Thank you for your contribution.
We are now getting close to setting up a computer lab for the Ghana Blind
Society and the School for the Blind.

They will be hooked onto your discussion group too!

Regards,
Albert
"To whosoever believeth, all things are possible.."
-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly Pierce <[log in to unmask]>
To: ALBERT K. ESSANDOH <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, November 19, 1998 12:58 PM
Subject: Re: Braille Printers


>On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, ALBERT K. ESSANDOH wrote:
>
>Albert: are there any Braille printers on the market?
>
>This question is explored in detail in the latest issue of "computer User
>Network News," the newsletter of digit-eyes:  the Chicago Blind Computer
>User network.  If you want the edited version go to
>http://homepage.interaccess.com/~b_b or I have included my version below.
>I am the author of the article on how to choose a braille embosser.  This
>article also appeared in the first issue of Sound Computing earlier this
>year.
>
>kelly
>
>How to Choose A Braille Embosser
>by:  Kelly Pierce
>
>Braille has come of age in this era of infirmation abundance.
>Scanning software and the Internet give blind people electronic
>access to mountains of documents, books and resources and Braille
>translation software and embossers turn these computer files into
>highly readable grade II Braille.  For the person who needs a
>Braille copy of something at home or at the office, the dream of
>instant, affordable Braille is now a reality.  Prices for
>embossers are now less than $2,000 and translation software
>easily works with older computers, allowing the blind computer
>user to independently produce well formatted and readable Braille
>on the cheap.
>
>This article describes how to choose the Braille embosser that
>most effectively meets user needs.  I will not discuss the
>Braille translation software needed to turn a computer file into
>grade II Braille.  the term "Braille embosser" is used throughout
>the article rather than "Braille printer," as Braille embossers
>actually physically change the paper going through them rather
>than printing ink on it.  Unlike inkprint printers, Braille
>embossers are a whole lot heavier and noisier, a unique
>consideration if one is working in an open environment with
>others likely to be bothered by the noise.
>
>When most people shop for a Braille embosser, they usually ask
>two questions:  how much does it cost and how fast is it?  Speed,
>expressed in characters per second, is only one factor out of
>many.  Blind computer users often rely on it as it allows for a
>standard comparison from product to product.  Other factors that
>are equally important include quality of Braille produced,
>reputation of manufacturer, reliability, reputation of local
>dealer, user past experience with product, availability of timely
>service and support, ease of operation, clear and understandable
>documentation, and manuals available in well-formatted, Grade II
>Braille.
>
>Price and speed as a comparison can be an illusion.  In the
>January, 1996 issue of the "Braille Monitor," an article states:
>"when designing a [Braille] printer, the manufacturer has to make
>certain tradeoffs and compromises.  It may be possible to gain
>some apparent speed by using a shorter line--at the cost of
>flexibility. And an embosser   employing a long line and rated by
>a conservative but    arduous test ... may look more unattractive
>than it actually is. In short, a variety of    factors should be
>considered and balanced when making the decision to buy an
>embosser.     The prices of Braille printers have dropped over
>the past few years. There are also many more models available now
>than formerly. However, past a certain point, the only way to
>achieve more speed or lower price is to sacrifice the quality of
>the Braille produced."
>
>The article identifies something that I noticed when I was in the
>process of buying a Braille embosser in 1995:  reported speeds by
>manufacturers are often significantly inflated and there may not
>be a correlation between actual speed and price.  There is no
>standardized way speed is calculated from manufacturer to
>manufacturer, so some companies goose the test for all that it is
>worth.  For example, Blazie Engineering determines speed by
>timing how long it takes its Braille Blazer to produce one line
>of Braille.  Such tests never translate into the real world of
>articles, letters and reports that have more than one line and
>multiple pages.  When producing a "real document," such as a
>Braille copy of the "Braille Monitor" in the speed test described
>in the article, the Braille Blazer actually produces only 8
>characters per second while the manufacturer claims it produces
>15 cps, a variance of 47 percent between fantasy and reality.
>Dean Blazie wasn't the only one cooking the numbers on Braille
>embossers.  Telesensory Systems, apparently learning of the
>evaluation, publicly lowered its published speeds for some of its
>embossers before the article went to press.
>
>One way to learn about approximate speed and get around the
>numbers game is to ask how many pages does this embosser produce
>in an hour?  This allows you to match the speed of the printer to
>the amount of Braille one would actually read or need.
>
>Before I talked with any dealer or vendor in my search I did some
>homework, such as obtaining lists that describe different Braille
>embossers and their cost.  One such list is available from
>http://www.nfb.org and go to the technology section on the page.
> This is what I used when I went to buy my own embosser.
>Something more up to date and does not require access to the
>World Wide Web is available from the federally-funded AbleData
>(800-227-0216).  Written results of a data base search are $5 for
>50 products and $10 for the next fifty.  If you have access to
>the web you can search the site yourself at
>http://www.abldata.com.  In Illinois the Illinois Assistive
>Technology Project (800-852-5110) and the Disability research
>Network (800-447-4221) also can search the AbleData resources and
>will provide a written list with product descriptions and prices
>for free.  All three services will fill your request in Braille
>or on computer disk and of course print.  Ask for the format of
>your choice.
>
>>From these lists, it is easy to winnow down to the three to five
>products that are real prospects and come closest to meeting user
>needs.
>
>One need that people sometimes ponder is interpoint or single-
>sided embossers.  Sometimes people think that if they get an
>interpoint embosser, they can operate a Braille business.  Like
>any job, training and experience are key.  Good transcribers are
>certified by the Library of congress and have had some experience
>transcribing and proofreading for someone else.  Additionally,
>the business is predominated by government agencies, charities,
>not-for profit organizations, and lots of private fundraising to
>subsidize it.  commercial opportunities may be limited.
>Interpoint machines, those that produce Braille on both sides of
>a page, cost at least double what single sided embossers cost.
>Moreover, they may need more repair as the paper dust can clog
>the machine and cause it to produce poor quality Braille.  For
>most individual users, the costs saved in using less Braille
>paper will not match the additional cost of an interpoint
>embosser and additional maintenance
>
>Now that the consumer has identified a few products and their
>manufacturers, it is now time to contact dealers and see products
>demonstrated.  It is best to do this in person, rather than
>receiving brochures and Braille samples from embossers by mail.
>doing it in person allows the consumer to get a feel for how easy
>the product is to use and the way the embosser handles the paper
>as well as how it returns to the top of form.  if you are blind,
>request a real "hands on" demonstration, where you the user
>tactually check out the product, execute yourself several
>commands that control the printer, adjust the force the embosser
>head hits the paper, change margins, and print something.  If a
>manufacturer, vendor or dealer is uncomfortable or refuses this
>kind of inspection, look elsewhere.  This is the only way a blind
>person can thoroughly examine a Braille embosser and answer
>critical questions such as ease of use and durability.  A
>reluctance of this kind tells the user much about the
>manufacturer and its understanding and sensitivity of the needs
>and lives of blind end users.
>
>One of the best and easiest ways to do side by side hands on
>comparisons of all the embossers on your list at once is at a
>convention of a blindness organization, which is what I did when
>a national convention of a consumer organization was in Chicago
>at the conrad Hilton in 1995.  These in person demonstrations
>told me a lot.  With one embosser, the Braille Comet, the paper
>jammed.  the Braille appeared mushy on another, the Everest.
>Telesensory's Thiel could not find the top of page.  It is also
>possible to sense how fast the embosser produces Braille, despite
>manufacturer claims.  This allowed me to discover that the
>VersaPoint from Telesensory systems, priced at $3,795 was not
>much different from the Romeo 25 from Enabling Technologies,
>priced at the time at $1995.  later the "Monitor" test would show
>that there is a 32 percent variance between the 40 characters per
>second claimed by telesensory and the actual 27.4 cps.  The romeo
>25, came to 23.8 in the test, a variance of only 5 percent.
>
>All the database searches and product demonstrations in the world
>will not answer questions of product reliability, service, dealer
>follow through, support, and consumer experience with product.
>The way to learn these issues is through talking with other users
>of Braille embossers.  Why was their product chosen?  Is it easy
>or difficult to use?  Has the product needed repair?  How often?
>What was the quality of the work?
>
>I did this process months before the convention so that I could
>come back and ask my friends forgotten questions or more detailed
>ones.  Waiting until a few days before a buying decision to do
>this step will not build confidence and comfort in your choice.
>Use what you learn from other end users to narrow down your list
>even further.  For example, I cooled my enthusiasm for the
>Everest after I learned from several people about its frequent
>need for repair.  I was cautious about Telesensory Systems after
>several other blind end users described unpleasant experiences
>with local dealers and company representatives when they needed
>assistance.  Never omit this essential feedback step from your
>search.
>
>in the end, I bought the Romeo 25 from Enabling Technologies.
>The Romeo was one of the first embossers produced.  It gained
>popularity in the 1980's for its solid durability and quality of
>Braille produced.  I checked out eight embossers at that
>convention.  The romeo was the only one with Braille coming from
>the machine as crisp as a Perkins Brailler.  Blind users with
>whom I spoke loved the Romeo and were ecstatic about enabling.
>The company only produces embossing products.  It was the only
>company at the convention that had a blind computer user and
>Braille reader demonstrate the product with me.  Further,
>Enabling employs blind computer users and Braille readers
>throughout the company and in substantial levels of decision
>making.  The nearly 25-year-old company had a sterling reputation
>from those with whom I spoke.  i was tempted to buy the Braille
>Blazer, but the small $300 price difference at the time tilted my
>interest to a faster product, one that embosses on 11 by 11 1/2
>inch paper, and a great company.  The speech synthesis interface
>on the Blazer interested me.  However, I believed that for
>average use, I would only need to know a few commands, which
>would easily be memorized after a few months of use with or
>without speech.
>
>In the more than two years since buying the product, I haven't
>been let down.  Customer support has exceeded expectations,
>walking me through setup and configuration of my embosser long
>distance.  Of course, my choice is not your choice.  Above all
>else,make your search for your ultimate Braille embosser a fun,
>social, and educational learning experience.
>
>
>


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