently though  ;D



GUNHED

Temperature sensor is great, then we can see when to take a break  :laugh:
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

LambdaMikel

Quote from: GUNHED on 15:37, 18 April 19
Temperature sensor is great, then we can see when to take a break  :laugh:
My break starts right now... one more edit to the PCB and done  :)

LambdaMikel

The headers for I2C and UART are on board.
The MP3 and RTC boards will be mounted on the back of the LS.

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