[bcab] Re: Confused about Daisy format

Hi,

This was their vision when I was on RNIB committees years ago. Obviously, it 
hasn't happened yet, and I don't know what the politics is. I suspect there 
would need to be some testing of foreign books to see if English readers 
actually liked them. I know that RFB titles, for instance, are read extremely 
quickly and the American can be a bit heavy sometimes, depending on the reader. 
I certainly think it works for academic titles, but whether they could 
integrate it into the talking book service is a bit trickier, but why not give 
people the option I suppose?

I think that would be an interesting question for an RNIB  rep to ask on behalf 
of BCAB at a committee and adds another element to the exciting world of 
accessible formats at the moment!

Cheers
Dave

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Darren H 
  To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 10:34 PM
  Subject: [bcab] Re: Confused about Daisy format


  I'm just so pleased that the RNIB have taken this on and their library is in 
this format.

  Now, what they need to do is liaise with similar organisations in other 
countries to be able to share their titles so we almost have a world talking 
book library.

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Dave Taylor 
    To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 10:28 PM
    Subject: [bcab] Re: Confused about Daisy format


    Hi,

    Daisy isn't actually a file format, it is another accessible/alternative 
format. All the points made so far by others are correct. Daisy players give 
you a lot of functionality not there in other types of player, and there are 
several software daisy players too which give the same functionality on the PC.

    As you say though, with the caveats stated, you can play them on an mp3 
compatible player of any kind. Limitations depend on the feature set of the 
player.

    It is possible for Daisy books to contain text as well as audio, and the 
idea is that you can switch between the two and it will all be in sink, so you 
can listen to audio with a human voice, or use your screen reader 
interchangeably as you wish, so words can be reviewed, spelled out etc as and 
when the reader wants, but of course no books are being made this way in this 
country yet.

    The other exciting thing is that Daisy text, braille and large print can 
all be run off from one single file now, though that isn't really happening yet 
either.

    Cheers
    Dave

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Darren H 
      To: BCAB 
      Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 7:33 PM
      Subject: [bcab] Confused about Daisy format


      Hi folks

      I've just joined the RNIB talking book Library as I now find they 
produced digital audio books in daisy format.

      Now, I'm lead to beleive that daisy formated books have to be played on a 
compatible daisy player.

      So, how come when I get my first books, I see that they are in fact mp3 
files and I can play them fine in winamp and my mp3 compatible hifi system?

      Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I think it's great, I'm just a 
bit bemused.

      Darren

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