[Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players
Greg Kearney
gkearney at gmail.com
Tue Feb 16 07:05:33 UTC 2010
MacOS and linuxas well
Sent from my iPhone
Greg Kearney
Association for the Blind of Western Australia
On 16/02/2010, at 12:54 PM, "Lynn Evans" <evans-lynn at comcast.net> wrote:
> 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
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> Dtb-talk mailing list
>>>>>>>>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
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>>
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