[NFBCS] VersaPoint Duo Braille printers

[Greg Kearney]

I seem to be the person to contact for connecting such devices to MacOS and using BrailleBaster. I agree with Curtis that a USB to Parallel cable is the way to go. Another approach is a parallel to Ethernet connector which I have had very good luck with.

ON a Mac getting all of this to run involves some setting in the CUPS printer interface but it doesn't require any special drivers. I assume the same would hold true for Linux and other similar OSs as well.

I(n effect what you do is to creat a line printer, since that is all that any Braille Embosser is, and then push jobs out to it with the regular MacOS printing system. For the sighted on this list here are a couple of pictures. (descriptions follow below)


The MacOS printer dialog showing an embossers.


BrailleBlaster's Emboss dialog with a connection to a Juilet Braille Embosser

As I said I have gotten all sorts of embossing devices running quite well on a Mac including some really, really old ones from Blazie Engineering. In each case I use either a network setting or a USB to Parallel cable to do it.

Greg Kearney



> On Aug 19, 2021, at 4:22 PM, Jim Barbour via NFBCS <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hey All,
> 
> I have inherited a VersaPoint Duo with speech interleaving Braille embosser
> 
> It was purchased in the early 2000s.
> 
> To start getting it working, it looks like I'll need a serial to USB adapter, drivers from somewhere and Duxbury.
> 
> My ultimate goal is to sell it.
> 
> Anybody have any advise for me?  Anybody know who the vendor was for this product?  Google says everything from Freedom to Enabling to Humanware.
> 
> To help inspire replies, I'd love to hear something like one of these.
> 
> * John Smith knows all about these printers.
> 
> * I tried to get that printer working a few years ago, and it totally wasn't worth it.
> 
> * I refurbish these all the time, hit me up and I may be willing to take it off your hands
> 
> * I have this printer and it does work.  Not sure what it would take to get the one you have up and running.
> 
> Any other replies are also welcome.
> 
> With all my thanks!
> 
> Jim
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NFBCS mailing list
> NFBCS at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFBCS:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/gkearney%40gmail.com