[nabs-l] braille displays

[David Andrews]

I think they are about $2700.

Dave

At 07:03 PM 4/29/2011, you wrote:
>Just wondering,
>how much is a Focus 40 more or less?
>Thanks,
>Jorge
>On Apr 29, 2011, at 1:59 PM, Katie Wang wrote:
>
> > Jewel, I also have a Focus 40 braille display and find it very useful
> > for reading web pages and such. However, I do find it a little tricky
> > to navigate MS Word documents and wonder if you have any tips.
> > Specifically, I can use the panning keys to read through a line of
> > text on the screen, but at the end of the line I have to pann back to
> > the beginning of the line and use the whiz wheel to move to the next
> > line. If I keep pressing the panning keys without using the whiz
> > wheel, the braille display will show some random information about
> > which page and section I'm on and stop advancing. Have you encountered
> > this problem? Is there any way to fix it or is this just how the
> > display works with MS Word?
> > Ashley, I believe a braille display would be most useful when you need
> > to read/edit long documents on the computer, so how much you will need
> > it depends on the nature of the job you find. For personal
> > reading/leisure books that you do not have to read on your PC, your
> > Braille Note probably can serve the same purpose as a braille display
> > connected to the computer.
> >   Katie
> >
> > On 4/29/11, Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >> Jewel here. I have a Focus 40. For me, the main benefit is not
> >> wondering how a word is spelled while I'm reading it, knowing where
> >> the punctuation is put, and being able to read instead of listening to
> >> e-mails, books, and schol work.
> >>
> >> An example: In Spanish class, we have to know how to spell words
> >> correctly. Without the braille display, I have to listen to each
> >> letter individually for every word. This takes waaay to long. Also, I
> >> am given worksheets where I need to put the answer within the area of
> >> the line. If I am lsstening to this, I have to go word by word until
> >> it says underline underline underline. With a braille display, I can
> >> find the line just while reading and can press a cursor routing key to
> >> go directly to that area.
> >>
> >> I had no troulb e setting up the display. It comes with a CD that you
> >> put in the computer and goes step by step through the process. Also,
> >> it has a Braille translation key that, when on, translates whatever
> >> you are reading into grade 2 Braille, whether on-line, in a word or
> >> TXT file, or hatever. To read a BRF file, you just press the braille
> >> translation key to turn that off.
> >>
> >> I'm still learning how to use the display as a keyboard, but it is
> >> proving promising. I know how to move through a file without touching
> >> the keyboard, and am learning how to type using the six-dot keyboard
> >> (which is actually eight because it can do computer Braille).
> >>
> >> I wanted to show someone how much of a difference the dislay made for
> >> me, so I read a file for the first time via the JAWS speech, answered
> >> comprehension questions, then read it with the Braille display and
> >> answered other questions. I got way more comprehension when I read the
> >> file with the display.
> >>
> >> I've never use d a Braille note, but with the Focus 40, I have several
> >> options for panning, using a wizwheel, two rocker switches, and two
> >> panning buttons. For examle, I tend to use the right panning button
> >> for panning while reading a long file, because I can just tap it at
> >> the end of the line before moving b ack to the beginning of the line.
> >> When I'm skimming a document, I use the wizwheeel to skim by line,
> >> paragraph, or sentence. Moving the cursor is easy, like I said
> >> earlier, by just pressing the button above the cell you want the
> >> cursor to move to.
> >>
> >> If you have any other questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer.
> >>
> >> ~Jewel
> >>
> >> On 4/28/11, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
> >>> What model and KS version of the BrailleNote do you have? You can use the
> >>> BrailleNote as a Braille display for the computer.
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> >>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> >>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>> Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 7:08 PM
> >>> Subject: [nabs-l] braille displays
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> Hi all,
> >>>>
> >>>> I'd love to have a braille display.  If I work for a government
> >>>> organization or contractor, they will likely purchase one for me as they
> >>>> have the funds for it.
> >>>> But privately, I don't know.  Isn't the typical display $3000?
> >>>>
> >>>> Anyway, as I dream of what I think its benefits are, I'd like 
> to know the
> >>>> reality of them.
> >>>> I'm not an auditory person and I've just thought that reading 
> the display
> >>>> via the computer will afford me the opportunity to see the punctuation
> >>>> and
> >>>>
> >>>> spelling you miss with speech.
> >>>>
> >>>> So for those of you who use displays, what are your thoughts?
> >>>> What display do you have?  How does it work?  What are the benefits?  Is
> >>>> it like the Brialle Note display where the cursor can be moved at the
> >>>> touch of a button?  Do the pins stay duravle?  If not, how often do they
> >>>> need maintenance?
> >>>> If you buy a display to work with jaws, is it hard to install?
> >>>> Also, can the display show you grade 2 braille in text 
> documents?  I mean
> >>>> does it automatically convert to grade 2 braille even though 
> its text? If
> >>>> not, do you have to convert to .brf to run it?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Any pros and cons, I'd like to hear.
> >>>>
> >>>> I have the display on the Braille Note and do not use speech.  The
> >>>> braille
> >>>>
> >>>> is quiet and works so much more efficiently for me!
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Ashley