[Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players

Mon Feb 15 22:55:07 UTC 2010

Yes we are using them in Western Australia on the east coast they use CDs.

We have found that we can use small USB SD card readers and plug VictorReader Stream SD cards into the NLS players and they will find the books even if there are several VR Stream folders on the card.

Gregory Kearney
Manager - Accessible Media
Association for the Blind of Western Australia
61 Kitchener Avenue, PO Box 101
Victoria Park 6979, WA Australia

Telephone: +61 (08) 9311 8202
Telephone: +1 (307) 224-4022 (North America)
Fax: +61 (08) 9361 8696
Toll free: 1800 658 388 (Australia only)
Email: gkearney at gmail.com

On 16/02/2010, at 5:00 AM, James Aldrich wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> So are you folks in Australia using the cartridges as well?
> 
> I use a Victor Stream and the NLS Player and I'm very happy with both!  The player will last over 29 hours on a charge according to the information key where the stream lasts 15 hours on a good battery.  I think the battery in my stream could be going down now but I'll use it till I only get minutes on a charge.  I also like the tone quality of the player.
> 
> Jim Aldrich
> 
> the
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Kearney" <gkearney at gmail.com>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 12:44 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players
> 
> 
>> But we should remember who we are serving. OVer 80% of our clients here, and we are typical, are over the age of 70 many have lost their sight in the recent past and do not have either access to or even the means to obtain extensive rehabilitation. They will never be downloading books form the internet. They can not even handle SD cards well.
>> 
>> We use VictorReader Streams (Library Editions) here for some of our clients but other require a robust simple and loud player with simple controls.
>> 
>> While I have been known to be critical of some of the decisions the NLS made on the matter of the form factor of the drives and player I think they were right on the mark. We have been very happy with that aspect of the program that we adopted here.
>> 
>> Gregory Kearney
>> Manager - Accessible Media
>> Association for the Blind of Western Australia
>> 61 Kitchener Avenue, PO Box 101
>> Victoria Park 6979, WA Australia
>> 
>> Telephone: +61 (08) 9311 8202
>> Telephone: +1 (307) 224-4022 (North America)
>> Fax: +61 (08) 9361 8696
>> Toll free: 1800 658 388 (Australia only)
>> Email: gkearney at gmail.com
>> 
>> On 15/02/2010, at 3:21 PM, Rakesh Chand wrote:
>> 
>>> I suppose, with all the new technology people are generally looking for smaller compact gadgets so, we from the blindness community need to perhaps, catch-up. Let's forget about cassettes let's put our focus on MP-4 or MP-3 players USB-drives etc etc.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I personally can have a desk-top at home & I don't have one, because, I like to have something that is more mobile & more accessible. I'm really fancying to have a V-stream as currently, I've a Note-book but, my wife keeps reminding me how bulky the old V-stream looked like...
>>> 
>>> 
>>> So all in all, we blind folks need to be in the community rather than shying away... People who have vision fancy small compact stuff!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> But hey yes, Valerie has a point to be noted. Trust you all had a beautiful day!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Have a great evening!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Rakesh
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Valerie Lewis" <vlewis at suffolk.lib.ny.us>
>>> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Tim Gillett" <tim.gillett at optusnet.com.au>
>>> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 6:28 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Aditionally, the National Library Service program is designed for people
>>>> with physical disabilities who cannot hold a book or turn pages. The
>>>> cartridges can be used more easily than the microscopic electronics that
>>>> are commercially available. People with dexterity problems can
>>>> grab/grasp/hold the NLS cartridges and can use the larger buttons on the
>>>> NLS DTB machine.
>>>> 
>>>> Valerie
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Mon, Feb 15, 2010, Tim Gillett <tim.gillett at optusnet.com.au> said:
>>>> 
>>>>> David wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> "NLS does not provide blank cartridges or thumb drives.
>>>>> They are in the business of providing books preloaded on cartridges
>>>>> - in the way that they have provided cassettes."
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yes it's easy to forget the whole purpose of the NLS larger cartridge housing
>>>>> is to make it easy for the Print handicapped to read books.
>>>>> 
>>>>> One of the downsides of the miniaturisation of electronics has been its effect on the blind.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The compact cassette was still reasonably large enough for easy use by the blind.  Whereas
>>>>> on the modern flash card there is usually not enough room  for adequate braille or printed labelling
>>>>> for example, let alone reliably inserting such small media into a player.
>>>>> And what if the blind person drops a tiny memory card? How do they find it again?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Similarly players with tiny control buttons and tiny screens  make them almost impossible to use,
>>>>> especially for the elderly blind.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I came across this many times with the blind here in WA when cassettes were the current format
>>>>> and here in WA. but clients had to find their own cassette player.
>>>>> The old "shoebox" cassette player with its large piano key operation was fairly easy for most blind to use.
>>>>> But once it started to disappear from the market and was replaced by smaller, more fiddly Walkmans
>>>>> the blind struggled to use these players.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm pleased to see the designers of the NLS player specified a largish cartridge
>>>>> even though it only contains a small memory stick inside. This is practical for the blind,
>>>>> however antiquated and "uncool" it might appear by sighted people's standards.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Similarly it's pleasing in the NLS DTB to see other features carried over from the old TBC1 players
>>>>> such as internal speaker, rechargeable battery, variable speed control, automatic power down etc.
>>>>> 
>>>>> It's important we stay real and remember  the many blind people in their homes who have to use these devices.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Tim Gillett
>>>>> Audio/Electronics Technician
>>>>> Perth, Western Australia
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -- 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>> 
>> 
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> 
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