Hi list, a short while ago I posted a message asking if there was anyway to get a perkinds style six key keyboard for a PC. I did some investigating thanks to the info that a few of you were able to provide. ApAs it turns out the keyboard that is produced in England will only do grade 2 translation in British national code. I am not sure how different from US national Braille code but I assume it must be different enough to cause a problem since there are two standards. The contractions may be different. The other option was to hook a note taker to the PC and use it as a kayboard for text input. This is where it gets confusing. I know some people on this list have said that they have been able to do this but no one has said how or with what note taker. I sent an email to Freedom Scientific and they said flat out that this was not possible. I reposted a copy of their email below. I also talked to someone at the Massachusetts commision for the blind and she said that in terminal emulation mode the Braille and Speak can act like a dumb terminal and output text. Now the problem is that it outputs to the COM port not the keyboard port. Does anyone know of a software utility for windows that would take input from the COM1 serial port and dump it into the keyboard buffer. Alternatively is there anyway to get a converter cable that will allow me to directly hook up the 9 pin serial output from the Braille and Speak cable to the keyboard (either PS2 or USB) of the PC? I have been pretty supprised that more people have not wanted to do this.
Thanks
Frank


***Email from Freedom Scientific***
Dear Frank:

Thank you for contacting Freedom Scientific Support.

No, The Braille keyboards for the M20, Braille & Speak 2000 and a
BrailleLite 40 cannot be used for key board input in PC applications.


 If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact
us.

Regards,
Grant Downey
Technical Support Specialist
Freedom Scientific Blind/Low Vision Group
 -- Henter-Joyce, Blazie, and Arkenstone
Phone support: 727 803 8600, option #2
E-mail Support: [log in to unmask]
Visit our website at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com

Our Mission
To develop, manufacture and market innovative technology-based products
and services that those with vision impairments and learning
disabilities use to change their world.

-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Ventura [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 11:19 AM
To: hardwaresupport
Subject: Using a FS note taker as a Braille keyboard for a PC

Good morning FS staff, I am using my PC with JAWS 5.1 (soon to be 6.0).
In the past I have used my BrailleLite M20 as a Braille display with
much success. What I would like to know is there anyway that I can use
my BrailleLite M20 to input text on the PC? For example is there a way
that I can be in email or MS word and type on the eight Braille keys on
the notetaker and have those keystrokes sent to the document. Such as if
I typed a dot one on the note taker could an "a" be sent to my document?
In addition to the BrailleLite M20 I also have access to a Braille &
Speak 2000 and a BrailleLite 40. Can these note takers also be used as
input keyboards for the PC?
Thank you
Frank Ventura
[log in to unmask]
617 469-6879


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