Yes, I do remember some issues regarding the BBC Streams, the bBC
themselves changed them so that wasn't the fault so much of oOtunes or
the Humanware, that was quite some time ago and the problem was fixed.
I've not been in touch with the developer of the oOtunes system for
quite some time as I don't use it myself these days much but I do follow
him on Twitter and I've found him to be extremely responsive to any
updates or additions to the database that a user may suggest.
As far as portable devices outside the IOS/Android workd being able to
access radio stations? Well.. you're sort of on the right track there
but one can use portable devices which are not Android, IOS or Humanware
to access radio stations, indeed I use a few of them myself, the
Squeezebox Radio comes to mind.
On 11/10/2016 9:14 AM, David Griffith wrote:
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Yes the victor Reader Stream uses O-tunes to keep its radio database updated.
I am surprised to hear that there have been difficulties. For myself I can
still get all the BBC Radio stations with no issues, including sports
commentaries on Five Live and Five Live sports Extra, as well as commentaries
on Talksport and the new Talksport 2 stations. . I know of no other portable
device outside of Android-iOS etc. where this is possible.
However I did need to junk the old stations on my playlist and replace them
with the new versions available from the Humanware Default UK playlist after
updating the Stream.
The big annoyance with the o-Tunes database is that it is full of junk stations
that no longer work. Similar to the Podcast list available as well. However if
you stick to feeds from the Recommended list and use the default Humanware
Playlist stations life is simpler.
As I understand it manually forcing your stream to check for update will
refresh and update the available station list even if you get a message that
your screen has the latest software version. Mysteriously the Stream updates
your radio list in the background without announcing this fact.
David Griffith
-----Original Message-----
From: Dane Trethowan [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 10 October 2016 20:47
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Techno-Chat]: Hims International Blaze ET
I’m thinking of the Blaze ET myself, the specs look far better than those of
the EZ so that’s why I’m looking at this particular model.
I know little about the current generation of Victor reader stream but I was
interested to read about a case where the someone’s stream had broken down and
the repair bill would have been nearly as much as a new unit? Naturally the
person concerned didn’t bother with getting the stream fixed.
I’m quite surprised though to hear that the Stream’s radio functionality - on
the whole - is useless now, didn’t Humanware go over to Tunein Radio or
something similar for the Internet radio content, wasn’t the whole idea to use
a professional database so the radio data would be kept up to date? Anyway as I
say I know little about the Stream so I’m asking questions too.
So back to the Blaze ET, it does indeed have OCR built in though I do ask if
this is really necessary? 10 years ago or perhaps not quite as long I would
have said it was but now? Well, most everything we get is available online to
download in an accessible format we can read so what’s the point of OCR? Even
then, don’t most people have an iPhone or Android device? That the case then
wonderful OCR Apps are at their fingertips including the KNFB Reader.
So be that as it m, back to the Blaze ET again and I’ve spoken to quite a few
people about these machines given that - as I said earlier - its the machine
I’ve been thinking about to use myself.
Those I I’ve spoken to have been extremely disappointed with the performance of
the Blaze ET compared to other devices available, they say the machine is very
sluggish.
I’m still not deterred as the ET offers some incredible functionality that - as
you said - is probably not specifically designed for a Talking Book Player but
having the ability to use Skype for example is certainly a huge plus in many
ways, if a library has things set up appropriately clients using a Blaze ET
could contact the library easily to order more books, with technical issues etc.
But again I question the need for all this stuff when iPhone and Android
devices are there for the taking and - with the right Apps - they’ll do more
than a Blaze ET or Stream could ever hop to do.
Voice Dream Reader is my favourite reader for the iPhone, its no longer
developed for Android which is unfortunate and I must find out why the
developer gave up.
I’ve mentioned KNFB Reader for OCR work with IOS and Android and that App is
absolutely brilliant.
On 11 Oct. 2016, at 3:20 am, Gordon Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello everybody
I just took the plunge and decided to replace my now pretty much
useless HumanWare Victor Reader Stream. I looked at the Victor Reader Stratus,
but I dismissed that option as it suffers from most of the drawbacks which have
effectively killed off the Victor Reader Stream.
For example, the playlists for Internet Radio accessibility are static,
and most of them no longer work. The BBC iPlayer killed off the old style
playlists for UK radio and even the US and Australian radio services are
largely no longer functional.
There is quite a lot actually that I don’t like about the way
HumanWare’s devices work. And what I’ve read about the Blaze ET is, to my way
of thinking at least, a far better option.
It also offers OCR built-in, which is the primary reason that I opted
to go with any solution. The rest of it is nice, but not really essential.
But I am a talking book producer now as well as a reader, so I need to be sure
that what I’m producing for my client is something that will work on most
devices.
Actually, my client still insists on distributing their audio material
on CD which, to be honest, baffles me. Most of today’s talking book players
don’t even handle CD’s at all. So I was astonished when they rejected out of
hand my suggestion of moving over to USB thumb drives and maybe even online
download as a better method of distribution.
They say that they use audio CD’s and the only suggestion of updating
that they have taken onboard is to allow me to produce the books in DAISY
format rather than plain old audio tracks.
But be that as it may, my interest here is the Blaze ET which I’ve just
ordered. Has anybody on list tried that unit? I’m told that it is a superior
option to the Blaze EZ, because it’s keyboard layout is superior and it has
more functions.
As a point of discussion, comment welcome.
========================================
My compliments and kindest regards
Gordon Smith:
<[email protected]>
Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.
Mobile/SMS:
+44 (0)7907 823971
————————————————————
**********
Those of a positive and enquiring frame of mind will leave the rest of the
halfwits in this world behind.
