[Electronics-talk] on screen menues

Mon Aug 15 18:32:33 UTC 2011

I've just gone and spent a couple of fascinating hours on that Website. Thanks,
Evelyn. --Louis

-----Original Message-----
From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Evelyn Weckerly
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 10:51 AM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] on screen menues

Hi, again,

I'm replying to myself (grin). I forgot to mention the specific Web 
site after all that.

www.audioclassics.com

Evelyn

At 10:40 AM 8/15/2011, you wrote:
>Hi, Gerald,
>
>This is a McIntosh Labs 8088.
>
>I actually have it here and am dealing with a number of issues--some 
>of them not menu related; but rather, old antenna installation 
>related. As I have said, traditionally, this company has not been 
>much into on screen menues. Their older equipment is mostly still 
>circulating and performs extremely well. If push comes to shove, I 
>could keep my 32-year-old FM only tuner. It is performing very well. 
>However, I'm now realizing that I really must do something about my 
>antenna installation. I believe that my antenna amplifier is the 
>culprit, may be getting tired, and likely is not insulated again 
>interference from all kinds of wireless equipment.
>
>Someone on another list had detailed his experience with Audio 
>Classics; consequently, I ended up doing business with them 
>beginning in 2005. They sell new stuff, but they specialize in 
>restoring high quality equipment and putting it back on the market. 
>Their Web site is totally accessible--pictures are even labelled as 
>such. They pride themselves in that and have done business with a 
>number of blind people.
>
>Although they can't sell you new McIntosh equipment, I have been 
>able to get slightly used trade-ins, or rather, at least one, a CD 
>player, which was no problem at all for me to install by myself. 
>They took my old one as trade-in at a good trade-in offer. The tuner 
>I'm trying to get up and going now is actually new, but it had been 
>returned to McIntosh by a dealer that closed down. Even though it 
>was new in the box, the company labelled it as "used" and dropped 
>the price %20. I don't get the five yeear warranty, but I do get one 
>year, which is a good trade-off. Then I'll get another %20 for my trade-in.
>
>As I said yesterday, this tuner has AM, FM/FM stereo, HD 1, 2, and 
>3, and a ready connection for XM.
>
>Evelyn
>
>At 10:14 AM 8/15/2011, you wrote:
>
>>Separate AM/FM tuners seem to be  a vanishing breed these days.  Do 
>>you know the brand and model number of the unit you are interested in?
>>
>>Gerald
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Evelyn Weckerly" <weckerly at i2k.com>
>>To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
>><electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 10:08 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] on screen menues
>>
>>
>>>Hi, Steve,
>>>
>>>Thank you for a sound advice reply. Actually, I'm thinking that I 
>>>may be able to get what I need out of this. When I was read all 
>>>the controls, I was not told that the mono button was only the 
>>>first setting in what is a menu section on the front panel. I've 
>>>since read the manual and know more now. This tune is complex, and 
>>>some of it I won't use, but traditionally, McIntosh Labs has not 
>>>been much into on-screen menues. Much of the tuner is operational, 
>>>and I have learned that I can do key entry from the remote for 
>>>finding stations, and I think I may be able to use the presets.
>>>
>>>I'm going to have to spend a lot more time with the person from 
>>>Audio Classics in New York state by phone to get some of this 
>>>right. I think that that menu button does revert back to the 
>>>stereo setting for the tuner itself and that there is an exit 
>>>setting at the end of the menu set. After reading the manual 
>>>yesterday, I have some questions to ask. For example, if one holds 
>>>the on'off button in for five seconds, all processors are reset. 
>>>I'm assuming this is a return to factory defaults.
>>>
>>>This is a major audio component. I may be able to read the screen 
>>>with the KNFB Reader Mobile, but I have not tried that yet. Also, 
>>>all this is complicated by a need to make major changes in my 
>>>antenna set up. My old tuner needed an antenna amplifier, but the 
>>>new one is totally incompatible with it. I can't really do much 
>>>without an antenna expert at this juncture.
>>>
>>>I want to keep this tuner if I can--because of its adbvanced 
>>>features and improved peerformance and because I'm getting it at a 
>>>very advantageous price.
>>>
>>>Cordially,
>>>
>>>Evelyn
>>>
>>>                 At 09:46 AM 8/15/2011, you wrote:
>>>>Evelyn,
>>>>
>>>>There are no magic answers to this problem yet, and it frustrates 
>>>>the heck out of me being one who has always
>>>>enjoyed stereo equipment.  I have had to access some menus as a 
>>>>result and here are a couple of thoughts.
>>>>
>>>>First, you will need some time with someone who can read the 
>>>>display. With a little luck, though, that time can be
>>>>turned into making the device mostly useable.  Get a sense of how 
>>>>the menus work.  If there is a menu button, does it
>>>>start in the same place?  How do you leave the menus without 
>>>>making a change, in other words, what is the
>>>>EXCCAPE key.  This is sometimes done by pressing the Menu button 
>>>>a second time, for example.  If it doesn't start at
>>>>the same place every time, see if it starts at the same place if 
>>>>you turn the tuner off and then on.  If it always
>>>>remembers where you were rather than starting at the same place, 
>>>>this can be a blessing and a curse, but finding out
>>>>how to get back to a known place is an important part of the process.
>>>>
>>>>See if menus work any differently with the remote rather than 
>>>>with the buttons on the tuner, assuming you can use
>>>>menus in more than one way.  Whether or not the manual says this, 
>>>>on occasion, you can jump to a menu item on a
>>>>remote by using numbers on the keypad of the remote rather than 
>>>>the arrow keys.  It is possible that this could get you
>>>>to a known starting position or that it might get you where you 
>>>>need to know more quickly.
>>>>
>>>>I would recomment making a braill list of the menu items.  It is 
>>>>possible there might be menu sections you won't need,
>>>>but I usually find it helpful to at least no what they are.
>>>>
>>>>While this all sounds complicated, and it can be, you are likely 
>>>>going to find that there are only certain things that you
>>>>access regularly, and you may get to feeling pretty comfortable 
>>>>about getting to them.  I have found that some things
>>>>like setting memories is possible, but I do it only often enough 
>>>>to require that I read my notes.
>>>>
>>>>Finally, some equipment equipment can be connected to computers 
>>>>now.  It might be worth seeing if that buys you
>>>>anything.  I hope you can get it to work, as it sounds like a fun 
>>>>piece of equipment.
>>>>
>>>>Best regards,
>>>>
>>>>Steve Jacobson
>>>>
>>>>On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:46:36 -0400, Evelyn Weckerly wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >Hi,
>>>>
>>>> >This is not home theater although you can control a bunch of other
>>>> >stuff through the remote. I have owned high end audio equipment for
>>>> >years, mostly accessible. Parts of this piece are accessible too.
>>>>
>>>> >Evelyn
>>>>
>>>> >At 05:12 PM 8/14/2011, you wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >>If you want to avoid onscreen menus, then I suggest sticking with a
>>>> >>basic, low-end two-channel stereo receiver.  Otherwise, you will
>>>> >>need sighted help to navigate the menu in most higher-end home
>>>> >>theater receivers and components.
>>>> >>
>>>> >>Gerald
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Evelyn Weckerly" <weckerly at i2k.com>
>>>> >>To: <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> >>Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 4:05 PM
>>>> >>Subject: [Electronics-talk] on screen menues
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>>Hi, all,
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>I am trying to evaluate a new tuner as part of a high-quality audio
>>>> >>>system. It appears that some of its important functions are
>>>> >>>accessed and set through an on screen menu. I'm wondering how
>>>> >>>people deal with this kind of stuff. The tuner has AM, FM/FMstereo,
>>>> >>>HD (three bands, and is XM ready, needing only the home kit and
>>>> >>>antenna from XM itself. It is a McIntosh Labs MR8088. I know this
>>>> >>>is an expensive piece of equipment, but if perchance anyone on this
>>>> >>>list has looked at this, I'd like to hear from you. I'd also like
>>>> >>>to know if anyone has dealt successfully with onscreen menues and
>>>> >>>how you do it. At this point, I don't know if the choice wrap
>>>> >>>around or not. If they don't, things will be somewhat easier.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>Thanks in advance.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>Evelyn
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
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>>>> >>
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>>>>
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