Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Vixen) (05/16/91)
Index Number: 15706
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Hi,
I sometimes wonder, with all of the plans my college and certain
agencies talk about assisting me with and programs supposedly
concerned with the business of helping me become a productive,
contributive member of Society, someone who is'nt, namely PacBell,
is so very helpful and understanding?
Oh, sweet mysteries of life! Although, I should state that I am
talking primarily about the people in "Disabled Services."
I am so happy, I just traded my Krown Porta Printer Plus back to Ma
Bell and got a brand new Ultratec Superprint with the external
extra large read out display and I love it!! It sure is a lot
easier for this legally blind H.I. person to work with using
hyperoptics than trying to find a way to make normal size TDD
displays huge! Although, I still have to start all of my
conversations out with "PLS type slowly! Heheheheh.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out than my Ultratec, like my
Krown, is also ascii capable! So, I can still call my computer with
it! The outside casing seems a lot flimsier than my Krown, but
then, it is not it's "outsides" that I care about! It is just so
neat. I am really happy with it!
And how hard was it to get you might ask? No problem! I just walked
into the Disabled Services office this morning at about 11:30 AM
and by lunch time, I was on my way home with my new Superprint TDD!
All I had to do was turn in my Krown!
I thought that they might make me give up my Amplified telephones,
but nope, they let me keep them as well. Of course, I will turn
them back when and if I get to the point where I cannot use them
anymore!
It is so neat, it is like having a "new toy" at home, if I knew
some of your home numbers, I would call you up! Heheh.
Keepin' the faith!
. Vixen
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Vixen
Internet: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.orgAnn.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker) (06/17/91)
Index Number: 16055 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] Hi Vixen, > . ANNIE S.> However, there is a new Krown unit out that > has a built-in switch that will handle the > often scrambled messages that line noise/static > causes. > . That sounds kind of neat. I am fortunate to be able to > . say that line noise is not something I really have ever > . had a problem with using either TDD. Then again, I make > . few long distance calls. But, locally, I have really > . had no problems. Perhaps I am in an area with exceptionally > . clean lines? Perhaps I need to clarify this a bit - not all TDD's are compatible with each other which can often cause the scrambled messages to come across the screen. Somestimes you can clear them up by hitting your shift keys but not always. Also, since so many of the newer TDD's have built-in answering machines, they don't always come through clearly when first answered - this is a major problem with most relay services when they put you on hold for the next available operator. I think this switch is going to be real handy in this case. I've also noticed that there can be microwave interference or even radar interference from police cars that will affect the transmission of messages on a TDD. I've used many different TDD's in the past 15 years and thought when the C-Phone came out, we had it made. The C-Phone company has gone belly up (a few years back) and was never FCC approved but I think my mother has to be the only one who has one still working (in fact, we finally found an engineer who works for Telos in Lawton to repair the 3 we have). It's really a nice unit since it has a 26 line monitor with a computer size keyboard, but is a bit too bulky as it's all one piece and weighs around 15 lbs. > . I don't know, somehow I don't see the phone companies > .passing out CPU's too easily. I thought California's DHS handled the distribution of TDD's, even though the phone companies handle the billing part of the surcharge tax which also pays for the relay service. Perhaps I'm mistaken on this - I just seem to recall when we first set up the one for Oklahoma, we tried to follow pretty much the same guidelines that California uses. The Advisory Committee for Hearing Impaired Services in Oklahoma has been working on several proposals for laptops with built-in 1200 baud modems but so far, it's still in the planning stage. The surcharge tax that each phone customer pays would provide the funds for (in fact, there's a surplus in the TDD/Relay Service account right now - has been for almost a year, so we aren't paying the tax right now) this proposal. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org