Bill.Koppelmann@f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Koppelmann) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12891
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Fred, in a previous post I started talking about the Braille 'n
Speach, and as you are interested, I thought I'd tell you the
little that I know.
First, it is probably the smallest machine of its kind, but what really
makes it a honey is the fact that with the bns you can have open as
many as 20 files at a time. It would be like working on 20 letters at
once in Wordperf all at once. I'm not sure of all the things it can
do, but as you canguess, it is basically a glorified word processor.
However, you can use it with a modem and get in to fido with it.
It comes with its own speech, but doesn't have an internal disk drive
that comes with it. However, an external one is now available and will
allow you to read ibm files as well as allowing the ibm clone be able
to read bns files.
Bill.
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Internet: Bill.Koppelmann@f810.n104.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12912
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
BK> speech, but doesn't have an internal disk drive that comes with
BK> it. However, an external one is now available and will allow
BK> you to read ibm files as well as allowing the ibm clone be able
BK> to read bns files.
Bill,
Yeah, but just try to get your hands on one of those disk drives!
Yeah, yeah, I know that Blazie is known for their excellent
support, and hey, I've even partied with Bryan here at my house and
spent hours on the phone with him and Dean helping them set up their
bulletin board, so why is it that we're still waiting for the external
disk drive we ordered and paid for, with help from ASB, 4 months ago?
Of course we got the old "problem with the supplier" story when we
inquired about this, but it surprises me that what was very regular
communications when the shoe was on the other foot has become nil since
we're doing the waiting here!
Willie
... BlinkTalk, Dr. Deb and Silver in Pittsburgh!
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Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgFred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Fred Hatfield) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12922
William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12946
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
FH> In a message of <18 Dec 90 00:44:00>, Bill Koppelmann
FH> (1:104/810) writes:
BK>>It comes with its own speech, but doesn't have an internal disk drive
BK>>that comes with it. However, an external one is now available and will
BK>>allow you to read ibm files as well as allowing the ibm clone be able
BK>>to read bns files.
To which William Wilson replied, "Yeah, if you can get your hands on
one!
Then, early the next morning there was a knock at his door, and
sure enough, there was the UPS man with the disk drive!
Hey, I could develope a habit of bitching about companies here very easily!
Willie
... Like a bat out of Bellevue!
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Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgFred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Fred Hatfield) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12922
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
In a message of <18 Dec 90 00:44:00>, Bill Koppelmann (1:104/810) writes:
BK>However, you can use it with a modem and get in to fido with it.
BK>It comes with its own speech, but doesn't have an internal disk drive
BK>that comes with it. However, an external one is now available and will
BK>allow you to read ibm files as well as allowing the ibm clone be able
BK>to read bns files.
It sounds like a terrific device, Bill. George, my friend, doesn't
want to have anything to do with braille so I have just
concentrated on the voice synthesizers. When I lived in Columbus,
Ohio, I was working with a group that was trying to add braille
embossing to IBM keypunch machines. We had some initial successes,
but then when microprocessors and floppy disk drives gained
popularity, the old keypunches kind of disappeared.
I would like to get more information on the Braille n' Speak for my
files -- I appreciate any comments you have on it.
Fred Hatfield K8VDU @ NN5F.LA.USA.NA ...from the digital cottage...
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Internet: Fred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (01/23/91)
Index Number: 13174
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DG> Hi. Wanted to let you know I'm quite an experienced user of the
DG> BNS. If you need help with certain commands let me know and
DG> hopefully I can help.
David,
new Braille 'n Speak tutorial from Talking Computers Inc.? I think the
tutorials Doug Wakefield produced for Dos, Lotus, DBase and Word Perfect
were excellent, and I was thinking of getting the Braille 'n Speak
tutorial.
Any and all opinions accepted!
Willie
... BlinkTalk, Dr. Deb and Silver in Pittsburgh!
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Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgJohn.Sanfilippo@f608.n107.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13451
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi,
I should have addressed this to whomever you were addressing,
but I trust they will probably see this anyway--I hope!
Anyway, I go into speech parameters with 3 4 5 chord and press
space, until I have silent keys. I also use a somewhat lower
speaking volume. Most of the time, this works fine for me.
At first, I didn't trust the thing, not hearing what I was
brailling, but I've since learned to go ahead and make mistakes;
the BNS is most often very relyable. I can always clean up my
errors later.
By the way, when I ordered my BNS I got it with the clock
calendar and calculator and the PC interface, and the service
contract. That ran me just under $1200. If you don't want all
those features, you can get it for a bit less. But I wanted
everything but the $500 disk drive!
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Internet: John.Sanfilippo@f608.n107.z1.fidonet.orgStew.Bowden@f6.n377.z1.fidonet.org (Stew Bowden) (02/06/91)
Index Number: 13530
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi Bill: glad there is a distributer of the Braille &speak near you.
That should make it faster and hope you get it soon. to tell you the
truth, I have never used mine with headphones, because you can set
the volume so low, that people around you can scarcely hear it.
However, I know that some people like to use headphones, so It just
might be the best way for you. Good luck my friend, and hope things
work out.
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Internet: Stew.Bowden@f6.n377.z1.fidonet.orgJohn.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo) (04/11/91)
Index Number: 14680
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I'm wondering if you've ever had to
BK> "dump" your files in to the pc, and if so, what proceedures do
BK> you use? I ask as I am concerned about upgrades and such.
JS:
Hi Bill, Yours is a definite concern. Here's what I've done
quite successfully:
I interface my bns with an IBM PC clone. Here are the batch
files which I use to accomplish this:
TAKE.BAT
Syntax: take filename.ext
What does it do? It uses the dos MODE command to take a transfer
from the bns and put it into filename.ext.
NOTE: Minor but important preparation required:
Sending from BNS to PC, the end of the file, or file portion
which is to be sent MUST be signalled by a control Z (Zebra)
which tells MS-DOS that this is the end of the file. Use X-chord
Z to put this control Z into your file before you do the
Transmit commands.
Here is the batch file:
@echo off
rem Tells dos to shut up while working
mode com1:9600,n,8,1,p>nul
rem sets up communication thru the com1 port, polling the port
forinput. Dos waits for a control Z signaling end of
transfer.
copy com1 %1 >nul
rem puts the info coming from the com port into filename.ext
type %1 >> allfiles.bns
rem Appends FILENAME.EXT to a collecting file, ALLFILES.BNS.
Noting the last line above, if i "Take" three files from bns to
the separate files file 1, file 2 and file3, I will end
up with file1, file 2 file3 and allfiles.bns. Allfiles.bns will
contain file1 2 and 3 combined. I usually edit the combined file
in QEdit, farming out portions of allfiles.bns to whereever I
may want them to go. In the meantime, I have the separate
files, 1, 2 and 3 for backup.
Now, here's the complimentary batch file for sending a file from
PC to BNS:
GIVE.BAT
Syntax: GIVE FILENAME.EXT
What does it do: Copies FILENAME.EXT into the currently open BNS
file.
Here is the batch file:
@echo off
mode com1:9600,n,8,1>nul
rem Silently prepare com1 for output.
copy %1 com1 > nul
rem Send FILENAME.EXT out to BNS.
Note to Soft Vert users (or anyone similarly affected):
I found that if SV was using com1, the batch file would just
send the file directly to speech and bypass BNS. I solved this
problem by putting SV on com2 and BNS on com1. It probably could
have been done just as well the other way, but since I got this
to work just fine, and since another problem prevented my doing
it the other way, this is what I use.
Many thanks to Mickey Quenzer of Arkenstone for helping me with
the basic I/O concepts here.
Enjoy,
jjcs
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Internet: John.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgkirk@braille.uwo.ca (Kirk Reiser) (04/12/91)
Index Number: 14781 John.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo) writes: >Index Number: 14680 > I'm wondering if you've ever had to > BK> "dump" your files in to the pc, and if so, what proceedures do > BK> you use? I ask as I am concerned about upgrades and such. >JS: >Hi Bill, Yours is a definite concern. Here's what I've done >quite successfully: >I interface my bns with an IBM PC clone. Here are the batch >files which I use to accomplish this: > .... much stuff deleted! I have run into quite a few people having the same problem. In fact I see the same need to upload and download to and from pc's with VersaBraille P2's as well. The answer which I took was to write a couple of programs which will upload and download to either BersabRailles or Braille N' Speeks. These type of transfers can be done with modem packages also, but most of our clients are fairly young. So a straight foreward program which prompts for responses has proven to be the best way of dealing with the transfer issue. If anyone is interested in either of these, write me and I will give you more information. They are a big $35.00 Canadian. Kirk -- Kirk Reiser The Computer Braille Facility email: kirk@braille.uwo.ca room H045 Health Sciences Addition phone: (519) 661-3061 University of Western Ontario London Ontario N6A 5C1