1. Digital Talking-Book Machines
Introducing
Digital Talking-Book Machines
Introduction
This training session provides an overview of the digital talking-book machines (DTBMs).
Photos of the standard and the advanced versions of the players are shown on the slide. Most patrons will use the standard player, although the advanced player has features that will be popular with some patrons.
The DTBM is about 6” x 9” x 2” and weighs about 2 pounds, making it smaller and lighter than the cassette player.
Standard player Advanced player

2. Operating the Standard Player
Each button identifies itself when pressed and states its function when no book is in the player.
Familiarizing yourself with the standard player
Place the player so that the light gray retractable handle faces you. The power cord is stored in an enclosure in the back of the player.
Unfold the power cord and plug it into an outlet. The player will turn on automatically.
The control buttons and speakers are located on the top surface of the player, located above or below the raised line that runs the width of the player.

3. Buttons Below the Raised Line
A raised line runs the width of the player to help patrons locate the buttons.
This is the standard player.
Each button has a key-describer mode that tells you what the button is and what it does. This function works when the player is turned on and no book is inserted.
Press the button and the player will announce that button’s name and explain its use.
We will see how this works as we go through each button.

4. Buttons Below the Raised Line (continued)
Power turns player on and off
Play/Start starts and stops book
Rewind/Fast-Forward moves the text backward and forward
Volume Up/Volume Down controls the volume
Sleep turns player off automatically
The raised line runs the width of the player. The control buttons and speakers are located on top of the player, above or below the raised line.
Buttons below the raised line include:
Power button turns the player on and off.
Play/Stop button starts and stops the book.
Rewind/Fast Forward buttons move the text backward and forward.
Volume Up/Volume Down buttons control the volume.
Sleep button turns the player off automatically.

5. Power Button Turns player on and off
Provides information about battery capacity
Power button
The Power button is located near the front of the player on the left side. It is a round red button surrounded by a raised ridge. The letter P in braille is located to the right of the button.
Use this button to turn the player on and off when it is being powered from the battery.
The player turns on automatically when plugged in.
When the button is pressed and released it will state its name and function.
When pressed a second time the Power button provides information about the remaining battery capacity, if there is no book cartridge in the player.
Pressing the Power button a third time turns the player off.

6. Play/Stop Button Starts and stops book
Provides access to User Guide (in standard player)
Play/Stop button
The Play/Stop button is located near the front of the player in the center. It is a rectangular-shaped, green button. The letter P in braille is located at the top-right corner of the button.
This button is used to start and stop playing a book.
Press once to start playing a book when a cartridge is inserted into the player.
Press it again to stop playing the book.
Press and hold the button down to enter and exit the built-in User Guide. The User Guide may be accessed any time the player is turned on.
A book cartridge is not needed to be inserted to access the User Guide. This function only works for the standard player.
When the button is pressed and released, and no book is inserted, the button states its name and function.

7. Fast-Forward Button
Moves the text forward in increments that are determined by how long the button is held down
Moves to the end of the text if held down long enough
Fast-Forward (FF) button
The FF button is located near the front of the player to the right of the Play/Stop button. It is light-gray and triangular-shaped, pointing right with raised edges. The letter F in braille is located just below the pointed edge.
This button moves the reading position of the text forward.
Tap the button once to move forward 5 seconds. Press and hold to move the reading position forward. The longer the button is held, the more quickly the reading position moves forward. The player announces how far the reading position has moved.
Hold the button down longer than 10 seconds to move forward faster to the next chapter, and the player will then move from chapter to chapter. A beep announces the start of each chapter. Holding the button down long enough will move the reading position to the end of the text.
Release the button after moving to a different chapter and the player will announce the name of that chapter and play the chapter from the beginning.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

8. Rewind Button
Moves the text backward in increments that are determined by how long button is held down
Moves to the beginning of the text if held down long enough
Rewind (RW) button
The RW button is located near the front of the player to the left of the Play/Stop button. It is light-gray and triangular-shaped, pointing left with raised edges. The letter R in braille is located just below the pointed edge.
This button moves the reading position of the text backward.
Tap the button once to move back 5 seconds in the text. Press and hold to move the reading position back. The longer the button is held, the more quickly the reading position moves back. The player announces how far the reading position has moved.
Hold the button down longer than 10 seconds to move back until a chapter boundary is crossed. A beep announces when the chapter boundary has been crossed. Holding the button down long enough will move the reading position to the beginning of the book.
Release the button after moving to a different chapter and the player will announce the name of that chapter and play the chapter from the beginning.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

9. Volume Up/Volume Down Buttons
Controls the volume
Provides 15 volume levels up and down
Indicates when minimum and maximum volumes have been reached
Volume Up/Volume Down buttons
The Volume Up/Volume Down buttons are located to the right of the Fast-Forward button, just below the raised line on the player. They are yellow and triangular-shaped with rounded edges, one pointing up and one pointing down. The pointer edges of each button are raised. The letter V in braille is to the left of the buttons.
These buttons control the volume.
When listening to a book, press the button pointing down to lower the volume by one level. Press the button pointing up to raise the volume by one level.
There are 15 volume levels for raising the volume and 15 for lowering the volume.
A double beep when turning the volume down announces that minimum volume has been reached. A double beep when turning the volume up announces that maximum volume has been reached.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

10. Sleep Button
Sets the length of time to play in increments of 15 minutes to 1 hour
Turns the player off automatically after set time is reached
Cancelled when Play/Stop button is pressed
Sleep button
The Sleep button is located directly above the Play/Stop button, just below the raised line. It is gray and crescent-shaped. The letter S in braille is located to the left of the button.
The Sleep button will play the book for a set period of time after which the book will automatically stop playing. The length of time to play is in increments of 15 minutes for up to 1 hour.
Press the Sleep button once to play the book for 15 minutes. Press the button twice in succession to play the book for 30 minutes; press three times to play the book for 45 minutes; four times for 1 hour.
Each time the Sleep button is pressed after a pause of several seconds, the timer will be reset to 15 minutes.
Pressing the Play/Stop button cancels the Sleep timer.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

11. Buttons Above the Raised Line
Tone Up/Tone Down adjusts the voice tone
Speed Up/Speed Down adjusts the voice speed
Buttons above the raised line
The tone and speed buttons are above the raised line on the standard player, on either side of the speaker.
Tone Up/Tone Down buttons adjust the tone of the voice.
Speed Up/Speed Down buttons adjust the speed of the voice.

12. Tone Up/Tone Down Buttons
Adjusts the voice tone
Provides 11 levels of tone
Indicates when minimum and maximum tones have been reached
Tone Up/Tone Down buttons
The Tone Up/Tone Down buttons are located on the top half of the player to the left side of the speaker. They are light gray with triangular-shaped arrows with raised, rounded edges. The letter T in braille is located to the right of the buttons.
The Tone Up/Tone Down buttons adjust the tone of the reading voice and are active only when a book is inserted into the player.
The tone setting of each book can be adjusted to suit the reader’s preference and the narrator’s voice.
There are 11 levels of tone.
A single beep announces that the normal level has been reached. A double beep announces minimum or maximum level has been reached.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

13. Speed Up/Speed Down Buttons
Adjusts the voice speed
Provides 16 levels of speed
Indicates when minimum and maximum levels have been reached
Speed Up/Speed Down buttons
The Speed Up/Speed Down buttons are located on the top half of the player to the right side of the speaker. They are light gray and triangular-shaped with rounded edges. The letter S in braille is located to the left of the buttons.
The Speed Up/Speed Down buttons adjust the speed of the reading voice and are active only when a book is inserted into the player.
The speed setting of each book can be adjusted to suit the reader’s preference and the narrator’s pace.
There are 16 levels of speed.
A single beep announces that the normal level has been reached. A double beep announces that minimum or maximum level has been reached.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

14. Advanced Player/Additional Buttons
Each button identifies itself when pressed and states its function when button is released when no cartridge is inserted.
This is the advanced player.
Each button has a key-describer mode that tells you what the button is and what it does. This function works when the player is turned on and there is no cartridge inserted.
Press the button and the player will announce that button’s name and explain its use.

15. Advanced Player/Additional Buttons (continued)
Menu selects the type of navigation
Prev moves book backward one item to the previous item
Next moves book forward one item to the next item
Info provides information about the book in the player
Mark inserts a bookmark at the current reading position
Place the player so that the light gray retractable handle faces you. The power cord is stored in an enclosure in the back of the player.
Unfold the power cord and plug it into an outlet. The player will turn on automatically.
The design of the advanced player is similar to that of the standard player, but the advanced player has additional buttons above the raised line.
The additional buttons include:
Menu button selects the type of navigation.
Prev button moves backward from one item to the previous item.
Next button moves forward from one item to the next item.
Info button provides information about the book in the player.
Mark button inserts a bookmark at the current reading position.

16. Menu Button Selects the type and level of navigation
Allows navigation through a book
Works with Prev and Next buttons
Menu button
The Menu button is located just above the raised vertical line of the advanced player and below the speaker. It is light gray and rectangular-shaped on a horizontal plane with a raised horizontal line in the middle. The letter M in braille is located to the top right of the button.
Press the Menu button to select the type of navigation.
The first press of the Menu button announces the current navigation level of the book. Subsequent presses advance to the next navigational level until the desired level has been reached. The navigation level can be set only when a cartridge is inserted into the player.
The Menu button moves through chapters, sections, recipes, list items, and bookmarks, or jump by phrases, depending on the book.
The navigation choices on the menu vary from book to book; different choices are offered for different books.
The player remembers the navigation level set for each book.
Pressing the Menu button repeatedly allows progressively finer navigation levels. Navigation may also be selected by phrase or by bookmark, depending on the book.
The Menu button works with the Prev and Next buttons found to its left and right.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

17. Prev Button
Moves text back to the previous item at the selected navigation level
Allows navigation backward through a book to reach the beginning of the text
Works with the Menu button
Prev button
The Prev button is located just above the raised vertical line to the left of the menu button. It is light gray and shaped as a raised arrow pointing to the left with a vertical bar at the point. The letter P in braille is located above the button.
The Prev button moves the reading position backward from one item to the previous item at the navigation level selected with the Menu button, e.g., example, chapters, sections, table rows, list items, and bookmarks, or to jump backward one minute.
Pressing and holding the Prev button moves the reading position back five items at a time until the beginning of the book is reached.
The current navigation level can be changed by pressing the Menu button.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

18. Next Button
Moves text forward to the next item at the selected navigation level
Allows navigation forward through a book to reach the end of the text
Works with the Menu button
Next button
The Next button is located just above the raised vertical line to the right of the Menu button. It is light gray and shaped as a raised arrow pointing right with a vertical bar at the point. The letter N in braille is located above the button.
The Next button moves the reading position forward from one item to the next item at the navigation selected with the Menu button, e.g., chapters, sections, table rows, list items, and bookmarks, or to jump ahead one minute.
Pressing and holding the Next button will move the reading position ahead five items at a time until the end of the book is reached.
The current navigation level can be determined and/or changed by pressing the Menu button.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

19. Info Button Provides information about: Book (title, author, etc.)
Current reading position
Battery status, plug-in status
Info button
The Info button is located just above the raised vertical line in front of the Tone Up/Tone Down button and to the left of the Prev button. It is light-gray and diamond-shaped with a raised dot in the middle. The letter I in braille is located to the right of the button.
The Info button announces the current reading position, book information, battery status, and power-plug status.
Pressing the button repeatedly steps through each of these information items.
Pressing and holding the button for 1.5 seconds accesses the User Guide for the Advanced player.
Pressing and holding the button again returns the reader to the book.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

20. Mark Button
Inserts and removes bookmark at the current reading position
Mark button
The Mark button is located just above the raised vertical line of the player near the right edge of the player. The button, labeled Mark, is shaped like a rectangle on a vertical plane with a raised vertical line in the middle. It is light gray with the letter B in braille located to the left of the button.
The Mark button inserts and removes bookmarks.
Moving by bookmarks is a navigation option.
Pressing the button while reading a book sets a bookmark at that position.
Pressing the button while the book is playing and the reading position is within 5 seconds of an existing bookmark removes that bookmark.
If a book is not playing, the reading position must be at the exact place of the existing bookmark to remove it.
When the button is pressed and released, and no cartridge is inserted, the button states its name and function.

21. Mailing Containers
Cartridges are shipped in blue plastic mailing containers through the U.S. Postal Service
Containers are easy to open and close
Mailing containers
The mailing container for cartridges is blue and rectangular-shaped. It is held closed by two plastic tabs on one of the short edges.
To open:
Find the two depressions in the top surface and pull up the plastic tabs until they pop out.
Open the hinged container to remove the cartridge.
To close:
Place the cartridge back in the container, label side up.
Close the lid and snap down the two plastic tabs.

22. Cartridges Cartridges are designed to be easily inserted in the player
One cartridge holds an entire book
Labels contain braille and large print
Cartridge
The plastic cartridge is about the size of an audiocassette. It is white and rectangular-shaped with a finger hole on one end.
The bottom surface has beveled edges along the side. The top flat surface has a print and braille label, which provides the name of the book, the author, and the book number, along with other information.
Unlike the cassettes, a single cartridge holds an entire book. This is true for most of the books in the NLS collection.
Cartridges were designed to be easily inserted into the player.

23. Inserting and Removing Cartridges
To insert:
Make sure the flat surface with label is facing up
Insert the edge that does not have the finger hole into the slot on the player and push firmly
To remove:
Tug on the finger hole
Pull out the cartridge
Inserting the cartridge
Make sure that the flat, rectangular top surface of the cartridge with the label is facing up.
Insert the edge that does not have the finger hole into the player’s cartridge slot, which is located above the player’s handle and under the Play/Stop button.
Push the cartridge into the player firmly; it will lock into place and the book will begin to play.
Removing the cartridge
Gently tug on the finger hole and pull the cartridge out.

24. Headphone Jack Located on the right side of the player
When headphones are plugged in, player speaker audio output is disconnected
Output may be used to drive external speakers
Headphone jack
The headphone jack is located on the right side of the player toward the front. It is a bright green circular hole into which the headphone jack fits.
The player accepts headphones with a 3.5 mm (mini) ring, tip, and sleeve plug, and a mono 3.5 mm (mini) tip and sleeve connector.
When headphones are plugged in, speaker audio output is disconnected.
This output may also be used to drive external amplified speakers or a pillow speaker.

25. Battery Operation Player has a rechargeable battery
Player does not have to be plugged in to use
Battery lasts 27 or more hours
Power button announces remaining battery capacity
Player powers off after 30 minutes of idle time, saving battery power
Battery operation
The player has a built-in rechargeable battery. This means that the player does not have to be plugged into a wall outlet to be used.
When the battery is fully charged, the player has more than 27 hours of play time. The player does have to be plugged in from time to time to recharge the battery. The player’s battery automatically charges itself whenever the stored charge has declined significantly and the player is plugged into a wall outlet.
The battery is not charged every time the player is connected to the power outlet.
It takes about 2½ hours to fully charge a completely discharged battery. The player can be used while the battery is recharging.
Pressing the Power button when a book is not inserted provides information about the remaining battery capacity.
If the player is running on its battery and not playing a book, it will automatically power off after 30 minutes to save battery power.

26. Possible Accessories
A shoulder strap may be attached on two recessed bars located on the bottom of the player near the handle
A shoulder strap is not included with the player
Recessed bars
There are two recessed bars on the bottom of the player near the front for attaching a shoulder strap.
The shoulder strap is not included with the player.

27. Completion of Digital Talking-Book Machine Operation
This is the end of the PowerPoint presentation for the operating the Digital Talking-Book Machine.