[Dtb-talk] NLS Digital Players

Tue Feb 16 13:48:34 UTC 2010

I have not found much that really needs the companion software, except for converting note files to MP# files. Windows has the zip and unzip utility built in. 

-----Original Message-----
From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rob Tabor
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 10:15 PM
To: Discussion of Digital Talking Books
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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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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