Talking Book and Braille Equipment

Refreshable Braille Displays: NLS eReaders

We can mail braille books to you on a cartridge, or you can download books directly from BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download website. We offer two models, the HumanWare and the Zoomax. Either model can hold thousands of braille books!

HumanWare (EBH)

Close up view of Humanware braille eReader and accessories.

In the box:

Case shipped separately.

Full hard copy braille manual: Available upon request.

Media: Internal storage, USB-A thumb drive, SD card (SD, SDHC, SDXC up to 2TB)

Features: Perkins-style keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 16GB internal storage, bookshelf feature for navigating content that contains more than one book or magazine. Keys for enhanced navigation and bookmarking.

Operation: 13 hours on rechargeable battery (with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off)

Size: 7.2" × 3.7" × 1.0"

Weight: Less than 0.9lbs

Zoomax (EBZ)

Close up view of Zoomax braille eReader and accessories.

In the box:

Media: Internal storage, USB-A thumb drive, SD card
Features: Perkins-style keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 8GB internal storage, bookshelf feature for navigating content that contains more than one book or magazine. Keys for enhanced navigation and bookmarking.
Operation: 8.5 hours on rechargeable battery (when power save mode is activated)
Size: 8" × 5" × 1.4"
Weight: 1.12lbs

 

 

Digital Talking Book Machines

All models of digital talking-book players have rechargeable batteries and offer readers high-quality sound, advanced navigation and variable speed controls. They can play audiobooks from a cartridge mailed from the library, or from a USB using the BARD website or BARD Express desktop app.

Digital Advanced Player 2 (DA2)

Close up view of the digital advanced player two.

In the box:

Size: 8.3" × 7.8" × 1.6"
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Features:

DA2 users can connect to BARD, and download audiobooks and magazines, store them on the player and listen to them over Bluetooth-enabled speakers or headphones. 

Reader Advisors can push titles to a patron’s BARD Wish List, and then they can be downloaded on the machine.

Digital Advanced Player 1 (DA1)

Digital talking book player advanced model DA1.

In the box:

Size: 6.2" × 8.8" × 1.7"
Weight: 2.52 lbs.
Features: Large buttons, braille letters alongside the controls, sleep timer, built-in audio instructions and the bookshelf feature for navigating a digital cartridge that contains more than one book or magazine. Additional buttons for enhanced navigation and bookmarking.

Digital Standard Player (DS1)

Digital talking book player standard model DS1.

In the box:

Size: 6.2" × 8.8" × 1.7"
Weight: 2.52 lbs.
Features: Large buttons, braille letters alongside the controls, sleep timer, built-in audio instructions and the bookshelf feature for navigating a digital cartridge that contains more than one book or magazine.

 

 

Talking Book Machine Accessories

These items are free to loan to patrons for use with their talking book machines.

Headphones (AC027)

Headphones (AC027)

Over the ear, lightweight headphones.

Headphone Adaptor (AC019)

Headphone adaptor from quarter inch female to 3.5 milimeter male (AC019)

3.5 millimeter stereo plug on one end (male) and a 1/4 inch stereo jack (female) on the other. Allows headphones with a 1/4 inch plug to be used with the talking book players.

Remote Control (AC030)

Remote control for digital player (AC030).

Pillow Speaker (AC021)

Pillow speaker for digital player (AC021).

 

 

Right Angle Adapter (AC020)

Close up view of right angle USB thumb drive adapter (AC020).

USB flash-drive adapter allows you to connect your USB flash drive to the digital talking book player at a 90 degree right angle. By using the adapter, your flash drive lays parallel to the player.

Cartridge Cable (AC025)

A C 0 2 5 cartridge cable

Three feet long with a standard USB type A plug on one end and a USB type A socket and plastic molding-conforming to the shape of the cartridge-on the other. The accessory connects a digital talking-book cartridge to a universal serial bus (USB) port on a personal computer (PC) to facilitate use with BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download).

Cartridges can be purchased from the Perkins Library.

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