It does not have one because it is not really a raspberry pi 4. It can run
the same images but they built a full new board. You might want to go read
the design information about the rp400 if you really want to know why they
made the choices they did.
-----Original Message-----
From: raspberry-vi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <raspberry-vi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
On Behalf Of Angelo T Sonnesso
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 11:48 AM
To: raspberry-vi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [raspberry-vi] Re: I see the future: How Linux will power the
future of Braille, will it open it up to be more accessible if it embeds
itself in our AT?
Why would the 400 not have a headphone jack since the pi 4 does have a
headphone jack.
The real problem is, that it is looking for a 4 conductor 8th inch plug.
73 N2DYN Angelo
-----Original Message-----
From: raspberry-vi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:raspberry-vi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Patrick Smyth
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 12:37 PM
To: Devin Prater
Cc: Patrick Smyth; raspberry-vi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [raspberry-vi] Re: I see the future: How Linux will power the
future of Braille, will it open it up to be more accessible if it embeds
itself in our AT?
Honestly, I've played around with a decent number of hacks and sort-of OK
portable approaches, and they're all theoretically feasible but in practice
kind of not worth it. The battery is one issue. If I have to carry around
2-3 things in addition to my phone, I'm probably just not going to bother,
realistically, as it would likely just be easier to take my laptop. And I
can notionally have Emacs on an Android phone, but the experience is
underwhelming and costly from a setup and maintenance perspective.
I actually bought an Android with an attached keyboard (the name of the
company escapes me now), and honestly Emacspeak is hard enough to get
working on a full desktop, and it was pretty much a non-starter with the
phone. I also bought an Intel Computestick, but at that time the device
couldn't be run headless due to issues in the firmware, which was pretty
enraging and goes to show how narrow people's use cases are when they design
hardware and software. I guess I should dig it out and update the firmware,
maybe I will sometime.
At this point I'm a professional who still likes to tinker with software,
but not so much with hardware or software + hardware. My experience with the
Pi is that I constantly have power issues and constantly have issues with
the drive getting wiped or corrupted.
I'm sure these are pretty straightforward for many or most of you on the
list, but I'm not a hardware person, really, and I found them frustrating. I
was excited by the 400, but really turned off by the lack of a headphone
jack.
I just think the route of making devices not designed to be portable into
being portable is a dead end for me. I beleive that there are people (and
some or many of you) who can make that kind of setup work and tolerate it.
But basically I want something that isn't a toy, and if it's a hack I want
it to be a relatively reliable hack. I'm not price sensitive, but if the
thing powers off in the middle of some writing even once or twice I won't be
able to trust it.
Anyway, thanks for indulging my portable Emacs fantasy. I think it is still
a fantasy. I go to Emacs meetups and lurk on places like these and while
I've seen some neat hacks, I haven't really seen anything practical from my
limited perspective. But the dream lives on.
Best,
Patrick
Devin Prater <r.d.t.prater@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
If you have an Android device, you may be able to rig Termux up to dohttp://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/devicedoc/Atmel-11269-32-bit-Cortex-A5
that, of course it'd have to use Fenrir or another screen reader, or
Emacspeak with ESpeak, but I think it'd doable.
Devin Prater
r.d.t.prater@xxxxxxxxx
On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 9:52 AM Patrick Smyth
<patricksmyth01@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Devin,
This is a really interesting and encouraging thread. I do most of
my day-to-day in Emacs and have always really wanted to some way to
take Emacs with me and use it on the go, especially since I feel I
keep about 10% of my brain in org mode. Is there a modern device
that would let me do this in some form? What's your recommendation?
Or will I forever need to sit at my computer to do certain kinds of
work?
Best,
Patrick
Devin Prater <r.d.t.prater@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
> And I fondly remember the Braille Plus, that lovely Linux >
powered PDA. I > loved that thing, and it's where I first found
Emacs. :) > Devin Prater > r.d.t.prater@xxxxxxxxx > > On Tue, Mar
30, 2021 at 4:50 AM Tamas Geczy > <gt1991@xxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I now see what Ken has said on this mailing list and can >> agree
me to >> this >> conclusion.with it >> 100%. There are two new equipment purchases which lead
>> The first is one of the new Humanware Brilliant BI 40x >>
displays. APH >> is selling the Mantis, but unfortunately (for me )
this has >> QWERTY >> input, and I wanted the standard 8-key type.
It's clear to >> me >> that the >> Chameleon 20, Brilliant 20 are
the exact same display, >> except >> that APH >> is able to provide
a lower cost to consumers by providing >> the >> Chameleon under
their name. This was similar to the PlexTalk >> / >> Bookport
situation. I burnt out the book port by >> accidentally >> plugging
>> Somein both the AC adapter and USB cable. Not a good idea, kids.
>> devices just don't turn off charging on both, and that can >> fry
PlexTalk as a >> replacement for it. So there's that.internal things. So went the Bookport, but I did find a >>
>> There is, however, a big difference between the era of >>
yesteryear and >> the one of today. The Plextalk / Bookport used same
firmware >> structure, but both had different firmware files which
could >> be >> loaded >> on your model. The Plextalk was used
internationally, so a >> lot >> of >> European countries saw it,
whereas the Bookport + was a U.S >> exclusive.
>> Either way,
>> today we are faced with a world where both the APH devices >> and
the >> same >> build, and each will display their ownthe BI >> 40X models can use the same firmware file. They can run
hardware-driven >> differences, >> such as Keysoft Light being used
on BI 40X, but Mantis/ >> Chameleon >> hiding those Keysoft things
and presenting people with the >> right user >> guide for their
model.
>>
>> How is this done? Surprisingly, the firmware for these >> devices
the >> past, or >> even the Everest-based bootloader boards used byis more >> open than custom-built Humanware Apex arm platforms of
a >> BrailleNote >> touch.
>> They use simple .tar files for the filesystems, but there's >>
good >> signature verification on these files so you would need to
the >> package. From >> the get-go, the thing I liked and whatgenerate >> with keys you don't have if you were to tinker with
surprised me is just >> how >> much >> security is still considered
in these devices, but we'll get >> into this >> later.
>>
>> Either way, I found a few surprises hidden in there. I can >>
tell >> you >> that the entire E-Speak speech synthesizer is in the
current >> firmware, >> indicating to me that they may expand full
speech >> functionality >> (or at >> least for book reading if not
full speech) using Mbrola >> based >> HMM >> synthesis technology.
This is present today, just not >> activated. There >> are also a
bunch of sample .mp3 files in the root user's >> home >> folder, >>
which appears to be used when you get these things in a >> diagnostic
expansion in the future >> on >> these >> devices. I found out thatmode. (that part is still hidden to me, which is good as >> again,
it >> shows how well they can still restrict security on a Linux
environment.) >> >> This presents a huge opportunity for
the way they can code for knowing >> which you >> have is simple.
These devices are built on off-the-shelf >> hardware.
>> Specifically the SAMA5D3 Xplained User Guide - >>
Atmel-11269-32-bit-Cortex-A5-Microcontroller-SAMA 5D3 >> breadboard.
This >> is amazing. In fact, you can view the entire spec sheet for
>>it >> here:
>>
===========================================================
>>
>> So, we can tell many specs of the hardware right off the >> bat,
Cortex >> A5 >> chip >> and at least a gig of Ram. In their Linuxand that >> standard off-the-shelf parts power them, including a
implementation, >> there's a >> /dev/brldsplay (or something
similar, perhaps >> /dev/brailledisplay) >> which drives the Braille
output at all times. This is also >> how >> the >> "recovery mode"
prompt can be displayed by the bootloader.
>> These
>> breadboards appear to have either 1 or 2 gigs of ram, and >> they
>> Bluetooth 5 for the BI 40x only, 4.2 for Bi 20x, Mantis, >>pair it >> with various Bluetooth chips in the hardware difference
process:
Chameleon.
>> What's interesting is that the famously talked about NLS >>
ereader is >> based off this same series also. This means that the
EReader >> (as it is >> known internally) has a 20-cell display
(just like >> Chameleon, >> Bi 20X) >> and an exactly identical
interface / firmware to these >> devices.
>> The
>> difference? Only the BARD online service will be accessible >> on
>>them >> with the "online services" menu.
>> That's right, here we get into more interesting things. The >>
Chameleon >> right now excludes the BARD service, and it's a curious
>> Perhaps agreements had to be made since the NLS product will >>omission.
have that >> service, and it's exactly the same looking device.
Either >> way, >> all APH >> would have to do is to flip the switch
on the menu item for >> Mantis and >> Chameleon users, and they
would get BARD listed. But at this >> point, >> this could also
undercut Humanware's products, although the >> Mantis >> never will
as it's the QWERTY brother to the BI 40x.
>> However,
>> today,
>> the Chameleon is about $300 cheaper over the Bi 20x, and the >>
only >> thing you miss out on is the BARD service. I've heard >>
rumblings >> from a >> few people that BARD support may still
ultimately arrive on >> the >> APH >> devices, and I think it
should considering how many students >> may need >> that support for
their textbooks.
>>
>> The other device I was able to acquire is an embosser. I'm >>
still >> looking for tactile graphics to use which are good to print,
when it >> comes to >> creating diagrams of things. One device thatbut this >> can open up a bit more opportunities for me as well
came with the >> embosser is >> the GoBraille >> >> You might be a
bit surprised to know that the GoBraille is >> built on a >>
Raspberry Pi. That's right. When I saw the layout of the >> board,
announces >> its IP >> address from the headphone port. How cute.I >> instantly knew. It has 4 USB ports + ethernet on the left,
Micro-USB >> in the back, standard HDMI in the back. Oh, and it
>> In a way though, you're also paying for the formatter and >>
embosser >> interface + custom drivers all that could require to
print >> Tiger >> graphics. Certainly making it air-print compatible
over >> CUPS, >> configuring how the embosser's Graphics VS text
mode will >> work, >> all of >> that requires a bit of custom
coding. The frontend to the >> LibLouis >> translator through the
GoBraille web interface, it being >> able >> to >> translate text
when it comes across wireless printing, and >> configuring >> the
Wi-fi over Wi-fi direct + other extras that make that >> device user
that's a >> bit remarkable.friendly. Still, it's built on off-the-shelf hardware. And >>
>>
>> So Linux does have a huge place to carve out in the future >> of
into >> the >> future where more modern hardware can e used withinassistive technology. I think many more things to come will >> be
built >> either atop Linux or Android, and this will propel them
these >> devices, >> rather than hardware that's a few years old
already by the >> time >> they >> get to design all the custom
motors and servos and whatever >> else to >> interface with it. I
know they have built .so Linux >> libraries >> which >> drive some
of this now, which opens up a potential of re-use >> or >> easier
>> Just don't be surprised, because that Linux revolution is >>re-configuration to fit a wide range of Linux hardware.
already >> here, and we live among it. Now I just wish I could
somehow >> localize >> or help localize the Chameleon's or Bi X
series firmware >> into >> Hungarian. That would be amazing.
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Tamas
>>
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>> Raspberry Pi and the Raspberry Pi logo are trademarks of the >>
Raspberry Pi >> Foundation.
>>
>> This list is not affiliated to the Raspberry Pi Foundation >> and
list do >> not >> reflect >> those of the Foundation.the views >> and attitudes expressed by the subscribers to this
>>
>> Mike Ray, list creator, January 2013 >> >> > > >
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> The raspberry-vi mailing list
> Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/raspberry-vi
> Administrative contact: <mike.ray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >
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> Raspberry Pi and the Raspberry Pi logo are trademarks of the >
Raspberry Pi Foundation.
>
> This list is not affiliated to the Raspberry Pi Foundation > and
the views and attitudes expressed by the subscribers to this > listdo not reflect those of the Foundation.
>
> Mike Ray, list creator, January 2013
