[Dtb-talk] The Physical Cartridges themselves?

[Jim Barbour]

No, no iphone player for NLS books.

Various rumors say that NLS might be working on something, but nobody
knows if it's true nor when such a thing might be released.

Jim

On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 07:47:36PM -0400, Dornetta wrote:
> Hello all:
> I have been monitoring this convo for a while and would like to ask...does
> NLS has a app for the iPhone?
> I find that while enjoying books via the DTBM is a +, it becomes a nuisence
> when travel is thrown into the mix. :-( I am saying that this is an "bad"
> concept or thing but useing the VR Stream/DTBM vs. the iPhone allows for
> more portibility. What a great concept if this was possible :-)
> Netta
> "Just because you are blind, does not mean you lack vision"-Stevie Wonder
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynn Evans" <evans-lynn at comcast.net>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 2:28 PM
> 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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