[nfbcs] Preference in Braille Displays

Sun May 19 16:26:51 UTC 2013

Ah. Thank you so much for that! It's still going to be awhile before I 
can purchase, but I like to know as much as I can so that when the time 
comes, I can just up and order what I need. The only good thing about 
the delay is that it increases the odds I can get to somewhere to 
actually do some hands-on exploration of models I am considering.

I wonder if there is a difference with Linux through Orca, BRLTTY and 
liblouis and all. I will definitely be asking around about that!

Thanks again for the good info! You may have saved me from a really 
expensive mistake!

Tami

On 05/19/2013 09:00 AM, Jude DaShiell wrote:
> The keyboard is a perkins-style keyboard true enough, but it cannot send
> the entire character set through to your computer.  Only a few different
> keystrokes used for navigation can go through.  It comes with a keyboard
> holder for a qwerty keyboard so you can do the rest of your typing on
> that qwerty keyboard.  What I have is focus 80 3.70, so if you have that
> model, that's what you get.  Whenever dealing with FreedomScientific,
> it's wise when you're told some unit has a braille keyboard to ask can
> the braille keyboard entirely replace a qwerty keyboard connected to a
> computer.  If the answer comes back no as I expect it will, the braille
> keyboard isn't a full function keyboard.
>
> On Sun, 19 May 2013, Tami Jarvis wrote:
>
>> 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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>>>>
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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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>>
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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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