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TSBVI Technology Institute

Problem Solving

by Debra.Leff@esc13.txed.net

  1. Cables
    1. Serial
    2. Parallel
    3. Centronics
    4. USB
    5. No cables (infrared)
  2. Computers
    1. Macintosh www.apple.com/disability
      1. For Braille production use Duxbury www.duxburysystems.com . Many embossers should work with the right cable.
      2. Screen reader program is Outspoken from Alva Systems www.aagi.com
      3. Intellitools www.intellitools.com makes an inexpensive talking word processor.
      4. Closeview, a basic enlargement program, can be downloaded from the Macintosh site. Fully-featured enlargement program, inLarge, can be ordered from Alva Systems above.
    2. PC www.microsoft.com/enable
      1. For Braille production use Megadots or Duxbury with virtually any embosser.
      2. There are many features built into the operating system. You can find those at the Microsoft site above or at the TSBVI site at www.tsbvi.edu/technology/tech-training.htm
  3. Electronic Notetakers
    1. Braille n Speak, Type n Speak, Braille Lite
      1. As soon as you can hook up to a printer, print out the Help menu. Use th-chord to get to the Help menu, then T-Chord A to print.
      2. Learn to reset the machine
        1. Brl n Speak- try pressing for-chord twice, if that doesn't work, press I-chord as you power on.
        2. Type n Speak- try Ctrl, Alt, Delete. If that doesn't work, try Ctrl, Alt, Delete as you power on.
      3. Make sure the Speech box mode isn't on
      4. Know your chargers the bulky 12V goes with the Brl Lite or Brl n Speak with a serial number beginning with 5.
      5. Learn the Status menu ST-chord - most problems reside there
          • Press L to go to printer type- choose Epson, Imagewriter, HP
          • Print line length: 75
          • Print left margin: 10
          • Print page length: 60
          • Print top margin: 6
        1. Embosser settings- If you make these settings in the notetaker, then you will set everything you can to "0" in the embosser settings.
          • Braille line length: 33 (for Blazer)
          • Braille left margin: 1
          • Braille page length: 25
          • Braille top margin: 1
        2. If you still have problems: check the serial settings
          • Baud rate 9600
          • Parity none
          • Duplex half
          • Data bits 8
          • Stop bits 1
          • Software handshaking
          • Append line feed on
      6. The Disk Drive
        1. It requires charging or use of a power source. The light will not come on until it is connected to a BnS.
        2. These commands seem to work for transferring info:
          1. S-chord Y (file transfer), Hit S to send, (it goes to the file list, go up and down the list [with 1-chord or 4-chord], use space bar to mark file, then E-chord.)
          2. S-chord Y, hit R to receive, (it goes to the file list, go up and down the list [with 1-chord or 4-chord], then E-chord.)
    2. BrailleNote
      1. Re-set options- while the machine is on
        1. Press the red button
        2. Press the red button and hold 1,2,3 (resets back ot burn on chip)
        3. Press the red button and hold 4,5,6 (resets back to last update)
      2. Help menu- it is active everywhere, press H-chord to get help messages
  4. Embossers (Blazer)
    1. You can reset this machine. Hold down all 3 buttons as you power on.
    2. Check to be sure that the small rubber handle behind the platen is rotated away from you.
    3. Learn to use the menu system.
  5. Printers (MS-DOS compatible work fine)
    1. See separate handout with list
  6. Tech Support/Resources
    1. Freedom Scientific (Blazie+JAWS+Openbook) 727-803-8600
    2. PulseData-Humanware 925-680-7100
    3. AI Squared (Zoomtext) 802-362-3612
    4. GW Micro (Window-Eyes) 260-489-3671
    5. Duxbury Systems (Dux+Mega) 978-692-3000
    6. TSBVI Tech Outreach sharonnichols@tsbvi.edu or hollycooper@tsbvi.edu or search the website www.tsbvi.edu
    7. SET-BC Regional Center - good resource info www.setbc.org

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Last Revision: November 4, 2002