Need for Sound

[JavaRN]

I am desperately seeking a sound module for my Robonova, because I really want him to talk!! I found this module which appears to be interesting:

http://www.roguerobotics.com/products/electronics/ump3

Now the problem is that my ETX and my ERX connections are occupied with the bluetooth, which I cannot remove. Can I use the LCD port to connect this module? I know that there might be a communication problem because if I am not mistaken the LCD port communicates at 4800 while this module communicates at 9600. Is there a workaround for this issue?

Charles

[NovaOne]

I would buffer it with a small pic microcontroller.

The most elegant solution would be to see if a real whiz like i-bot (Richard, who I believe has hacked Atmel controller on the MR-C3024) could alter the LCD interpreter code to operate at a higher baud rate

[Bullit]

Looks like you may have to add an audio amp along with this also. The quadravox QV606 module has a 1.5W amp also

http://www.quadravox.com

[hivemind]

I checked the spec on the quadravox QV606 and it does support 4800 baud, so one ought to be able to use it on the LCD port. I haven't had the chance to test this myself though, but I know the quadravox's work well.

[NovaOne]

Quadravox QV306M1 was the Module fitted to a RN-1 in Robot Magazines issue 6. details on Page 82.

http://www.botmag.com/articles/01-18-06_Make_Your_Robotova-1_Speak.shtml

So I think hivemind and bullit's suggestions, are certainly easier.

Unless you have you heart set on the rogue robotics module?

Chris

P.S. I like the flexibility of the SD/MMC card

[JavaRN]

To tell you the truth I prefer the Rogue board since it has the SD card slot which makes it more flexible and fits more my purposes. NovaOne mentioned the connection with a PIC microcontroller, any ideas or diagrams please, I am not good in electronics and have no idea how to do electronics.

Charles

[NovaOne]

I'm working on my own 4x20 LCD module (this moment) to help me debug roboBASIC etc.
It's not much extra work to turn a display driver PIC controller into a one way 4800-9600 baud buffer.

I'll keep you posted Unless you get any better suggestions

[JavaRN]

Thanks NovaOne

[NovaOne]

I've been thinking, why spend $100US(£88 active robots UK) on the rogue robotics mp3 module when you can use any cheap (£10 exluding SD card) off the shelf mp3. I should still be able to interface to the 2400 baud LCD o/p to switch the [<], [<<], [>>] and volume [+], [-] buttons.
And think how small they are ...fit nicely in an RN

In fact I have an old Sitecom Cube SDcard mp3 that already has an old 16f84 pic connected to it.
I'll see if i can find it, and connect a 16F88 (built in UART) so i can play with it.

NB The rougue board has parallel interface as well, consisting of 10pins

Chris

[JavaRN]

I think that's an excellent idea, but what and how to solder wires to controls inside the mp3 player and then interface it with a PIC and then to RN (I think it has to be done through I2C)

Charles

[NovaOne]

The old Sitecom mp3 I've played with has 5 inputs Vol+, Vol-, Next Track, Previous Track, Play/pause/stop. To active any one of then just requires pulling that input to 0v for a fraction of a second.

This could almost be driven directly from spare MR-C3024 digital o/p's. A open collector transistor with a suitable base resistor should do the trick.

I suspect you want a better mp3 player than this so you can just skip to a specific track etc, but the comms is just one way, as long as your control program remembers the current track.

Why the need for I2C?

[JavaRN]

I'm still looking for a sound module . . . I found this:

http://www.active-robots.com/products/a ... eech.shtml

Charles

[NovaOne]

Sorry, I lost the plot a bit....
The SP03 looks perfect, its been mentioned a few times in Robonova forum.
Have you checked out the "It Speaks!" thread my Richard?

I take it all back......
I think I would use I2c to communicate with this module, after dabbling with I2c on the CMPS03 Compass.

I also like the Speech Recognition Kit, on the same page. Shame it isn't smaller.

Good luck
Chris

[Pev]

I'm still looking for a sound module . . . I found this:

http://www.active-robots.com/products/a ... eech.shtml

Charles

Hi

They are pretty cool and very easy to use although I have to say they are a bit quiet. I have one on a tracked robot and am thinking of adding an additional amp(space is a bit easier to find than on a biped). Haven't tried it on the RN-1 but may do now NovaOne seems to have cracked the I2C mysteries

Pev

[NovaOne]

I can't take credit for cracking i2c on RN, KurtE did that a while back.
I basically redigested George Coe's and KurtE code for single byte reads from the CMPS03
KurtE's routines were written for the SF10/08, so thet were much more complicated than needed for the compass. But I liked his byte shifting rountines better than the ones in the back of RN manual.
So I used George Coe's BasicStamp examples for the CMPS03 as my core code.
Anyway, I think the routines should work for the SP03.

Page 4 and 5 of the datasheet suggest that the following changes :
-warning this code is totally untested!
I2cAddr = &Hc4 'SP03 default address
FillSpeechBuffer:
GOSUB I2cStart 'Start sequence
I2cBuf = I2cAddr
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Send SP03 address
I2cBuf = 0
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Select Command Register
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Send NOP
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Max volume = Zero??
I2cBuf = &H05
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Speech Speed
I2cBuf = &H03
GOSUB I2cOutByte 'Speech Pitch
'** Followed by the ASCII characters (85 maximum) of the words you would like RN to say for example, Hello
I2cBuf = &H48 'H
GOSUB I2cOutByte
I2cBuf = &H65 'e
GOSUB I2cOutByte
I2cBuf = &H6C 'l
GOSUB I2cOutByte
I2cBuf = &H6C 'l
GOSUB I2cOutByte
I2cBuf = &H06F o
GOSUB I2cOutByte
I2cBuf = 0 'Nul
GOSUB I2cOutByte
GOSUB I2cStop
RETURN

The datasheet then seems to say that if you wish to speak the contents of the buffer, you send the SPKBUF command &H40

I2cAddr = &Hc4 'SP03 default address
I2cReg = 0 'Command Register
I2cData = &H40 'Speak Buffer command
GOSUB I2cByteWrite

Using the free configuration program you can load upto 30 predefined phrases into memory. This should play a phrase back:

I2cAddr = &Hc4 'SP03 default address
I2cReg = 0 'Command Register
I2cData = &H01 'Speak 1st predefined phrase
GOSUB I2cByteWrite

Sorry for any mistakes. I hope they don't give anyone too much of a headache.
Chris