[Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Sat Jul 30 20:13:23 UTC 2011 

True enough. However, I've tried to download the latest firmware and the
zipfile wasn't complete. I informed someone at NLS but nada happened. Ah
well.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Ray Foret Jr
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 12:45 PM
To: Discussion of Digital Talking Books
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?

When you put the cartridge in to the machine it will detect whether or not
it needs to be updated.  IF so, the machine will update itself from the
firmware on the cartridge.  OF course, as I'm sure you know, getting the new
firmware via cartridge is not the only way to get it.


Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!

Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!

Skype name:
barefootedray

Facebook:
facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1



On Jul 30, 2011, at 2:31 PM, Mike Freeman wrote:

> If the firmware is on the cartridges, how come we have the capability 
> to update the firmware?
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On Behalf Of Lynn Evans
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 11:29 AM
> To: Discussion of Digital Talking Books
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?
> 
> I would think NLS has a few more patrons then you do Down Under.
> 
> Also you have a central location and NLS has regional libraries spread 
> throughout the 50 states.
> 
> Not only are the cartridges right protected, according to my library 
> here in Florida each cartridge with a book has the firmware on it for 
> the NLS player.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Kearney" <gkearney at gmail.com>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 12:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?
> 
> 
>> Well as I said we went a different rout here. We assigned the 
>> cartridge to
> 
>> the user and not the book. We then developed software that reads the 
>> unique serial number tied to each cartridge and then erases and lads 
>> that users next set of books.
>> 
>> This achieves several things:
>> 
>> 1. No book is ever "put of stock" as we do not store copies on a self 
>> but rather on a server.
>> 2. We need only about 2 cartridges per user this reducing the number 
>> of cartridge required.
>> 3. We reduce the number of packages that go out in the mails by 
>> putting several books on a drive.
>> 4. We no longer need a big room filled up with shelves for books.
>> 
>> As a result our drives are not write protected and as of yet that has 
>> never been an issue for us.
>> 
>> Gregory Kearney | Manager Accessible Media Association for the Blind 
>> of WA - Guide Dogs WA PO Box 101, Victoria Park WA 6979 | 61 
>> Kitchener Ave, Victoria Park WA
>> 6100
>> Tel: 08 9311 8246 | Fax: 08 9361 8696 | www.guidedogswa.com.au
>> Tel: 307-224-4022 (North America)
>> Email: greg.kearney at guidedogswa.com.au
>> Email: gkearney at gmail.com
>> 
>> On 30/07/2011, at 11:50 AM, Lynn Evans wrote:
>> 
>>> Please allow me to chime or clang in on this subject.
>>> 
>>> The cartridges are indeed flash drives in a different form that is 
>>> in a cartridge with a big finger hole on one end and the USB 
>>> connector on the other end.
>>> 
>>> The cable used to connect a blank cartridge to the computer is a 
>>> standard
> 
>>> USB extension cable. The cable will be able to connect one end to 
>>> the other end like a necklace. I have been told these cables can be 
>>> found in the Dollar Store for you guessed it a dollar.
>>> 
>>> NLS did not choose to use flash drives or even smaller flash cards 
>>> because of the dexterity issues that some patrons would have with 
>>> working
> 
>>> with small objects.
>>> 
>>> The use of a flash card reader along with a flash card is 
>>> problematic at best. NLS has recommended during the BARD pilot 
>>> phrase that flash cards not be used with the NLS digital players. 
>>> Some may have reported some success in their use. Others have 
>>> reported slow access of data transfer from card to player causing the
player to loose its place in the book.
>>> 
>>> It is a waist of human resources and librarian's time for them to 
>>> sit at a computer all day erasing cartridges and then replacing the
files with
>>> newly requested books from NLS patrons.   NLS has contracted with a 
>>> company to load books, mass produce books and ship them out to our 
>>> regional libraries. Like the audio cassettes the cartridges are kept 
>>> in their blue shipping boxes ready to be pulled off the library shelves,
>>> affixed with the patron's address card and mailed out.   What would be 
>>> the point of fixing the cartridges so they can not be erased only to 
>>> have
> 
>>> the librarians replace the books with other books on the same cartridge?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Kearney" 
>>> <gkearney at gmail.com>
>>> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, July 29, 2011 3:18 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> It would be possible to build an SD card reader into the housing of 
>>>> a NSL Drive. We have considered building such a thing but right now 
>>>> the drives are less expensive and you have to have a really BIG 
>>>> order to justify all the plastic production work.
>>>> 
>>>> Gregory Kearney | Manager Accessible Media Association for the 
>>>> Blind of WA - Guide Dogs WA PO Box 101, Victoria Park WA 6979 | 61 
>>>> Kitchener Ave, Victoria Park WA
>>>> 6100
>>>> Tel: 08 9311 8246 | Fax: 08 9361 8696 | www.guidedogswa.com.au
>>>> Tel: 307-224-4022 (North America)
>>>> Email: greg.kearney at guidedogswa.com.au
>>>> Email: gkearney at gmail.com
>>>> 
>>>> On 30/07/2011, at 1:31 AM, Eric SS wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Paul, good question. It would be interesting.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I was just wondering why the blank cartridges we can buy are 
>>>>> limited to
> 
>>>>> 1 or
>>>>> 2GB. Also, why couldn't there be an empty cartridge so that we 
>>>>> could insert an SD card of whatever capacity.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Curious minds keep us from getting work done...
>>>>> 
>>>>> Eric SS
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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