Hi Darrin,
Thanks so much for your feedback and information about your Alva BC640 and the
other 12 cell display. I’m still researching other displays out there but have
basically narrowed it down to the Optelec Alvas or the A P H Refreshabraille.
Thanks for describing the learning curve and pairing with the Alva. That gives
me some ideas, anyways, and things to think about. I recently purchased iPad
Mini 2’s to use with my students; the screen’s large enough for low vision
users and small enough for folks using Voice Over or a Braille display. I had
thought about iPod Touches, until I realized I may have low vision students so
I decided to go with the iPads.
Well, I am in no rush to purchase a device so I’ll keep on doing some digging.
If nothing else, I can wait until March and see all the devices at the CSUN
Conference in San Diego.
Thanks,
Linda
Linda Chung
lchung04@xxxxxxxxx
On Aug 21, 2015, at 7:40 AM, D Cheney <bluebrlr@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Linda,
I'm using an Alva BC640 with various iDevices and an iMac. I purchased mine
from the folks in Oregon and they are great to work with. The Alva is a nice
display with a lot of features. I use my display to write and to read books
and web articles. The Alva can be used as a stand-alone notetaker and it
isn't too big to take it with you. Battery life is good.
There is a learning curve with the Alva and most of the documentation is
written for PC's because the Alva was built to use with Windows. For example,
It has Windows keys: "CTRL, ALT, and Enter," not Mac keys: "Command, Option,
Control, and Return." You can use the Alva with iOS and OS X. There are some
iOS and OS X resources out there, but It takes some looking to find them. I
hope Optelec will write new documentation for iOS and OSX Yosemitie.
The Alva works pretty well with iOS and I'm running version 8.4 on an iPhone
6 and an iPad 2. There are some quirks with the Alva playing nice with Voice
Over. For example, the bluetooth pairing can be a challenge unless you turn
the Alva on first, wake-up your iDevice, and then go to the home screen. The
Alva should pair. You reverse the steps to shut down. If you don't, the Alva
may not pair the next time and you have to go to the Voice Over settings and
pair it manually. There are other settings you will need to turn on or off to
speed up braille translation, etc. If you are looking to teach with the Alva
and iOS, consider buying an iPod Touch. It's an iPhone without the phone and
they are only $199.
Having 40 cells on the Alva makes reading and writing very comfortable. I
also have a 12-cell braille display and I'm always panning the braille. The
Alva has extra keys to aid you in navigating your iDevice and they work well
in iOS. I really like having cursor routing keys wich really speeds up
editing with Voice Over.
You will need to decide what will work best for you. Buying a braille display
is only a portion of the total cost of ownership. Your time, energey, and
emotional capital should also be considered in the equation. Base your
decision on the features of the device, available resources, warranty, and
support.
I hope this helps.
Good luck!
Darrin
(From Idaho)
bluebrlr@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:bluebrlr@xxxxxxxxx>
On Wednesday, August 19, 2015, Linda Chung <lchung04@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:lchung04@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hello everyone
I am considering purchasing an Alva Braille display and thought I’d join this
email list as there is no one in my area in Southern California that I can
find who is using one. I think the only US distributer is in Oregon. So I
thought folks on this list could share their thoughts with me.
I am visually impaired and a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist. I’ve worked in
Vermont and Kentucky the past 10 years and recently moved back to my native
California to begin a small nonprofit, Pacific Christian School for the Deaf
and Blind. Programs are primarily geared towards those who are blind,
visually impaired, deaf-blind, and their families. Mostly adults and in the
summers children, teens/transition, young adult and families.
Since I am starting out, I am renting space from different churches as
programs develop and am working out of my home.
I’m looking for a Braille display that’s fairly portable and that works
mostly with IOS (which I am sure just about everything these days does). I’m
setting up a small mobile assistive technology center of sorts with the idea
of a “retreat” type of setting- meaning that many pieces of equipment may be
multi functioning and I am using a lot of mainstream products and as little
blindness devices as possible. Such as using a lot of apps on iPads for my
students instead of having multiple hardware and software devices for the
blind/visually impaired.
Is anyone using the Alva BC640? That particularly interests me because it’s
just refreshable Braille and can run off of IOS. Will it also run off of
Windows or Mac for students who bring their own laptops and gadgets to my
programs?
I am also thinking of the smaller 12 cell device, but I’m thinking the
Braille cells are too limited on that and is more for on the go use. Unless
someone can multitask with one hand on their phone or iPad and the other hand
reading and scrolling the 12 cell Braille display. Who knows, maybe it will
be faster?
I’ve used other devices; Braille Lite 18, Braille Note, and Voice Sense with
the detachable Braille display. This is the first time I’m looking at a
device that works with mainstream products instead of a stand alone note
taker for the blind.
Thanks for reading and for your ideas.
Linda
Linda Chung
lchung04@xxxxxxxxx <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','lchung04@xxxxxxxxx');>
