Hi: Here are my comments on the stream. I'd love to have a company like Humanware or others market a product which is actually finished, but after the latest firmware was released, I must say it was worth the wait. I just read 2 books on audible this weekend. The compression where one can speed up a book without listening to chipmonks is fantastic. This type of listening takes some getting used to, but it is the best I've heard to date. The tone and other adjustments are a personal taste and itseems there was improvements here to.
I've been also impressed on the navigational improvements. One should take note that sdhc cards might need a reformat to work after the upgrade, as mine was not recognized for playing files after the update. I reformatted the card and all is well. Jeff At 05:18 PM 11/18/2007, you wrote: >Hi, just a few comments about the Victor stream. > >1. With the last firmware update the VR can now play audible files, >including type 4 or whatever they're called. Obviously the player has >to be registered with the Audible software. > >2. Supports MP3, DAISY, including the American variant of course, and >.ogg files. Virtually certain it'l play .wav files too. > >3. Good through an external powered speaker. > >4. Internal speaker not good for book listening and probably not >meant for that either. > >5. You can record memo notes with the Stream's built-in mic, or plug >an external mic in. Sensitivity of this mic is very good. Does >record to an odd sort of file compression type though and not sure >that it's easy, yet, to play these on a PC. > >6. Internal speaker is good for listening to memo recordings. > >7. Good support for text and HTML files too; read by sythetic speech >which to my ear is good. Maybe support for MS Word files too, but not >sure on that. Navigation of text much improved with character, word, >line sentence and paragraph. > >8. Only real downside is USB 1.1. This means if transfering files >via a UsB cable transfer is SLOW! You can use an external card writer >though to place files on the SD cards it takes. > >9. Battery life good at around fifteen hours, and charges up quite >quickly. (Some have had problems with batteries, but think this is >solved now.) > >In short, for the money, it has to be a good deal, well in terms of >the cost of access tech devices anyway. Overall quality of playback >is good, though critical music listeners might feel there's something >lacking quality-wise. > >HTH. > > > > >From Ray >I can be contacted off-list at: >mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >-----Original Message----- >Bradford Trainham > > >Does anyone have an opinion of this machine you'd care to share? >It looks/"sounds" like exactly what I want, but I haven't reviewed >many of >the contending/similar products that are designed to give us >"on-the-go" >access to digitally-done books. >Brad Trainham > > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >On Behalf Of Steve Pattison >Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 5:51 AM >To: 'GUI Talk'; Access-L; 'PC Audio Discussion List' >Subject: FWd: Victor Reader Stream is Now AudibleReady > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >VICTOR READER STREAM DAISY, MP3 AND NISO PLAYER IS NOW AUDIBLE READY > >Portable MP3 Player Specifically Designed for the Blind and Visually >Impaired now Compatible with Audible.com > >Longueuil(Canada), November 15, 2007 > >Victor Reader Stream, the pocket-sized portable MP3 player designed >for >blind and low-vision people now has the capability to play the popular >Audible.com books. In addition to the variety of audio formats (MP3, >DAISY, >and NISO books and music) supported by Victor Reader Stream, the >Audible >format will provide a huge additional choice of content to the users. >Audible is the leading provider of spoken audio on the internet, >providing >over 140,000 hours of digital audio editions of books, newspapers and >magazines. > >The Stream has extensive navigation features for moving through audio >books >and text files, including functions that allow you to move to the next >chapter, section or page, or to set bookmarks. For Audible books, the >user >will be able to navigate from one Audible heading to the next, move by >increments of one-, five-, or ten-minute time jumps, and move with an >accelerated fast forward feature that announces the amount of time >lapsed. >Blind and low-vision people who listen to talking books on a regular >basis >often prefer to speed up the playback. For all audio book formats that >Stream plays, including Audible, variable speed control with digital >pitch >correction allows the reader to accurately listen at higher than >normal >playback speed. > >The player is completely accessible by blind and low-vision users. All >keys >and messages are provided through audio feedback. The player has a >built-in >User Guide and a Key Describer mode to remind the user of keypad >functions. >It comes with integrated text-to-speech voice, allowing it to play >text-only >files and announce the track names of music files. It uses an SD >memory card >to store books and music transferred from a computer. > >"We are very happy to bring the advanced navigation features of Stream >to >the Audible listener experience", says Gerry Chevalier, HumanWare >Victor >Reader Product Manager. "I know of no other Audible-ready player that >offers >accessibility, variable speed playback, and advanced navigation, all >in one >package." > >"We are very much aware of the value and popularity of Audible books >for the >blind and visually impaired", says Will Lopes, Vice President for >Business >Development at Audible. "We are pleased to work with HumanWare to >bring the >benefits of the accessible Victor Reader Stream player to Audible >listeners". > >Victor Reader Stream can be purchased online at www.humanware.com (in >USA). >Current Victor Reader Stream users will need to upgrade their player >to >software version 1.1 in order to play Audible books. The latest >version 1.1 >software upgrade is also available online at www.humanware.com. > >About HumanWare >HumanWare (www.humanware.com) is the global leader in assistive >technologies >for the print disabled. HumanWare provides products to people who are >blind >and have low vision and students with learning disabilities. HumanWare >offers a collection of innovative products including BrailleNote, the >leading productivity device for the blind in education, business and >for >personal use; the Victor Reader product line, the world's leading >digital >audiobook players, and SmartView Xtend, the first fully modular and >upgradeable CCTV-based video magnifier. > > >For further information: > >HumanWare Canada >Nicolas Lagace >tel.: (450) 463-1717 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... >http://www.pc-audio.org > >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG. >Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.30/1125 - Release Date: >11/11/2007 9:50 PM Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
