[real-eyes] Re: RFB&D players
- From: "Robert Beach" <rbeach@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:03:11 -0500
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
> To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription
options, =
> go to www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes
>
>
>
> --=20
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>
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