[real-eyes] Re: RFB&D players
- From: "Nancy VanSandt" <maxvanwon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:47:00 -0500
Okay, thanks. I'll check it out.
Nancy Van Sandt,
Buddy and Curly's House
Joshua24:15
"But as for me and my household,
We will serve the Lord."
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Beach" <rbeach@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 12:03 PM
Subject: [real-eyes] Re: RFB&D players
> Hi Nancy,
>
> You're certainly welcome. I have done so much research into the
> players because I made an unwise purchase when I first started using
> digital books. Fortunately, it was not an expensive mistake, but it let
> me know that there are way too many factors that need to be kept in mind
> when picking out digital book players. Now I get the chance to help
> others not make the same mistake I made. <grin>
>
> I've posted information about the different players on my web site. If
> you'd like to check it out, the site is:
>
> http://www.kckcc.edu/faculty/beach/daisy
>
> The college has been doing a major overhall on the web servers, so I
> hope it still works. If not, let me know.
>
> HTH!
>
> Robert Lee Beach
> Assistive Technology Specialist
> Kansas City Kansas Community College
> 7250 State Avenue
> Kansas City, KS 66112
> Phone: (913) 288-7671
> Fax: (913) 288-7678
> E-mail: rbeach@xxxxxxxxx
>
>>>> maxvanwon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 6/25/2007 11:33 AM >>>
> Robert, thanks for posting this message. I know that it reflects your
> own
> opinion, but there is a lot of good information in there all in one
> place,
> and I really appreciate that.
> Nancy Van Sandt,
> Buddy and Curly's House
> Joshua24:15
> "But as for me and my household,
> We will serve the Lord."
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Beach" <rbeach@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 10:56 PM
> Subject: [real-eyes] Re: RFB&D players
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I=92ve played around with several of the hardware and software
> players, =
>> and here are my personal opinions.
>>
>> I do not really care for the Telex Scholar. It is the cheapest of
> the =
>> RFB&D hardware players, but you get what you pay for. It is slow, it
> =
>> looks a bit juvenile to me, and it does not have fast-forward/rewind
> =
>> buttons. You can navigate forward and backward by markups (i.e.
> chapter =
>> titles and page numbers), but not by small segments like you can with
> a =
>> cassette player. Again, it is very slow on seek time.
>>
>> I have not worked with the Victor Vibe, but it is basically like the
> =
>> Scholar with the exception it does supposedly have
> fast-forward/rewind =
>> buttons. It is still very slow though.
>>
>> I have a Victor Wave and like it fairly well. It is faster than the
> =
>> Scholar and Vibe, it has fast-forward/rewind buttons, is a bit
> smaller =
>> than the Scholar, and looks better to me. It can use the
> rechargeable =
>> batteries that came with it or standard AA batteries.
>>
>> All three of the players I mentioned are the clam-shell style
> players. =
>> They look like a standard CD player such as a Discman. One of the
> draw =
>> backs to all three so far is you must use a headset of some sort to
> listen
>> =
>> to them. They do not have built-in speakers. However, I purchased a
> =
>> small set of speakers from WalMart that do not require power and can
> work
>> =
>> off the headset jack. While they are a bit more portable than a set
> of =
>> computer speakers, they do not offer the better quality of such
> speakers.
>> =
>> It=92s a give and take. I do like using them with the Wave though as
> I =
>> can put it on the table and listen to a book while eating dinner and
> not =
>> have to wear a headset. I hate to ware headsets. <smile>
>>
>> The Victor Classic models are very nice players, but they are larger
> than
>> =
>> the clam-shell models above. They have built-in speakers that work
> very =
>> well or you can use a headset. Again, they do look a bit juvenile to
> me,
>> =
>> kind of like a Fisher Price toy of some kind. They do have a bit
> faster =
>> seek time than the clam-shell models, even the Wave. They do have =
>> fast-forward/rewind buttons too.
>>
>> If you get the Victor Classic with the recording feature, the price
> goes =
>> way up. I=92ve had a student who really liked the recording feature
> on a
>> =
>> different hardware player. He used it to record class lectures and
> group
>> =
>> discussion sessions. You=92ll just have to think about if that is =
>> important enough to spend the extra money for.
>>
>> Now, let me throw something else out there for you to think about.
> If =
>> you=92re only wanting to play RFB&D books, these players work just
> fine.
>> =
>> However, if you=92d like to also play books from other sources such
> as =
>> BookShare.org and/or Audible.com, then these players do not cover
> that. I
>> =
>> have a Book Port that I really like. It is my primary portable
> player. =
>> It can play RFB&D books, if you purchase a $15 key from RFB&D. And,
> you =
>> do not have to send the Book Port to RFB&D to get the key installed.
> They
>> =
>> send you the key on CD and you install it on the computer that you
> will =
>> use to transfer books to the Book Port. It is very easy to do.
>>
>> The Book Port will play BookShare and Audible books as well as RFB&D
> =
>> books. It is very small which I like. It pulls the books from a
> compact
>> =
>> flash card rather than a CD which means it works much much faster.
> The =
>> only draw back with RFB&D books is that you cannot adjust the play
> back =
>> speed. You can adjust the play back speed of BookShare books.
>>
>> Again, the Book Port does not have built-in speakers, but I use the
> =
>> external speakers to listen to it without a headset. Also, since it
> is so
>> =
>> small, I can easily clip it to my belt, put on a headset, and go
> about my
>> =
>> house work while listening to a book. I sometimes like to go out on
> the =
>> deck and listen to a book while relaxing. The Book Port can easily
> go =
>> with me and I don=92t have others wondering what on earth I=92m
> listening
>> =
>> too. It can also act as an MP3 player if you=92d like.
>>
>> The BookCourier is very similar to the Book Port, but is more
> designed for
>> =
>> the low vision/LD population while the Book Port is designed for the
> blind
>> =
>> user. The Book Courier does not recognize as many formats as the
> Book =
>> Port, but it will play RFB&D and BookShare books.
>>
>> I hope this helps. If you live in the metro area and would like to
> =
>> actually see some of these players in action, let me know. I=92ll
> see =
>> about scheduling a time for you to visit the college and check out
> the =
>> Scholar, Wave, Classic, Book Port, and PlexTalk PTR1.
>>
>> If you=92re interested in software players, let me know and I=92ll
> give =
>> you a review of some of those as well.
>>
>> Later!
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert Lee Beach
>> Assistive Technology Specialist
>> Kansas City Kansas Community College
>> 7250 State Avenue
>> Kansas City, KS 66112
>> Phone: (913) 288-7671
>> Fax: (913) 288-7678
>> E-mail: rbeach@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>> abelsa@xxxxxxxx 06/24/07 12:27 PM >>>
>> Greetings All,
>> I am contemplating buying a digital player from RFB&D. Curious if
>> anyone has had positive or negative experience with any of the six
> or
>> seven various options available to purchase. Your feedback on these
>> devices would be greatly appreciated along with any other
> suggestions.
>>
>> With appreciation.
>> Arnie Abels=3D20
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>>
>>
>>
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