Project HAL (Handheld Accessible Libraries)

Final Report (Expanded and Revised)


March 24, 2004

Prepared for the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center

by

Thomas A. Peters of TAP Information Services


Contact and Background Information


Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center

Lori Bell, Director
600 High Point Lane, Suite 2

East Peoria, IL  61611

Phone              309-694-9200

Toll Free          1-800-426-0709

Email               lbell@alliancelibrarysystem.com

Website:          www.mitbc.org

The Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center (MITBC) is a sub-regional library serving print-impaired readers in central and northwest Illinois.  A talking book center currently provides library services via toll-free telephone and U.S. mail.  Books and magazines in Braille and audiocassette formats are available to readers enrolled in the program.  MITBC also is experimenting with various digital talking book systems, and looks forward to the 2008 launch of the NLS (National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a division of the Library of Congress) digital talking book program.  MITBC is part of a statewide network administered by the Illinois State Library, a division of the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State.  The statewide network is tied to a national network under the administration of NLS.  MITBC is administered locally by the Alliance Library System, a regional, multi-type consortium of libraries. 



TAP Information Services

Tom Peters, Founder

1000 SW 23rd Street

Blue Springs, MO  64015

Phone:             816-228-6406

Email:             tapinformation@yahoo.com
Website:          www.tapinformation.com

Founded in 2003, TAP Information Services provides a wide variety of services supporting libraries, consortia, government agencies, publishers, and other information and service organizations.  Services available through TAP Information Services include:  support for projects, research reports, strategic planning, workshops, writing, editing, conference services, virtual online reference services, consortial negotiations and agreements, and speeches.  Peters is one of three co-authors of the book, E-Book Functionality:  What Libraries and Their Patrons Want and Expect from Electronic Books, published in 2003 by LITA (Library Information Technology Association, a Division of the American Library Association). 


Summary

This is a revised and expanded version of the Project HAL (Handheld, Accessible Libraries) report, first released in January 2004.  Major additions to this version include reviews of two additional devices (Plextalk PTR1 from Plextor, and Soul DMP-206b from Soulmate Audiobooks) and the inclusion of feedback and suggestions from actual users of some of the seven devices reviewed.  Within the body of the report the phrase “Feedback from Actual User” has been used (and highlighted in gray for sighted readers) to help readers quickly find those comments.  

Project HAL is a review of portable playback devices for digital talking books and other types of digital audio content.  These devices are being used by print-impaired individuals, including the blind, visually impaired, physically challenged, and dyslexic. The project was conceived, funded, and supported by the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center (http://www.mitbc.org).  Tom Peters from TAP Information Services (tapinformation@yahoo.com) conducted the review.  Peters is a sighted individual with years of experience with ebooks.

Seven devices were examined and reviewed:
 

1.      Plextalk PTR1 from Plextor

2.      Victor Reader Classic Plus from Visuaide

3.      Victor Reader Vibe from Visuaide

4.      Scholar from Telex Communications

5.      BookCourier from Springer Design

6.      Book Port from the American Printing House for the Blind

7.      Soul Player from Soulmate Audiobooks

Among the seven devices reviewed at least three lineages are discernable. 

1.      Portable CD Players:  The Victor Reader Vibe, Telex Scholar, and Soul Player are descendants of portable CD players that have been on the consumer market for years.  Their hardware and software designs have been enhanced to make them more accessible by and useful to print-impaired users.  They also play more file types than a typical CD player.

2.      Flash Memory Devices:  The Book Port and BookCourier are siblings in the large, raucous family of digital playback devices that contain no moving parts and use flash memory. 

3.      Descendents of the Analog Audiocassette Player/Recorder:  The Victor Classic Plus and the Plextalk PTR1, on the other hand, seem to be descended from analog audiocassette recorder and playback devices.

After looking at all of the factors and functionalities outlined in the report, the reviewer tried to step back and make an overall comparison of the seven devices.  All seven devices worked well and would be worthy of purchase and intensive use.  They were fairly easy to begin using—at least for a sighted user.  Overall, the Book Port seemed to be a better device than the BookCourier, the Victor Vibe seemed a little better overall than the Telex Scholar and the Soul Player, and the PTR1 seemed better in its class, compared to the Victor Classic Plus.  Because the PTR1 is so much more expensive than the Victor Classic Plus, making a comparison in this design category may be unfair. 

Because of the various design lineages, however, it is very difficult to select a best device from the three “finalists”:  PTR1, Victor Reader Vibe, and Book Port.  The Book Port supports the most types of files, and the text-to-speech functionalities probably will become more useful over the next few years.  The Vibe is lightweight and sleek and handles well the currently dominant CD storage medium.  The PTR1 is as much a recording device as a playback device, and its audio support for system functions and invoked commands was excellent.  This reviewer found himself wishing for a hybrid device that took the best features of the three lineages, plus an increased set of features and functionalities commonly found in PDAs and cell phones. 

The learning curve for this set of devices appears to be initially rather steep with a long curve.  In other words, it will take several hours or days of intensive use to feel completely comfortable using any of these seven devices.  This should not present a problem to most real users because, once he or she makes a choice among these and other devices on the market, in all likelihood the device will be used intensively.  Nearly all of the functionalities worked as intended.  A few, such as fast forward and reverse, obviously need additional design work. 

The radical differences in design—ranging from the basic lineage to the shape and arrangement of the keys—are both an asset and a liability.  The makers of these devices are to be applauded because they represent a healthy, competitive marketplace.  However, for end-users who will interact on a regular basis with more than one portable assistive technology, a standard scheme for buttons would be advantageous, reducing the cognitive load of needing to remember and reorient one’s self to each separate button configuration and tactility, regardless of how ingenious each one happens to be.  Although we seem to be living in an era of pluralistic designs for consumer electronic devices--an era in which no single device dominates--there may still be some value in advocating some convergence in these designs. 

The collocation onto one portable device of various functionalities and access to a myriad of file types and information sources should be a boon to many print-impaired persons.  The impact of DAISY-tagged files on the overall digital talking book market remains to be seen.  Also, at least one of these devices—the BookCourier—plans soon to add content from Audible.com to its stable of supported file formats.  Regardless of one’s opinion about proprietary file formats, for better or worse they are part of the overall landscape, and supporting the more popular proprietary file types does increase the reach of these devices.  As these devices support more file types, we may see an impressive convergence of content onto a single user’s device of choice.  There is no theoretical reason why content from NLS could not be incorporated on these devices, too.  Simply being able to listen to work/study-related information, leisure reading, and music on one portable device more closely matches the daily information use habits of most people than did previous technologies for the print-impaired.


Introduction

This is a revised and expanded version of the Project HAL (Handheld, Accessible Libraries) report, first released in January 2004.  Major additions to this version include reviews of two additional devices (Plextalk PTR1 from Plextor, and Soul DMP-206b from Soulmate Audiobooks) and the inclusion of feedback and suggestions from actual users of some of the seven devices reviewed.  Within the body of the report the phrase “Feedback from Actual User” has been used (and highlighted in gray for sighted readers) to help readers quickly find those comments.  

Project HAL (Handheld, Accessible Libraries) is a review of portable playback devices for digital talking books and other types of digital audio content that are being used by print-impaired individuals, including the blind, visually impaired, physically challenged, and dyslexic.
 

The Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center (MITBC) funded this study.  MITBC, with offices in East Peoria and Quincy, provides library services for anyone unable to read regular print because of a visual or physical disability.  MITBC is an innovative sub-regional library serving print-impaired patrons in central and northwest Illinois.  MITBC is part of a statewide network administered by the Illinois State Library, a division of the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, and a national network under the administration of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress.  MITBC is locally administered by the Alliance Library System (http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/), a partnership of nearly 300 academic, public, school district, and special/corporate library members, working together to strengthen resource sharing and library development, and to provide continuing education and training. 

Tom Peters from TAP Information Services (www.tapinformation.com) conducted the review.  Peters is a sighted person with astigmatism who wears bifocal glasses.  TAP Information Services provides a wide variety of services supporting libraries, consortia, government agencies, publishers, and other organizations in the information industry.  Services include:  support for projects, research reports, strategic planning, workshops, writing and editing, conference services, consortial negotiations and agreements, and keynote speeches.   Peters is one of the co-authors of the book, E-Book Functionality:  What Libraries and Their Patrons Want and Expect from Electronic Books (Chicago: LITA, a Division of the American Library Association, 2003).  

The following report begins by briefly describing the seven devices reviewed.  The next section presents some overall impressions of the devices as a group and individually.  The remainder of the report provides details about the hardware, software, and functionality of these devices, beginning with the devices as objects—their physical features, such as dimensions, weight, buttons, ports, and power sources.   Then the report looks at the file formats supported by the various devices.   The largest section of the reports contains a list of the primary functions and how they work on the devices.  Some final thoughts and the appendices conclude the report.

Please note:  This is not an exhaustive report, in the sense that all functionalities of each device are fully explained and explored.  The absence of mention of a device in a section should not lead the reader to conclude that that functionality is not supported by that device.  This report is not intended to serve as a substitute for the documentation available for each device.           


Devices Reviewed

Seven portable devices were physically examined, used, and reviewed.  The reviewer thanks VisuAide for providing a review copy of the Victor Reader Classic Plus, Plextor for providing a review copy of the PTR1, Soulmate Audiobooks for providing a review copy of the Soul Player, and the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center for purchasing and loaning the four other devices reviewed.      

Victor Reader Classic Plus[1] from VisuAide





photo of Victor Reader Classic Plus











 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model number 103VRC was reviewed. 

The manufacturer’s list price in the U.S. is $375. 

The warranty for the Classic Plus lasts one year and covers all operational defects.  The warranty covers both parts and labor.  If the unit needs to be returned for repair or replacement, it must be accompanied by a copy of the original bill of purchase.    

VisuAide
841, Blvd. Jean-Paul Vincent,
Longueuil, Quebec,
Canada J4G 1R3


Tel: (450) 463-1717
Toll free: 1-888-723-7273 (Canada and the U.S.)
Fax: (450) 463-0120
Website:  http://www.visuaide.com/
E-mail: info@visuaide.com


Victor Reader Vibe from VisuAide

 

photo of Victor Reader Vibe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model number DMP206A was reviewed.

The manufacturer’s list price in the U.S. is $219. 

 

VisuAide
841, Blvd. Jean-Paul Vincent,
Longueuil, Quebec,
Canada J4G 1R3


Tel: (450) 463-1717
Toll free: 1-888-723-7273 (Canada and the U.S.)
Fax: (450) 463-0120
Website:  http://www.visuaide.com/
E-mail: info@visuaide.com 


Telex Scholar from Telex Communications

 

 

 

Catalog number 301267 was reviewed.

The suggested retail price in the U.S. is $249.   

 

Telex Communications, Inc.

12000 Portland Avenue South

Burnsville, MN 55337

Phone:  800-828-6107 ext. 7498

Fax: 952-887-5595

Website:  www.telex.com

Email:  duplication@telex.com

 


BookCourier from Springer Design

Picture of BookCourier

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item number 757836 was reviewed. 

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price in the U.S. is $379.  As of January 2004 Springer Design was offering $40 discounts for BookShare.org subscribers and Kurzweil 1000 users.

According to the warranty notice at the end of the user’s guide, “SPRINGER DESIGN, INC. ("Springer Design, Inc.") warrants this product against defects in material and workmanship for a period of NINETY (90) DAYS from the date of original retail purchase by the original consumer purchaser.”    

 

Springer Design, Inc.

375 Diablo Road, Suite 105

Danville, CA  94526

Phone:  925-838-1885

Website:   http://www.springer-design.com/BookCourier.htm

Email:  sales@springer-design.com



Book Port from the American Printing House for the Blind

 

Book Port

 

 

 

 

A copy of the device with the catalog number 1-07440-00 was reviewed.
 

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $395.

The user’s manual (covering both the device and the file transfer software) is available in a variety of formats and media.  An online HTML version is at http://www.aph.org/tech/bp_doc.htm.   

The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085

Phone: 502-895-2405
Toll-Free: 800-223-1839 (U.S. and Canada)
Email: info@aph.org

Website:  www.aph.org

 


Plextalk Portable Recorder PTR1

 

Photo of Plextalk Portable Recorder

 

 

 

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price in the U.S. is $995.

A one-year warranty on any defects in materials or workmanship is made on the PTR1.    

Plextor Corp.
48383 Fremont Blvd, Suite 120
Fremont, CA 94538


Phone: 510-440-2000
Fax: 510-651-9755

Email:  info@plextalk.org

Web:  http://www.plextalk.com/plextalk_portable.html


Soul Player DMP-206b from Soulmate Audiobooks

Soul MP3-CD Digital Audiobook Player


























The manufacturer’s suggested retail price in the U.S. is $149.99.

According the printed Operating Instructions, “The manufacturer warrants the Soul DMP-206b and all related accessories to be free from manufacturing defects, including original parts and workmanship, for a period of one year from the original date of purchase.” 

Soulmate Audiobooks, Inc.
18633
Cambridge
Spring Lake
, MI
49456

616-846-7836
800-854-8209

http://www.soulmateaudio.com/




Overall Impressions

General Impressions

All seven devices performed admirably.  No one device appeared to be clearly, substantially superior to the other six along such lines as design, functionality, and value.  Overall the initial set-up of each device was relatively easy—at least for a fully sighted person.  To improve the initial setup by blind and visually impaired individuals, the manufacturers should think step-by-step how a print-impaired person would proceed from opening the shipping box to successfully initializing the device.  Documentation and users guides generally were well-designed and easily accessible in a variety of formats. 

Of the seven devices reviewed, at least three lineages are discernable.  The Victor Reader Vibe, Telex Scholar, and Soul Player are descendants of portable CD players that have been on the consumer market for years.  Their hardware and software designs have been enhanced to make them more accessible by and useful to print-impaired users.  The Book Port and BookCourier are siblings in the large, raucous family of digital playback devices that contain no moving parts and use flash memory.  Although the Otis playback device currently used for Audible.com content has not yet met DAISY, Otis is another sibling to note in this family.  The Victor Classic Plus and the PTR1, on the other hand, seem to be descended from the analog audiocassette playback and recording devices.  Both devices are larger than the other five devices, sporting large buttons, with the really important ones in bright colors; and built-in speakers, thus making headphones or ear buds optional, not mandatory; and a very easy method, compared to the clamshell devices, for inserting and ejecting CDs. 

These devices display great ingenuity in the use of position, arrangement, differing materials, differing shapes, and protruding or recessed numbers, letters, or symbols on the buttons to aid navigation by the blind and visually impaired.  One would think, however, that a standard (official or de facto) practice in this area would emerge fairly quickly.  For end-users who will interact on a regular basis with more than one portable assistive technology, a standard scheme for buttons would be a boon, reducing the cognitive overload of needing to remember and reorient one’s self to each separate button configuration and tactility, regardless of how ingenious each one happens to be.

The text-to-speech (TTS) functionalities of the Book Port and BookCourier are attractive.  Although TTS currently is experiencing development pangs, the long-term prospects for the quality, versatility, and usefulness of TTS playback are encouraging.  A glimpse of these advantages is provided with these two devices.  For example, it is possible to have a word spelled.  A logical next step would be to include a good dictionary on the device, thus enabling the user to quickly access the meaning(s) of an unfamiliar word or a word used in an unusual context. 

One potential downside to the flash memory devices is that they rely more on file management and file transfer software loaded on the “mother ship” PC.  The added hassle and cognitive load of learning both the device functionality and the transfer software commands on a PC may dissuade or discourage some users of these devices. 

Victor Classic Plus

Although by the general expectations of today’s end-users both the size and the weight of the Victor Reader Classic Plus are near the upper limits of acceptable portability, the simplicity, ruggedness, and self-contained nature of the Classic Plus are very attractive.  The buttons are large, well-spaced, and well-differentiated by shape, color, and embossed icons.  The separate, single-function keys for raising and lowering the tone, volume, and speed of playback are much appreciated.   

PTR1 from Plextor

The PTR1 is far more expensive than the other six devices reviewed in this report.  As expected, it contains a wealth of functionality.  The PTR1 is as much a recording device as a playback device.  Each individual must decide if the additional functionality is worth the added cost.  One downside:  the English language version of the printed user’s guide appears to be a poor, garbled translation from another language.

Feedback from Actual User:    The relationship between features and price for the PTR1 is not very attractive.  The PTR1’s recording features are excellent, but as a playback device it is not exceptionally good.  One needed improvement is to increase the speed with which the PTR1 recognizes a new CD or memory card and navigates through the content. 

Victor Reader Vibe

The Victor Reader Vibe is sleek, attractive, lightweight playback device.  It offers much value for the price.  The three clamshell CD player devices—Vibe, Scholar, and Soul—seem to be in the most competitive category.      

Scholar from Telex

The Scholar is a little larger and less sleek than the Victor Vibe, but it works well.    

Soul Player DMP-206b from Soulmate Audiobooks

At $150, the Soul Player from Soulmate certainly is attractively priced, but don’t assume this is some stripped down, denuded device.  The Soul Player contains a rich set of functions, including some functions not found on the other devices reviewed in this report.  Like the Vibe and Scholar, the Soul Player is a clamshell type portable CD player.  A couple of downsides:  It cannot play DAISY books, and it provides few audible clues about what it is doing.     

Book Port from APH

The Book Port seems to be the most flexible and full-featured device of the seven reviewed here.  At present it seems to support the greatest variety of file types, but this could change soon.  The documentation for the Book Port declares that it was designed specifically for blind students and professionals. 

Feedback from Actual User:  The tradeoff between price and functionality for the Book Port is attractive.  One possible improvement would be to increase and improve the functional options for inputting find commands and notes. 

BookCourier from Springer Design

The BookCourier is one of the smaller and lighter devices reviewed.  The use of flash memory and the absence of moving parts make for a quiet device that turns on and off immediately.  Although the keypads of the Book Port and BookCourier are designed differently, the basic size and design of the device are suspiciously similar, as if they are just two different brands of the same basic automobile.  Feedback from Actual User:  Although the hardware of the two devices is the same, the software designs are different.

The thorough user guides for both the device and the transfer tool software that resides on the user’s PC are very well-organized and useful.  The fast forward and rewind functionalities of the BookCourier seemed more usable than similar features on the other devices reviewed.  The one time this reviewer was able to cause the device to malfunction (something about a memory overload), the audio voice went on an incessant tirade that continued until the device was reset. 


Recommendations

No Clear Best Product 

It is impossible to recommend one device over the other six.  The decision depends on what the end-user wants, needs, and can afford.  If the end-user does not like using ear buds or headphones, the Victor Reader Classic Plus seems like a good choice, although several other models reviewed can be hooked up to external speakers.  If you want or need to navigate and search through e-texts and digital audio files, the Book Port seems to have a rich set of supporting functionalities.

When the apparently reasonable question is asked, “Of these seven devices, which is the best?” the three different lines of designs and development become a challenge.  Although overall the Victor Reader Vibe appears to be a better CD player than the Telex Scholar and the Soul Player, and although the Book Port seems to be a better and more versatile flash memory audio device than the BookCourier, and although the PTR1 is a top of the line device compared to the more reasonably priced Victor Classic Plus, it is nearly impossible to meaningfully judge between the three finalists out of the pack of seven:  PTR1, Victor Vibe, and Book Port.  It is more difficult than the judgment of Paris, because the devices are so dissimilar.
 

Intermingle the Design Paradigms 

All of the devices reviewed are good playback devices.  Each device seems to spring from a different line of technological development.  Two are portable cassette players updated for CDs.  Several are portable CD players that have been DAISYfied and made more accessible.  A couple devices are flash memory devices that have been customized for audio playback and TTS.  At least one focuses on recording audio as much as ion playing the audio back.  Several have included a smattering of functionality from PDAs.

It is unfortunate that the three basic designs have not intermingled more.  A hybrid device that incorporates the best features and functionality of the cassette player redux, the CD player for the print-impaired, and the flash memory audio player would be welcome and useful to print-impaired users.  Additional functionality commonly found on PDAs and increasingly on cell phones also could be useful.  Several of the devices reviewed allow users to take audio notes and hear the current date and time, but many of the features and functionalities of current PDAs are missing from these devices.

Although we seem to be living in an era of pluralistic designs for consumer electronics, an era in which no single device dominates in the way that the black, rotary telephone once did, there may still be value in advocating some convergence in these designs.  In the U.S. the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) currently plans to roll out later this decade two device designs for digital audio books.  One will be simple in design, intended for readers who primarily read linearly for pleasure.  The other will be more complex, designed for readers who want to navigate through content in flexible ways for study and learning.  Quoting from the NLS Business Plan, “NLS expects to have 50,000 digital playback machines available for distribution by FY 2008. The plan is to have two types of machines, the predominant type intended for straight "linear" reading and the other with more-complex features.”
 

Single Device Access to Multiple File Types is Good

The collocation onto one portable device of various functionalities and access to a myriad of file types and information sources should be a boon to many print-impaired persons.  Simply being able to listen to work/study-related information, leisure reading, and music on one portable device more closely matches the daily information use habits of most people than did previous technologies for the print-impaired. 

We should not overlook or underestimate the obvious fact that these devices also are capable of playing music as well as voice audio recordings.  This multi-aural functionality should be welcome to many end-users.

It is regrettable, however, that two of the currently more popular file formats for digital documents and digital audio recordings—the file formats used by Adobe and Audible.com—evidently cannot be played by any of these devices.  Regardless of who is at fault, the end-users confront either a diminished universe of available content or a more arduous route for accessing this content.  It appears that this situation is about to change for the better, as Audible.com continues to expand the number of devices capable of playing its content.     

Standardize the Key Design a Bit

De facto standards for the design of the keys and the underlying functionalities would be welcome.  Most of the devices reviewed seemed to vaguely follow the basic layout of the numeric keypad on a telephone.  The Telex Scholar, Victor Vibe, and Soul Player, however, took a clue from the circularity of the CD disc and configured their buttons in a circular pattern.  The size of the buttons, their tactile nature (especially in comparison to the background surface), their concavity, convexity, raised and indented symbols, colors, and visible markings all vary widely from device to device.  This reviewer sees no reason why, similar to how all windows-based applications tend to follow the same basic interface model, with variations on that basic theme, the design of keys for portable digital devices for the print-impaired could not adopt a basic theme and set of best practices, with variations on that basic theme.  This would shorten the learning curve for everyone.

Encourage Formal Reviews From Actual Users Who Are Print-Impaired

Two limitations of the present review are:  the reviewer was sighted, and the reviewer was using the devices only for the purposes of evaluation.  We need to hear from actual, daily users of these devices. 

A small, informal attempt to glean comments and suggestions from actual users of these devices was made.  In March 2004 a six question survey was sent to several email lists and discussion groups.  Three responses were received.  These comments and suggestions from actual users of these devices have been made anonymous and inserted at appropriate places within the report.  For sighted readers of this report, the phrase Feedback from Actual User has been highlighted in gray to draw your attention.  For readers who have the ability to search for keywords in their browser and/or screen reader software, the word feedback is used only in this context.  

The six questions posed in the emailed survey were:

1. What is the primary quality, function, or feature of one or more of these seven devices that you would like to see added or improved?

 

2. What is the most disappointing or annoying quality, function, or feature of one or more of these seven devices? 

 

3. How important for you is non-linear navigation through a book?  For example, do you review the table of contents then jump to the chapter or section of particular interest?  Describe situations and types of books where non-linear navigation is particularly helpful for you.

 

4. Do you prefer to have the device provide an audible clue to each function it is performing?  If yes, would you like the device to pause and have a voice announce what function is being performed, use a set of distinctive tones to announce what function is being performed, or not pause playback and have a voice or sound quickly announce what is happening? 

 

5.      What do you particularly like or dislike about the design of the buttons or keys on one or more of these seven devices?  Aspects of key design include such things as the size, shape, tactile feel, arrangement, spacing, concavity or convexity, multi-function keys, and tangible marks on or near the keys, such as bumps, letters, and numbers.

 

6.  How important is price in your decision to purchase one device rather than another?
 


The Devices as Objects

Weight

Total weight of base unit, batteries, cords, and ear buds or headphones (as applicable)

When known, an approximate total weight of the types of things normally required for complete portability is listed for each device. 

Victor Reader Classic Plus

The approximate total weight of the device with batteries and a CD inserted is 2.625 lbs.  If the AC/DC adapter is added to the mix, the total weight becomes 3.03 lbs.

Victor Reader Vibe

The approximate total weight of the Victor Vibe with a CD and ear buds is 12.75 ounces.  If the carrying case and adapter are added to the mix, the total weight becomes 1.33 lbs.

Telex Scholar

The approximate total weight of the Telex Scholar with a CD and headphones is 1.19 lbs.  If the AC/DC adapter is thrown into the mix, the total weight becomes 1.75 lbs.

Book Port

The approximate total weight of the Book Port with ear buds is 7 ounces (.44 lbs). 

BookCourier

The approximate total weight of the BookCourier with ear buds is 7.25 ounces (.45 lbs). 

PlexTalk PTR1

According to the manufacturer, the PTR1 unit alone weighs 860 grams (1.89 pounds).

Soul Player

According to the manufacturer, the Soul Player (with batteries) weighs 310 grams (10.85 ounces). 


Size (Dimensions)

Victor Reader Classic Plus 

According to the manufacturer, the Classic Plus unit is 23.7 cm (9.3 inches) by 20.9 cm (8.2 inches) by 5.4 cm (2.1 inches).  A non-protruding, built-in carrying handle occupies the lower left side of the device.  The device is higher and heavier at the top.  When the device is placed on a flat surface, it leans slightly toward the user.   

Victor Reader Vibe 

According to the manufacturer, the Vibe unit is 148 mm (5.827 inches) high, 138 mm (5.433 inches) wide, and 29 mm (1.142 inches) deep.

PlexTalk PTR1 

According to the manufacturer, the PTR1 unit is 180 mm high, 150 mm wide, and 38 mm deep. 

Soul Player

According to the manufacturer, the Soul Player is 147 mm high, 130 mm wide, and 30 mm deep. 

Memory

Victor Reader Classic Plus

The Classic Plus is limited to the amount of information that can be placed on one CD. 

Victor Reader Vibe 

The memory is limited by the amount of information that can be contained on the compact disc being played.  The Vibe has no other memory devices or slots. 

Telex Scholar

The memory is limited by the amount of information that can be contained on the compact disc being played. 

Book Port from APH

The Book Port device comes with a 64 MB CompactFlash card.  More than one CompactFlash card can be carried with the device, creating the possibility for a large, highly portable library of audio and TTS content. 

BookCourier

The BookCourier unit comes with a 128MB CompactFlash card.  According to the documentation, a memory card up to 1 GB in size could be used.  Caution:  Data on a card may become corrupt if the user removes the card while the unit is on or connected to a PC.    

PlexTalk PTR1

According to the user’s manual, when using a PC memory card to back up a recorded CD, the maximum backup capacity is 700 MB of data.  The PTR1’s internal memory is capable of retaining information about CDs and bookmarks.  It has a capacity for up to 1,000 DAISY disc titles.  Up to 30 minutes of voice bookmarks and memos can be retained in memory. 

Soul Player

The Soul Player must have at least a little internal memory, because it can remember where it left off playing a disc, but in general the memory limitations of this device closely parallel how much information can be fit on a compact disc. 

Accessories and Documentation Shipped with the Device

Victor Reader Classic Plus

The unit that shipped in November 2003 came with a CD containing a getting started overview and a user’s guide (the equivalent of 14 printed pages), a printed two-page quick reference guide, a four-page printed set of safety instructions, an AC/DC adapter, and a printed warranty card.