The Verio ultra list is still up and running, and so far as I know, that new company does not have any US distributor or repair yet.
Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 20, 2018, at 9:32 AM, Rami Ahmad <blindathle...@gmail.com> wrote: > > for your information, varioUltra and all other baum products are now > maintained by another company called visiobraille. they will continue the > development and distribution of these products. they can be found at > http://visiobraille.de > > > >> On Oct 20, 2018, at 7:16 PM, 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. 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