[Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?

Jim Barbour jbar at barcore.com
Sat Jul 30 23:32:34 UTC 2011 

I downloaded the NLS dtb firmware yesterday with no problems.

You may want to try again.

Jim

On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 01:13:23PM -0700, Mike Freeman wrote:
> 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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