NOTE: This service is provided to eligible customers with qualifying disabilities that make reading print difficult. If you are blind, deafblind, low vision, or if you have another disability that makes it hard for you to read print, please continue. If you live in Minnesota and have a print related disability, give us a call to find out more about the services we offer. Call 1-800-722-0550. This application form also provides information on all the services we offer.
The Engineering Department at SSB provides operational and technical services to customers, volunteers, and employees of State Services for the Blind (SSB). Engineering services include installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing equipment (e.g., studio and recording equipment, digital book playback equipment, braille e-readers, and conference room meeting equipment).
The engineering team maintains equipment inventory, trains others on usage and upkeep of the equipment, and creates digital duplication for our customers.
The Engineering Department also handles the creation, maintenance, and distribution of the Alexa Skills and smartphone apps used by the Radio Talking Book. SSB's engineering team oversees all the local content on NFB Newsline.
Audio books and materials can be listened to on a variety of players, including some that are available for purchase from a number of sellers. We offer the digital talking book player from the National Library Service (NLS). The player is available in a basic and an advanced model, and is loaned for free to all eligible customers.
A high-volume player and headphones are available for qualified NLS patrons who are hard of hearing (as certified by an audiologist or physician). NLS also provides for free a breath switch compatible with both standard and advanced digital talking book machines (DTBMs). It is intended for those who are unable to use the buttons on a DTBM. The USB breath switch provides control of all functions of the DTBM using sip-and-puff actions. It comes with a shirt clip, removable mouth tube, and inline moisture filter.
To request a high-volume DTBM or breath switch, or to learn more, contact us at the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library at 800-722-0550.
Easy to Use Audio Book Players
With large buttons of different shapes, sizes, and colors, the digital players are easy to use. And if buttons are difficult for you to use, foot pedals, game controllers, and breath switches will operate the audio book players.
In almost every case, the player itself has everything you need to learn how it works. When you push a button (without a book in the player) it will tell you what the button does. Also, each player has an easy to access audio user guide.
This is an additional overview of what the main player functions are and how to set up remote control devices.
The toggles (sections) below provide overviews of the main player buttons, functions, and how to set up remote control devices.
The large buttons are different shapes, sizes, and colors. Pressing a button (when no book is in the machine) will tell you what the button does. The buttons include:
Power on/off
Play/Stop
Forward and Backward - by time or by digital markers
Playback speed
Volume
Tone
Sleep - 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes
The advanced players also have buttons for:
Bookmarks
Information
Navigation menu
Next digital marker
Previous digital marker
Tip: The on/off button is recessed. You may find it easier to use by placing a large bump dot on the power switch (5/8" or .625" diameter).
This is a brief description of the NLS digital player buttons and their major uses. If you have questions not answered below, please call us at 800-722-0550, and we’ll be happy to help you use your player.
Bookmark
(Advanced player only)
Press this button to insert a bookmark. You can easily return to the bookmark by designating the bookmark level on the Menu button and then pressing the Next or Previous buttons until you reach the desired bookmark. Please note: If you are playing a book and insert a bookmark within 5 seconds of an existing bookmark, the existing bookmark will be removed. If, however, you first stop the book from playing, you can insert the new marker without erasing the first one.
Bookshelf
Use the Bookshelf when you have more than one book on a cartridge to select the book you wish to hear. To get to the Bookshelf:
Insert a multiple book cartridge or flash drive into the player.
Press and hold the Play/Stop button.
Press the FF or RW buttons to hear the books available on the cartridge or flash drive. (If using a standard player, the first book on the bookshelf will always be the User Guide.)
To select a book, press the Play button after hearing its title. If it does not begin playing, press the Play button again.
FF (Fast forward)
Press this button to move forward in the audio. The longer you hold the button, the farther forward you will move. For instance, press once to move forward 5 seconds. Continue holding to move forward 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours. If there are chapter markers in the book, you can move forward by time until you reach a chapter marker. If you keep holding after that, you will move forward by chapters instead of by time. The machine will tell you how far forward you are moving.
Info (Information)
(Advanced player only)
This button will tell you many facts about the audio book, such as the book’s title, where you are in the book, total book time, how much you’ve read, how much remains, and whether the player is plugged in or using battery power.
Menu
(Advanced player only)
The Menu button designates the level of digital markers (if present in the book) you will access by pressing the Next and Previous buttons. Each book is different and may not contain all types of markers. Press the Menu button to reach the various levels. In addition to bookmark and phrase markers, the levels may include:
Multiple book section levels, such as parts, chapters, sections
Pages
When you press the Menu button, the player will tell you what markers are on that level. Keep pressing the Menu button until you reach the level you desire.
Next
(Advanced player only)
Press the Next button to advance to the next digital marker, bookmark, or phrase. Select among these types of markers by using the Menu button. The player will react differently if you press this button while the machine is stopped or playing a book.
Power
Turns the player on and off when using the battery. If your player is plugged into electricity, the player automatically turns on. If running on battery, and not playing a book, the player will automatically turn off after 30 minutes.
If there is no cartridge in the player, pressing the Power button will tell you how much battery capacity remains.
Previous
(Advanced player only)
Press the Previous button to return to the previous digital marker, bookmark, or phrase. Select among these types of markers by using the Menu button. The player will react differently if you press this button while the machine is stopped or playing a book.
RR (Rewind)
Press this button to move back in the audio. The longer you hold the button, the farther back you will move. For instance, press once to move back 5 seconds. Continue holding to move back 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours. If there are chapter markers in the book, you can move back by time until you reach a chapter marker. If you keep holding after that, you will move back by chapters instead of by time. The machine will tell you how far back you are moving.
Sleep
Press the sleep button once for the machine to turn off in 15 minutes, press twice to turn off in 30 minutes, three times to turn off in 45 minutes, and 4 times to turn off in an hour. When scheduled to turn off, the audio will fade for 5 seconds and the player will then stop.
Once you’ve turned on the sleep function, you may turn it off by pressing the Play/Stop button.
Serial number and software version
Press the Sleep button quickly 10 or more times when there is no cartridge in the machine in order to hear the player’s serial number and software version. The information will repeat until you press the Play/Stop button. As of 12/1/2016, the most recent software version is 2.1.7 issued on October 24, 2011.
Speed
The Speed Up and Down buttons will speed up or slow down the audio from ½ to 3 times normal speed. The pitch of the audio will remain the same. It will beep twice when at either extreme. You will also hear a beep when the speed is at neutral. The player will remember the speed settings for each book.
Tone
The Tone Up button increases the audio’s treble and decrease the bass. The Tone Down button increases the bass while decreasing the treble. It will beep twice when at either extreme. You will also hear a beep when the tone is at neutral. The player will remember the tone settings for each book.
User Guide
On the standard digital player, get to the User Guide by pressing and holding the Play/Stop button for 2 seconds. On the advanced player, access the User Guide by pressing holding the Info button for 1 ½ seconds.
Volume
The Volume Up and Down buttons adjust the volume louder or softer. It will beep twice when at its loudest and softest. There is no mute. If you turn the player off, the volume will be slightly increased the next time you turn it back on.
Using Remote USB Devices to Operate Your Audio Book Player
You can use several types of USB remote devices to operate your NLS audio book player: keyboards, number pads, foot pedals, game controls, and breath switches.
The remote device must have a USB connector.
Wireless remotes can also be used, as long as there is a wireless USB dongle that can be plugged into the player.
Program the devices to control your most frequently used functions – except for power. If turning the player on and off is difficult, just keep it plugged into an electrical outlet and use the Play/Stop button to start and stop it.
Breath switches are available for loan. These are specifically designed to work with the audio book players and can be programmed for 21 functions. Contact us for an application.
Keyboards and number pads
If you have the dexterity to operate a keyboard or number pad, you can program as many functions (except power) as there are keys.
Foot pedals
Press foot pedals with hands or feet to can control the player. You can program one function per pedal.
A 3-pedal foot switch is most useful. You can then program the Play/Stop, Next and Previous buttons, which will allow you to play multiple book cartridges and access the bookshelf to select books. When in a book, the next and previous buttons will navigate books at the first DAISY level.
A single pedal foot switch is useful if you only wish to use the Play/Stop button, have only one book on the cartridge, and want to read the book straight through.
Game controls
Game controllers such as joy sticks and gamepads can be programmed to operate your audio book player.
Joy sticks can be programmed for 8 functions.
Gamepads can be programmed for one audio book player function per controller command.
The digital player has default commands for keyboards, number pads, and gamepads. There are no default commands for joystick movements. If you choose not to assign specific functions to keys, the default key assignments follow.
Audio books and materials can be listened to on a variety of players, including some that are available for purchase from a number of sellers. We offer the digital talking book player from the National Library Service (NLS). The player is available in a basic and an advanced model, and is loaned for free to all