[NFBCS] VersaPoint Duo Braille printers

[David Andrews]

Well, it depends, of course.  In the day I think an embosser was 
around $4000.

You got confusion because the embosser was owned by different people 
at different times. There is a great story that I can't tell on a 
public list about it!

Dave

At 05:35 PM 8/19/2021, you wrote:
>Oh, and one other more generic question.
>
>How much would an interleaving braille embosser go for today?
>
>Thanks All!
>
>Jim
>
>On Thu, Aug 19, 2021 at 03:04:20PM -0700, Brian Buhrow via NFBCS wrote:
> >       hello.  If you can produce brf files, you can make it 
> emboss.  that is to say, you don't
> > need Duxbury.  I, for example, use an ancient copy of nfbtrans to 
> produce braille copy, which
> > works fine, but doesn't produce UEB.
> >
> >       But, even more simply, a simple ASCII file with a line or 
> two in it will tell you if you
> > can get the thing working.   It will emboss ASCII into grade I braille.
> > Suggested steps:
> >
> > 1.  Attach USB->serial cable to computer and printer.
> >
> > 2.  Turn the printer on and make it produce a configuration page, 
> or talk you through the
> > configuration.
> >
> > 3.   Look at the communications settings for the printer, 
> including whether it expects data on
> > its serial port, its parallel port or something else.  If it is 
> expecting data on its serial
> > port, check to see what the port settings are set to.  I'd 
> expect, 9600,n,8,1, i.e. 9600 baud,
> > no parity, 8 bits data and 1 stop bit.
> >
> > 4.  Find a program that will copy a file to the serial port on 
> your computer and feed your
> > ASCII file into that.  If you're testing with linux, use stty to 
> set the serial parameters of
> > the port you're using, then use cat to send your test file to the 
> printer.  ( To make the
> > serial port settings stick between opens, use stty -a < 
> /dev/serialport, which should cause
> > stty to set the port on its standard input and, I think, tell the 
> OS to hold those settings
> > even after it closes the file.  You may need to read the serial 
> port driver man page on linux
> > to get this exactly right.
> >
> > 5.  If you can walk through the printer's configuration settings 
> and you have some braille
> > paper, get it to produce a full copy of its settings on paper, so 
> you can check things like
> > whether it's set to print double sided, single sided, what its 
> line and page lengths are, etc.
> >
> > When you get the computer talking to it, I suggest ASCII files 
> that test the dot patterns so
> > make sure all dots are working.
> >
> > For example, a line of = signs, to test the 6 dot pattern.
> > A line of "c"'s to te dots 1 and 4, a line of "3"s, to test dots 
> 2 and 5, etc.
> >
> > Hope that helps.
> > -Brian
> >
> > On Aug 19,  2:22pm, Jim Barbour via NFBCS wrote:
> > } Subject: [NFBCS] VersaPoint Duo Braille printers
> > } 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