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Conference 7.286::atarist

Title:Atari ST, TT, & Falcon
Notice:Please read note 1.0 and its replies before posting!
Moderator:FUNYET::ANDERSON
Created:Mon Apr 04 1988
Last Modified:Tue May 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1433
Total number of notes:10312

628.0. "DECTALK on the Atari" by COMICS::DSMMGR () Tue Oct 10 1989 07:44

    
    
    Hi folks,
    
    I have the loan of a DECTALK box and I am very keen to know how
    I can hook it up to my atari in the best way. The idea of sticking
    it on the printer port was my initial reaction, but really this
    is a first for me so I would very much appreciate the benefit of
    other peoples experience. Has anyone else got a DECTALK hooked up
    to the atari and if so how and what are they using it for ??
    
    
    Any responses are much appreciated
    
    Thanks.
    
    Jonathan
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
628.1Serial port onlyPRNSYS::LOMICKAJJeff LomickaTue Oct 10 1989 14:228
Unless you want to take it apart and do some reallyt serious hacking,
the only reasonable way to attach a DECTalk to an Atari is via the
serial port.  The serial line is the only interface a DECTalk has.

Do you have the manuals for the DECTalk?  You'll need them. I might
have some spares.  Which model do you have, the modem-rack one, or the
one that looks like a VT240?
628.2No I don't fancy a serious hack <8-|COMICS::DSMMGRTue Oct 10 1989 15:2016
    I have access to some manuals but don't have them to take away.
    
    Do I infer from your reply that you have/had such a beast connected
    to your machine ?? 'Mine' is the DTC01 and it looks like the base
    of a vt240. Is this good or bad ???? 8-).
    
    Not being an atari programmer but having GFA Basic, how do I open
    the serial port to shove data out to it ? do I have to have any
    special cables ??
    
    Thanks for your response Jeff, it is much appreciated.
    
    Best regards,
    
    
    Jonathan.
628.3More informationPRNSYS::LOMICKAJJeff LomickaTue Oct 10 1989 19:2228
Actually, I do not have a DECTalk, but I work right next door to the
group that designed it, and am reasonably familiar with, conceptually,
how to work it.  (I have their latest product (DECVoice, a Q-bus
module) installed in my workstation.)

The typical installation of a DECTalk it to place it between your VAX
computer (or modem) and your DEC terminal.  The DECTalk will pass most
data directly across from host to terminal, but will interpret some
escape sequences itself and use them to "say" things.

In your configuration, you hook the Atari sreial port to the "host"
port of the DECTalk (the one labelled "comm.", according to my pocket
guide), and leave the terminal port (the one with a picture of a TV set
above it.) unconnected.  This *should* require a "null modem cable",
which is the typical female-female 25-pin cables that you find around
DEC.

I don't know how to use GFA Basic for anything, so I can't help you
there.  You could, however, start with running an ordinary terminal
emulator and sending it data that way.

Once you figure out how to send it things, I think that you want to
send it a CHR$(27)+"P0;12;1z"+CHR$(27)+"\".  If I interpreted my pocket
guid correctly, it should then speak everything you send to it after that.

If you want to get fancy and use it to control the telephone line, you
will have to read the manuals a bit.
628.4thanxCOMICS::DSMMGRFri Oct 13 1989 07:255
    Thank you very much Jeff.
    
    
    Jonathan