[Dtb-talk] I Guess That Several People Know.

[Mike Freeman]

Daniel:

I believe that the NLS player will be able to play MP3 files. However, 
it will not handle files in folders nor will it handle text files, i.e., 
it will not have text-to-speech capability. Remember, its primary job 
will be to play NLS talking books. I doubt the American public would be 
very enthusiastic about subsidizing players for blind folks that, 
theoretically, at least, could compete (even to a small extent) with 
commercial players. This is especially true given the flap this spring 
and summer about the NLS dtb program.

Moreover, David Andrews tells us that the initial run of players by law 
will be sent to blinded veterans. If, like me, Uncle Sam did not se fit 
to allow you to serve him in the military, that puts you very low on the 
totum pole insofar as getting a player for the first year or perhaps two 
is concerned.

Additionally, while the NLS players will have a USB connection (at least 
last time I heard), it will function primarily with a cartridge looking 
something like the current cassette. To be sure, it will contain a flash 
drive (read a SD card) but it will take third-party devices to make such 
cartridges that the player can directly use. This last may change but 
this is the last info I had.

Given all this, if you truly want to read digital talking books from NLS 
before, say, 2010, your best bet is probably to purchase a Victor Reader 
Stream or wait for a version of the Book Port software or the new Book 
Port which purportedly *might* be able to handle the NLS talking books.

With respect to the Book Port, however, I confess that I have my doubts 
although it would be nice.

Mike

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Daniel Vejil
  To: Discussion of Digital Talking Books
  Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 9:50 PM
  Subject: [Dtb-talk] I Guess That Several People Know.


  David Andrews Says:
  >The Stream is the only device available right now that will play NLS
  >DTB's.  NLS does not intend to license software-computer-based
  >players at this point.  They are concerned about the copy protection
  >being broken.
  >----


  Daniel Vejil Replies:
  Since Victor Reader Soft is capable of playing Niso books, I was 
hoping
  that NLS would enable it to play their books.  It would open the Pilot
  Program up to people who had a computer, but not enough money to 
purchase
  The Stream At this point.  However, it makes sense that they wouldn't 
want
  to compromise their File Protection System, and it also gives 
participants
  the ability to take their books with them, without being tied to a 
keyboard
  and a computer.
  ....


  Daniel Also Says:
  >So, okay, do I buy the Victor Stream now, or do I wait on NLS to 
provide
  >me with a player?  I mean--Victor Stream plays different types of 
Audio
  >files, Text files, ETC., but is the NLS Player going to play all of 
these
  >types of files too?

  Historically, record and cassette players have been able to play NLS 
format
  as well as commercial format materials, and I am wondering if this 
trend
  will continue, or if purchasing an Approximately $300 third-party 
player is
  the better way to go, as it allows for more file flexibility.

  Any and all advice is appreciated,
  Daniel Vejil

  _______________________________________________
  Dtb-talk mailing list
  Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
  http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk
-------------- next part --------------
Daniel:
 
I believe that the NLS player will be able to play MP3 files. However, it will not handle files in folders nor will it handle text files, i.e., it will not have text-to-speech capability. Remember, its primary job will be to play NLS talking books. I doubt the American public would be very enthusiastic about subsidizing players for blind folks that, theoretically, at least, could compete (even to a small extent) with commercial players. This is especially true given the flap this spring and summer about the NLS dtb program.
 
Moreover, David Andrews tells us that the initial run of players by law will be sent to blinded veterans. If, like me, Uncle Sam did not se fit to allow you to serve him in the military, that puts you very low on the totum pole insofar as getting a player for the first year or perhaps two is concerned.
 
Additionally, while the NLS players will have a USB connection (at least last time I heard), it will function primarily with a cartridge looking something like the current cassette. To be sure, it will contain a flash drive (read a SD card) but it will take third-party devices to make such cartridges that the player can directly use. This last may change but this is the last info I had.
 
Given all this, if you truly want to read digital talking books from NLS before, say, 2010, your best bet is probably to purchase a Victor Reader Stream or wait for a version of the Book Port software or the new Book Port which purportedly *might* be able to handle the NLS talking books.
 
With respect to the Book Port, however, I confess that I have my doubts although it would be nice.
 
Mike
 
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:dvejil at sbcglobal.net Daniel Vejil
To:
mailto:dtb-talk at nfbnet.org Discussion of Digital Talking Books
Sent:
Friday, September 14, 2007 9:50 PM
Subject:
[Dtb-talk] I Guess That Several People Know.
David Andrews Says:
>The Stream is the only device available right now that will play NLS
>DTB's.  NLS does not intend to license software-computer-based
>players at this point.  They are concerned about the copy protection
>being broken.
>----
Daniel Vejil Replies:
Since Victor Reader Soft is capable of playing Niso books, I was hoping
that NLS would enable it to play their books.  It would open the Pilot
Program up to people who had a computer, but not enough money to purchase
The Stream At this point.  However, it makes sense that they wouldn't want
to compromise their File Protection System, and it also gives participants
the ability to take their books with them, without being tied to a keyboard
and a computer.
....
Daniel Also Says:
>So, okay, do I buy the Victor Stream now, or do I wait on NLS to provide
>me with a player?  I mean--Victor Stream plays different types of Audio
>files, Text files, ETC., but is the NLS Player going to play all of these
>types of files too?
Historically, record and cassette players have been able to play NLS format
as well as commercial format materials, and I am wondering if this trend
will continue, or if purchasing an Approximately $300 third-party player is
the better way to go, as it allows for more file flexibility.
Any and all advice is appreciated,
Daniel Vejil
_______________________________________________
Dtb-talk mailing list
mailto:Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org Dtb-talk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/dtb-talk