VoiceBox Shield

Retired Product

This is a retired product. There is an updated version available: DEV-10661

 Replacement:DEV-10661. The new revision of this board includes a 3.5mm audio jack which makes it easier to connect your VoiceBox Shield to a speaker or other audio output. This page is for reference only.

The VoiceBox Shield can be mounted on top of your Arduino USB Board or Pro, to give it access to all capabilities of the SpeakJet voice and sound synthesizer. The Voice Box Shield uses the SpeakJet chip to convert serial commands into a great robot-sounding voice.

Populated on the VoiceBox Shield are the 18-DIP SpeakJet IC and a two stage audio amplifier with a potentiometer to set the gain. You can connect a speaker directly to the ‘SPK+/-’ pins, and get your Arduino-bot talking with very minimal work!

You can control the SpeakJet through either its serial line, or the eight event input lines which are connected to digital pins 5-12. A 3-way jumper allows you to connect either the software (D2) or hardware (D1) TX pin of the Arduino to the SpeakJet’s serial input.

Also included on the shield are a 13x7 grid of 0.1" pitch through-holes for prototyping, the Arduino’s reset button. Headers are not included, we recommend the 6 and 8-pin stackable headers.

Documents:

• Schematic
• Example Code
• Quickstart Guide
• Listen to the SpeakJet! (YouTube)
• Talking Wireless Server Tutorial
• SpeakJet User’s Guide
• SpeakJet Dictionary
• Tutorial on adding the TTS256 text to speech IC to the shield
• Listen in MP3 Format as the VoiceBox Shield introduces itself

Replaces: DEV-09624