I have the Refreshabraille and really like it. I would not mind having something like 40, but you cannot beat the 18 cells for travel and at $1,700 it is a good deal. The build quality is certainly there and I gather there are some displays for less, but may not be worth consideration.
On Apr 4, 2012, at 12:03 PM, Christine Grassman wrote: > I would like to jump in for some opinions from those who have purchased a > Braille Pen, RefreshaBraille or the Perkins nottetaker: I want a Braille > display, solely for purposes of reading iBooks and Read to Go Books on my > iPhone. I have always preferred Braille, and miss it terribly, though I am > thrilled to be able to download a newspaper and listen as I commute. As far > as I am concerned, I just want something simple and straightforward for this > purpose. Please feel free to write me off-line about this, and if anyone has > a link for information comparing the less expensive, lightest-weight, > portable Braille displays, I would appreciate getting it. Thanks. > (I don't care much about input on the display, just output.) > > Christine > On Apr 4, 2012, at 11:42 AM, Teresa Cochran wrote: > >> I had to buy a new Braille display when I got my Mac Mini, because I >> couldn't use my Braille Lite 40. >> >> I much prefer 40-cell displays, and as far as I'm aware, the Focus 40 Blue >> is the least expensive of those by far. Most run around at least $5000 US. >> >> Teresa >> >> "The Golden Age of science fiction is twelve."--Pete Graham >> >> On Apr 4, 2012, at 4:42 AM, erik burggraaf wrote: >> >>> Well, window-eyes actually supports a lot more than apple does, but apple >>> for sure supports all of the modern ones. Except that they are >>> footdragging on the brialliant BI displays. Most of the ones they're >>> missing are legacy serial and parallel devices. >>> >>> Best, >>> >>> Erik Burggraaf >>> Currently on ebony promos: Ebony consulting on android accessibility, New >>> drive imaging services available. To read more and subscribe, visit >>> http://www.erik-burggraaf.com/mailman/listinfo/ebony-promos_erik-burggraaf.com >>> >>> Ebony Consulting toll-free: 1-888-255-5194 >>> or on the web at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com >>> >>> On 2012-04-04, at 6:46 AM, Eugenia Firth wrote: >>> >>>> I asked about the price of a Focus 40 Blue. They said $2,800. Now I think >>>> that's high, but it has 40 cells. The more cells, the more money. I think >>>> $5,000 is for those 80 cell displays. What you're going to do with your >>>> braille, display just like computers, determines how many cells you need. >>>> I have to have 40 because of doing braille proofreading. However, if I >>>> wanted one to carry around for church so I could read my Bible or hymn >>>> music, on an iPad, maybe one of those 12 or 18 cell ones would be the >>>> ticket. It would be even better to carry around with an iPad or iPhone if >>>> the price were less than $1500. You would have to have a good reason or be >>>> lucky enough to afford the luxury to spend $1500 on a display for your >>>> iPad while traveling. I have found, because I do a little traveling with >>>> my 40 cell display that it does add significantly to the weight of your >>>> MacBookPro to carry the display around. >>>> >>>> To make this topic more Mac related, I was impressed, to say the least, >>>> when I found out how many braille displays would work with VoiceOver. >>>> There were ones on the list I had never heard of. I don't believe any of >>>> the other screen readers could say that their program could support that >>>> many displays. There's a fair number with Jaws, and somebody could correct >>>> me about this, but I don't think it's as many as VoiceOver. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Gigi >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Eugenia Firth >>>> gigifi...@sbcglobal.net >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Apr 3, 2012, at 9:06 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>>> >>>>> I understand where you are coming from, but it is good to see that there >>>>> are some displays starting to come down to a somewhat more reasonable >>>>> price. For example, the Braille PPen with 12 cells for $999 is not a bad >>>>> price even though it only has 12 cells. The new 16 cell display and >>>>> basic notetaker from Perkins Products for $1,549 is a better deal too. >>>>> And, the Refresh A Braille from American Printing House for the Blind >>>>> with 18 cells for $1,695 is a good deal, and a very well made display. >>>>> >>>>> Don't get me wrong, I realize these prices are still too high for many >>>>> people, but at least we are starting to see prices down to where more >>>>> people may at least have a chance of saving up to buy one. But, at >>>>> $5,000 for a 40 cell display very few people can afford a Braille display >>>>> without help from somewhere. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Mannion" <mannion...@gmail.com> >>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 11:13 PM >>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Mark, >>>>>> I envy you acquiring the braille display especially. I really wish I >>>>>> were incorrect, but I know I am not missing anything or out of date in >>>>>> my understanding that the price of braille displays are just >>>>>> rediculously out of sight in price about 3 to 4 times over and then >>>>>> some. Still being a common man and feeling blessed and lucky to be >>>>>> able to achieve a few thousand in savings at any point in time at best >>>>>> I don't think a braille display for personal use is anywhere in my >>>>>> near future. Maybe I have already said too much, but what it takes to >>>>>> be able to obtain such technology just makes you throw your hands up >>>>>> in frustration. >>>>>> >>>>>> On 4/2/12, David Tanner <david.tanner...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> And, I bet it is a lot cheaper too. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>>>> From: "Jim Gatteys" <jgatt...@gmail.com> >>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 9:35 PM >>>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi all! >>>>>>> Has anybody used Abby fine reader express for the mac? I just >>>>>>> downloaded a >>>>>>> trial version and it was much better than a few years ago. It worked >>>>>>> with >>>>>>> my old epson perfection scanner and I was able to scan and edit a >>>>>>> document. >>>>>>> I guess it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of kurzweil but for >>>>>>> basic >>>>>>> stuff it seemed fine. I am seriously considering a purchase of fine >>>>>>> reader. >>>>>>> Jim >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Apr 2, 2012, at 8:21 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> It is alive and well... Do you have version 12 patch 4? That is the >>>>>>>> latest release and there is some support for at least one digital >>>>>>>> camera >>>>>>>> in that patch upgrade. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As far as Kurzweil 1000 on the Mac; the news isn't good. There is >>>>>>>> Kurzweil3000 for the Mac, but the folks at Cambian Learning don't think >>>>>>>> they can make enough profit on us blind folks so they say they will not >>>>>>>> release a version for Apple because if every blind person baught a >>>>>>>> copy of >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Kurzweil1000 for Mac they still couldn't make enough profit to make it >>>>>>>> worth it for them to do that. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brent Harding" <br...@hostany.net> >>>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:04 PM >>>>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Any hope for those of us Kurzweil users? I could live with my old >>>>>>>>> Epson >>>>>>>>> Perfection scanner, but the new HP all in one takes forever. It's true >>>>>>>>> that it's quieter by a lot, but it's probably 30 to 45 seconds on the >>>>>>>>> scanning phase. I hate the mail now more than I ever did, but I don't >>>>>>>>> have the space nor USB ports for both devices on the desk. If I ever >>>>>>>>> went >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> back to college, I'd seriously look into a sighted person over what I >>>>>>>>> have now. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "M. Taylor" <mk...@ucla.edu> >>>>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 5:30 PM >>>>>>>>> Subject: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Hello Everyone, >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> In addition to being the proud owner of a Focus 40 Blue, I also >>>>>>>>>> obtained >>>>>>>>>> Freedom Scientific's Pearl camera along with OpenBook 9.0. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> To put it simply, I am stunned with the OCR performance in both >>>>>>>>>> OpenBook >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>> the accuracy of the camera along with the dazzling speed of the image >>>>>>>>>> acquisition experience. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I think what blows my mind the most is the motion detection that >>>>>>>>>> allows >>>>>>>>>> one >>>>>>>>>> to turn pages and when the new page is in view of the camera, it >>>>>>>>>> automatically takes a photo and begins the OCR process. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I swear it feels as though I have a sighted person reading for me. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I could go on and on but ... >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I realize that the pearl has been out for quite some time and am >>>>>>>>>> wondering >>>>>>>>>> if anyone knows if it will work with anything on the Mac. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I know one thing for sure, with the Pearl in my toolbox, I have put >>>>>>>>>> my >>>>>>>>>> scanner away for good. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Mark >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ----- >>>>>>> Chat with me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jimintexas >>>>>>> Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimintexas >>>>>>> Skype: jimintexas >>>>>>> Yahoo or Aim/Ichat: jgatteys >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" 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