[Dtb-talk] digital player information

Lynn Evans evans-lynn at comcast.net
Thu Sep 22 02:24:11 UTC 2011 

Human/ware also designed the software for the NLS DTBM.

The Japanese company that makes the Plextalk Pocket also manufactures the 
NLS DTBM.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] digital player information


>I had the same problem with the same solution: I got another Stream 
>although it was under warranty so didn't have to pay. Had something on the 
>circuit board go bad once. However I still like the Stream best. Need I 
>remind all the Stream design had NFB input?
>
> Mike Freeman
> sent from my iPhone
>
>
> On Sep 21, 2011, at 8:24, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>
>> I did also have a headphone jack go bad on me, on a Stream. 
>> Unfortunately, the jack is soldered directly to the circuit board, so it 
>> isn't easy or cheap to fix, I ended up buying another.  As I recall, 
>> there were some bad jacks near the beginning of the Stream as well.
>>
>> Also, I may have accidently contributed to the problem, so I tell you 
>> this as a way of providing some advice.  If you use an earphone that has 
>> a right angle plug, that is it comes out from the jack, and takes a 90 
>> degree turn, then depending on how you grip the Stream when you turn it 
>> on, you may be pushing the power button on one side, and against the 
>> earphone plug on the other side.  They are pretty much across from each 
>> other, so this is a natural grip, but probably puts undue pressure on 
>> jack, hastening its demise.  So, now, when I turn on the stream I make 
>> sure I am touching the machine, not the headphone plug.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 10:37 PM 9/20/2011, you wrote:
>>> Hi again!
>>>
>>> A number of persons had the earphone jack on the Stream stop working. 
>>> My particular stream had this same problem with the microphone jack.  I 
>>> think I got a new or reconditioned stream for half price since mine was 
>>> out of warranty!  I have the executive products cases for both my book 
>>> Port Plus and the Victor Reader stream!  The volume for the internal 
>>> speaker on the Book Port Plus is louder than the stream but I use ear 
>>> buds or headphones with either device.  I'm very happy with both 
>>> players.  I do like the USB charge capability on the Book Port Plus.  I 
>>> don't need to take the adapter with me since the USB stuff is used with 
>>> my cell phone as well.  One must carry the adapter with the stream!  I 
>>> think they are both fine machines.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
>>> To: "'Discussion of Digital Talking Books'" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 9:03 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] digital player information
>>>
>>>
>>>> Steve:
>>>>
>>>> I concur that the voices (Paul and Kate) on the BookSense 
>>>> text-to-speech
>>>> function are far easier to listen to than on other players. I also 
>>>> concur,
>>>> unfortunately, that the software is a bit sloppy at times. I had the 
>>>> problem
>>>> of a HIMS device charging intermittently but it was a BrailleSense 
>>>> Plus, not
>>>> a BookSense, and it turned out to be the adaptor, not the BS Plus 
>>>> itself.
>>>> Connectors seem tight in both BookSense and BS Plus.
>>>>
>>>> I also agree with you and Dave that the recording feature is a bit more
>>>> versatile than on the Victor Reader Stream. However, I am with Dave 
>>>> that
>>>> overall, the Stream handles DAISY books with most aplomb and 
>>>> intuitively and
>>>> with the exception of using the Nuance speech, I even like the way it
>>>> handles text-to-speech better; certainly text search is far better than 
>>>> on
>>>> the BookSense. And the Stream will handle the complexity of a Bookshare 
>>>> book
>>>> that chokes the Booksense. But the latter is certainly smaller and does 
>>>> a
>>>> decent job and the upcoming Voice Recognition feature might help some 
>>>> with
>>>> manual dexterity problems although I should think the Stream's larger 
>>>> keys
>>>> would compensate somewhat.
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Steve Jacobson
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 2:32 PM
>>>> To: Discussion of Digital Talking Books
>>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] digital player information
>>>>
>>>> I also had to return one because of something being wrong in the record
>>>> circuitry that had been corrected.  Ironically, both of the units I've 
>>>> had
>>>> have had nice tight AC adapter connectors.  Go Figure.  I felt, though, 
>>>> that
>>>> in a better world, they shouldn't have released the BookSense when they 
>>>> did,
>>>> they should have gotten a few more bugs out of it.  However, I think 
>>>> they
>>>> would also have missed the market had they waited.  One would hope 
>>>> those
>>>> kinds of issues have been resolved, but it is a real bummer that your 
>>>> second
>>>> one has the same problem.  I, too, like the text-to-speech on the 
>>>> BookSense
>>>> much better as well.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards,
>>>>
>>>> Steve Jacobson
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:44:57 -0400, Kestrell wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I'm a BookSense owner but I've had ongoing issues with the power
>>>>> adapter and it's jack, basically from the time I bought the BookSense.
>>>>> I had to have my first BookSense replaced after just a few months
>>>>> because the adaptor was so loose that the BS kept voicing "adapter
>>>>> connected/adapter disconnected" every other second (no exaggeration).
>>>>> GW replaced it because, I was told, it was a known issue. My
>>>>> replacement BS has the same issue, however, so I now have to use the
>>>>> USB cable, a method which takes most of the day to charge.
>>>>
>>>>> Since the BS spends most of the day sitting on my bookcase charging,
>>>>> it's not like the issue comes from being tossed around a lot. All the
>>>>> nice features don't make up for the less than robust hardware issues.
>>>>
>>>>> Kes
>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>>>>> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 3:04 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] digital player information
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>> Just to throw in another option, I've been pretty happy with the
>>>> BookSense
>>>>>> after it got beyond the initial release.  It records better than the
>>>>>> stream with
>>>>>> more options and it is smaller.  I would agree that the stream 
>>>>>> software
>>>> is
>>>>>> more stable, though.  While the BookSense records better in my 
>>>>>> opinion,
>>>> it
>>>>>> does
>>>>>> not have all of the options or ability to mark up recordings than 
>>>>>> does
>>>>>> BookPort plus, but the battery life seems to be a little better.  . 
>>>>>> It
>>>>>> reads more
>>>>>> document types than the stream unless you add the extra document 
>>>>>> package
>>>>>> to the stream.  The ability to use BlueTooth headphones on the 
>>>>>> Booksense
>>>>>> XT version which is more expensive  can be very nice, but there have 
>>>>>> been
>>>>
>>>>>> some bugs associated with this although it has gotten better. 
>>>>>> Believe it
>>>>
>>>>>> or
>>>>>> not, I have found the ability to check the time with the clock in the
>>>>>> BookSense to be something I miss when I use a stream even though I
>>>>>> wouldn't buy it
>>>>>> just for the clock.  I find the speaker on the Booksense to have the
>>>>>> ability to get a little louder than that on the Stream, but I think 
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> Stream's speaker is
>>>>>> perhaps a little clearer.  I don't have enough experience with the
>>>>>> Bookport plus to make a comparison.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It is nice to have options as we do.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Steve Jacobson
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:36:48 -0700, Jim Barbour wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would agree that the stream is a better device, some specifics
>>>>>>> below.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> * I've never seen software stability issues with the stream.  It 
>>>>>>> will,
>>>>>>> once a year or so for me, corrupt its internal database and need to
>>>>>>> be reset.  This is a minor issue, despite how it sounds <smile>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> * The stream is a much better book reader, feeling much more
>>>>>>> comfortable and intuitive than the pocket.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> * The pocket does do wifi.  However, there is no web browser.  This
>>>>>>> means that you can't use it with any public facing wifi, such as at
>>>>>>> a starbucks.  This is because there's no way to enter a password, or
>>>>>>> agree to terms of service.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> * The pocket is a much better recorder.  If you're looking for a way
>>>>>>> to organize class recordings, have books read, etc. then the pocket
>>>>>>> becomes much more attractive.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> * I would also have a look at the book port plus from APH.  They 
>>>>>>> took
>>>>>>> the Pocket and redid much of its firmware.  So, the commands are
>>>>>>> different, and the features changed slightly.  I like the Book Port
>>>>>>> more than the pocket, and I like the stream better than either.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hope this helps,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 01:01:49PM -0400, Dale Leavens wrote:
>>>>>>>> All you say is true from my perspective too. The Stream has a 
>>>>>>>> better
>>>> and
>>>>>>>> louder speaker as well however we have some software stability 
>>>>>>>> issues
>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>> the Stream. Just recently when copying DAISY content from CNIB 
>>>>>>>> discs
>>>>>>>> apparently works but the book does not appear in the bookshelf. 
>>>>>>>> When
>>>>>>>> attempting to copy it again one is prompted to overwrite the book 
>>>>>>>> which
>>>>>>>> apparently isn't there and doing so doesn't put it there either. 
>>>>>>>> There
>>>>>>>> seems
>>>>>>>> to be issues around how the directory works and is organized. So 
>>>>>>>> far I
>>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>>> not seen this sort of trouble with the PlexTalk Pocket. I do wish 
>>>>>>>> it
>>>> had
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> more robust sound though and a better protective case for when I am
>>>>>>>> wearing
>>>>>>>> it about my work in the shop and gardens.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dale leavens.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrews, David B (DEED)"
>>>>>>>> <david.b.andrews at state.mn.us>
>>>>>>>> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:16 PM
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] digital player information
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> >They are similar devices, they do many of the same things  -- they
>>>> both
>>>>>>>> >have their strengths and weaknesses.  Personally I think the 
>>>>>>>> >Stream >is
>>>>
>>>>>>>> >a
>>>>>>>> >better DAISY book player, its algorithms for speeding up a book
>>>> without
>>>>>>>> >changing the pitch are better, and it has very good battery life, 
>>>>>>>> >and
>>>>>>>> >is
>>>>>>>> >well thought out, and easy to use.  The Pocket is thinner and 
>>>>>>>> > >lighter,
>>>>
>>>>>>>> >is
>>>>>>>> >probably a better recorder, and can now be connected for some 
>>>>>>>> >things
>>>>>>>> >via
>>>>>>>> >Wifi.  I don't find it as easy to use, and battery life isn't as 
>>>>>>>> > >good,
>>>>
>>>>>>>> >but
>>>>>>>> >smaller.
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >So, it depends on what is important to you!
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >Dave
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> >From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>>>>>>>> > >[mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>>
>>>>>>>> >On
>>>>>>>> >Behalf Of Sarah
>>>>>>>> >Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:41 AM
>>>>>>>> >To: dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> >Subject: [Dtb-talk] digital player information
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>> >Hello. I have been using a Victor Reader stream for several years. 
>>>>>>>> >I
>>>>>>>> >would
>>>>>>>> >like to know the difference between the stream and the PlexTalk
>>>> Pocket.
>>>>>>>> >Thank you.
>>>>>>>> >   Sarah
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Dtb-talk mailing list
>> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> Dtb-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/dtb-talk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dtb-talk mailing list
> Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Dtb-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/dtb-talk_nfbnet.org/evans-lynn%40comcast.net

More information about the DTB-Talk mailing list