[Promotion-technology] NLS digital player

[Andrews, David B B (DEED)]

Ed:

Gary is right -- the cartridges are sold by Independent Living Aids.  I believe they are the only ones at this time -- although others are supposed to carry them.  They are not $40, but around $15.  They also sell a cable that is needed to connect the cartridge to a computer, so you can transfer data to it.  The cable is needed and is around $5.  It is a standard USB cable, but the end works with the NLS cartridges.  Not all USB cables will fit onto the connector of the cartridge because of how the cartridge was intentionally designed.  So, you can probably get the cable elsewhere for less, but you know this one will work -- so may be worth the extra few bucks they charge.

For the foreseeable future, NLS will continue to put magazines on cassette.  They are also currently available for download via the BARD program, and can be put on a cartridge or USB thumb drive and used with the player -- your choice.

Hope this all makes sense.

Dave



-----Original Message-----
From: promotion-technology-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:promotion-technology-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gary Wunder
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 7:24 AM
To: Committee on the Promotion, Evaluation and Advancement of Technology
Subject: Re: [Promotion-technology] NLS digital player

Hi Ed. I believe ILA, Independent Living Aids sells them, but I did not 
think they were $40. I believe they are 1 gig. Your player will also let you 
use a USB drive on its right side. It will stick out a bit, but prices are 
much less and memory much more.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Meskys" <edmeskys at roadrunner.com>
To: "nfb-promotion/evaluation technology list" 
<promotion-technology at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "nfbnh-board" <nh-board at nfbnet.org>; "nfb-talk" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; 
"nfbnh-news" <nfb-new-hampshire at nfbnet.org>; "Ann K. Parsons" 
<akp at portaltutoring.info>
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 6:43 PM
Subject: [Promotion-technology] NLS digital player


>I just got my new NLS digital player and need some advice on its uses.
>
> I asked a lower tier employee at the NH library about how future magazines 
> will be distributed. She said they will be sent out by email, and you will 
> use a USB cable to feed it into a blank digital cartridge in your player. 
> She was not positive about this. Was she correct?
>
> If so, when I get a magazine on a CD from an agency like Seeing Eye or 
> Xavier Society, can I transfer it to such a cartridge, for playback in the 
> NLS player? Will I be able to speed this recording up, as I can an NLS 
> book?
>
> I understand that today blank cartridges cost around $40, but do not know 
> where to buy one. I am interested in buying one now to last me until 
> prices come down. Can anyone suggest a dealer who would give me a 
> reasonable deal?
>
> Thanks, Ed Meskys