Dectalk Express synthesizer question

Alex Snow alex_snow at gmx.net
Tue Apr 28 10:51:14 EDT 2009


>From what I remember, some of the Dectalk Expresses use MMJ (a 
proprietary Dec connecter) for their serial port.  You need to find 
mmj->db9 cable...I'm looking for one of these at the moment for my 
VAXstation 3100, which uses the same type of connecter, and they seem 
a little hard to find.  You can grab an MMJ patch cable from Blackbox, 
and try and find a db-9 to mmj adapter on ebay or the like which is 
what I will probably end up doing.
On Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 10:41:23PM 
-0600, Cory Martin wrote:
>             Hello listers,
> 
>             I am relatively new to Linux and am just beginning my journey in
> to it and am looking at aquiring a hardware synthesizer which will be
> suitable.  In fact my first task is to try and get the System Rescue CD
> distribution talking, as I start a new job as a hardware tech in a week and
> a half or so and really need some kind of hardware diagnostics tool at my
> disposal.  As this is compiled with Speakup included I thought it would be
> perfect, except that it doesn't support the Keynote Gold SA speech
> synthesizer which is what I have.  So now I'm looking for a nice cheap used
> Dectalk Express synthesizer and am fortunate enough to have found one on an
> online auction.  The synthesizer is being sold by some bulk electronics
> dealer who I believe aquires used items and pushes them back out as online
> auctions, however my problem is that the Dectalk Express I'm buying comes
> iwth nothing except itself.  No cables, no adaptor, no disks, no manual,
> nothing, and its not even garanteed to be working, so obviously its quite a
> risk.  However paying $50 including shipping is far preferable to be then
> spending hundreds for another Dectalk even if I could find one, however I am
> wondering if anyone can tell me what I need?  I read somewhere that the
> Serial cable for the Dectalk is proprietary thus I would run in to a real
> snag finding one, can anyone confirm this?  Or does it use just your
> standard 9-pin male/female or 25-pin male/female serial connector?  Also the
> adapter...can anyone tell me if 12 volts, 400-500 MA regulated current
> sounds right?  Can anyone tell me what type of connector size it uses or if
> the center is positive or negative?  I'm assuming that the center is
> posative.  I realize this is off topic from Speakup directly however I
> really need help and figured that someone on this list would likely still be
> using a Dectalk Express and would be technical enough to be able to answer
> my questions.  Also if anyone has the manual and could forward it to me off
> list that would be awesome as I can't find it online anywhere it seems.  I
> really would appreciate a speedy reply as I pretty much have a day and a
> half before this item is no longer available and I need to decide by them if
> I should snag it or if I would be banging my head against the wall by the
> week's end trying to find appropriate cables and such for it.
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Cory
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
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-- 
/*
 * Oops. The kernel tried to access some bad page. We'll have to
 * terminate things with extreme prejudice.
*/
die_if_kernel("Oops", regs, error_code);
	-- From linux/arch/i386/mm/fault.c



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