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APH Book Port An Audio PDA. Book Port Workshop Objectives. Participants will be able to explain what the Book Port is, it’s component parts, and its uses. identify the different types of files that Book Port can read.
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Book Port Workshop Objectives Participants will be able to • explain what the Book Port is, it’s component parts, and its uses. • identify the different types of files that Book Port can read. • relate pros and cons of etext vs digital audio formats for use with Book Port. • identify sources for free and subscription- based electronic reading materials.
Workshop Objectives Participate in hands-on activities: • Connection and settings • Transfer of documents to and from Book Port • Basic reading commands • Use as a memo-taker w/ voice and braille input
What is the Book Port? • Book Port is a portable device designed to read electronic books to blind and visually impaired children or adults. • Its small size, large storage capacity, and battery operation make it the perfect hand-held device to take reading with you wherever you go. • Book Port is also a note taker and has a built-in digital recorder.
What Can the Book Port Read? • With synthesized speech • Text Files (.txt) • Microsoft Word (.doc and .rtf) • Braille Files (.brl or .brf) • Web Pages (.htm) • Daisy books (digital or e-text)
What Can the Book Port Read? • With digital audio • Compressed (.mp3) • Uncompressed (.wav) • Daisy audio (ncc.html) • Web pages (htm or html) • Audible.com (.aa)
Advantages of eText Over Digital Audio: Takes up less space with more flexible navigation: • Ability to move through the text a word or a letter at a time • Ability to spell words • Ability to change the punctuation pronunciation • Ability to search for specific text • Ability to change the voice that reads
Sources of Materials for BP • The Book Port CD (classic literature, history, and reference material) • Scanning with an optical character recognition (OCR) program
Sources of Materials for BP • Internet: (see pages 48-53 of manual) • http://www.virginia.edu/ (free download) • http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books (free) • http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/ (free) • http://www.flelibrary.org/(free download • http://www.childrenslibrary.org/(free) • http://www.rfbd.org/ (order) • http://www.bookshare.org/ (subscription) • http://www.TumbleBooks.com/ (subscription) • www.audible.com/aph (special offer) • RadioLovers.com (mp3 format) • www.PublisherLookup.org (college texts)
Audible.com Special Offer Welcome Book Port Customers! • Choose from more than 23,000 digital audiobooks, audio magazines, newspapers, radio shows, and more. • First month free. • Get 1 audio book plus a daily, weekly, or monthly subscription each month for $14.95 monthly fee. • Get 2 audio books for $21.95 monthly fee. • Save up to 80% off retail prices • No commitment. Cancel any time.
On your computer, open IE, and type in the url address for one of the free websites. • Explore the website(s) and find the sections for e-text, digital library, or digital books. • Locate a book that you might want to download (keep in mind for later). You have 15 minutes.
Open up your BookPort box and locate the items as we talk about them.
What Comes in the BP Package? • Book Port portable ebook reader • Compactflash card (inserted in Book Port flash card slot) 64-256 MB • Ear buds • 2 AA batteries • 4 ' USB A Plug to 5-Pin Mini-B cable • Quick Start Reference Sheet in braille and print • CD containing software and over 1700 ebooks • Cassette tape containing a manual
Orientation - Back • Battery Life • use alkaline AA batteries • at least 60 hours Only have 30 seconds to change battery To preserve settings when changing batteries key in D+E+F
About the Memory Card: • CompactFlash Card “Type 1” • NOT interchangeable with other devices; can have separate cards for books, and/or music) • BP Cards should not be used in any other device. Always use the BP to reformat the cards (1 + 2 + D + F) • BP supports up to 2 GB of memory • Cards are commercially available in camera and computer stores
Book Port Software • Automatically starts when connecting the BP to the computer • Sends files and Web pages without leaving the application in use • Provides multiple levels of phrase detection for spoken word content (sentence, paragraph, page, section, etc.) • Provides reverse translation for electronic contracted braille files • Shows preview of the content of the files
Book Port Software • Queues up material if the BP is not connected • Remembers last folder from which you sent files • Gives options to customize file transfer • Older versions of software create 3 icons in the desktop: BP transfer, Book Wizard reader, BP spyder • Newer versions create two icons: BP Transfer and Book Wizard Reader
Firmware Updates • Ensure that battery level reports at least 50% capacity (D+F) • BP needs to be connected to computer • Never attempt a firmware update while using rechargeable batteries • If you use Windows ME or Windows 2000, use the scandisk or chkdsk utility to insure that your Book Port's flash card is free from errors before updating • Connect your ear buds and put them in your ears before you disconnect the unit from the USB port, so you may hear the messages that are announced as firmware is updated • Do not press any key while firmware is updating
Install the BookPort software You will now have about 15 minutes to read and follow the directions on pages 7-10 in your SET manual. Do NOT skip any steps.
The Book Port Unit • 1st 4 rows (telephone key pad) for file navigation • within a book • from book to book • 2 bottom rows (letters) • For controlling speed, volume, and pitch • Selecting speech voices • For controlling the digital recording capabilities • To access the help file • Some keys function differently while Idle and while reading (see handout)
Settings • Settings are modified within the BP unit • Press 0 to enter/exit the “Settings” keypad • Once you enter this keypad, keys behave differently • Use keys 2 and 8 to move from item to item • Use keys 4 and 6 to adjust the setting for the item • Use key 5 as the “Select or Enter” key • (see SET chart, page 23) or (Pg 16-Delgado)
Synthesized Speech Settings • “Speed”: Lowers or increases the speed at which BP reads • “Pitch”: Changes the pitch of the different voices • “Frequency”: adjusts the frequency setting • “Echo Keys”: Allows you to hear each keystroke as you type in the note taker or when you type a search term with the “Find” command • “Voice”: Changes the personality of the synthesized speech (choose from Perfect Paul, Vader, Big Bob, Precise Pete, Ricochet Randy, Beef, Skip, and Robo Robert)
Speech Settings (cont.) • “Punctuation”: Alters the kind and amount of punctuation the synthesized speech reads • Choose from: None, Some, Most, All (which read numbers as individual digits) • And: None with Numbers, Some with Numbers, Most with Numbers, and All with Numbers (which read numbers as we normally say them)
More Settings • “Volume”: Changes volume of synthesized speech as well as digital audio • “Sensitivity” : Adjusts the amount of time required to hold down a key before it beeps to access a “one beep” function • “Minutes Spoken”: tells you how many minutes the unit has spoken since the last reset • “Sleep Timer”: Controls how long Book Port reads (i.e., 30 minutes) before it turns itself off (set the sleep timer to 0 to turn it off) • “File Lock”: Locks a file to prevent accidentally deleting a file • “Automatic File Advancement”: The unit begins reading the next file when it reaches the end of the current file (useful when listening to music)
“Page Number” • Informs you of the current page number • Allows you to move to another page in the current book • To move to another page, press the 5 key to select the Page Number menu option • Use the numbers on the keypad to type in the number of the desired page • Press the # key to go to the page, or press the * key to cancel
About “Page Number” • This function accepts only Arabic numbers • If the page is not valid, BP will beep • Not all books you send to Book Port contain page number information • If file does not contain any page information, Book Port uses an approximation to represent pages
Adjust Settings You now have about 15 minutes to play with the BookPort’s settings feature. Read and follow the directions on pages 22-25, 27, 28 of SET manual.
Sending Files/Folders • File needs to be a supported format • Check battery level (D + F), otherwise BP notifies you that the file can not be transferred. BP needs to be connected to computer, otherwise file goes to cue • Two ways of sending files: • Using BP Transfer interface • Using Windows Explorer
Sending Files You will now have about 15 minutes to read and follow the directions on pages 12, 15-20 in your SET manual. Do NOT skip any steps.
The “Help” Feature • BP has a shortcut key (E) to access the Help file in the unit • The file contains Book Port's documentation • When you press the Help key command, the device notes the file and position of the file you are reading, then opens the help file and begins reading it • When you close Help, the device returns you to the file you were working with when you opened the help file. • If you are already in the Help file when you press the Help key command, BP beeps, press key 2 to start reading
Reading Commands You now have about 10 minutes to play with the BookPort’s reading commands. • Use the BookPort Reference Sheet and the Help menu to practice reading. • Use SET Manual, pgs 31-33.
The Digital Recorder • Records and plays audio memos as if it were playing any other audio file • Lets you record for as long as the amount of storage on your flash card permits • BP creates a “Memos” folder the first time you record a memo, and stores all audio memos in this folder • Each memo is stored as an individual file • BP automatically gives each new file a name that consists of the current date and time • After playing a memo, the file gets automatically set back to the beginning i.e., you can play the memo over and over again by simply pressing the “Play” key • Gives about 95 seconds per MB of storage space) approx. 100 minutes per 64 MB of storage, )
Digital Recorder Key Commands • Key E for one beep: Record (you’ll hear a short beep when the recording process begins) • Key E while recording: Pause (BP beeps twice to let you know the unit has paused) • Key B: Stop (moving to another file also stops the recording process) • Key 2: Play
Digital Recording • You now have about 5 minutes to make a recording on the BookPort. • Read and follow the directions in the SET Manual, pgs 38-40
Braille Input See Handout
Using BP as a Note Taker • Requires the use of the braille keyboard layout • Requires the use of computer braille • Features apply only to files sent to or created in the “Notes” folder • See online manual or webcast for more details • Middle row - “eludre” as memory jogger (Esc, Left, Up, Down, Right, Enter)
Some Book Port Uses: • Reading books, magazines and newspapers • Listening to music • Listening to radio shows and podcasts • Creating lists (groceries, addresses, phone numbers, to-do lists) • Creating quick memos • Taking notes during classes or meetings • Saving itineraries and e-mail messages
… and The Best News of All … • The Book Port is available on quota from APH • # 1-07440-00 • $395.00 • 90-day warranty
Additional Info/Training • APH Webcast:on line training available at http://www.aph.org/webcast/index.html • The complete BP User’s Manual can be accessed and/or downloaded from • the Book Port ‘s • CD (MP3 and HTML formats ) • Memory card • Cassette Tape • Your Computer after BP software is installed (Programs/Book Port Transfer/Book Port Documentation )
Additional Info/Training • On the Internet go to www.aph.org/tech and click on Book Port for all the latest updates • Instructional Lessons on CD: • www.setbc.org • www.prcvi.org
Homework Project • You will need to complete a Homework Project in order to receive inservice credit. • Use the form in your packet to complete the project. • If you would like this in electronic format, email me to request the online form.
Homework Components • Key Points taken from the Workshop • Action Implementation: Write a brief description of an student activity, group discussion for sharing info, further research, etc. • Anticipated Outcomes
Don’t Leave Yet !! • Be sure to complete the BookPort agreement before taking the reader for your student(s). • Be sure to complete the workshop evaluation before leaving. • Thanks for all you do for Florida’s students with visual impairments and blindness!!!