Covox
{{Short description|American technology company}}
{{Redirect|SRT, Inc.|other uses|SRT (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox company
| name=SRT, Inc.
| trade_name=Covox, Inc.
| logo=Covox logo.svg
| logo_upright=0.5
| logo_caption=Logo of Covox, Inc.
| industry={{ubl|Computer|Technology}}
| products=Speech Thing
| founder=Larry Stewart
| founded={{start date|1975}} in Southern California
| hq_location=Eugene, Oregon
| num_employees=25 (1994)
| defunct={{end date|1994|07}}
| fate=Dissolution
}}
SRT, Inc., doing business as Covox, Inc., was a small, privately owned{{cite journal | last=Cantwell | first=Brian J. | date=October 18, 1989 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-gadgets-command-performers/129197568/ | title=Gadgets command performers | journal=The Columbian | page=C1 | via=Newspapers.com}} American technology company active from 1975 to 1994. The company released a number of sound-generating devices for microcomputers and personal computers from the 1980s to the 1990s. They are perhaps best known for the Speech Thing, a digital-to-analog converter that plugs into a parallel port of the IBM Personal Computer. Covox was originally based in Southern California but moved their headquarters to Eugene, Oregon, in the early 1980s.
History
SRT, Inc., was founded by Larry Stewart in Southern California in 1975. Stewart had previously worked in the aerospace industry into the 1960s, where he got the idea for Av-Alarm, a sound-generating device intended to scare off birds from outside locations such as vegetable crops and vineyards.{{cite book | date=1993 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=koRPAAAAMAAJ | title=Virtual Reality Market Place | volume=1 | publisher=Meckler | via=Google Books}}{{cite journal | last=Hall | first=Don Alan | date=March 2, 1987 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/corvallis-gazette-times-some-high-tech-f/129197624/ | title=Some high-tech firms think small | journal=Corvallis Gazette-Times | page=A4 | via=Newspapers.com}} SRT relocated to Eugene, Oregon, in 1982, Stewart finding Oregon to be a cheaper state in which to conduct his business. Around this time, he hired his sons Mike Stewart and Brad Stewart to manage the company.{{cite journal | last=Wihtol | first=Christian | date=July 14, 1994 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/377720656/ | title=Eugene's Covox Inc. hits the skids | journal=The Register-Guard | page=1 | via=ProQuest}} Together they established Covox, Inc., a subsidiary of SRT, in 1982; this subsidiary was dedicated to audio products for microcomputers and personal computers and soon after subsumed the SRT name.{{cite journal | last=Shannon | first=Tad | date=October 15, 1992 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/377738972/ | title=The Local Software Industry Is Thriving: Programmed for Growth | journal=The Register-Guard | page=1 | via=ProQuest}} Brad Stewart, named the company's vice president, was responsible for the development all of Covox's products.{{cite journal | last=Shannon | first=Tad | date=October 5, 1993 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/377684393/ | title='Voice recognition' will let computer operators... just say it | journal=The Register-Guard | page=1 | via=ProQuest}} Covox's first product was released in 1984; called the Voice Master, it was a low-cost speech-synthesis board for the Commodore 64, intended for business and education.{{cite journal | last=Bergheim | first=Kim | date=August 13, 1984 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GS8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41 | title=Micros Pick Up Their Ears | journal=InfoWorld | publisher=IDG Publications | volume=6 | issue=33 | pages=39–41 | via=Google Books}}{{rp|41}} A successor to this device, the Voice Master II, was released in 1990.{{cite journal | last=Wright | first=Charles | author2=Erik Strom | date=August 5, 1990 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-heat-stroke-in-computers/129204417/ | title=Heat stroke in computers does not compute | journal=The Fresno Bee | page=D4 | via=Newspapers.com}} By mid-1987, sales of Covox products represented 85 percent of SRT's total sales.
File:Covox Speech Thing.jpg from 1987]]
In late 1987, Covox released the Speech Thing, a simple digital-to-analog converter that plugs into a parallel port of the IBM Personal Computer (and compatibles). It was the first sound device for the IBM PC capable of playing digital audio samples. The Speech Thing initially sold poorly but later found widespread adoption among video game developers and multimedia software authors. Disney Interactive later licensed the technology behind the Speech Thing for their own peripheral, the Disney Sound Source.{{cite book | last=Lendino | first=Jamie | date=2023 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7hdlEAAAQBAJ | title=Starflight: How the PC and DOS Exploded Computer Gaming, 1987–1994 | publisher=Steel Gear Press | page=168 | isbn=9781957932019 | via=Google Books}}{{cite web | last=Edwards | first=Benj | date=February 25, 2016 | url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/when-sound-came-on-a-card-7-classic-pc-sound-upgrades | title=When Sound Came on a Card: 7 Classic PC Sound Upgrades | work=PCMag | publisher=Ziff-Davis | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418124836/https://www.pcmag.com/news/when-sound-came-on-a-card-7-classic-pc-sound-upgrades | archivedate=April 18, 2021}} In 1989, Covox released the Sound Master, a full-fledged sound card based on General Instrument's AY-3-8910 programmable sound generator. It was capable of producing three-voice polyphonic music, unlike the Speech Thing, as well as digital sound effects. The Sound Master sold poorly and lacked the widespread support from software developers that the Speech Thing enjoyed, however. They followed up the Sound Master with the Voice Master Key, a voice recognition suite for IBM PCs and compatibles comprising a specialized sound card, speakers, a microphone, and software.{{cite journal | last=Grad | first=Peter | date=September 3, 1990 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-look-ma-no-hands-just-tal/129197521/ | title=Look, ma, no hands – just talk to it | journal=The Record | page=September 3, 1990 | via=Newspapers.com}}
Between May and September 1989, Covox leased a 17,000-square-foot airplane hangar at the Pearson Airpark in Vancouver, Washington, in order to raise more manufacturing lines beyond their Eugene offices.{{cite journal | last=Levy | first=Doug | date=May 26, 1989 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-eugene-computer-firm-explo/129182485/ | title=Eugene computer firm explores Pearson lease | journal=The Columbian | page=C9 | via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite journal | date=July 18, 1989 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-council-oks-business-for-a/129212266/ | title=Council OKs business for airpark site | journal=The Columbian | page=A3 | via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite journal | date=September 6, 1989 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-city-seeks-to-evict-helico/129212243/ | title=City seeks to evict helicopter firm from airpark | journal=The Columbian | page=A2 | via=Newspapers.com}} By 1992, the company employed 23 people, generated $3 million in annual revenue, and had opened an international subsidiary, with a regional office in London. Founder Larry Stewart had retired to Vancouver, Washington, by 1992, leaving his sons as the sole owners of the company.{{cite journal | last=Shannon | first=Tad | date=April 1, 1993 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/377678559/ | title=Software industry experiences rapid growth | journal=The Register-Guard | page=1 | via=ProQuest}} The Stewart family found themselves strapped for cash to expand Covox, but in late 1992 they found an investment company, Sound Trends, Inc., who were willing to invest capital in the company in exchange for a 60-percent controlling interest in Covox. Larry Stewart later alleged that Sound Trends had spent the company's money frivolously, citing a failed advertising campaign costing upwards of $250,000 as an example of this.
Covox's last two years were plagued with lawsuits. In September 1993, Creative Technology sued Covox for alleged trademark infringement of their Sound Blaster line with Covox's Voice Blaster voice-synthesis software.{{cite journal | last=Rohrbough | first=Linda | date=September 14, 1993 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A14814385/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Creative sues Covox over name of voice product | journal=Newsbytes | publisher=The Washington Post Company | via=Gale}} Creative won a settlement against Covox in January 1994.{{cite journal | last=Freedman | first=Beth | date=January 10, 1994 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A15019602/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Sounding an accord | journal=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=11 | issue=1 | page=115 | via=Gale}} A bevy of Covox's creditors followed suit with lawsuits of their own, including Interactive Products, who co-developed Covox's software; Box Maker and Admiral Printing, who printed and assembled Covox's product boxes and brochures; CMP Publications, who ran advertisements for Covox's products; and more. Amid massive debt to creditors, Covox laid off all remaining 25 employees in July 1994 and exited their Eugene headquarters from which they were evicted.{{cite journal | date=August 1, 1994 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A16173628/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Covox shuts down, but vows to reopen | journal=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=11 | issue=30 | page=119 | via=Gale}} Covox promised to open their doors again after their financial situation was sorted out; however, a revival never came to fruition.
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
Category:1975 establishments in California
Category:1982 disestablishments in California
Category:1982 establishments in Oregon
Category:1994 disestablishments in Oregon
Category:American companies established in 1975
Category:American companies disestablished in 1994
Category:Computer companies established in 1975
Category:Computer companies disestablished in 1994
Category:Defunct computer companies of the United States