In article , Brian Gaff
wrote:

Hi Brian,

I've been wondering about asking you about issues related to this. Things
like the tendency for modern equipment to have a remote control and
on-screen menus. I suspect that can be awkward for some people. But cheaper
for makers as they can omit most physical controls from the unit. With a
number of newer items I have, I do wonder how someone with sight problems
would easily use them!

I would be interested in your comments on that. I've put my reactions to
your points below...

CD. A great idea on the surface, and yes, it can be duplicated fast.
Snags. it is use once throw away, and requires all users to have a cd
player which is usable by blind people. This is not as easy as it
sounds, and the costs of the number of listeners times 52 weeks in a
year is quite substantial for a charity. You also lose 10 minutes on a
cd, against cassettes.

Some CD players can play mp3 files. However I have no idea how common that
is with cheaper models. But if some cheap systems can do this it might
allow for far more per disc. Do not the RNIB or some other body provide
something like this? Or is it simply too costly?

Similarly, all the DVD Video machines I have will play CDRs (or DVD Rs) of
mp3 files. You can also get quite a few hours onto DVD videos if you don't
care about the video quality, and blank DVD isn't much more costly than CD
blanks. So might CD/DVD discs of mp3s to be played on DVD Video players be
an option?

Another advantage of DVD video is that the machine does tend to recall
where you got to if you switch off and then on again later. I think one
model of audio CD player does this, but I can't recall what one it is or if
it is expensive. But it is common for DVD video machines.

I would suspect that in time the systems will end up being small computer
based hardware with memory sticks and/or downloads. But as you write, that
is problematic for many people as things are now.

Slainte,

Jim

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