[nfbcs] Preference in Braille Displays

Sun May 19 15:32:40 UTC 2013

Jude,

Yikes! I've decided that the Focus 40 Blue, when I can spring for it, is 
the display for me. Unless I win the lottery and can get the 80. But I 
was under the impression that it has a braille keyboard... Well, I just 
checked, and the model I'm wanting has one. That, for me, is a key 
feature! I'm using an older PacMate 440, which is great for reading but 
not for navigating or making notes without taking my hands off the 
display, etc., etc. I love the thing because it is my first refreshable 
display and has opened wide horizons for me, but... I whine daily about 
its lack in the efficiency and convenience department.

Could it be that the one you are using at work is an older model? Or are 
you saying that the perkins keyboard does not allow typing on the 
computer? Or...

Well, since you are using one and mentioned that issue. Would hate to 
wrangle money and order a new wonder machine only to discover that it 
doesn't do one of the wonderful things I most need it to! /shudder/

Thanks for any input you can give!

Tami

On 05/17/2013 01:46 PM, Jude DaShiell wrote:
> If the focus 40 and focus 80 are under discussion here, they differ from
> the versabraille classic p2c in that the p2c has a perkins-type keyboard
> that can type the whole character set on the computer.  That's something
> neither of the focus products can do.  I use a focus 80 at work and my
> employer really ought to find other displays that can replace a qwerty
> keyboard and screen when necessary because the braille keyboards will
> sound different than qwerty keyboards and provide a security advantage
> against anyone picking up keystrokes with a parabolic microphone for
> later decoding.  That having been written, two things a focus display
> will do are showing formatting and showing spelling easily and quickly.
>
> On Fri, 17 May 2013, Hyde, David W. (ESC) wrote:
>
>> You can use the same display (those that are standalone devices) for the same functions as the computer displays.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of majolls at cox.net
>> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 12:59 PM
>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Preference in Braille Displays
>>
>> Why am I not surprised here.
>> What you're saying is that there's a different tool for a different task.  Too bad each tool is so pricey.
>> I can definitely see for big jobs, you want the 40.  For seeing a lot of formatting, you'd run out of room with the smaller device.
>> And for portability, you want the smaller device.
>>
>> I was thinking about getting the 40 as a general solution.  It's bigger, but not too big, and you can carry it around.  A smaller device would be nicer .. less space and weight to take up in the backpack
>>
>> So maybe the answer is to get the 40 first, and see how it works carrying it around.  The HIMMS isn't too big, and it does have the ability to be a standalone notetaker plus connect via Bluetooth or USB.  Plus it has the SD card option for external storage.  Then if I find it's too big for carrying around, I could always try to get the 18 or 20 cell variety HIMMS that is just smaller.  But I get it ... you may need more than one depending on what you do.
>>
>> This is kind of like guitars.  When I got into playing, I asked someone ... "is there one guitar that does it all?".  He just laughed.  "No, I have 7 and they play slightly different tones.  I use them each for a different application".  I didn't understand until I started playing in earnest.  Now I have 3 main guitars that I use.  Each is used in a different application.
>>
>> Too bad Braille Displays are so expensive.  My wife is going to LOVE your answer.  I can see her rolling her eyes and saying ... "Here we go again!!".
>>
>> Final note .. I take from the answers I'm hearing that a display with the built-in note taking functions (such as the HIMMS) is prefereable so you can use them standalone without being connected to anything.
>>
>> Thanks for the replies.
>>
>>
>> ---- Robert Jaquiss <rjaquiss at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Hello:
>>>
>>>       If I had to choose between an 18 and 40 cell display, I would
>>> choose 40 cells especially if it had some basic notetaking
>>> capabilities. Having a display that can connect with either USB or
>>> Bluetooth is a good idea. If you want to read NLS books, these are
>>> formatted for 40 cells. If you want to carry your display with you and
>>> use it with a phone, then a smaller display is probably better.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Robert
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>> majolls at cox.net
>>> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 9:31 AM
>>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>>> Subject: [nfbcs] Preference in Braille Displays
>>>
>>> Hi everyone
>>>
>>> Wanted to get your input on what works best as a general purpose
>>> Braille Display.
>>> Would you want one that is just a dumb terminal, or one that has some
>>> notetaking capability built into it?
>>> I also wanted to find out what gives better efficiency ... 18 cells or
>>> 40 cells
>>>
>>> So the first Braille display I tried was the Freedom Focus 40 blue.
>>> Liked it alot, but it has to be hooked up to another device such as
>>> IOS or Windows PC to work.  No smarts in the device at all.
>>> Next I heard about the HIMMS Edge 40.  Now there's something
>>> interesting.  I can connect it like the Freedom, it can be a slave.  I
>>> can use it as a dumb terminal or I can disconnect it and do some basic
>>> notetaking tasks with it without it being connected to anything.
>>> Price is about the same as the Freedom model.  Is the flexibility good
>>> to have?  I guess that depends on where you go with it.
>>>
>>> As I recall, HIMMS has the 40 cell model, but it also has the OnHand
>>> which is an 18 cell model.
>>> So, of those that use Braille Displays, do you prefer a 40 or 18 cell?
>>> Is an 18 cell adequate or are you complaining constantly because you
>>> don't have enough cells and you're constantlyhitting the advance button?
>>>
>>> The 18 cell models are cheaper, that's why I'm asking.  I'm thinking,
>>> however, that the 40 cell model would be better ... more braille until
>>> you hit the advance key.  Also, the notetaking features built into the
>>> HIMMS mean you don't have to carry the display plus the iPad or
>>> iPhone.  You could just carry the device alone.  I'm kind of leaning
>>> toward the HIMMS but I'd like some info from people that actually have
>>> one .. or other devices.  Tell me what you like and what you don't
>>> like.  $3000 is a lot of money to spend so I wanted to get some practical advice.
>>>
>>> So what configuration do most of you use?  Let me know.
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> jude <jdashiel at shellworld.net>
> About to block another web browser version?  Ask yourself what Tim
> Berners-lee would do.
>
>
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