I just found an odd VIC 20 item and was wondering if anyone had any info on it. It's a plain black unlabled VIC 20 cart case with a an RCA style phono plug on it and two small holes for access to two potentiometers. Opening the case reaveals a cicuit board labeled SPEAKEASY - C
It also has a standard VIC rf adapter with an extra phono cable attached that connects to the phono plug on the cart. The cable looks homemade.
I have no software for it.
Thanks!
VIC 20 Speakeasy cart
Either a voice synth cart or a fake cart for smuggling liquor!
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DisplacedCracker
- Vic 20 Newbie
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Living a couple of miles from one of Al Capones alleged old speakeasy clubs, I thought that was a hoot.Either a voice synth cart or a fake cart for smuggling liquor!
I figured it was a speech synth, I was hoping someone else had one so I could see if it required software. I don't even remeber seeing ads for this thing back in the day.
DC
There were actually several companies that made voice synth carts for the VIC. I think they all used the same voice synth chip and had similar designs. In, fact, they weren't as much cartridges as they were peripherals. With an adaptor that changed the cartridge's edge connector to the more narrow pitch of the C64, the cartridge could be used on the C64.
As for speakeasies. I work alongside some of the government archaeologists in my office. Late last year they were monitoring some digging being done in a provincial park (for the installation of a culvert or something). When the backhoe dug into the ground it uncovered a cache of liquor bottles from the early 20th c. (prohibition time?) when a lot of smuggling was going on between Canada and the US. The bottles were still sealed with wax (they had been re-used) and contiained their original contents (haven't been opened yet). Very cool. This was from an area on lake ontario where there was a lot of booze smuggling going on.
As for speakeasies. I work alongside some of the government archaeologists in my office. Late last year they were monitoring some digging being done in a provincial park (for the installation of a culvert or something). When the backhoe dug into the ground it uncovered a cache of liquor bottles from the early 20th c. (prohibition time?) when a lot of smuggling was going on between Canada and the US. The bottles were still sealed with wax (they had been re-used) and contiained their original contents (haven't been opened yet). Very cool. This was from an area on lake ontario where there was a lot of booze smuggling going on.
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Schema
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orion70
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Upping an old thread because I just bought a Protecto voice synthesizer in ebay, and googling around I found that it may be the above mentioned "speakeasy - c" cart:
From http://www.evg2000.com/html/Commodore_Vic_20.htm
external view
internals
I cannot see any RCA plug though.
More pictures as soon as I receive mine.
From http://www.evg2000.com/html/Commodore_Vic_20.htm
external view
internals
I cannot see any RCA plug though.
More pictures as soon as I receive mine.
