votrax

Sep 16, 2026 unix v6 research-unix basic pdp-11 opensimh votrax
V6 Speaks! in OpenSIMH: Reconstructing the Votrax Speech Synthesizer Endpoint.
Research UNIX V6 speaks again.

After getting the old VT01 graphics path working under OpenSIMH, I went back to another piece of Bell Labs hardware support still present in the sources: the Votrax speech interface.

The path now works end to end:

Research UNIX V6 speak
- historical pronunciation rules
- /dev/vs
- original V6 Votrax driver behavior
- reconstructed Votrax/SC-01A synthesis
- modern audio output
The UNIX side remains historical: speak emits its native Votrax byte stream, including the original phoneme numbering and inflection bits, while the simulator handles the hardware realization.

This is what speaks:
```
echo 'all your base are belong to us. Research Unix V6 is speaking aloud
in 2026' | /bin/speak
```
Listen:
Your browser does not support the audio element.
Code, historical sources, reconstruction notes, and tested procedures:

https://github.com/decuser/v6vtvs

It is gloriously mechanical, a little difficult to understand, and very recognizably Votrax.

post added 2026-09-16 14:51:00 -0500