[optacon-l] Re: R1D vs Optacon 2
- From: Tore Johnny Bråtveit <tj@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 17:46:31 +0200
Hello listers,
This is definitely an interesting discussion. For me, the Optacon 2 is
unknown so far, but I understand that it could be convenient for reading
computer screens - and there are, as you know, situations when the
various screen readers are of no use. I have already an Optacon R1D and
am very pleased with it, but I see that my toolbox could benefit from
containing an Optacon 2 in addition to the other one.
So, could anybody please advise me where I might obtain an Optacon 2
unit these days?
Best regards
Tore Johnny in Norway
Maureen Hogg skrev:
> HI List:
> It's Maureen here in Colorado.
>
> All Charles has related is true. I use both models of Optacon. The
> great advantages of the Optacon 2 are its lilghtness, modularity and
> three screen settings. I use it when traveling because it is so
> portable. The three screen settings - normal, inverse video and
> complete inverse - were especially helpful when I used early-day
> Macintosh desktop computers with much black on gray or similar subtle
> shadings. The CRT barrel lens is the greatest on computer screens,
> although the normal Optacon lens can now work on screens such as iPad,
> Nook or a Windows 7 Classic.
>
> I like the modularity of the batteries to mix and match when a certain
> pack goes bad. Thanks to Richard Oehm in San Jose, California, I've had
> many fewer issues with that design. A good technician will tell you it
> is much easier to repair. The modularity of the cable system is also a
> plus.
>
> The R1D was without question the best of that design series. It is very
> sturdy and can work for hours, but is much heavier. The battery charger
> is also cumbersome to carry around. The larger screen is more
> comfortable to operate, but it needs to be specifically designed for
> either the left hand or the right hand. The Optacon 2 does not.
>
> I'm on screen readrs now to access my desktop, laptop and iPhone. But
> the Optacon is a great backup when the screen reader stalls out, which
> it will do from time to time. For ordinary print materials, theOptacon
> in any design has never been bested.
>
> Hope this helps!
> Maureen
>
> On 10/22/2014 11:11 PM, C. Pond wrote:
>> Here is my 0.2 cents worth. I use both the optacon R1D (this is Not the
>> optacon R1C; the two are different iterations, with the R1D being superior
>> to the R1D) and the Optacon 2 for good reasons, as I think Maureen on the
>> list uses both R1D and optacon 2.
>>
>> The optacon R1D has 144 pins in its tactile display, while the optacon 2 has
>> 100 pins, and both tactile displays cover the same area--that is they are
>> the same size. This implies that for some applications the greater detail
>> of the R1D's display seems better for somet applications, especially where
>> picky details are apparent and for certainly unnecessarily fancy fonts with
>> lines and twirls, certainly with very tiny letters and characters, evenwith
>> the zoom of the lense set on smallest. Special magnification lenses are
>> floating
>> throughout the optacon subculture lens to greatly magnify crazily small
>> characters.
>> these magnification lenses are treated as any normal lens, being detachable
>> from the retina.
>>
>> Readers also report that their fingers become less fatigued using the
>> optacon 2 and its 100 pin display. The 144 pin display is about the only
>> thing the invaluable R1D has over the optacon 2, and also one can use the
>> R1D from its case, and this is not so for the otpacon 2, a minor yet over
>> looked and annoying detail by the designers of the optacon 2.
>>
>> The optacon2 has a detachable cable for the damera so it can be replaced
>> easily if one has an extra (and we know how our camera cables do to take a
>> beating).
>>
>> In addition to inverse and normal reading, there is a third setting on the
>> optacon 2 which makes it just great for reading any kind of computer screen
>> or electronic display. IN addition to this setting, one can press the
>> "battery test" button at the back of the optacon 2 however many times is
>> necessary to smooth out the ripple often felt in computer and electronics
>> displays. Works great! Computer screens with just about anything on them
>> amidst their busy visual world feel smooth and nice, almost slinky to read.
>> I have not been even remotely able to achieve such success and results in
>> reading computer screens of any sort or electronic display with an optacon
>> R1D and its
>> specialized computer lens. The special lens for the optacon R1C and R1D
>> isolate light from the screen and provide a glare shield, but I still
>> achieve imcomparably better results with the optacon 2 and its admittedly
>> inferior tactile display with is more coarse resolution. I have not needed
>> any specialized lens for the optacon 2.
>>
>> Although the optacon 2's battery is an oddball cube, it is detachable
>> andeasily replaceable with a charged one when the cube runs down. The
>> optacon R1D's battery is soldered into the circuit, and a technician is
>> needed to replace the optacon R1D's battery, and once in a while calibrate
>> its power adapter/charger. TSI supplied batteries and power packs which did
>> not deliver enough currrent for a good optacon 2 reading session. So, I had
>> a chunky but same-size physically battery made here-done here which delivers
>> more current, so it can actually power the optacon 2 adequately enough.
>> Also, I use a(12-Volt) switch mode power supply with a very low ripple
>> voltage (likely 5mV or below) which can source 1500Ma, which is more than
>> enough to power the optacon 2 and give me a nice, crisp and fresh tactile
>> image.
>>
>> The soldered-in battery is recharged by the optacon R1D's power supply. The
>> optacon 2's battery requires a separate charger.
>>
>> The display of the optacon 2 is amost in the middle of its upper
>> surface,which means that one can use either left or right hands in reading.
>> The optacon R1D allows for only the left hand to read, and the right hand to
>> manipulate the camera.
>>
>> Although the ergonomics of both optacon R1D and optacon 2 models are
>> different from each other, overall I think the layout and design of the
>> optacon R1D(the human form factor) is superior to that of the optacon 2, in
>> spite of
>> some advantages of the optacon 2. The way the battery is a clunky cube
>> infront of the camera when in use (not overly a problem); the fact that the
>> optacon 2 cannot be used in its case; charger and power adapter are
>> separate.
>>
>> So, if you find the optacon useful and can climb the steep sensory or
>> cognitive learning curve, grab one of each model: an R1D and an optacon 2.
>> (A model R1D is different from the older optacon R1C by the way, and I
>> think reading results are better with the R1D compared to the R1C). So have
>> both R1D and optacon 2 at your ever probing hand ready for instant action.
>>
>> For reading round things like pill bottles and cans (and recently these
>> supplements in their round bottles to try and kill this illness before it
>> kills me, or at least buy some time before I take that spet into eternity
>> which we all must take), I can use the optacon 2, and the image (feels more
>> crisp and readily responds); however, the display of the optacon R1D gives
>> more details and finer and really noticeable resolution when it comes to
>> trying to interpret and to resolve very small characters on the labels
>> without a magnifications lense written of above, especially when an non-sans
>> serif font is used, which is 99.99% of the time. I place the bottle or jar
>> betwen my knees or several fingers on a solid surface, and role the cylinder
>> along as I read with which ever optacon. Remember the gigantic visual eye
>> candy on these bottles, and that print might be embedded into these designs,
>> so one must be skillful with the camera's movement and stead-handed. Using
>> any optacon os like flying a helicopter with its focused multitasking all
>> co-ordinated by the trained and experienced brain.
>>
>> Oh yes. The optacon 2 has a serial port, whereas the optacon R1X (C or D)
>> does not. Software does esist to run the optacon on a DOS machine, but as
>> far as I know, none has been written to run the optacon 2 on a Windows or
>> Mac. I'm sur the proper USB-to-Serial converter cable with the right chip
>> set can be found, and the interface manual for the optacon 2's serial port
>> does exist. This might mean nothing for what you need it, but it's out
>> there.
>>
>> Have I missed anything?
>>
>> Charles back from his church retreat with an overloaded to-do list.
>>
>>
>> Strangely, I have the parts here to build at least 8 R1D optaccons, ut my
>> health condition simply no longer allows me to do what I used to take for
>> granted. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Praise the Name of the
>> Lord, for he knows our weaknesses, and he cares of us. I know exactly what
>> to do and how to run tests for boards, the standard TSI tests (they have
>> test point built into the optacons), and individual component tests. Also,
>> a built-up store of experience helps. However, I can no longer hold the
>> soldering pencil still, the solder and the copper braid. I had offered my
>> stash of parts to Dave Godfrey in merry old' England, but because if inport
>> charges and such it would have been a costly venture. So, I might contac
>> Richard Oehm and sent the old lot--two boxes--to him. In one case, for
>> example, it looks like either a 47V or 48V zener diode is shot, or its
>> current limiting resistor, and this is easy as doing up a botton to test and
>> to replace. However, I can no longer solder and desolder, so I can do no
>> nuts and bolts testing. The Power-Timing Board (if I am corrrect) blew all
>> 24 chips embedded in the invaluable tactile displays. These dksplays can
>> indeed be rebuilt with Much patience, and if the engineers charged cost per
>> hour, or at a prescribed rate, it would be a costly repair job, and yet
>> several more optacons would be in circulatio.
>>
>> I had people here who did soldering and esoldering for e, and I looked over
>> their shoulder and did the bench testing, but I can no longer guarangee the
>> slipping quality of their work, and therefore my results as well (No doubt
>> they will squawk at reading this and dismiss as Chuckie being ultrafixated
>> on details, but so be it. If they don't liek what they see in the
>> proverbail mirror, no need to smahs the mirror; take an honset look at their
>> work and simply consider it and if necessary brush on the bbasics again.
>> These folks wer excellent in their tine, and they could be again.)
>> Meanwhile, that leaves us with very few optacon maintainers through the
>> entire earth.
>>
>> My vote is to try and get both and R1D moeel )not an R1C if you can have the
>> choice), and an optacon 2. They both have their place. I believe Maureen,
>> Hogg, a zealous supporter of optacon technolgies (and she also like the girl
>> gi=uide Hawaian macaroons they sell) uses several pairs of both the R1D and
>> the optacon 2; one at hoe an the other pair at work An excelltnt
>> arrangment.
>>
>> Charles just back from his church trip and still recovering.
>> -----
>> Original Message-----
>> From: Sarah Clark
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 11:35 AM
>> To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [optacon-l] R1D vs Optacon 2
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>> We have finally decided to purchase an optacon, and are trying to determine
>> which model to get. My husband has used one in the past, but I never have,
>> and he doesn't think he ever used one of the later models.
>>
>> We like the idea of the Optacon 2 because of the ability to use it on
>> computer screens and other LCD displays. Is the R1D able to read any of
>> these displays? (In addition to computers, I'm thinking of electronics, such
>> as displays on microwaves, stereos, etc.
>>
>> Also, I have read that the R1D has more image arrays, 144 vs 100 I believe.
>> But I am unsure as to what this actually means, and how it would impact the
>> experience. For instance, does this mean larger images, more detailed, more
>> of the image appearing at one time, etc? Is it easier to recognize letters
>> with the r1D? Or if I have never had exposure to either, would I not really
>> notice the difference?
>>
>> Also, what kinds of items can you read with the optacon? I realize it can be
>> used to read printed documents, but what about things that are not flat,
>> such as cans, pill bottles, remotes with buttons, etc.
>>
>> I would greatly appreciate any input anyone may have. And in case it is
>> helpful, I lost my vision as a young adult, so I already know all the
>> alphanumeric characters, so won't have that big learning curve to overcome.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Sarah
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>>
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