[Reader-users] dead battery and problems

Fri Nov 16 06:36:52 CST 2007

I do in fact use Visual Studio a bit since I'm a programmer, but I'm in 
South Africa, have the B unit, and obviously no cradle etc.

Suppose it means I can't really help this problem then...

Stay well

Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...Fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Meredith" <cmered at microsoft.com>
To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list" 
<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 12:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems

> Terry et al,
>
> I shall try to explain this as best as my limited experience on the 
> Windows Mobile team will permit.
> The calibrate feature, as it were, is actually a feature across the Pocket 
> PC spectrum (although I'm not entirely sure why it's needed).  The problem 
> that Model A users are running into is that, with Windows Mobile 2003 and 
> Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, program files, registry settings and 
> data not explicitly stored on a card or internal RAM disk was stored in 
> volatile, i.e. "it goes away when your battery dies", memory.  The screen 
> calibration settings are, of course, stored in the registry (any of you 
> who have used Trekker, Maestro, or Mobile Speak Pocket with a WM2003 PDA 
> have probably encountered this phenomenon).
> The Model B units run on a PDA using Windows Mobile 5.0, during the 
> development of which it was determined that perhaps using nonvolatile 
> memory to store files and registry settings might be a good idea (hence 
> why, in theory, you should only have to calibrate a Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA 
> once--or, at least, once per ROM upgrade).  While it is hypothetically 
> possible to calibrate the screen without using sighted help, this process 
> either requires a third party utility (i.e. Code Factory's Remote Screen 
> Alignment), or access to the registry on the PDA from the PC (I'm not sure 
> if this can be done without Visual Studio).  In either case, though, it 
> also requires a sync cradle from the PDA to the PC, which is neither 
> shipped with this unit nor supported (in fact, the whole process of 
> circumventing the calibration process is sort of unsupported).  Having 
> said that, and having not yet purchased the cradle for my unit, if anyone 
> out there isn't completely scared of Visual Studio, has a!
> copy, and is willing to make the attempt, I can walk them through saving 
> their screen calibration settings from the registry.
> That said, as the KNFB Reader software was architected in such a way as to 
> be completely self-contained, the lack of need to recalibrate on dead 
> battery and, perhaps, faster performance are about the only things the 
> user should notice between the two models--speaking as someone who has 
> never owned a Model A unit, which is good, because needing a sighted 
> person to realign the screen (because you *KNOW* the battery would go flat 
> whilst I was waiting for the sync cable to ship) would irritate me beyond 
> the ability to put across.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Powers, Terry 
> (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 1:50 PM
> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>
> I bought it at national, this year.
> We were not given any choice.  There was a little talk about 2 models,
> but I had a hard time getting anyone to explain the difference.  What
> does not make sence is how NFB could be putting out model A and KNFb be
> putting out model B.  Those selling were from KNFB but they were selling
> NFB's model A.
> Please explain and do we have any choice of exchanging.  Which model is
> better.  Is this calibration and keyboard the only 2 differences?
> Thanks for any help.
> Terry Powers
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Meredith [mailto:cmered at microsoft.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 2:34 PM
> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>
> Terry,
>
> When'd you get your unit?  I've got the B model, but I received mine two
> weeks ago.
>
> -C-
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Powers, Terry
> (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 8:25 AM
> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>
> How did you get your hands on this model.  They were only selling the
> NFB model at convention.
>
> Terry Powers
> Sure wish mine did not have this calibrate feature.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jacob Kruger [mailto:jacobk at cknet.co.za]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:43 PM
> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>
> Ok.
>
> Makes sense.
>
> Pretty sure I have the B unit with the F1 top left, F2 top right, F3
> bottom left, and F4 bottom right with the cursor keys, and enter key in
> the middle.
>
> At least this clears this up.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jacob Kruger
> Blind Biker
> Skype: BlindZA
> '...Fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cindy Handel" <cindy425 at verizon.net>
> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list"
> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 1:12 AM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>
>
>> The A units, original units from the NFB, would need to be
> recalibrated if
>> the battery dies.  I don't think the B units need to be recalibrated.
>>
>> Cindy
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacobk at cknet.co.za>
>> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list"
>> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:51 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>>
>>
>> Funny enough, I've never had to recalibrate my reader even though I'm
> sure
>> the battery has run low/dead a couple of times.
>>
>> Either way, here are the simple instructions from the user guide:
>> ---
>> 4.7 CALIBRATING THE PDA
>> Recalibrating the PDA is required after a hard reset of the system.
> In
>> this
>> case, the PDA will not respond or load the Reader software until the
>> recalibration procedure has been performed.  Recalibration requires
>> removing the PDA
>
>> from
>> the case and following the steps indicated on the visual display
> screen,
>> as
>> well as sighted assistance.
>> Follow the instructions on the screen and then reset the PDA.  You
> will be
>> asked to touch five places on the screen with the stylus, then
> practice
>> cutting
>> and pasting with the stylus (which involves long taps), then choose a
> time
>> zone.  After completing this mandatory section, you should also set
> the
>> PDA
>> clock and calendar in order to ensure that accurate file names are
>> created.
>> Also, you should turn off the IRDA beaming feature to save battery
> power.
>> ---
>>
>> HTH
>>
>>
>> Jacob Kruger
>> Blind Biker
>> Skype: BlindZA
>> '...Fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Cindy Handel" <cindy425 at verizon.net>
>> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list"
>> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 4:03 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>>
>>
>>> Well, my friend's husband has some sight and wasn't able to
> recalibrate
>>> hers
>>> successfully.  I don't know how hard it is to see whatever is on the
>>> screen.
>>> But, her friend, who is sighted, did it in a matter of minutes.
>>>
>>> It depends on how low the battery is when you unplug it as to how
> long it
>>> will last before completely discharging.  I can't say, exactly where
> you
>>> can
>>> find the instructions about recalibrating, but I know it's there.
>>>
>>> Seems like there has been a rash of Readers being left unplugged for
> an
>>> extended time.  I'm just wondering if people aren't using their
> readers
>>> daily or what's happening to cause them to be left long enough to
>>> discharge?
>>>
>>> Cindy
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <powerst at dcpcepn.nci.nih.gov>
>>> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list"
>>> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:51 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Cindy;
>>> I have the same problem.  Are they in their own book or in the main
>>> book.  I do not remember seeing them.  If I read them to a sighted
>>> person, will they be able to follow the steps?  How long can the
> reader
>>> go, with out use and any charge before the battery will die.  I
>>> unplugged it Wednesday, late afternoon, to pack for state convention.
>>> When I took it out Saturday night, it was dead.  My friend Tom
> Bickford
>>> came to my room to check it out.  He pressed the reset and said I
> needed
>>> to recalibrate it.  I wonder why they made it so hard.  I thought it
> had
>>> gotten seperated from the camera, again, from the travel.  Anyone
> with
>>> some sight on this list, can you recalibrate your own reader?  Are
> the
>>> dots big enough that I might be able to see them?
>>> Thanks for any help.
>>>
>>> Terry Powers
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Cindy Handel [mailto:cindy425 at verizon.net]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 8:18 PM
>>> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
>>> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>>>
>>> You'll need a sighted person to help you recalibrate it.  The
>>> instructions are in the manual.
>>>
>>> Cindy
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Lou" <labney at charter.net>
>>> To: "'Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list'"
>>> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 7:33 PM
>>> Subject: [Reader-users] dead battery and problems
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi all, my reader will not talk or turn off. Could someone tell me
> who
>>> to
>>> call to get some help with this problem. The power cord got
> disconnected
>>> and
>>> I did not know it until the battery died.
>>> The Lady Lou
>>>
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>>
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