Software Automatic Mouth
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 Atari 400/800 cover for Software Automatic Mouth | |
| Original author(s) | Mark Barton[1] |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Don’t Ask Software |
| Initial release | 1982 |
| Platform | Non-Macintosh Apple computers (including the Apple II, and the Lisa), various Atari models, and the Commodore 64. |
| Type | speech synthesis program |
Software Automatic Mouth, or SAM, is a speech synthesis program for the early personal computers; developed and sold by Don’t Ask Software. The program was available for non-Macintosh Apple computers (including the Apple II, and the Lisa), various Atari models, and the Commodore 64. Prices ranged from about USD$50 to $200. The Apple version prefers additional hardware that contains DACs, although it can instead use the computer's one-bit audio output (with the addition of much distortion) if the card is not present. The Atari makes use of the embedded POKEY audio chip. Speech playback on the Atari normally disables interrupt requests and shuts down the ANTIC chip during vocal output. The audible output is extremely distorted speech when graphic and text display is turned on. The Commodore 64 makes use of the 64's embedded SID audio chip.
SAM, released in 1982, is the first commercial all-software voice-synthesis program. It was later used as the basis for Macintalk.[1]
SAM was featured in the online game Peasant's Quest, a parody of 1980s adventure games from Homestar Runner, where it was used to produce the speech of the ending boss Trogdor.
References
- ^ a b It Sure Is Great To Get Out Of That Bag!, Author: Andy Hertzfeld, Date: January 1984, Folklore.org
External links
- Speech Synthesizers for Atari and Apple — magazine review.
- Spelling.SAM — A BASIC spelling program for Atari.
- SAM manual — reproduction of the manual for the Atari version.
- Analysis of SAM — Translated version to C and executable for Windows.