[real-eyes] Re: RFB&D players
- From: "Robert Beach" <rbeach@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 22:56:09 -0500
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
To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options, =
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