Hi richard, Since that article was written, I believe that triumph technologies is now part of hims. I mean that the displays sold buy them directly from Handy tech or help tech are now part of the hymns product family. And I believe Earl Harrison is a hymns dealer.
Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 20, 2018, at 9:16 AM, Richard Turner <richardturne...@outlook.com> > wrote: > > *Note: I removed the section on the Vario Ultra since that company has gone > out of business. > This article from Access World talks about autoscroll and I would recommend > reading the other articles that preceded this one to get good information > about a variety of braille displays. > > Keeping It Portable: Comparing Braille Displays on iOS Devices, Part III > > Scott Davert > > In Part I of this series > , we took a look at four braille displays that carry out functions related to > an external device. However, some people may wish to have an integrated suite > of productivity applications for basic tasks such as reading books, taking > notes, performing simple calculations, etc., along with that connectivity. > This > article will look at the internal functions of both the VarioUltra and > Actilino as they relate to iOS devices. > > The Actilino > > The Actilino is a 16-cell braille display manufactured by Help Tech, formerly > known as Handy Tech. Like the VarioUltra, it has a lot of functions beyond > being able to connect to external devices. It is shaped like a rectangle, > with a tapered edge at the front. Placing the device in front of you, with its > downward-sloping edge nearest you, you will find a speaker on the front left, > a Micro SD slot (used with internal functions), and a second speaker on the > right front side. Starting with the keys closest to you, from left to right, > you have the first of two rectangular-shaped Spacebars, a joystick, and the > second Spacebar. While the joysticks on both displays are round, the > VarioUltra's is almost flush with the display's surface, while the Actilino's > has > a higher profile, and is thinner. Behind this, you will find a depression > that contains 16 cells of braille with a three-way rocker button at each end > (these rocker buttons are referred to as "triple-action keys" in the manual). > Each button can be pressed upward, downward, or straight down. Behind the > 16 cells of braille, and level with the upper part of the rocker buttons, are > 16 cursor routing buttons that are raised slightly higher than the depression > that contains the cells. Behind the cursor routing buttons, and on an > elevated surface, is the Perkins-style keyboard. Like the VarioUltra, these > keys > are configured with special attention paid to ergonomics. Unlike the > VarioUltra, between Dots 1 and 4, you will find an internal microphone. On > the back > of the Actilino, there is a magnet, though it's not tactilely discernable > unless the display is in the case. The magnet ensures the Actilino stays > securely > within the carrying case. > > On the left side of the Actilino, the port closest to you is a 3.5 mm > headphone jack. The port located behind the headphone jack is used for > charging, > connecting to USB enabled external devices, and sending and receiving data. > Along the right side, closest to you is the round Power button followed by > a Type A USB port for plugging in external keyboards. The Actilino is longer, > heavier, and wider than the VarioUltra, weighing in at 14 ounces, but that > added weight and size translate into added functionality. > > Connecting to iOS > > For the first 15 minutes that the Actilino is powered on, Bluetooth is > activated. If you have had the device on for more than 15 minutes without > using > Bluetooth, it switches off to conserve battery. It's not necessary to do > anything else on the Actilino before going into Settings > General > > Accessibility >> VoiceOver > Braille on your iOS device. Find the Actilino from the list of >> displays in range, and double-tap it. The iOS device will come up with a >> confirmation > in the form of a PIN code that should match the one displayed on the > Actilino. Press Y on the Actilino, and then double-tap confirm on your iOS > device. > > Unique Features of the Actilino > > Semi-Automatic Scrolling > > Help Tech has an entire line of displays that feature Active Tactile Control > (ATC) technology, which senses when your fingers reach the end of a line of > braille and automatically advances the display. While autoscrolling is > certainly an option with other braille devices, none of the options on the > market > support this functionality with iOS. Furthermore, though other displays have > autoscrolling capability, they scroll automatically based on a set duration > of time, not when your fingers reach the end of the display. I've found most > autoscrolling features to be more trouble than they're worth for this reason, > but the ATC technology has changed that. > > ATC for mobile devices must be enabled separately from ATC used with the > display's internal functions. To toggle this feature on, when connected to a > mobile > device, press Spacebar + Dots 1, 7, and 8. As of firmware version 1.6, you do > not get confirmation that Mobile ATC is active until you move your fingers > to the end of a line and the braille refreshes. If ATC stops working after a > while, it may be necessary to re-enable it as described above. > > While there is a different setting for Mobile ATC, it is necessary to control > its sensitivity from the ATC settings found in the Actilino's internal menu. > I found that I had to set this to 7 (which is the highest number) for the > most consistent results. I've been reading with a lite touch for many years, > so it's possible individuals who read with more of a heavy hand may be able > to lower the sensitivity. It's a solid, very unique, and wonderful feature > to have on any display, but particularly a smaller one. > > Multiple Connections > > The Actilino supports up to three simultaneous Bluetooth connections > simultaneously along with one USB connection. To change devices you must > cycle through > connected devices by pressing Spacebar with Dots 4, 5, and 8. > > Automatically Connecting > > If you are reading a book on the Actilino, and one of your connected devices > wakes up, the Actilino will automatically jump back to that device. Of course, > this will not happen if 15 minutes have elapsed and Bluetooth has switched > off. That said, if you wish to read a book on the Actilino, you may find it > useful to put your iOS device on the Do Not Disturb setting. You can exit PC > mode, which is what the Actilino calls being connected to an external device, > by pressing Spacebar + M. It's true that Spacebar + Mon an iOS device mutes > speech, and this method still accomplishes this, but you can mute speech > without > exiting PC mode by adding Dot 7 to the command. > > Moving Text From the Actilino to an iOS Device > > If you have composed text in the Editor, you may wish to transfer it to your > iOS device. With the Actilino, after copying the text to the keyboard, > (instructions > can be found in the manual on how to do this), press Spacebar + Dots 1, 5, > and 7 to send it to the iOS device. Remember, you must ensure that the braille > input mode on your iOS device matches that of the Actilino for the transfer > to be successful. I found transferring the same two-page document used for > the VarioUltra test to take about 5 minutes with the Actilino. > > Quiet Keyboard > > The Actilino's keyboard is the quietest I've ever used, and the most > comfortable for me to type on. Braille keyboards are very subjective, of > course, so > you might have a different experience. I found the keys to have just the > right amount of spacing and resistance. People with smaller hands may find > that > the Spacebars are too far away for them to reach, but that they enjoy the > keyboard otherwise. Help Tech has addressed this by adding the option of > pressing > Dots 7 and 8 together to insert a space. While it took some getting used to, > I find that it is a good way to accommodate this need. It also shows that, > while the hardware development is complete, the software development is not, > as this didn't appear to be an option in earlier firmware releases. > > Noisy Display > > By default, there are many musical tones representing different actions, > alerts, and messages from the Actilino. These can be disabled individually in > the internal menu, and can also be turned off completely. > > Audio > > I mentioned in the Actilino's description that there are two speakers and a > microphone on board. Though you must pair your iOS device separately for the > audio feature, doing so does give you an external device that is slightly > louder than the iPhone 7 and earlier models. It also enables you to make phone > calls, or use other audio-specific apps, from the Actilino. To enable the > Bluetooth audio interface, when the Actilino is powered on, press Spacebar + > Dots 2, 5, 7, and 8. The Actilino will emit a series of tones that indicate > it is ready to pair with an external device. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and > find a device called "POR" with numbers after that. Double tap, and the > connection should be established within about two seconds. > > I found that the audio quality leaves a bit to be desired when piped through > the Actilino's internal speakers. However, just like food and braille > keyboards, > the point could be made that audio quality is subjective. I found that > VoiceOver sounded a bit wobbly through the internal speakers, but found it > worked > well when connected to speakers or headphones through the 3.5 mm jack. > Interestingly, the VoiceOver lag, which is present with all Bluetooth > devices, seems > to be a bit less. Most importantly, I found that audio is not cut off when > there is a pause and audio resumes playing. For those using an iPhone 7 or > later, > this feature may come in handy if you want to use a 3.5 mm plug to connect to > an external sound source. I also noticed that the braille display didn't > suffer any sort of lag when there were two connections to the same device. > During a test FaceTime call, the person on the other end sounded very clear > through external speakers, but they reported that my audio sounded a bit > "crackly". > > Hiccups remain with the audio interface. For example, I turned the Actilino > off and back on, and even though I re-enabled the audio interface, I found > that the connection was no longer stable. I had to forget the Actilino's > audio connection to my iPhone and then re-establish it to stabilize the > connection. > In defense of Help Tech, the Actilino is a relatively new device, appearing > on the US market in June of 2017. This may simply be a bug that will be > addressed > in a future firmware release. > > Time Keeps On Ticking > > When powering on the Actilino, you will find the name of the device along > with the current time. This can be easier to check than having to wait for > your > braille display to connect to your iPhone, so while it's a minor detail, I > found it helpful. Sometimes, all I need to know is the current time, and this > is easily determined on the Actilino. > > Triple-Action Keys > > The manual calls these "triple-action keys" because they can be pressed in > one of three ways. On iOS, pressing them away from you pans the braille > backward, > pressing either one toward you pans the braille forward, pressing straight > down on the left button will activate the Delete key, and pressing down on the > right triple-action key will activate the Enter key. Again, it's possible to > remap these functions with iOS 11. > > The Case > > The Actilino comes with a case that fits the device well. The case has a > magnet inside of it that secures the Actilino. The magnet in the case came > unglued > in the first one I had, but the Actilino still feels secure even when I'm > moving around. When opened, the case provides access to all features and > functions, > so you can use it on the go. > > Miscellaneous > > Battery life varies dramatically depending on how you use the Actilino. If > you are always connected with both audio and braille to a Bluetooth device, > your battery isn't likely to last very long compared to when the device is > functioning only as a standalone notetaker. I have found that battery life, > when used mainly with PC mode, is around 25 hours. Unlike the VarioUltra, the > Actilino does not see a large decrease in battery life when it is unplugged > and turned off. > > Charging is done through a proprietary plug that has a magnet on one end and > a standard type A USB plug on the other. However, the connection doesn't have > to be proprietary, the magnetic connector on the Actilino can be pulled off > to be a Micro USB plug so that it works with all Micro USB cables. This > information > is not available in the manual, it was something Triomph kindly provided to > me when I asked about it. It's great that Handy Tech has not only designed > something that can fit on the device no matter which direction the cable is > facing, but they have also given the user the option of removing the > proprietary > part if desired. You will need a good set of fingernails to do so (and the > manufacturer does not recommend removing the proprietary plug), but I managed > to remove it and the result works well for me. > > When comparing user documentation, I found the VarioUltra > to have the most readable and complete documentation of the two devices. New > features are added in the manual as they become available, and are easy to > find. Even the core feature set with the > Actilino's documentation > lacks some commands such as the one for enabling Mobile ATC. Another example > is that the audio interface is located in its own section (4.2), which is > far below the section on connecting an iPhone through VoiceOver (section 2.7). > > Product Information > > Product: VarioUltra 20 > Available from: Baum Retec > Price: $2,395 > > Product: Actilino > Available from: Triumph Technologies > Price: $2,495 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: viphone@googlegroups.com <viphone@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Traci > Duncan > Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 8:21 AM > To: viphone@googlegroups.com > Subject: Auto Scroll with braille display > > Is auto scroll all it is cracked up to be? Do any braille displays offer this > feature on the iPhones? > > I was just reading about the braille Me, which has auto scroll, but I get a > sense it is only for the stand alone book and document reader. > > Ive not experienced auto scrolling, but it seems to me, this would be the > most effective way to read a long document or book 14 or 20 cells at a time. > The concept sounds amazing. Braille scrolling beneath my fingers as I read. > Makes me think of a ticker tape. > > For those of you familiar, could you tell me more. Suggest other braille > display models. > > Thank you, > Traci > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > mk...@ucla.edu. 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