maybe OT - small portable VGA monitor (and/or VGA glasses)
J. P. Gilliver (John)
know: ..
. I was visiting a new blind friend this evening. Her living companion
is (moderately) sighted, but extremely deaf, more or less beyond aids;
the blind friend normally communicates with her by writing something on
her palm with her fingers, which is slow. Sometimes she types on a
keyboard and the deaf one reads the screen.
. Her (portable) Braille-based device has VGA output, which works.
However, the ordinary computer monitor is obviously impractical to carry
around, so: does anyone know of anything portable with VGA input? I had
thought that one of the small portable (that is, hand-held or _slightly_
larger) TVs (as sold by Maplin in UK) or DVD players would have served;
however, the small ones mostly only have signal outputs, not inputs, or
in a few cases do accept an input but only composite, not VGA. ..
. Another possibility would be those things that look like a cool (or
un-cool) pair of shades, but they're expensive, especially the ones that
have VGA inputs, and there also seems to be some divided opinions on
whether they're any good. ..
. So does anyone know of anything small enough to be portable (and
battery-powered), which can display a VGA signal? Even a
partially-broken something would do, as long as the top third of the
screen works (that's where the text appears, and we don't need any
sound).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
"I'm a self-made man, but I think if I had to do it over again, I'd call in
someone else." - Roland Young
Mike Russell
[re a portable VGA device for communication]
If your blind friend can type on a keyboard, how about a small netbook,
perhaps with a magnifier for reading the screen.
--
Mike Russell - http://www.curvemeister.com
J. P. Gilliver (John)
>On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:16:18 +0000, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>
>[re a portable VGA device for communication]
>
>If your blind friend can type on a keyboard, how about a small netbook,
>perhaps with a magnifier for reading the screen.
. This is indeed a possibility (she's keen to have a look at netbooks);
they do sometimes use a laptop in this manner, I think. However, that
does require then both to be positioned at whatever it is: the option of
a separate screen (or goggles) would allow them to move around (an
exhibition, say) less like a pair of Siamese twins. (Also I think the
blind lady can type a lot _faster_ on the Braille unit - probably
because of Braille's contractions, which it translates.)
chris mcmillan
(John)" <G6...@soft255.demon.co.uk> writes
>This is _probably_ off-topic, but I had a feeling someone here _might_
>know: ..
>
>. I was visiting a new blind friend this evening. Her living companion
>is (moderately) sighted, but extremely deaf, more or less beyond aids;
>the blind friend normally communicates with her by writing something on
>her palm with her fingers, which is slow. Sometimes she types on a
>keyboard and the deaf one reads the screen.
>
>. Her (portable) Braille-based device has VGA output, which works.
I can't quite follow all of this John. I suggest you contact SENSE.
www.sense.org.uk/ It would also depend on what make the braille based
device is as to what might be connected, but SENSE would know what you
were about.
Sincerely Chris
--
Chris McMillan
sig line taking a holiday
J. P. Gilliver (John)
talking of a couple of ladies, one of whom is blind, the other deaf. The
blind one usually communicates to the deaf one by writing on her hand;
however, she can type onto a screen and they can communicate that way -
using a conventional laptop, or, as we discovered this evening, using
her Braille device which has a VGA output so can, therefore, drive any
computer monitor (or telly if it accepts VGA). [She can type a lot
faster on that, because of the contractions.]
So, I'm looking for a _small_ portable device with VGA input. A handheld
screen, or the goggles with screens in them. (Goggles cost a lot.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
Men love to wonder, and that is the seed of science.
Mike Russell
intended for automotive use that seems to fit your needs. Price is about
$80 USD.
All the best,
chris mcmillan
>In message <TFbGFgJB...@chris.mcmillan>, chris mcmillan
><spam...@ntlworld.com> writes:
>>In message <eRt2SLHS...@soft255.demon.co.uk>, "J. P. Gilliver
>>(John)" <G6...@soft255.demon.co.uk> writes
>>>This is _probably_ off-topic, but I had a feeling someone here
>>>_might_ know: ..
>>>
>>>. I was visiting a new blind friend this evening. Her living
>>>companion is (moderately) sighted, but extremely deaf, more or less
>>>beyond aids; the blind friend normally communicates with her by
>>>writing something on her palm with her fingers, which is slow.
>>>Sometimes she types on a keyboard and the deaf one reads the screen.
>>>
>>>. Her (portable) Braille-based device has VGA output, which works.
>>
>>I can't quite follow all of this John. I suggest you contact SENSE.
>>www.sense.org.uk/ It would also depend on what make the braille
>>based device is as to what might be connected, but SENSE would know
>>what you were about.
>>
>>Sincerely Chris
>>
>. I had a brief look, but that seems to be for the deaf-blind; I am
>talking of a couple of ladies, one of whom is blind, the other deaf.
>
for the deaf-blind would fit the bill where the blind person would be
well in her element (and it might be needed later on in life if you see
what I mean). But I would also hope that the people there would see what
you were trying to achieve and come up with some help even if it wasn't
conventional help. You know me, JPG. What you're asking for is
something that doesn't yet exist probably.
>
>So, I'm looking for a _small_ portable device with VGA input. A
>handheld screen, or the goggles with screens in them.
>
that might work ask SENSE or RNID if they know where you might pick them
up cheaper. Have they got to a secondhand market yet?
>
> (Goggles cost a lot.)
*Anything* not supplied by the NHS is expensive cos few of us use them
so we're paying the whole R & D cost (so we're told)
Sincerely chris
J. P. Gilliver (John)
>I did a search on eBay for portable vga monitor and found a 7" LCD monitor
>intended for automotive use that seems to fit your needs. Price is about
>$80 USD.
Thanks - for that use it probably doesn't have a battery compartment,
but that can be got round. The main thing is is it truly VGA, and not
composite, as would be fed by a DVD player or similar. But I'll still
have a look (despite my reservations about ebay): do you have a URL or
similar? ..
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
When people tell you how young you look, they are also telling you how old you
are. -Cary Grant, actor (1904-1986)
J. P. Gilliver (John)
<spam...@ntlworld.com> writes:
[]
>It is for the deaf-blind but I'm wondering if a piece of kit suitable
>for the deaf-blind would fit the bill where the blind person would be
>well in her element (and it might be needed later on in life if you see
. I do. ..
>what I mean). But I would also hope that the people there would see
>what you were trying to achieve and come up with some help even if it
>wasn't conventional help. You know me, JPG. What you're asking for is
>something that doesn't yet exist probably.
Well, I cant help thinking a small portable VGA monitor must exist
_somewhere_! There are plenty of portable displays - handheld TVs and
SatNav units to name but two. ..
>>
>>So, I'm looking for a _small_ portable device with VGA input. A
>>handheld screen, or the goggles with screens in them.
>>
>I don't know what goggles with screens in them are, but if its
. Like a pair of spectacles with tiny screens in them (and lenses to let
you look at them). ..
[]
>might pick them up cheaper. Have they got to a secondhand market yet?
. I don't think so! ..
[]
>*Anything* not supplied by the NHS is expensive cos few of us use them
>so we're paying the whole R & D cost (so we're told)
[]
. Indeed, though I sometimes have my doubts. However, I'm specifically
not looking at things aimed at the VH, but commercial products.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
When people tell you how young you look, they are also telling you how old you
Mike Russell
> In message <edsmhge0...@mike.curvemeister.com>, Mike Russell
> <grou...@MOVEcurvemeister.com> writes:
>>I did a search on eBay for portable vga monitor and found a 7" LCD monitor
>>intended for automotive use that seems to fit your needs. Price is about
>>$80 USD.
> []
> Thanks - for that use it probably doesn't have a battery compartment,
> but that can be got round. The main thing is is it truly VGA, and not
> composite, as would be fed by a DVD player or similar. But I'll still
> have a look (despite my reservations about ebay): do you have a URL or
> similar? ..
I looked at the specs, and it will accept VGA input. The seller has a
99/1% rating, so you should be OK. Re battery - it's probably intended to
run off car battery power, so an external battery pack would also be needed
(10 aa cells would probably run it for many hours).
If the url below does not work, go to ebay.com and do a search.
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Portable-VGA-7-LCD-TFT-Monitor-Car-Rear-CCTV-Camera-b_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2a024098e1QQitemZ180426414305QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo>
or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/y92a3cf
chris mcmillan
(John)" <G6...@soft255.demon.co.uk> writes
>In message <jkeadhJL...@chris.mcmillan>, chris mcmillan
><spam...@ntlworld.com> writes:
>[]
>>It is for the deaf-blind but I'm wondering if a piece of kit suitable
>>for the deaf-blind would fit the bill where the blind person would be
>>well in her element (and it might be needed later on in life if you see
>
>. I do. ..
>
>>what I mean). But I would also hope that the people there would see
>>what you were trying to achieve and come up with some help even if it
>>wasn't conventional help. You know me, JPG. What you're asking for is
>>something that doesn't yet exist probably.
>
>Well, I cant help thinking a small portable VGA monitor must exist
>_somewhere_! There are plenty of portable displays - handheld TVs and
>SatNav units to name but two. ..
>>>
>>>So, I'm looking for a _small_ portable device with VGA input. A
>>>handheld screen, or the goggles with screens in them.
>>>
>>I don't know what goggles with screens in them are, but if its
>
>. Like a pair of spectacles with tiny screens in them (and lenses to
>let you look at them). ..
>[]
look at what you've got in mind.
>
>>might pick them up cheaper. Have they got to a secondhand market yet?
>
>. I don't think so! ..
>[]
>
>. Indeed, though I sometimes have my doubts. However, I'm specifically
>not looking at things aimed at the VH, but commercial products.
But they're hardly going to be of use to the general public so the same
will probably apply.
Sincerely Chris
J. P. Gilliver (John)
<grou...@MOVEcurvemeister.com> writes:
[]
>I looked at the specs, and it will accept VGA input. The seller has a
>99/1% rating, so you should be OK. Re battery - it's probably intended to
>run off car battery power, so an external battery pack would also be needed
>(10 aa cells would probably run it for many hours).
>http://preview.tinyurl.com/y92a3cf
. Thanks for that. As for the power, it says 12V, less than 10 watts -
so the consumption will be nearly an amp. For the sort of use I have in
mind, sound would not be needed, so the consumption would be a bit less.
AA rechargeables are getting on for 3 Ah - I've seen 2.7, anyway (which
the manufacturers insist on calling 2700 mAh), so we might get a tad
over 3 hours from them. ..
. I'm still hoping to find something the size of a portable TV or SatNav
unit, or some of the spectacles at a half-reasonable price, but that
will be a useful backstop - same as some of the small Linux-based
netbooks, but considerably cheaper.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
Nudists are people who wear one button shirts
J. P. Gilliver (John)
<spam...@ntlworld.com> writes:
[]
>>>I don't know what goggles with screens in them are, but if its
>>
>>. Like a pair of spectacles with tiny screens in them (and lenses to
>>let you look at them). ..
>>[]
>Can't quite imagine those, John. You'll have to send me a link so I
>can look at what you've got in mind.
. Imagine a tiny - half-inch or less - video display. Imagine it
(usually two of them) built into something like a spectacle frame, to be
worn on the head like a pair of glasses; they have lenses so that your
eyes can focus that close. The usually have earphones too. .
. http://www.lazyboneuk.com/products/EzVision-Video-Glasses.html will
give you the idea, though that pair doesn't I think have VGA input,
probably only composite, as you would get from a camera, DVD player, or
whatever. ..
[]
>But they're hardly going to be of use to the general public so the same
>will probably apply.
[]
. Well, not the general public because of the price, but they are aimed
at the rich public, not the VH; they're the video equivalent of the
portable mp3 player. Well, not quite, because you still need to feed
them with something, so you'd need a portable DVD player in your pocket
or something. I think some of the more expensive ones can actually take
memory cards, so you could load movies on to them in advance and be
entirely self-contained, for use on a train journey for example;
however, for the use I have in mind (feeding from a Braille unit with
VGA output), that is irrelevant, they just need to have the ability to
accept VGA. .
. Such things - often called head-mounted displays - are also made for
more specialist uses - I think film producers and the like use them, and
firemen and the military; I found some of those on the web, but we're
into four figures for these. (My employer makes them - for military
pilots - on the site I work at; it's cutting-edge technology, and
award-winning, and I shudder to think what they cost! I don't work in
that department - I'm in support, or state-of-the-ark technology.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
Nudists are people who wear one button shirts
Mike Russell
> In message <kxst0ift...@mike.curvemeister.com>, Mike Russell
> <grou...@MOVEcurvemeister.com> writes:
> []
>>I looked at the specs, and it will accept VGA input. The seller has a
>>99/1% rating, so you should be OK. Re battery - it's probably intended to
>>run off car battery power, so an external battery pack would also be needed
>>(10 aa cells would probably run it for many hours).
> []
>>http://preview.tinyurl.com/y92a3cf
>
> . Thanks for that. As for the power, it says 12V, less than 10 watts -
> so the consumption will be nearly an amp. For the sort of use I have in
> mind, sound would not be needed, so the consumption would be a bit less.
> AA rechargeables are getting on for 3 Ah - I've seen 2.7, anyway (which
> the manufacturers insist on calling 2700 mAh), so we might get a tad
> over 3 hours from them. ..
>
> . I'm still hoping to find something the size of a portable TV or SatNav
> unit, or some of the spectacles at a half-reasonable price, but that
> will be a useful backstop - same as some of the small Linux-based
> netbooks, but considerably cheaper.
Pulling most of an amp is pretty hefty - if most of that is backlight, you
may be able to back off on the brightness and get the power down
considerably.
It is big, though. There are quite a number of small VGA and QVGA
displays, available as kits, that could be use to build something closer to
what you want. The gotcha is the prices seem to be in the 200 dollar and
up range, and then someone needs to do some soldering and putting it all in
a case. The smaller ones tend to be QVGA 320x240, but they do use the VGA
interface and may be compatible with the braille output.
Here's one place that has a variety of kits: http://parts.digikey.com/
The cheapest way would be to scavenge a display from a netbook, and wire it
up, but each of these is getting deeper and deeper into needing to be
hardware savvy.
J. P. Gilliver (John)
<grou...@MOVEcurvemeister.com> writes:
[]
>Pulling most of an amp is pretty hefty - if most of that is backlight, you
>may be able to back off on the brightness and get the power down
>considerably.
. I suspect that the range of conditions it might need to be used over
might include cases where the backlight is needed full, but you are
right of course. (I have long wondered why LCD manufacturers can't work
out a way to use ambient lighting - just a diffuser would do; the places
where a backlight is most needed, viz. strong ambient light, are just
where such would work best.) ..
>
>It is big, though. There are quite a number of small VGA and QVGA
. That was the main problem, I fear - something more like the small ones
would be better. ..
>displays, available as kits, that could be use to build something closer to
>what you want. The gotcha is the prices seem to be in the 200 dollar and
>up range, and then someone needs to do some soldering and putting it all in
>a case. The smaller ones tend to be QVGA 320x240, but they do use the VGA
>interface and may be compatible with the braille output.
>Here's one place that has a variety of kits: http://parts.digikey.com/
. I had a look there (I knew of them, just tended to think of them as a
component distributor), but I obviously wasn't looking in the right part
- none of the ones I looked at had "VGA" under "interface". ..
>
>The cheapest way would be to scavenge a display from a netbook, and wire it
>up, but each of these is getting deeper and deeper into needing to be
>hardware savvy.
. Or a SatNav, indeed. But, as you say. I suspect the supporting
electronics package required - that a home constructor could produce,
anyway - would be (a) big (b) not robust enough (c) need a lot of power.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
Archduke Ferdinand found alive - First World War a mistake!
Andrew Hodgson
<G6...@soft255.demon.co.uk> wrote:
[...]
>
>. Her (portable) Braille-based device has VGA output, which works.
>However, the ordinary computer monitor is obviously impractical to carry
>around, so: does anyone know of anything portable with VGA input? I had
>thought that one of the small portable (that is, hand-held or _slightly_
>larger) TVs (as sold by Maplin in UK) or DVD players would have served;
>however, the small ones mostly only have signal outputs, not inputs, or
>in a few cases do accept an input but only composite, not VGA. ..
Have you tried this:
http://linitx.com/viewcategory.php?catid=185
There may be something there. At work we used to have a device which
had a small (8 inch?) monitor, which was used for some of the
technicians for troubleshooting purposes where a standard KVM wasn't
available, but I think it plugged into the mains.
Which braille device is she using? There are a couple of systems sold
by HumanWare in the UK which use a mobile phone for this purpose.
Thanks.
Andrew.
J. P. Gilliver (John)
Andrew Hodgson <and...@hodgsonfamily.org> writes:
[]
>>. Her (portable) Braille-based device has VGA output, which works.
>>However, the ordinary computer monitor is obviously impractical to carry
>>around, so: does anyone know of anything portable with VGA input? I had
. Thanks; interesting, though somewhat larger than I was thinking of (I
was thinking more 3 to 5 inch, rather than 7), and needs 12-16 volts
(and also _starting_ at 160 pounds). ..
>
>There may be something there. At work we used to have a device which
>had a small (8 inch?) monitor, which was used for some of the
>technicians for troubleshooting purposes where a standard KVM wasn't
>available, but I think it plugged into the mains.
. As I say, 7 or 8 is really still a bit on the large size for use
portable. ..
>
>Which braille device is she using? There are a couple of systems sold
>by HumanWare in the UK which use a mobile phone for this purpose.
. Sorry, don't know; I _think_ it might actually be Humanware. Normal,
sort of laptop size, greeny-grey, Braille keyboard on top, various
connectors including VGA out. I think it might have been called Breeze
or Breathe or something like that, but that could have been some other
gadget she was showing me. The fobile moan sounds interesting though;
are these normal Braille machines of the notetaker type, or special for
the purpose? ..
>
>Thanks.
>Andrew.
. Thank _you_.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
"I'm not against women. Not often enough, anyway." - Groucho Marx