[Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players

Tue Feb 16 04:54:52 UTC 2010

NLS books require that one unzip the books. The unzip feature does not 
reside on the stream but is part of the XP, VISTA, and Windows 7  OS.

There is a box in the companion to check "include zipped files"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: " Rob Tabor" <rob.tabor at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 11:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players

>I have the HumanWare companion package and don't remember seeing a zip or 
>unzip feature. This is news to me. Where do you find these features?
> Just curious
> Rob "RockChalk Jayhawk" Tabor
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lynn Evans" <evans-lynn at comcast.net>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 9:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players
>
>
>>I use the HumanWare companion software to unzip and transfer my books to 
>>flash drives and cartridges.
>>
>> ----- 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 5:55 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players
>>
>>
>>> 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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>>>>>>>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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