Activeforever Plextalk PTR2 User Manual

Portable Recorder PTR 2 User’s Guide

IMPORTANT

FCC NOTICE

Declaration of Conformity Model Number: PTR2

Trade Name: Responsible party: PLEXTOR Corporation Address: 48383 Fremont Blvd., Suite 120 Fremont, CA 94538-6509 U.S.A. Telephone Number:(510)440-2000

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Operation is subject to the following two conditions : (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: _ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. _ Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. _ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. _ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio / TV technician for help.

CAUTION: Any changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numerique de la classe B est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

CAUTION Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure. The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is invisible. Accordingly:

・ Do not open the optical pickup housing.

LASER INFORMATION This product has been designed and manufactured according to IEC60825-1 on the Safety of laser products. This Laser product comes under “Class 1 Laser Product”. The below Laser Caution Marking was attached on the top of the internal drive.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. About this guide............................................................................................9

2. Legal and copyright information. .......................................................... 10

2.1. Copyright information about this guide................................................... 10

2.2. Licenses and trademarks.................................................................................10

2.3. Restrictions on copying or recording with the PLEXTALK PTR2.......10

3. Introduction to DAISY............................................................................... 13

3.1. What is DAISY? ....................................................................................................13

3.2. Main features of DAISY..................................................................................... 13

3.3. Types of DAISY book.........................................................................................14

3.4. DAISY navigation features. ............................................................................. 14

4. Safety information. .................................................................................... 18

4.1. Safety terminology and symbols used in this guide............................. 18

4.2. General safety information.............................................................................18

4.3. Environmental issues affecting safety........................................................20

4.4. Safe use of the rechargeable battery..........................................................20

5. Overview of the PTR2................................................................................ 22

5.1. Concept of the PTR2..........................................................................................22

5.2. Features of the PTR2. ........................................................................................23

5.3. Main differences between the PTR1 and PTR2. ......................................23

6. Getting started............................................................................................ 25

6.1. Terminology and conventions used in this guide.................................25

6.2. What you get in the box. .................................................................................26

6.3. Description of the unit. ....................................................................................27

6.4. Inserting the battery. ........................................................................................35

6.5. Connecting the PLEXTALK to the mains for charging.......................... 36

6.6. Turning PLEXTALK on and off........................................................................37

6.7. Key lock - key describer function. ................................................................39

6.8. Inserting and ejecting a CD............................................................................ 39

6.9. Inserting and ejecting a CF card...................................................................41

6.10. The User's Guide (DAISY) CD. ......................................................................43

6.11. About the PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS)..................................44

7. Maintenance and battery care................................................................ 46

7.1. Unit care.................................................................................................................46

7.2. Battery care........................................................................................................... 46

7.3. CD care. ..................................................................................................................47

8. Quick start information............................................................................. 48

8.1. Basic control of the unit...................................................................................48

8.2. Playing DAISY CDs. ............................................................................................50

8.3. Recording a DAISY title. ...................................................................................52

8.4. Editing a DAISY recording............................................................................... 55

8.5. Finalising a DAISY CD. ......................................................................................57

9. Introduction to the menu system. ......................................................... 58

9.1. Overview of the menu and its operation.................................................. 58

9.2. Accessing and navigating the menu.......................................................... 59

9.3. Getting help when in the menu system.................................................... 60

10. Setting up your PLEXTALK..................................................................... 61

10.1. Setting the date and time. ...........................................................................61

10.2. Selecting the 12 or 24 hour mode for the internal clock..................62

10.3. Selecting a preferred waiting sound........................................................ 62

11. Playing features common to all formats. ........................................... 64

11.1. Reinserting a CD or CF card. ........................................................................64

11.2. Start and stop playback. ............................................................................... 65

11.3. Changing the playback volume................................................................. 65

11.4. Changing the guide volume. ......................................................................66

11.5. Changing the playback speed.................................................................... 67

11.6. Changing the audio tone. ............................................................................68

11.7. Accessing the Navigation menu................................................................ 68

11.8. Selecting to use the CD or CF card. .......................................................... 69

11.9. Moving to the beginning or end of a title or album. .........................70

11.10. Jump backwards or forwards by 5 seconds........................................ 71

11.11. Fast forward or fast rewind ....................................................................... 72

11.12. Using the time jump feature..................................................................... 72

11.13. Getting information about the item being played. .........................73

11.14. Using bookmarks. .........................................................................................74

12. Playing DAISY titles. ................................................................................ 81

12.1. Getting heading and title information.................................................... 81

12.2. Getting page information. ...........................................................................82

12.3. Title navigation................................................................................................. 82

12.4. Heading navigation. ....................................................................................... 83

12.5. Page navigation. ..............................................................................................84

12.6. Group navigation. ........................................................................................... 85

12.7. Phrase navigation............................................................................................87

12.8. Selecting a playback mode.......................................................................... 88

13. Playing Music CDs................................................................................... 89

13.1. Track navigation. ............................................................................................. 89

13.2. Selecting a playback mode.......................................................................... 90

14. Playing an Audio File CD or CF card.................................................... 92

14.1. About audio files.............................................................................................. 92

14.2. About playing sequences............................................................................. 93

14.3. Restrictions on Audio Files...........................................................................94

14.4. Checking the number of files and albums............................................. 95

14.5. File navigation. .................................................................................................95

14.6. Album navigation............................................................................................ 96

14.7. Selecting a playback mode..........................................................................97

15. Power management features................................................................ 99

15.1. Battery low warning. ......................................................................................99

15.2. Automatic power off function. ...................................................................99

15.3. Compulsory power off function.............................................................. 100

15.4. Sleep timer function. ................................................................................... 100

15.5. Power On timer function. .......................................................................... 101

16. General information about recording. ............................................. 105

16.1. Recording hardware. ................................................................................... 105

16.2. Recording media........................................................................................... 106

16.3. Inserting a blank CD or CF card. .............................................................. 108

16.4. Getting information about your CD or CF card................................. 110

16.5. General recording tips. ............................................................................... 111

16.6. Muting the guide speech when recording. ........................................ 112

16.7. Connecting and selecting an input source......................................... 113

16.8. Setting the recording level. ...................................................................... 115

16.9. About recording modes and sound quality. ...................................... 117

16.10. Basic technique of recording................................................................. 117

16.11. Turning the recording monitor on and off....................................... 118

17. Creating a DAISY title............................................................................ 120

17.1. Basics of recording in DAISY format. ..................................................... 120

17.2. Technical data about recording modes and sound qualities. ..... 121

17.3. Selecting a recording mode and sound quality setting. ............... 125

17.4. Checking the recording level during recording................................ 128

17.5. Getting recording information................................................................ 128

17.6. Editing heading and page markers during recording.................... 129

17.7. Editing heading and page markers after recording. ....................... 130

17.8. Editing a DAISY recording from the menu.......................................... 133

17.9. Editing preparation...................................................................................... 140

17.10. Creating a new title. .................................................................................. 140

17.11. Erasing a title................................................................................................ 141

17.12. Finalising a DAISY format CD................................................................. 141

18. Creating a Music CD.............................................................................. 143

18.1. General information about Music CDs. ................................................ 143

18.2. Principles for recording in Music CD format. ..................................... 144

18.3. Technical data about recording modes in Music CD format. ...... 144

18.4. Selecting a recording mode. .................................................................... 146

18.5. Getting recording information................................................................ 148

18.6. Editing tracks during recording. ............................................................. 148

18.7. Finalising a Music CD................................................................................... 149

19. Book Creator mode................................................................................ 151

19.1. Switching from Normal mode to Book Creator mode.................... 151

19.2. Differences between Normal mode and Book Creator mode......152

19.3. Differences when playing a DAISY title.................................................153

19.4. Differences when recording a DAISY title............................................154

19.5. Differences when editing a DAISY title. ................................................158

20. Media management features.............................................................. 164

20.1. Backing up DAISY titles. ..............................................................................164

20.2. Backing up Music CDs..................................................................................167

20.3. Erasing CD-RW discs.....................................................................................170

20.4. Erasing a CF card............................................................................................171

20.5. Erasing unnecessary audio files in a DAISY title. ...............................172

21. Using PLEXTALK as a CD or memory card drive. ............................ 173

21.1. What can PLEXTALK be used for when connected to a PC? .........173

21.2. PLEXTALK's capabilities when connected as an external CD drive.

..........................................................................................................................................174

21.3. Switching PLEXTALK between CD-R/CD-RW drive and memory

card drive......................................................................................................................174

21.4. Connecting PLEXTALK to a PC as an external drive. ........................175

21.5. Disconnecting PLEXTALK from a PC.......................................................181

22. Using PLEXTALK's notepad and calculator functions. .................. 185

22.1. Using the notepad. .......................................................................................185

22.2. Using the calculator......................................................................................191

23. Other useful features. ........................................................................... 193

23.1. Checking system properties......................................................................193

23.2. Reset PLEXTALK to factory defaults........................................................193

23.3. Managing PTR2 memory. ...........................................................................195

Appendix A - Main specifications. ............................................................. 197

Appendix B - Menu hierarchy..................................................................... 205

Appendix C - Trouble shooting.................................................................. 215

Appendix D - Glossary. ................................................................................. 224

Index ................................................................................................................. 233

1. About this guide.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new PLEXTALK Portable Recorder PTR2. This guide contains all the information you will need to get started with your new PLEXTALK. It has been written in a way which will allow you to learn progressively, starting with the basic concepts and building up to the more technical operations that you can try as you gain in confidence.

The guide is provided in print, on DAISY CD and as electronic files in both text and Microsoft Word formats. All these versions of the guide should be in the box along with your PLEXTALK. The DAISY version and the electronic files are located on the User's Guide CD, with the electronic files being located in a folder called "Manual".

Once you get to know the structure of the guide, you should find it easy to locate the particular information you are looking for at any time. If you are a beginner to the DAISY format and to digital recording, it is recommended that you read through the guide sequentially, learning as you go. If you are an advanced user, or have had experience of using the PLEXTALK PTR1, you may wish to bypass some of the preliminary information. Chapter 5 details the features of the PTR2 and compares it to the PTR1. You may find it useful to review this information before continuing.

For those who wish to get started quickly, you may wish to read Chapter 8 "Quick start instructions". This gives you an introduction to PLEXTALK features required for using PLEXTALK as a player and recorder. If you prefer to learn about the features in more detail, you can bypass this section and work your way more carefully through the main chapters of the guide.

NOTE: The Quick Start chapter does not cover features in depth so please be aware that many of the details have been omitted. NOTE: Whether you wish to get started quickly or more methodically, you should ensure that you read Chapter 2, Chapter 4 and Chapter 7 before progressing. These chapters detail the legal and copyright restrictions, the safety information and issues relating to looking after your PLEXTALK properly.

2. Legal and copyright information.

This chapter contains very important information regarding copyright, licences and trademarks. It also outlines the restrictions which apply when using the PLEXTALK PTR2 for copying or recording digital sound. You are strongly advised to read this chapter thoroughly before continuing.

2.1. Copyright information about this guide.

Shinano Kenshi reserves the right to modify the products described in this guide at any time without prior notice.

Shinano Kenshi makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Shinano Kenshi Co.,Ltd. reserves the right to revise this guide and to make changes in its content, without obligation to notify any person or organization of such revision or change.

2006.

2.2. Licenses and trademarks.

All licenses and trademarks are property of their respective owners.

2.3. Restrictions on copying or recording with the PLEXTALK PTR2.

Before using your PLEXTALK, you should review the following important information to ensure that you understand the legal restrictions that apply to its use for certain operations.

2.3.1. General information.

PLEXTALK is designed to help you record and reproduce sound works, to which you own the copyright, or where you have gained permission from the copyright owner or the rightful licenser. Unless you own the copyright or have gained the appropriate permission from the copyright owner or the rightful licenser, your unauthorized recording, reproduction or distribution thereof, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties under copyright laws and international copyright treaties. If you are uncertain about your rights, contact your legal advisor.

Under no circumstances will Shinano Kenshi be responsible for the consequences of any illegal copying performed using PLEXTALK.

2.3.2. Digital sound rules.

The PLEXTALK PTR2 conforms to SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) standards. This standard regulates the recording and copying of digital signals between digital audio devices, up to 1 generation from the original.

The main principle of the standard is that commercially sold digital music software, such as CDs, MDs, analogue records, FM broadcasts and the like, made into digital recordings, can be copied, but copies cannot be made of those copies.

During digital recording, PLEXTALK constantly verifies the SCMS status, track by track. Tracks for which digital recording and copying are prohibited cannot be copied using PLEXTALK.

2.3.3. Music CDs.

Copies of Music CDs are for individual enjoyment and, under the Copyright Act, cannot be used otherwise, without the authorization of the copyright holder. Music CD-R or CD-RWs, which are special CDs for music format recording, contain special codes to identify that additional money has been paid, as compensation for private recording, with the objective of protecting music copyrights, in the same manner as devices such as MDs.

PLEXTALK is equipped with a mechanism that checks the identification code to permit recording on Music CD-Rs alone. Music CD-R or CD-RWs are sold by several companies. When purchasing them, it is necessary to check whether it is an audio/music type CD-R or CD-RW or a data type CDR or CD-RW.

2.3.4. Types of copyright information used by PLEXTALK.

PLEXTALK can read the copyright status of files or tracks in CDs or CF cards. It recognizes 4 different copyright states. These are "MASTER", "COPY", "DAISY" and "No copyright information".

• "MASTER" means that you can copy only one time. Whenever you have copied from the master, the copyright status of the copied file or track changes from "MASTER" to "COPY", which is in accordance with the SCMS standard.

• "COPY" means that PLEXTALK will not allow you to copy a file or track again, but you can move the file or track from CF card to CD.

• "DAISY" is the PLEXTALK's original role, you will be able to back up the DAISY title to the blank CD or CF card without limitation.

• "No copyright information" means that it's your original contents or there is No copyright information in the media.

NOTE: On Music CDs, each track has its own copyright information, therefore, in some circumstances, you may have media containing tracks with a mixture of "MASTER" and "COPY" copyright information.

3. Introduction to DAISY.

This chapter gives an overview of the DAISY format and some of the terminology used. If you are new to the DAISY format, you should read this chapter thoroughly. If you are an experienced DAISY user, you may wish to skim read the chapter or bypass it altogether.

3.1. What is DAISY?

DAISY is an acronym which stands for Digital Accessible Information System. It is the format which is being developed as the international standard for digital talking books. DAISY books can be played on a dedicated hardware player or on a computer equipped with the appropriate software.

3.2. Main features of DAISY.

The main features of the DAISY format are as follows:

• Compression of information - with high levels of compression available, it is possible to store up to 90 hours of digital audio on a single CD.

• Flexible Navigation - the DAISY format includes a range of features which enable the reader to quickly access the parts of the book they wish to read. These features include navigation on 6 levels, by pages, by groups and phrases. These items will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter.

• Multi-media capability - in addition to digital audio, the DAISY format is able to incorporate text, graphics and even video to provide the reader with a fully synchronized, multi-media reading experience.

3.3. Types of DAISY book.

The DAISY format allows for 6 types of DAISY book which range from audio books with no navigation structure to books with text and no audio. A brief description of each type is given below:

• Type 1 - Audio without structure: The simplest type of book. Direct navigation to points within the book is not possible.

• Type 2 - Audio and structure: A marked up text file contains the structure of the book and provides links to features such as headings and page numbers. This allows the reader to navigate directly to those points. The marked up file is called the Table of Contents or ToC.

• Type 3 - Audio with structure and partial text: As well as containing the structure, the marked up file contains some text from the book, for example, for a glossary or index. If listening to the book on a pc the text will appear on screen and the reader will be able to search for words within the text.

• Type 4 - Audio and full text: This is the most time consuming type of book to produce but provides the most access. Audio and text are fully synchronised throughout the book, so that the correct text appears on screen as the audio is being read.

• Type 5 - Full text and partial audio: the book has structure and complete text but only limited audio. The marked up file contains the structure and the text of the book, but there is only audio for part of the text.

• Type 6 - Full text and no audio: This is electronic text with structure, there are no audio files.

NOTE: As the PTR2 has no text processing facilities, it can only produce audio only DAISY books i.e. Type 1 or Type 2.

3.4. DAISY navigation features.

The DAISY format gives the reader a number of options about how to navigate a DAISY book. This section gives brief details about the most common navigation features.

3.4.1. Navigation levels.

A DAISY book can have up to 6 levels of navigation. The number of levels in a book will depend on the structure of the original book. The levels are hierarchical with Level 1 the highest and Level 6 the lowest. This can be thought of as being similar to the hierarchy of a contents listing in a book, in the sense that there are major items and then sub items within them and so on. Every heading that has been coded into a DAISY book will have an associated navigation level between 1 and 6.

There are no fixed rules about how the DAISY navigation levels should be used and people's views on how this should be done will vary. For simple books which only have chapters, it is likely that only one level will be used. For more complex books, which may have chapters, sections and sub sections, there might be 3 levels used (Level 1 for chapters, Level 2 for sections and Level 3 for sub sections). Once the book has been created, the levels of navigation are fixed and cannot be altered by the reader.

When trying to find a specific part of a book, the reader would tend to use a higher level (perhaps Level 1 or Level 2) to find the main area of interest, and would then change to a lower level of navigation to home in on the information they are looking for. This allows them to bypass large portions of the book that they have no interest in at that time.

3.4.2. Headings.

In order to use the navigation levels mentioned above, the location of all relevant navigation points have to be marked in the recording. In the context of this guide, these markers are called headings. Once a heading has been inserted into the DAISY recording, it can then be assigned a navigation level depending on the structure of the original book. When headings are inserted, they are numbered automatically from 1 upwards, in the physical order that they appear in the recording.

3.4.3. Pages.

If a DAISY book has been marked for page navigation, the reader can go direct to specific pages or can skip backwards or forward a page at a time.

To make this possible, the producer of the book must include the page markers when they create the book. The pages will be automatically numbered from 1 upwards starting from the beginning of the recording. Pages cannot be added by the reader.

NOTE: Page markers in a DAISY book should always be placed at the start of the text on the relevant print page and not at the bottom, where the page number often appears. This means that, when you go to a page in the finished DAISY book, you will always be at the start of that page when it starts to play.

3.4.4. Groups.

The group marker can be used to identify items in the book that the reader might wish to go to independent of the other navigation structures. For example, diagrams, tables, points of note, safety information and so on. Carefully used, these can be extremely useful. Groups can not be specified by the reader and must be inserted by the DAISY book producer.

3.4.5. Phrases.

When the book is being recorded, the audio files are automatically divided into segments called "phrases". The recording software will decide on where a phrase starts and ends based on the amount of silence between one piece of audio and the next. The length of silence permitted before a new phrase is created is called the "pause time" and can be adjusted by the person making the DAISY recording. In order to break the audio up into phrases that are not too long or short, a fast reader might require a short pause time and a slower reader a longer pause time. When the recording is finished, the reader can use the phrases as an additional navigation feature.

3.4.6. Sections.

A Section refers to the segment of audio between one heading and the next. A section is generally made up of a number of phrases but can have as few as one phrase. Each section will have a heading and an associated

navigation level. Do not get confused between sections in a DAISY recording and sections of this guide.

3.4.7. Bookmarks.

Once the book is complete, the reader can add bookmarks at relevant places to enable them to find the marked locations at a later stage. The number of permitted bookmarks will depend on the DAISY player used but generally there will be more capacity than the reader requires. Bookmarks are the only navigation item that the reader can insert and remove themselves.

4. Safety information.

This chapter gives you information about how to operate your PTR2 safely, including information about the operating environment and about safe handling of the rechargeable battery. It is essential that you read this information carefully as failure to take note of it may invalidate your guarantee and could cause serious injury to yourself or others.

4.1. Safety terminology and symbols used in this guide.

The following terminology and associated symbols, relating to safety and points of note, has been used throughout the guide:

DANGER: The danger notice warns you of a hazard that could cause serious personal injury to you or persons around you. Failure to follow the precautions highlighted in this way, could result in serious injury or death due to fire, electrical shock or explosion.

WARNING: A warning notice denotes a hazard that could result in personal injury.

CAUTION: A caution notice denotes a hazard that could damage or destroy the PLEXTALK product, destroy the recording media, destroy or affect your data or computer configuration.

4.2. General safety information.

Please take careful note of all the following points regarding general safe use of your PLEXTALK:

DANGER: If you hear any strange noises, smell smoke or an odour coming from PLEXTALK, turn off all power immediately. DANGER: Do not insert or remove the power plug with wet hands. WARNING: If PLEXTALK appears damaged or its operation seems impaired in any way, please contact local agent. WARNING: If liquids or metal fragments should enter your player, remove the power plug immediately.

WARNING: Never disassemble, attempt to repair, or modify your player yourself. WARNING: Do not listen at high volumes for extended periods as this can lead to impaired hearing, especially when using headphones. WARNING: Always remove the power cord from the player's outlet when cleaning your PLEXTALK. WARNING: When operating from the mains supply, always make sure that PLEXTALK, main wall adaptor, power cord and plug are securely connected. CAUTION: Only use the power cable and transformer which was supplied with your PLEXTALK. CAUTION: Do not use an "electronic transformer" designed for overseas travellers. CAUTION: Do not pull the plug out by its cord when removing the power plug from PLEXTALK. CAUTION: Do not allow sand or dust to come in contact with PLEXTALK as this may lead to a malfunction and could make repair impossible. CAUTION: Use PLEXTALK in a horizontal position only.

CAUTION: As the CD rotates at a high speed, do not stick any thick items, like Braille labels, onto the surface of the disc. CAUTION: PLEXTALK is only compatible with round 12 cm CDs. 8 cm CDs and irregularly shaped CDs, such as the business card type, will cause a malfunction and should not be used.

CAUTION: Please make sure the inserting direction of CF card is correct. Do not squeeze into the slot.

CAUTION: Do not touch the bottom of the PLEXTALK for an extended period of time. It may become hot, and could cause a low–temperature burn.

4.3. Environmental issues affecting safety.

The following points should be noted regarding the environment in which PLEXTALK is used:

DANGER: Do not use your player near water, such as in a bathroom or kitchen. DANGER: Do not use your player during thunderstorms. CAUTION: Do not use your PLEXTALK in locations where strong radio waves are emitted or where there is radiation. CAUTION: Do not use PLEXTALK near electrical equipment such as TVs, radios, or tuners as it may pick up additional noise from these devices. CAUTION: Do not use or store your PLEXTALK in locations subject to strong magnetism such as near speakers. CAUTION: Do not use or store your PLEXTALK inside cars with the windows closed in the hot sun, in direct sunlight or close to heaters, radiators, etc. CAUTION: Do not use or store your PLEXTALK in locations subject to severe vibration such as on top of a washing machine.

4.4. Safe use of the rechargeable battery.

Please take note of the following points regarding safe use of the rechargeable battery supplied with your PLEXTALK:

DANGER: Never disassemble the battery. DANGER: Do not heat the battery in a microwave oven, on a cooker, or anything similar. DANGER: Do not expose the battery to fire. DANGER: Do not put the battery with metal objects such as coins, hairpins, or necklaces - these can cause a dangerous short circuit in the battery. DANGER: Do not leave the battery in hot locations such as direct sunlight, or in a hot car.

DANGER: Do not use the battery if the battery becomes wet. DANGER: In the event of a fluid leak from the battery, remove it immediately and keep away from any source of fire. There is a danger of the leaked fluid or vapour igniting, causing a fire or explosion. WARNING: If battery fluid gets into your eyes, bathe them with water and consult a doctor immediately. WARNING: If the fluid gets onto your body or clothing, wash the area well with water. CAUTION: Only use the specified battery that was included with PLEXTALK. Replacements are only available from Plextor and their agents. CAUTION: Install the battery as instructed, with the terminals placed in the correct orientation. CAUTION: Do not subject the battery to shocks, such as dropping or stepping on it. CAUTION: Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type. Dispose of used batteries according to the instructions. CAUTION: Do not touch inside of battery slot.

5. Overview of the PTR2.

This chapter gives you an overview of the PLEXTALK PTR2 and its main features. It also details the main differences between the PTR1 and the PTR2.

5.1. Concept of the PTR2.

The PTR2 is designed to be a high quality recorder with the ability to create DAISY 2.02, audio only, books and Music CDs. It can play DAISY titles, Music CDs and Audio File CDs and CF cards. It can be used as a CDRW or memory card drive when connected to a computer. For quicker and easier editing of your DAISY content, the PTR2 is supplied with the PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS). This package gives you all the necessary tools to record, edit and finalise your own audio only DAISY 2.02 books.

The PTR2 can be operated in 2 main modes called "Normal" mode and "Book Creator" mode. You can switch between these 2 modes at any time. The PTR2 will be supplied with Normal mode set as the default.

Normal mode gives you a simplified interface and makes the process of creating a recording very straightforward. This mode of operation is ideal for a beginner or for someone who wants to make a recording quickly and easily. Some of the more advanced recording and editing features are not available to you in this mode.

Book Creator mode gives you all the necessary tools to create a fully structured, audio only, DAISY 2.02 book including insert, punch in and overwrite recording, phrase editing and the ability to set heading levels.

As the features of these 2 modes alter the behaviour and built in menus of the PTR2, this guide is written initially with Normal mode in mind. The additional features in Book Creator mode are discussed in Chapter 19, towards the end of the guide.

5.2. Features of the PTR2.

The main features of the PLEXTALK PTR2 are as follows:

• All menus and functions are fully accessible to blind users with the use of high quality built in guide speech.

• Able to play DAISY titles, Music CDs and Audio File CDs.

• HiFi digital sound quality.

• Simple recording using the built in microphone, an external

microphone or a line in feed.

• Up to 90 hours of recording on a single CD.

• Creation of multiple title CDs.

• Connection to a PC using a USB cable for direct transfer of data

from CD or CF card.

• Notepad for storing voice notes.

• Calculator for simple calculations.

• Inclusion of PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS) DAISY Version

2.02 authoring software, for production and editing of audio only DAISY books.

5.3. Main differences between the PTR1 and PTR2.

Below are listed the main differences between the PLEXTALK PTR1 and the PTR2. This is not an exhaustive list but should give the PTR1 user a good idea of how the two recorders differ.

• The PTR2 now has a separate menu key, Separate volume up and down keys and a relocated eject key.

• The new PLEXTALK has a modified body shape in durable plastic.

• The recording level, speed and tone control switches have been

moved to the right side of the unit

• The power switch has been moved to the right side of the unit and can now be locked with the use of the key lock/key describer switch.

• The card slot has been moved to the front of the unit under the CD drive and is now a CF card slot rather than a PCMCIA slot. A CF card is provided with the unit.

• The microphone socket is now stereo rather than mono.

• Automatic gain control (AGC) is now available, if selected, for use

with the external microphone and the Line in options as well as the built in microphone.

• The USB interface with a computer can now be used to directly access the CD drive or the CF card.

• The forward and rewind keys can now be used to either skip forward or back by phrases or by 5 second jumps according to the selection made in the menu by the user.

• Groups can now be navigated independently or along with all other structure, according to the selection made in the menu by the user.

• In Normal mode, after the DAISY book plays to the end, the next press of the Play key will start the book at the beginning again.

• The PTR2 has 2 modes of operation. These are Normal mode and Book Creator mode. Normal mode provides a simplified method of producing a DAISY recording. Book Creator mode gives the user access to more advanced editing functions.

• In Normal mode, new recordings can only be appended to the end of the existing recording - no option for insert, punch-in or overwrite is provided.

• In Normal mode, editing options are much simpler with phrase editing removed.

• Heading and page markers can now be positioned using 0.1 second adjustments rather than 'attaching' them to specific phrases.

6. Getting started.

You should now be ready to get started with using your PLEXTALK. This chapter gives you information about the terminology used throughout the guide, what you should expect to receive, the physical layout of PLEXTALK, how to connect the battery and power cable, how to turn the unit off and on and how to insert and eject CDs and CF cards. It also describes how to use the Key lock/Key describer function which can be extremely useful for beginners, to help them learn the layout of the keys.

6.1. Terminology and conventions used in this guide.

This section details the terminology and conventions used throughout this guide. The items are listed in no specific order and are as follows:

• NOTE: A note is used to denote an additional piece of information, a tip or an important point not already mentioned. Generally these are written immediately after the instructions to which they refer.

• REMINDER: A reminder is used to remind you about information that has already been given in another section of the guide that you may not have read recently. Reminders are generally written before the information to which they refer.

• CF Card: PLEXTALK is able to use both “CF Type I” (Compact Flash) and “CF Type II” (Micro drive) cards. In this User’s Guide, both compact flash cards and micro drives are called “CF cards”.

• Most of the instructions in this guide are detailed for when PLEXTALK is operating in Normal mode. The differences between Normal mode and Book Creator mode are dealt with in Chapter 19.

• All key names and function names have been written with initial capitals.

• Menu options have been written with double quotes around the menu option names and an initial capital has been used.

• In order to make the listing of instructions more concise, they do not always detail everything that PLEXTALK says. In many situations, the meaning of PLEXTALK's guide speech is given rather than the exact wording. In all cases, the method of using the feature or function should be clear.

6.2. What you get in the box.

The following is a list of all the items you should get in the box when you receive your new PLEXTALK. You should carefully check that you have received all these items and report any missing items immediately to local agent. Items you should receive:

• 1 PLEXTALK Portable Recorder PTR2

• 1 CF Card 64 MB (already inserted) (NOTE: The specification of the supplied card may differ from the one specified in the guide)

• 1 Rechargeable battery

• 1 Audio cable for

connecting to other devices - this has a 3.5 millimetre diameter stereo plug at both ends

• 1 AC adaptor with fitted cable and power cable appropriate for connection to your local mains

• 1 USB cable for connecting to a computer

• 1 Travel case

• 1 User's Guide in print

Plextalk Portable

Recorder

PTR 2

User's Guide

• 1 User's Guide CD (thick case)

• 1 Blank 700 MB CD-R (thin case) (NOTE: The specification of the supplied CD may differ from that specified in the guide)

• 1 Soft cloth for cleaning CD media

NOTE: It is strongly recommended that you retain your box and other packaging in case you need to return your PLEXTALK at any time in the future.

6.3. Description of the unit.

This section describes the physical look of the PTR2 and the layout of the keys and other controls to allow you to locate them when referred to in later chapters. The names and main purposes are given here, however, some of the detail of how the keys are used is left out at this stage. This information is covered at the appropriate sections later in the guide.

The PTR2 case is made of durable plastic, with the top and bottom faces coloured silver grey. The sides are dark grey coloured. Most of the keys on the top surface are black but 4 are a light blue colour.

Holding the unit carefully, take a few moments to locate the top and bottom surfaces. The top has 24 rubber keys on it whereas the bottom has only 4 rubber feet, three of which are near to the corners and one which is about a third of the way down one of the long sides. When you

have found the bottom of the unit, place the unit carefully down, on the four rubber feet, on a flat surface in front of you.

Locate the perforated surface of the speaker grill on the top of PLEXTALK. Keep the feet downwards and rotate it until the speaker grill is furthest away from you. The PTR2 should now be set up in its normal operating position. You can confirm this by feeling the top edge of the face nearest to you. There should be a narrow, but noticeable, dip in the middle of this edge. It is worth taking note of this as it can be used later to help locate the Play/Stop key and the centre of the CD slot.

Keep the unit in this position as the physical layout is described.

6.3.1. Top surface.

The grill that you used to orientate the unit is where the internal speaker and the built in microphone are located. The speaker is on the right and the microphone is to the left.

Just in front of the grill, on the left side, you should find 2 small bumps. These are LEDs. The one on the left is green and indicates when the unit is switched on or off. It flashes when the unit is shutting down. The one on

the right indicates when mains power is connected and the charging status. If the battery is charging, it will show a red light. When the battery is fully charged, it turns green.

Just in front of the grill, but on the right hand side, there are 3 more LEDs which increase in size from left to right. These LEDs are used during playback and recording. During playback, from left to right, they indicate a low, good or loud volume level. During recording, from left to right, indicate a low, good or high recording level.

PLEXTALK has 24 rubber keys on the top surface. These are grouped in 4 blocks - a column of 5 keys on the left side, a rectangular block of 12 keys in the centre, a row of 3 keys below the rectangular block and a column of 4 keys on the right side.

In the column of five keys on the left side, the four top keys are small, black, diamond shaped keys and the bottom key is a large, round, white key with a red ring printed on it.

From top to bottom, the four small diamond keys are:

• Information key - used to set the date and time and the sleep timer feature. Press and hold the key to hear the date and time.

• Heading key - used for heading navigation, insertion and deletion. Press and hold the key to get heading information.

• Page key - used for page navigation, insertion and deletion. Press and hold the key to get page information.

• Bookmark key - used for bookmark navigation, insertion and deletion. Press and hold the key for bookmark information.

The white, round key with the red ring on it, at the bottom left corner, is the Record key. It has a red LED inside the key. When PLEXTALK is in the recording stand by state, it flashes on and off. When PLEXTALK is recording, it shows as a solid red light.

The rectangular block of 12 black keys is generally called the Number Pad and is located near the centre of the top surface. It is laid out exactly like a push button telephone keypad with 4 rows of 3 keys. The first row has numbers 1, 2 and 3. The second row has numbers 4, 5 and 6. The third row has numbers 7, 8 and 9 and the fourth row has the Star key, Number 0

key and the Pound/Hash key. The number 5 key has a small raised dot on it to help you locate it.

Some of the keys have secondary functions and these are listed below:

Number 2 = Arrow Up or Cancel Number 4 = Arrow Left or Move Back Number 5 = Navigation level guide Number 6 = Arrow Right or Move Forward Number 8 = Arrow Down or Enter Star = Cancel Pound/Hash = Enter

NOTE: In order to avoid any possible confusion that might arise due to language differences, the Pound/Hash key, marked with the "#" symbol, and which is located at the bottom right of the Number Pad, will be called the Enter key throughout this guide. The Star/Cancel key marked with the "*" symbol, and which is located at the bottom left of the Number Pad will be called the Cancel key.

Underneath the Number Pad is the row of 3 keys. The 2 outside keys are semi circular in shape and are coloured black. The centre key is trapezoidal in shape and is coloured light blue. This centre key also has a distinctive recessed top surface for easy location. The uses of these three keys are as follows:

• Left key = Back or Fast Rewind (if held)

• Centre key = Play/Stop or Title Information (if held)

• Right key = forward or Fast Forward (if held)

The last group of keys on the top surface is the column of 4 keys on the right hand side. The top key is black, oval in shape and set at an angle. Combined, the 2 keys in the centre are shaped like a rectangle with a curved top and bottom edge and are light blue in colour. The key at the bottom right is light blue and square.

From the rear of PLEXTALK forwards, the purposes of these keys are:

• Menu key - used to access the Main Menu.

• Volume Up - used for increasing the playback volume and the

guide volume.

• Volume Down - used for decreasing the playback volume and the guide volume.

• CD Eject - used for ejecting CDs.

6.3.2. Front face.

On the front face of the unit are the CD and CF card slots. The CD slot is near to the top edge and extends almost the full width of PLEXTALK. The CF card slot is below the CD Slot, towards the left, and is much narrower.

Just to the right of the CF card slot is the eject button for the card - this becomes easier to locate when the CF card is inserted. The CD eject key is on the top surface as mentioned above.

6.3.3. Left side.

On the left side of the unit there are 4 items of note. These are:

In the recess nearest the front, from front to back, there are the headphone socket, the external microphone socket and the line in socket. All the sockets take a 3.5 millimetre diameter stereo jack plug.

In the recess nearest to the rear of the unit is the Key Lock/Key Describer switch. In the position nearest to the front of the unit, the key lock is "Off" and when pushed towards the rear of the unit the key lock is "On".

6.3.4. Back face.

There are 2 items of note on the back face of the unit. Both are located, in a recess, towards the right side. Nearest to the back right corner, in a square shaped housing, is the USB cable connector. Just to the left of it is a small round hole (DC input terminal) which is the socket to take the AC power supply.

6.3.5. Right side.

On the right side of the unit there are 4 switches as follows:

In the recess nearest to the back , is the Power On/Off switch. Pushing the switch towards the rear of the unit turns it on and pulling it towards the front will turn it off.

In the recess towards the front of the unit, from back to front, are the Speed control, the Tone control and the Recording Level control switches. All these switches can be adjusted by flicking the switch towards the rear of the unit to increase the setting and towards the front of the unit to decrease the setting. The speed and tone settings can quickly be reset to their default position by pressing the switch inwards. Pressing the Recording Level switch inwards allows you to switch the Auto Gain Control On or Off.

6.3.6. Bottom surface.

Carefully turn over PLEXTALK and place it face down on the flat surface, keeping the front of PLEXTALK towards you.

Near to the front of the bottom surface should be a printed sticker with important information about your PLEXTALK including the serial number and date of manufacture.

Locate the 4 rubber feet on the bottom surface. These 4 rubber feet are located near to the corners. Battery cover is located the right hand side from the rear of PLEXTALK. On the edge of the cover, nearest to the fourth rubber foot, you should find 2 plastic catches for releasing the cover.

6.4. Inserting the battery.

In order to insert or replace the battery, do the following:

• With the unit face down on a flat surface, and the front of PLEXTALK towards you, remove the battery cover by pressing the 2 plastic clips firmly towards the rear and lifting the cover upwards.

• Ensure that all packaging is removed from the battery.

• At one end of the battery you should find a small narrow notch in one of the edges. At the other end there should be a wider notch and a small, plastic tab that sticks out slightly.

• Turn the battery so that the notches are facing downwards towards PLEXTALK and so that the large notch and plastic tab are pointing to the left.

• Carefully place the battery into the battery slot and slide gently to the left a little.

• Replace the battery cover by locating the back edge first and then pressing down on the front edge until the plastic clips snap into position.

CAUTION: Never use force to try to position the battery or to replace the battery cover. If the cover will not close, remove it and double check that the battery is correctly positioned, before trying to fit the cover again.

CAUTION: Do not touch inside of battery slot.

6.5. Connecting the PLEXTALK to the mains for charging.

In order to charge the internal battery, you will need to connect PLEXTALK to the mains supply as follows:

• Place PLEXTALK on a flat surface in front of you in the normal operating position described above.

• Locate the AC adaptor and mains power cable that was supplied with your PLEXTALK. The AC adaptor consists of a rectangular transformer block with a fitted cable. At the end of the cable is a small round connector. The mains cable has an oval shaped, 2-pin, female connector at one end and a mains plug at the other end.

• CAUTION: Before proceeding any further, you should ensure that you do have the correct type of mains cable for your country's mains supply. If you don't have the correct cable, you should contact your local PLEXTALK agent for a replacement.

• Plug the small round connector, on the cable that is connected to the transformer block, into the round socket at the back of your PLEXTALK.

• Now connect the oval shaped connector, on the mains cable, to the socket on the transformer block.

• Plug the other end of the mains cable into a suitable mains outlet and ensure that all plugs are firmly fitted.

• You can now turn on the mains power switch. With the power turned on, the mains indicator LED will light up. If the internal battery is not fully charged, the light will be red. This will change to green when it reaches full charge.

NOTE: The mains indicator LED will light up regardless of whether PLEXTALK itself is on or off.

6.6. Turning PLEXTALK on and off.

To turn on the power, do the following:

• locate the Power On/Off switch, which is near the back of the right side of PLEXTALK.

• Push it towards the rear of PLEXTALK. You will hear musical tones that indicate that the unit is powering up.

• Release the switch and it should return to a centre position.

• After a short pause, PLEXTALK will either say "No disc", "Disc" or

"Card" according to the type of media in PLEXTALK when it is switched on. "No disc" means that there is no disc or card in the unit at that time. "Disc" means that the CD drive is being accessed and "Card" means that the card is being accessed.

• Depending on the type of media in PLEXTALK, a variety of audio outputs may be heard at this time. The details will be discussed later.

• PLEXTALK is now ready for use.

NOTE: Assuming that no media has been removed since its last use, The PTR2 will always attempt to access the disc or card that was in use when the unit was shut down previously.

To turn off the power, do the following:

• Pull the Power On/Off switch towards the front of PLEXTALK and release it. The switch will return to the middle position.

• The unit will beep and then announce that it is shutting down.

• Musical tones will indicate that the unit is busy and, after a short

while, a different musical sound indicates that PLEXTALK has completed the shut down process.

6.7. Key lock - key describer function.

REMINDER: The Key Lock/Key Describer switch is located on the left side in the recess towards the rear of PLEXTALK.

As its name implies, the Key Lock/Key Describer switch has 2 main purposes as follows:

Firstly it can be used to lock the keys and controls so that they can't be accidentally operated. If PLEXTALK is off when the lock is applied, the power switch will not function. The unit will say "Key Lock" and will then turn off again. If PLEXTALK is on when the lock is applied, all keys and controls will be unable to function, including the power switch.

The second purpose of the Key Lock/Key Describer switch is to allow the user to learn about the function of the keys and controls. With the lock applied, press and hold down any key and a description of the function of that key will be spoken. This feature is particularly useful for beginners.

To apply the lock, push the Key Lock/Key Describer switch towards the back of PLEXTALK. If PLEXTALK is on, it will say "Key Lock Key Describer on". No speech will be heard if PLEXTALK is off.

To unlock PLEXTALK, pull the Key Lock/Key Describer switch towards the front of PLEXTALK. If PLEXTALK is on, it will say "Key Lock Key Describer off". No speech will be heard if PLEXTALK is off.

6.8. Inserting and ejecting a CD.

CAUTION: PLEXTALK is only compatible with round CDs. Irregularly shaped CDs, such as the business card type, will cause a malfunction and should not be used.

CAUTION: As the CD rotates at a high speed, do not stick any thick items, like Braille labels, onto the surface of the disc.

REMINDER: The CD slot is the top slot on the front face of PLEXTALK. The centre of the slot can be located by feeling for the narrow dip on the top edge of this face.

To insert a CD into PLEXTALK, do the following:

• Ensure that PLEXTALK is turned on.

• Turn the CD so that the label side is upwards.

• Gently push the CD into the top slot on the front of PLEXTALK.

• Continue to push the CD into the slot until PLEXTALK takes over

and feeds the CD the rest of the way. This will be after approximately three quarters of the CD has been fed into the slot.

• PLEXTALK will say "Disc", followed by musical tones indicating that it is busy.

• After a short pause, the musical tones will stop and the type of CD will be announced.

• In the case of a DAISY CD, PLEXTALK will say "DAISY title" followed by "Title XX, Total titles YY" (where XX is the number of the current title and YY is the number of titles on the CD). Following this, the first phrase of the current title will then be played.

• If a Music CD is inserted, PLEXTALK will say "Music CD".

• If an Audio File CD is inserted, PLEXTALK will say "Audio File CD" followed by "Current album XX, total album YY" (where XX is the number of the current album and YY is the total number of albums on that CD).

• If any blank CD-R or CD-RW is inserted, PLEXTALK will speak an appropriate message relating to that type of blank disc. Further details will be given later about the specifics of these messages.

NOTE: If only one title is on a DAISY CD or only 1 album is on an Audio File CD, no title or album announcement will be heard. NOTE: If you accidentally insert a CD upside down, PLEXTALK will attempt to access it for a while and then will say "Improper or damaged disc". You should then eject the CD and ensure that it is inserted the correct way up. NOTE: If PLEXTALK is set to a playing mode other than Standard mode, the current setting of the playing mode will be announced after the type of CD announcement. Further information about playing modes is given in later chapters of this guide.

To eject a CD, do the following:

REMINDER: The CD eject key is the blue, square key at the front right corner of the top of PLEXTALK.

• Press and release the Eject key.

• PLEXTALK will say "Eject" followed by musical tones to indicate that

the unit is busy.

• After a short pause, the CD will be ejected and PLEXTALK will say "No disc".

• You can now pull the CD the rest of the way out of the slot.

6.9. Inserting and ejecting a CF card.

REMINDER: PLEXTALK is able to use both “CF Type I” (Compact Flash) and “CF Type II” (Micro drive) cards. In this User’s Guide, both compact flash cards and micro drives are called “CF cards”. REMINDER: The card slot is located on the front face, towards the left of PLEXTALK, immediately underneath the CD slot. REMINDER: The CF card, which is included as an accessory, has already been inserted in the CF card slot.

In order to insert a CF card, do the following:

• You can insert a CF card into the CF card slot with PLEXTALK either on or off.

• Locate the CF card slot under the CD slot.

• Gently align the CF card with the slot and push it carefully in until it

is fully home. A slightly firmer push will be required at the last part of this process to ensure that it is properly inserted.

CAUTION: Never be tempted to use excess force as you may cause damage to the CF card or PLEXTALK. NOTE: There is a very small ridge on the front edge of compact flash cards. This ridge should be towards you and facing downwards when the card is inserted. Micro drives have a rough side and a flat side. The micro drive must be inserted with the rough side upwards and the flat side towards you. NOTE: When the CF card is nearly all the way into the slot, the eject button for the card will start to come out of the casing, at the right side of the CF card slot. Ensure that you do not block this area with your fingers.

To eject the CF card, do the following:

REMINDER: The card eject button is located immediately to the right of the CF card slot.

CAUTION: Before ejecting the CF card, you must ensure that PLEXTALK has been turned off or that the media selection has been switched to "Disc". Failure to do so may risk losing data from your card. CAUTION: If you push the CF Card Eject button while accessing the CF card, the CF card may be damaged.

• Locate the card ejection button.

• Press it into PLEXTALK. As you do so, do not obstruct the CF card as it will move outwards from the card slot.

• Carefully grip the CF card and pull it out of the slot.

• Store the CF card in a safe place.

6.10. The User's Guide (DAISY) CD.

The User's Guide CD, which has been included in your package, contains the following items:

• User's Guide in DAISY format - this is an audio only DAISY 2.02 production. It can be navigated on 3 levels and by pages and groups. Level 1 navigates to the title of the guide, the navigation information, the table of contents and to individual chapters. Level 2 navigates to sections and Level 3 navigates to items within sections. The group marker has been used to identify safety information and other notes throughout the guide. The User's Guide will play in any hardware or software DAISY player including your new PLEXTALK PTR2. This version of the guide will be located in a folder called "PTR2_DAISY_ENG" on the User's Guide CD. A file called "discinfo.html", which is necessary for playing the DAISY version of the User's Guide, is also on the CD in the root directory.

• User's Guide in Microsoft Word format - this version of the guide can be found in a folder on the User's Guide CD called "Manual". The file name is "PTR2 Users Guide.doc".

• User's Guide in text format - this is a plain text version of the User's Guide. this version of the guide can be found in a folder on the User's Guide CD called "Manual". The file name is "PTR2 Users Guide.txt".

• PLEXTALK Recording Software Version 2.02 - the installation programme for this software can be found on the User's Guide CD, in a folder called "PRS". The file name of the installation programme is " PRSsetup2_02_01_20E.exe". This folder also contains files called "Readme.txt", which details how to install the PRS software, and "ReleaseNote.txt" which details revisions to the software.

• Help file for the PLEXTALK Recording Software. This file, in HTML format, will be located in the "PRS" folder in a file called "PLEX_RS_UM_E.html".

• Sample projects for PRS software exercises. When you are learning to use the PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS), the manual refers to a number of sample projects. These are contained in a folder on the User's Guide CD called "\PRS\Sample Projects\".

• Driver software for PLEXTALK PTR2 when used with Windows 98SE. If your computer uses Windows 98SE, you will require to load drivers from the User's Guide CD before the operating system will recognise the PLEXTALK PTR2. These driver files are located on the User's Guide CD in a folder called "Driver".

6.11. About the PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS).

PLEXTALK Recording Software (PRS) is bundled with PLEXTALK. Designed for Windows PCs, it is a simple DAISY recording and editing tool with voice guidance to make it accessible to people who are blind or partially sighted. You can easily edit, reorganize, and combine recordings made with PLEXTALK.

Before you install PLEXTALK Recording Software on your computer, you will have to connect PLEXTALK to your PC using the supplied USB cable and ensure that it has been properly recognised. You should refer to the detail instructions in Chapter 21 to find out how to do this. When the PTR2 has been successfully recognised by the PC, you can then insert the User's Guide CD and follow the installation instructions for PLEXTALK Recording Software, which will be found in the file called "Readme.txt" in the "PRS" folder of the CD.

Note: You cannot install PLEXTALK Recording Software unless the computer has recognised your PLEXTALK via the USB cable.

7. Maintenance and battery care.

It is important that you look after your PLEXTALK properly from the outset to ensure that you do not cause accidental damage to PLEXTALK, the battery or the media. It is strongly recommended that you read this chapter carefully.

7.1. Unit care.

When cleaning your PLEXTALK take note of the following points:

• WARNING: Always disconnect PLEXTALK from the mains supply before cleaning.

• Carefully wipe any dust and dirt from PLEXTALK with a soft cloth that has been dampened with a diluted, neutral detergent, then wipe dry with a cloth.

7.2. Battery care.

In order that you get the most out of your rechargeable battery, you should take careful note of the following points:

• When using your PLEXTALK for the first time, or after one month of storage, you should connect to a mains power supply for at least 24 hours.

• If PLEXTALK is not to be used for over a month, remove the battery and store it in a cool place with low humidity.

• The battery life depends on how frequently it is used and recharged. Its capacity to store charge reduces over time. When the usable time following a charge becomes too short for practical use, replace the battery with a new one. These can be purchased from local agent. Regarding recycling and disposal of used battery, please ask them.

• The usable time may be affected by the ambient temperature and working environment.

• The battery will normally take 4 hours to fully charge.

In order to maintain battery performance, the following procedure should be carried out every six months:

• Fully charge the battery

• Use on battery power until dead

• Recharge for 24 Hours

7.3. CD care.

You should note the following points when handling or cleaning your CDs :

• Always handle media carefully and avoid touching CDs on the underside.

• Always store CDs and cards in proper sleeves or containers.

• Never expose media to extreme heat, liquids, dirt or grit.

• Carefully wipe CD- discs with a clean, soft cotton cloth to remove

surface dirt like fingerprints.

• When cleaning CDs, use a straight-line motion, wiping from the centre outwards. Never wipe the disc in a circular motion.

8. Quick start information.

This chapter is designed to give you information about using your PLEXTALK as a DAISY player and recorder. It outlines how to use PLEXTALK's functions but does not describe them in detail. The main sections in this Quick Start section relate to the basic controls, playing a DAISY title, recording a DAISY title, simple editing of the recording and finalising the CD.

NOTE: The instructions in this section of the guide relate to use of PLEXTALK in Normal mode. Some instructions are not accurate for using PLEXTALK in Book Creator mode. NOTE: The instructions in this chapter assume that you are sufficiently familiar with PLEXTALK's layout that you do not require reminders. If you wish to confirm the details of the physical design of your PLEXTALK, you should refer to Section 6.3 before reading this chapter.

8.1. Basic control of the unit.

PLEXTALK can be turned on by pushing the power switch towards the rear of the unit. After a short pause PLEXTALK will announce if it is accessing the disc or the CF card. If no media is inserted, PLEXTALK will say "No disc".

Turn off the power by pulling the power switch towards the front of the unit.

When you turn the unit on or off, the power switch returns to the middle position automatically.

If the Key Lock/Key Describer switch is at the locked position, PLEXTALK will speak a warning message and will then turn off again. When the power is ON in the locked position, you can press and hold down any key to get a brief description of what that key does.

Lock the Key Lock/Key Describer switch by pushing it towards the rear of the unit. Unlock it by pulling it towards the front of the unit.

To adjust the playback volume, press the Volume Up key or Volume Down key until the required volume is reached. You can press and hold these keys down to change the volume quickly.

To adjust the guide speech volume, press and hold down the Information key and then press the Volume Up or Volume Down keys until the desired volume is reached.

Adjust the playback speed by flicking the speed control switch towards the rear of the unit, to increase the speed, and towards the front of the unit, to decrease the speed. Set the speed to the normal position by pressing in the speed control switch.

Adjust the playback tone by flicking the tone control switch towards the rear of the unit to make the tone more treble and towards the front of the unit to make the tone more bass. Set the tone to the normal position by pressing in the tone control switch.

Insert a CD by pushing it gently into the CD slot at the front of the unit until PLEXTALK takes over and pulls the CD fully into the slot. Ensure that the CD is inserted with the label side upwards. If it is inserted the wrong way up, PLEXTALK will speak an error message.

Eject the CD by pressing the CD Eject key once.

Insert a CF card by gently pushing it into the CF card slot underneath the CD slot. PLEXTALK will recognise that it has been inserted and will automatically access the card contents.

Eject the CF card by pressing the Card Eject button to the right of the CF card slot. Before ejecting the card, you must ensure that the unit is turned off or you have switched PLEXTALK to access the disc. If you do not do this, you may cause damage to the card contents.

Check the current time on the internal clock by pressing and holding down the Information key. To set the internal date and time, press the

Information key twice and follow the guide prompts. When finished, PLEXTALK will confirm the date and time you have set.

Access the menu system by pressing the Menu key once. Use the Number 4 or 6 key to move through the options on a level and use the Number 8 key or the Enter key to select a menu option. Use the Number 2 key or the Cancel key to exit one level. Press the Menu key to exit immediately from anywhere in the menu system.

8.2. Playing DAISY CDs.

In order to try out the features in this section, you may wish to insert a DAISY CD. Why not use the User's Guide CD as this contains the DAISY version of this guide.

Insert a DAISY CD into your PLEXTALK.

Press the Play/Stop key to start playback. Note that, if you have used it in the unit before, it will automatically start playback from where it finished playing on the previous occasion. Press the Play/Stop key a second time to stop playback.

When PLEXTALK has played a DAISY title to the end, it will stop automatically unless a playing mode that supersedes this has been selected. Pressing the Play/Stop key at this stage will cause PLEXTALK to start playback from the beginning again.

To go to the beginning of the recording, press the Heading key followed by the Enter key. To go to the end of the recording, press the Heading key followed by the Number 0 key and then the Enter key.

Use the Number 2 or 8 key to move through the available navigation options for the current DAISY book. Use the Number 4 or 6 key to move back or forward on the selected navigation option.

You can switch from the disc to the CF card by using the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Selecting media" option and then use the Number 4 or 6 key to choose which media you wish to access.

Jump back or forwards a phrase at a time, or move back or forwards by 5 second jumps, by pressing the Back or Forward key. You can select between these 2 types of jump by selecting the appropriate item in the "Select the moving behaviour for forward and back" menu. This is found in the "Control panel" menu.

To fast rewind or fast forward the recording, press and hold down the Back or Forward key.

You can jump back or forward by 1 minute at a time by using the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Time" option and then use the Number 4 or 6 key to move back or forward by 1 minute. Press and hold the Number 4 or 6 key at this time and PLEXTALK will jump back or forward in 10 minute jumps.

To get information about the headings in the current title and the titles on the CD or CF card, press and hold down the Heading key.

To get information about the pages in the current title, press and hold down the Page key.

To get information about the bookmarks in the current title, press and hold down the Bookmark key.

Press and hold down the Play/Stop key to get information about the current playback mode, the time elapsed, the time remaining and the total time of the current recording.

To go to headings or titles (if there are more than one title on a disc or CF card), press the Heading key until PLEXTALK says "Go to heading" or "Go to title" as appropriate. Enter the number of the heading or title that you wish to go to and press the Enter key. PLEXTALK will go to the specified heading or title.

To go direct to a page, press the Page key until it says "Go to page" and then enter the number of the page that you wish to go to. Confirm this by pressing the Enter key.

You can use the bookmark feature with all types of media. There are 3 types of bookmark that you have control of: the simple bookmark, numbered bookmarks and voice bookmarks. There is only one simple bookmark for each title. Voice bookmarks are numbered bookmarks with an additional piece of recording associated with them. PLEXTALK can remember the bookmark and other information for up to 1000 DAISY titles or albums.

Insert the simple bookmark by pressing the Bookmark key twice and then the Enter key. Insert a numbered bookmark by pressing the Bookmark key twice and then a number between 1 and 65000. You can have up to 10000 bookmarks total.

Insert a voice bookmark by pressing the Bookmark key three times and then a number between 1 and 65000. Then press and hold down the Record key whilst you record the appropriate message. When the Record key is released the voice bookmark is inserted.

To go to a bookmark that you have inserted, press the Bookmark key once and enter the number of the bookmark that you want to go to, and then press the Enter key. Press the Bookmark key once and then the Enter key on its own to go to the simple bookmark. When you go to a voice bookmark, the recorded message will either play or not depending on the setting you make in the "Setting of playing voice bookmark" option in the "Bookmark" menu in the menu system.

To clear a bookmark, the general procedure is to press the Bookmark key four times and enter the number of the bookmark you wish to remove, and then press the Enter key. For the simple bookmark, press the Bookmark four times and then press the Enter key.

You can clear all bookmarks in the current title or in all titles by making the appropriate selection from the "Bookmark" menu in the menu system.

8.3. Recording a DAISY title.

First you need to select your input source. You can choose from the built in microphone, an external microphone or the line in source.

The built in microphone is handy because you do not require any additional hardware to make a recording, however, it can pick up some noise from the CD drive which may be heard in the recording. Recording to a CF card can reduce this problem significantly.

An external microphone will generally give better quality recordings but you will need to purchase a microphone separately. It is often useful to use an external microphone for recording conferences, lectures or concerts. Wearing headphones whilst recording can help minimise the risk of feedback from the built in speaker.

Using the line in source is ideal for recording from other devices such as CD players, cassette players or radios. Recording directly from one device to another cuts out extraneous noises. You should connect to the other device using the supplied audio cable, connecting to the other device's headphone socket and PLEXTALK's line in socket.

When you connect your input source to the microphone or line in sockets, PLEXTALK will indicate that it recognises that a device has been connected and will automatically make the most recently connected source the default recording source.

When recording from the built in microphone or the external microphone, it is useful to be able to silence the guide speech during recording, in order to avoid guide speech being heard in the final recording. This can be done in 3 ways:

• Plug in headphones.

• Turn the guide speech volume down to zero.

• Set the "Switch over the guidance when recording" option in the

"Recording Settings" menu to "Guidance off". With this option, you should be aware that you will lose all voice prompts whilst actually recording. Some of these may be ones that you would prefer to keep. If so, you need to then use the headphones option.

Insert a blank CD or CF card. PLEXTALK will ask you to press the Enter key to create a DAISY title. Press the Enter key and a few seconds later the CD or CF card will have been prepared for recording a DAISY title.

You may now wish to select a recording mode and sound quality setting. PLEXTALK offers you 5 preset recording modes and 1 mode which allows

you to set the variables yourself. The available recording modes are "Standard", "Music", "Analogue cassette", "Radio", "Conference" and "Custom". You can select a recording mode either before or after going into recording stand by.

Before going into recording stand by, press the Menu key and then go to the "Recording setting" option and select it by pressing the Enter key. Then go to the "Select recording mode" option and select it by pressing the Enter key. Follow the voice prompts, using the Number 4 or 6 key to select your preference and the Enter key to confirm your choice.

When you want to select a recording mode after going into recording stand by, press the Menu key once. You will be automatically taken direct to the "Select recording mode" option, mentioned in the previous paragraph. Select this option by pressing the Enter key and proceed as before.

In either case, you then need to select your preferred sound quality setting. There are 6 choices: PCM 44.1 kHz stereo, MP3 256 k stereo, MP3 128 k stereo, MP3 64 k mono, MP3 32 k mono and MP3 16 k mono. The better the quality, the more disc space it uses and, therefore, the less available recording time. Use the Number 4 or 6 key to select your preferred sound quality setting and select it by pressing the Enter key.

To make a simple recording do the following:

• Press the Record key to go into recording stand by. This allows you to adjust the recording level. The red LED in the Record key will start to flash on and off.

• The recording level for the built in microphone will be set automatically using the Auto Gain Control (AGC) feature. For the external microphone and the line in source, you can choose to have the level set automatically or you can set it manually yourself. To switch between AGC and manual level setting, press in the Recording Level switch until your preferred option is spoken. If adjusting the level manually, flick the Recording Level switch towards the rear of the unit to increase the level or towards the front of the unit to decrease the level.

• When the recording level has been set correctly, press the Record key a second time and recording will start. The LED in the Record key turns to a solid red light.

• Press the Record key again at any time and the recording will be paused. The LED in the Record key starts to flash again.

• Restart recording by pressing the Record key again. The LED becomes a solid red light.

• To stop recording, press the Play/Stop key.

NOTE: Each time you start recording in Normal mode, a new section is automatically created at the end of the existing recording. You do not need to navigate to the end before recording new material. NOTE: At any time in recording stand by, recording pause or during recording, you can switch off and on the recording monitor by pressing the Bookmark key. This allows you to listen to how the recording sounds whilst recording. When recording from the built in microphone or an external microphone, you must be using headphones for this feature to work. NOTE: In recording pause or during recording, you can turn on the level monitor to get an indication of whether the recording level is "Low", "Good" or "High". Turn on the level monitor by pressing the Information key. Press the Information key again to turn it off.

8.4. Editing a DAISY recording.

Some of the editing features can be used during the recording process or afterwards. The most common of these are the insertion of heading and page codes.

To insert a heading during recording, press the Heading key once. To insert a page code during recording, press the Page key once.

In recording pause, press the Heading key or the Page key to insert a heading or page when recording recommences. In recording pause, if you have previously pressed the Heading or Page key, press the Heading or Page key again to cancel the heading or page that you had just created.

After completing the recording, to insert a heading or page, go to the location where you want to insert the heading or page and then press the Heading or Page twice respectively. PLEXTALK will then ask you to confirm the position. Use the Number 4 or 6 key to adjust the position back or forward by 0.1 second increments. Press the Enter key at the location where you want.

After the recording is complete, to remove a heading or page code, go to the heading or page concerned and press the Heading or Page key three times as appropriate. PLEXTALK will ask you to confirm that you want to cancel the code. Press the Enter key to confirm the action.

NOTE: In case of multi title CDs or CF cards, press the Heading key three times to insert a heading and four times to remove a heading.

NOTE: If you don't have headphone inserted, any guide speech may be picked up in the recording.

You can carry out cut, copy and paste operations with the sections in your recording. This is very similar to the cut, copy and paste procedure in a word processor. PLEXTALK has an audio clipboard that can hold information about the previous editing operation. All these operations can be accessed from the "Edit" menu. Use the Number 4 or 6 to move through the available options and the Enter key to select the operation you want. For cut and copy operations, PLEXTALK will require you to specify the starting section and the end section to operate on.

Also from the "Edit" menu, you can select to join a section or sections to create a single section of those selected. Again PLEXTALK will ask for the start section and end section to join. Press the Enter key to confirm at each step.

NOTE: You cannot set section levels in Normal mode - you need to switch to Book Creator mode in order to do this.

If you wish to create a new title, go to the "Edit" menu and select the "Create new title" option. Press the Enter key when PLEXTALK asks you to confirm the action. The new title will be created.

If you wish to erase an existing title, go to the title concerned, then select the "Erase selected title" option, from the "Edit" menu, and select the "Erase selected title" option. Confirm the action by pressing the Enter key when asked by PLEXTALK.

If you are adding to or editing a CD-R disc that has been finalised, you need to make some editing preparations with the Prepare to edit command. When the recorder writes a CD, it uses its own writing format. To make that CD playable on other players, you need to finalise the disc. Once a disc has been finalised, you can no longer edit it on the recorder

unless you first use the prepare to edit command. This command changes the CD back to the recorder format and allows you to edit the CD. If a CD has not been finalized, you can go ahead and edit it without using the Prepare to edit command.

8.5. Finalising a DAISY CD.

Finalisation converts the recorded CD into a disc that can be played on other DAISY players besides the PLEXTALK recorder, and on a computer using software. If you do not finalise a CD after recording it, you will not be able to play it on any other players.

Start the disc finalisation process by going to the "Finalise CD" option in the "Media Management" menu. During finalisation, you choose from two options:

• No additional recording and editing: You cannot add recording after finalization.

• Additional recording and editing enabled: You can record by performing the Prepare to edit command.

Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to your preferred option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

CAUTION: If the battery power fails during operations such as CD backup, disc finalisation or disc erasing, the media may become damaged or unusable. It is strongly recommended that you use mains power during the finalisation process. NOTE: For Music CDs you cannot add any additional recording. NOTE: If you are only going to use a CD-R on the PLEXTALK Portable Recorder, it is not necessary to finalize it. This means you can always add to the recording later.

9. Introduction to the menu system.

A number of the features of PLEXTALK are accessed through the built in menu system. This chapter aims to give you an understanding of how the menu is structured and how you access it. It is not essential to read it immediately but you will find that an understanding of the menu system is useful in many of the chapters that follow.

9.1. Overview of the menu and its operation.

Although you only ever hear the menu, it can be thought of as being a hierarchical menu system containing a series of horizontal menus, each accessed from the level higher up. At the highest level there is the Main Menu which has 10 items. These are:

• Edit - this allows simple editing of a DAISY recording.

• Backup - for backing up data from disc to CF card or vice versa.

• Recording Settings - allows you to select from a variety of

recording settings or to set your own customised settings.

• Playing Settings - allows you to specify how you want to listen to the information on the CD or CF card.

• Bookmark - allows you to specify how voice bookmarks play or to delete all bookmarks.

• Power On Timer - allows you to specify 2 times when PLEXTALK will power on automatically.

• Notepad - keep short voice notes including an alarm feature.

• Calculator - carry out simple mathematical calculations (not

scientific).

• Media Management - allows you to get media information, finalise CDs, format CD-RW discs or erase CF card data.

• Control panel - allows you to get system information and to control the way certain features operate or play.

NOTE: Access to some of the above menu items will depend on the type of operation and media that you are working with at that time. The PLEXTALK will not let you access features that are not appropriate at that

moment. For example, you will be unable to access the Edit menu when playing a commercial Music CD. NOTE: A complete listing of the structure of the menu system is given in Appendix B. In addition, each function is described in detail in the relevant sections of the guide.

9.2. Accessing and navigating the menu.

To access the Main Menu, do the following:

REMINDER: The Menu key is the black, oval shaped key on the right of the top of PLEXTALK, just in front of the speaker grill. The Number Pad is the block of 12 keys in the centre of the top face with the Enter key at the bottom right and the Cancel key at the bottom left.

• Press the Menu key once.

• PLEXTALK will say "Select from the menu, Edit". This indicates that

it has accessed the menu and that it is on the Edit option.

To navigate around the menu, use the following methods:

• To select a different option on the same level of the menu, press either the Number 4 key to move to the left on the menu, or the Number 6 key to move to the right. As you move to a new menu option, it will be spoken.

• On all menus, if you continue in the same direction, you will eventually return to the starting point as the menus are designed to loop round.

• To select a menu option, press the Number 8 key or the Enter key. Assuming that there is a sub menu, and it is accessible at that time, This will take you down one level in the menu structure and leave you on the relevant sub menu. The menu item that you have gone to will be spoken.

• To move up one level in the menu, press the Number 2 key or the Cancel key. The menu option on the higher level menu to which you have moved will be spoken.

• Pressing either the Number 2 key or the Cancel key when at the Main Menu level will exit completely from the menu system.

• To exit immediately from the menu system, from any level in the structure, press the Menu key. You do not need to go to the Main Menu level first.

NOTE: Some of the menu options provide you with information that might be difficult to remember after hearing it once, for example, the system version number and PLEXTALK serial number. In these situations, the information is repeated until you choose to cancel the message. If you wish to stay in the menu system, press the Number 2 key or the Cancel key . If you wish to exit the menu completely, press the Enter key.

9.3. Getting help when in the menu system.

When you are anywhere in the menu system, you can get a reminder of the item you are on by pressing and holding down the Number 5 key. For some keys you will also be given additional help information about the function of that menu item.

10. Setting up your PLEXTALK.

There are several features of PLEXTALK which it are useful to set up before starting to use it. These can be done at any time but it is sensible to do them sooner rather than later. This chapter details how to set the internal clock and how to select your preferred waiting sound.

10.1. Setting the date and time.

To set the date and time for the internal clock, do the following:

REMINDER: The Information key is the black, diamond shaped key at the top of the column of 5 keys on the left side of PLEXTALK. The Back and Forward keys are the black, semi circular keys either side of the Play/Stop key.

• Press the Information key twice. PLEXTALK will ask you to input the day with 4 digits. It will then speak the date that is set at present.

• Use the Number Pad to enter the current date by pressing 2 numbers for the month followed by 2 numbers for the day. Use leading zeros where necessary. Press the Enter key to confirm your entry or the Cancel key to enter the information again.

• When you have confirmed your entry, PLEXTALK will ask you to input the year. It will then speak the year that is set at present.

• Use the Number Pad to enter the current year with 4 digits. Press the Enter key to confirm your entry or the Cancel key to enter the information again.

• When you have confirmed your entry, PLEXTALK will ask you to enter the time with 4 digits. It will also prompt that you can use the Back or Forward keys to select AM or PM for the time setting. Lastly, it will play the time that is set at present.

• Use the Number Pad to enter the current time with 4 digits. Use leading zeros where necessary. Press the Enter key to confirm your entry or Cancel key to enter the information again. If you wish to select the AM or PM setting, before pressing the Enter key, use the Back or Forward keys to make your selection.

• The date and time should now be set correctly and PLEXTALK will automatically exit this feature. By way of confirmation, the date and time that you have just entered will then be spoken back to you.

10.2. Selecting the 12 or 24 hour mode for the internal clock.

The PTR2 gives you the option of using the 12 or 24 hour clock method of announcing times. To select the way that you wish to have times announced, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Control panel" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Switch over the 12 or 24 hour setting" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to either the "12 hour" or the "24 hour" setting according to your preference and press Enter to confirm your choice.

• Your preferred option will be set and PLEXTALK will automatically exit from the menu system.

NOTE: The 12 hour setting is the factory default setting.

10.3. Selecting a preferred waiting sound.

When PLEXTALK is busy, such as when it is accessing or erasing a CD-RW disc, it plays a sound to indicate that it is carrying out that action. The PTR2 gives you 3 options of waiting sounds to choose from which are "Waiting sound 1", "Waiting sound 2" and "No waiting sound"..

To select your preferred waiting sound, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Control panel" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Select the waiting sound" option and select it by pressing the Enter key. PLEXTALK will speak the name of the currently selected waiting sound and will then play a sample of that sound.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to listen to the available options and press the Enter key when you are on the waiting sound you prefer.

• PLEXTALK will confirm your selection has been made and you will automatically be exited from the menu system.

11. Playing features common to all formats.

All the operations mentioned in this chapter apply equally to playing DAISY titles, Music CDs and Audio File CDs. Before progressing further it is important that these terms are clearly understood, in the context of this guide.

• A DAISY CD or CF card is a CD or CF card containing one or more DAISY titles. Each title will be contained in its own folder. The audio files will either be Wave or MP3 format.

• A Music CD is a CD which can be played in standard CD players. The audio files will be in "CD-DA" format. All tracks are on the same level and there is no hierarchical storage of files on the CD.

• An Audio File CD or CF card can contain multiple folders and multiple files in each folder. PLEXTALK is able to recognise and play audio files in the following file formats: MP3, Wave and Ogg Vorbis.

You may wish to try out the features mentioned in this chapter as you progress. If you wish to do this, insert a CD into PLEXTALK's CD slot, as detailed in Section 6.9, before reading any further. If you are not already using the DAISY version of the User's Guide, this would be a good title to start with.

11.1. Reinserting a CD or CF card.

When you insert a CD or CF card into PLEXTALK for the first time, it will play from the beginning of the first title. When you insert the same CD or CF card on another occasion, regardless of the format of the data, PLEXTALK will start playback from the location that playing was stopped in the previous session. This is true of multi title CDs or CF cards as well as on CDs and CF cards with only one title or album.

This is a particularly useful feature if you need to swap CDs or CF cards and then want to return to the first one, for example, if you are studying and need to refer to a variety of books.

11.2. Start and stop playback.

To start or stop playback, do the following:

REMINDER: The Play/Stop key is the blue trapezoidal shaped key with the recessed surface, located in the centre of the front edge of PLEXTALK. It is immediately behind the narrow dip in the middle of the front edge.

• To start playback, press the Play/Stop key. PLEXTALK will start playback from the position where it was stopped previously.

• To stop playback, press the Play/Stop key.

NOTE: If a book or album has played all the way to the end, it will stop automatically unless a playback mode which overrides this action has been selected. Pressing the Play/Stop key when the book or album has played to the end, will cause the book or album to commence playback from the beginning again.

11.3. Changing the playback volume.

REMINDER: The Volume Up and Volume Down keys are one behind the other in the middle of the right hand side of the top of PLEXTALK. Combined, they are shaped like a rectangle with a curved top and bottom edge. They are blue in colour. The Volume Up key is nearer to the rear of PLEXTALK and the Volume Down key is nearer to the front. Although close together, there is a distinct gap between the 2 individual keys.

The volume can be set on a scale from 0 to 20, in steps of 1, with 0 being silent and 20 being the loudest possible setting.

To increase the playback volume, either press the Volume Up key repeatedly, increasing the level by 1 setting for each press of the key, or press and hold the Volume Up key until the volume reaches the desired level.

To decrease the playback volume, either press the Volume Down key repeatedly, decreasing the level by 1 setting for each press of the key, or press and hold the Volume Down key until the volume reaches the desired level.

When PLEXTALK is not playing, each time you adjust the volume, it will beep and speak the volume level selected, for example, "Volume 16". It will play a higher pitched beep at the top and bottom setting and will play a lower pitched beep at the middle position, where the volume is set to 10. If you press and hold down either of the volume keys, you will hear a series of beeps, to indicate that the volume setting is changing, until you reach the highest or lowest setting. Again the top and bottom settings have a higher pitched beep and the middle setting has a lower pitched beep.

When PLEXTALK is playing, each time you adjust the volume, it will beep but will not speak the volume setting selected. It will play a higher pitched beep at the top and bottom setting and will play a lower pitched beep at the position where the volume is set to 10. If you press and hold down either of the volume keys, you will hear an initial beep but no further beeps until PLEXTALK reaches the highest or lowest possible setting. You will, however hear the playback volume increase or decrease accordingly.

11.4. Changing the guide volume.

The internal speech generated by the PTR2 is called the guide speech. The volume of the guide speech can be adjusted, either along with the playback volume or separately. The guide volume can be set on a scale from 0 to 20, in increments of 1, with 0 being silent and 20 being the loudest possible setting.

If you wish the guide volume and playback volume to be adjusted together, use the procedure detailed in the previous section. The guide volume will increase and decrease as you adjust the playback volume. If you wish to set the guide volume independently, do the following:

To increase the guide volume, press and hold down the Information key and then press the Volume Up key repeatedly until you reach the desired level.

To decrease the guide volume, press and hold down the Information key and then press the Volume Down key repeatedly until you reach the desired level.

NOTE: When adjusting the guide volume, PLEXTALK behaves in the same way if it is playing or not playing except that playback is temporarily stopped as you make your adjustments.

11.5. Changing the playback speed.

REMINDER: The Speed Control switch is the rear most switch, of the 3 switches in the recess at the front of the right side of PLEXTALK.

There are 11 speed settings ranging from -2 to +8, which can be adjusted 1 level at a time. Normal speed is at the 0 position. -2 is half of normal speed, +4 is double speed and +8 is triple speed.

To increase the playback speed, flick the Speed Control switch towards the rear of PLEXTALK. The guide will announce the setting you have selected, for example "Speed +2". If PLEXTALK is playing, playback will be temporarily halted as you make your adjustments.

To decrease the playback speed, flick the Speed Control switch towards the front of PLEXTALK. The guide will announce the setting you have selected, for example "Speed -1". If PLEXTALK is playing, playback will be temporarily halted as you make your adjustments.

To quickly set PLEXTALK back to the normal speed position, regardless of where the setting is currently, press the Speed Control switch inwards, towards the body of PLEXTALK. The guide speech will confirm that the setting has been changed back to the normal speed position.

NOTE: Each time you make an adjustment, a beep will be heard. A higher pitched beep indicates the top or bottom of the available range and a lower pitched beep indicates the normal speed position. NOTE: Pressing and holding the switch towards the front or rear of PLEXTALK, will cause the speed setting to change rapidly in the relevant direction. This saves you having to repeatedly flick the switch .

11.6. Changing the audio tone.

REMINDER: The Tone Control switch is the middle switch, of the 3 switches in the recess at the front of the right side of PLEXTALK.

There are 13 tone settings ranging from -6 to +6, which can be adjusted 1 level at a time. The default setting is in the middle of the range and is termed the normal position. Moving from the bottom to the top of the available range, will make the tone move from a more bass sound to a more treble sound.

To increase the tone, flick the Tone Control switch towards the rear of PLEXTALK. The guide will announce the setting you have selected, for example "Tone +5". If PLEXTALK is playing, playback will be temporarily halted as you make your adjustments.

To decrease the tone, flick the Tone Control switch towards the front of PLEXTALK. The guide will announce the setting you have selected, for example "Tone -3". If PLEXTALK is playing, playback will be temporarily halted as you make your adjustments.

To quickly set PLEXTALK back to the normal tone position, regardless of where the setting is currently, press the Tone Control switch inwards, towards the body of PLEXTALK. The guide speech will confirm that the setting has been changed back to the normal tone position.

NOTE: Each time you make an adjustment, a beep will be heard. A higher pitched beep indicates the top or bottom of the available range and a lower pitched beep indicates the normal tone position. NOTE: Pressing and holding the switch towards the front or rear of PLEXTALK, will cause the tone setting to change rapidly in the relevant direction. This saves you having to repeatedly flick the switch .

11.7. Accessing the Navigation menu.

One of the most useful features of PLEXTALK is the ability to choose how you want to navigate. This is done by using the Navigation Menu which is available to you at any time when you are not already in the Main Menu system.

To use the Navigation Menu, do the following:

• Assuming that you are not recording or already in the Main Menu system, use the Numbers 2 or 8 keys to move upwards or downwards. The items you hear spoken are the options available to you from the Navigation Menu, at that time.

• The available options will vary depending on what kind of CD or CF card you are using and the structure of the data on that CD or CF card. For example, on a DAISY CD, if the book does not have pages coded into it, the "Page" option will not appear on the Navigation Menu. On a Music CD, you will never see Level 1, Level 2 etc as these are DAISY navigation features and not relevant to Music CDs. On an Audio File CD, if there is only one album, there will be no "Album" option on the Navigation Menu. In essence, PLEXTALK will only offer you navigation options that are appropriate to you at that time.

• The items "Selecting media" and "Time" are common to all formats and will always appear on this list of navigation options. .

• Having selected your preferred navigation method, you can now use your Number 4 or 6 key to move backwards or forwards at your chosen level of navigation. For example, with your User's Guide CD in PLEXTALK, if you go to the "Page" option with your Number 2 or 8 key, and then use your Number 4 or 6 key, you will be able to move backwards or forwards a page at a time.

NOTE: In Normal mode, you can check your currently selected navigation level by pressing the Number 5 key. This feature is not available in Book Creator mode. NOTE: The default navigation level for DAISY titles is "Level 1", for Music CDs is "Track" and for Audio File CDs or CF cards is "File". Your currently selected navigation level is not saved when you shut down PLEXTALK. NOTE: If you do not know what navigation is available to you on a particular disc or card, use the Number 2 or 8 key to quickly find out.

11.8. Selecting to use the CD or CF card.

At times you may wish to switch from using a CD to the CF card or vice versa. You can do this as follows:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Selecting media" option on the Navigation menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to select either "Disc" or "Card".

• As you move, if a disc or card is installed, PLEXTALK will announce

the type of media in the drive you have selected. In the case of DAISY titles, PLEXTALK will then play the first phrase on the CD or CF card. For an Audio File CD or CF card, PLEXTALK will announce the number of the current album and the total number of albums.

• If no disc or card is inserted, PLEXTALK will say "No disc" or "No card" respectively.

• Assuming that there is a CD or CF card present, if you want to play from where it was last played, press the Play/Stop key.

• If you wish to navigate to another part of the CD or CF card, use the normal navigation features to do this.

11.9. Moving to the beginning or end of a title or album.

Moving quickly to the beginning or end of the current title or album is very useful, whether your media contains DAISY titles, music tracks or audio files. Although the guide speech differs slightly, the basic operation is the same for all formats, as follows:

To move to the beginning of a title or album, do the following:

REMINDER: The Heading key is the second key down in the column of 5 keys on the left of the top of PLEXTALK. It is black and diamond shaped.

• Press the Heading key once. The guide speech will say "Go to heading", "Go to track" or "Go to file", depending on the type of data you are using. This will be followed by a verbal reminder that the Enter key can be pressed at this point to go to the beginning if you want.

• Press the Enter key and the playing position will move to the start of the current title or album. The guide speech will say "Beginning of title" or "Beginning of album".

• After a short pause, playback will commence automatically from the beginning.

To move to the end of a title or album, do the following:

• Press the Number 0 key followed by the Enter key and the playing position will move to the end of the current title or album. The guide speech will say "End of title" or "End of album".

11.10. Jump backwards or forwards by 5 seconds.

The jump backwards and forwards features use the black, semi circular Back and Forward keys either side of the Play/Stop key. For DAISY titles, you can select to jump backwards or forwards, either by 5 second jumps or by phrase jumps. For Music CDs and Audio File CDs and CF cards, you can only jump by 5 second jumps. The choice of the type of jump is made in the menu system.

To select the 5 second jump option, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Control panel" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Select moving behaviour for forward and back" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "5 second moving" option, and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Your selection will be saved and you will be automatically exited from the menu system.

Having selected the 5 second jump setting, you can jump backwards or forwards as follows:

• To jump backwards, press and release the Back key. Each time you press the Back key, the playing position will move backwards approximately 5 seconds.

• To jump forwards, press and release the Forward key. Each time you press the Forward key, the playing position will move forwards approximately 5 seconds.

11.11. Fast forward or fast rewind

The fast rewind and fast forward features use the black, semi circular Back and Forward keys either side of the Play/Stop key.

• To fast rewind, press and hold down the Back key. A high pitched chattering sound will be heard. Playback will start when you release the key.

• To fast forward, press and hold down the Forward key. A high pitched chattering sound will be heard. Playback will start when you release the key.

NOTE: As you hold down the Back or Forward keys, the speed of the fast rewind or fast forward will increase to 2 times and 4 times normal speed for Music CDs and to 4 times, 8 times and 16 times normal speed for DAISY and Audio File CDs or CF cards. If you release your finger at 4 times speed, for Music CDs, or at 16 times speed for DAISY and Audio File CDs and CF cards, the fast rewind or fast forward will continue on its own. In this situation, to start playback at normal speed again, simply press the Play/Stop key.

11.12. Using the time jump feature.

In addition to the jump backwards and forwards features mentioned above, you can jump backwards and forwards by 1 minute and 10 minute jumps. This is known as the "Time Jump" feature.

To use the time jump, do the following:

• Press the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Time" option on the Navigation Menu.

• To jump backwards 1 minute, press and release the Number 4 key.

• To jump forward 1 minute, press and release the Number 6 key.

• To jump backwards in 10 minute steps, press and hold down the Number 4 key. As you hold the key, PLEXTALK will announce "Minus 10 minutes", "Minus 20 minutes", "Minus 30 minutes" and so on. Release the key when you have gone back the required amount.

• To jump forwards in 10 minute steps, press and hold down the Number 6 key. As you hold the key, PLEXTALK will announce "10 minutes", "20 minutes", "30 minutes" and so on. Release the key when you have gone forward the required amount.

NOTE: Playback will start automatically after any time jump operation, even if PLEXTALK was not playing previously.

11.13. Getting information about the item being played.

It is often useful to be able to get playing information about the item currently in use. You can do this as follows:

• Press and hold down the Play/Stop key.

• If you are using a DAISY title, you will hear the time elapsed, time

remaining, total time, the date and time when the index was created and the first phrase of the title.

• If you are using a Music CD, you will hear the elapsed time, remaining time and total time of the current track followed by the elapsed time, remaining time and total time of the disc.

• If you are using an Audio File CD or CF card, you will hear the elapsed time, remaining time and total time for the current file, followed by the date and time when the index was created.

• When you have heard the information you wanted to hear, release the Play/Stop key and PLEXTALK will return to what it was doing previously.

NOTE: The detail of the information spoken differs according to the format of the CD or CF card in use, but the method to get the information is the same. NOTE: For all types of data, if the playback mode is not set to "Standard" play, the current playback mode will be announced before any of the other information mentioned above.

11.14. Using bookmarks.

Bookmarks are a very powerful way of enhancing the navigation options in a DAISY title, Music CD or in an Audio File CD or CF card. This section tells you about the types of bookmark available to you and how to insert, navigate and delete them.

11.14.1. Types of bookmark.

There are 4 types of bookmark you can use in PLEXTALK as follows:

• Simple bookmark - This is the quickest and easiest bookmark to insert and use. You can create one simple bookmark for each title or album. It is always assigned the number 0 by PLEXTALK.

• Numbered bookmarks - You can insert up to 10000 numbered bookmarks in each title or album. Each bookmark is assigned a unique number in the range 1 to 65000. If you try to exceed the 10000 limit, the oldest bookmark is automatically deleted before the new one is created.

• Voice bookmarks - These are numbered bookmarks that have accompanying voice annotations. Voice bookmarks and memos both use memory. The total memory available gives about 30 minutes of recording. The factory default allocation of this memory is 10 minutes for voice bookmarks and 20 minutes for memos. If you try to exceed this allocation, the oldest bookmark is automatically deleted before the new one is created.

• Resume bookmarks - For every title or album, the current playing location will be stored so playback can be resumed from that location the next time the title or album is used.

NOTE: PLEXTALK will remember the bookmark and other information for up to 1000 titles or albums.

11.14.2. Getting bookmark information.

REMINDER: In the column of 5 keys on the left of the top of PLEXTALK, the Bookmark key is the black, diamond shaped key which is fourth from the top.

To find out information about the bookmarks in the current title, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press and hold down the Bookmark key.

• The current bookmark number, the total number of bookmarks

and the total number of voice bookmarks will be announced.

NOTE: If there are no bookmarks in the current title or album, PLEXTALK will announce "Bookmark does not exist".

11.14.3. Inserting bookmarks.

This section tells you how to insert simple, numbered and voice bookmarks into your title or album.

To insert the simple bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key twice. PLEXTALK will say "Set the bookmark".

• Press the Enter key and PLEXTALK will say "Set simple bookmark".

NOTE: There is only one simple bookmark per title or album. The position of the existing simple bookmark is moved to the new position when you insert the simple bookmark again in this title. NOTE The simple bookmark is automatically assigned the number 0. NOTE: PLEXTALK will not allow you to insert a simple bookmark where another bookmark already exists.

To insert a numbered bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key twice. PLEXTALK will say "Set bookmark".

• Enter the number you wish to assign to this bookmark, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• If you try to assign the same number as an existing bookmark,

PLEXTALK gives you the chance to overwrite the existing bookmark or assign a different number. Press the Enter key to

overwrite the existing bookmark or the Cancel key to assign a different number.

• When you have selected a valid number for your bookmark, PLEXTALK will confirm that the bookmark has been set.

NOTE: PLEXTALK will not allow you to set a bookmark in the same position as an existing bookmark.

To insert a voice bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

REMINDER: The Record key is the round, white key with the red ring on it. It is located at the front left corner of the top of PLEXTALK.

• Press the Bookmark key three times. PLEXTALK will say "Set voice bookmark".

• Enter the number you wish to assign to this voice bookmark, using the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• If you try to assign the same number as an existing bookmark,

PLEXTALK gives you the chance to overwrite the existing bookmark or assign a different number. Press the Enter key to overwrite the existing bookmark or the Cancel key to assign a different number.

• After you have assigned a valid number to your voice bookmark, PLEXTALK will speak a reminder that you should press and hold the Record key whilst recording and will indicate that the recording level will be automatically set.

• Press and hold down the Record key and speak your voice annotation.

• Release the Record key when you have finished. PLEXTALK will confirm that the voice bookmark has been set.

NOTE: The built in microphone is situated under the grill at the back of the top of PLEXTALK. NOTE: You can select whether voice bookmarks should play or not when you are navigating to the bookmark or listening to the title or album. Further information about how to do this is given at the end of this chapter.

NOTE: Resume bookmarks are inserted automatically by PLEXTALK when you move to a different title or album, or when you shut down the recorder. No action is required from you.

11.14.4. Navigating to bookmarks.

This section tells you how to navigate to the various types of bookmark.

To jump to the simple bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key once. PLEXTALK will say "Go to bookmark".

• Press the Enter key and PLEXTALK will go to the simple bookmark

position and playback will start automatically.

To jump to a numbered bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key once. PLEXTALK will say "Go to bookmark".

• Enter the number of the bookmark you wish to go to, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When a valid bookmark number has been entered, PLEXTALK will

go to the location of that bookmark and playback will start automatically.

NOTE: PLEXTALK will speak an error message if you try to go to a numbered bookmark that does not exist.

To jump to a voice bookmark, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key once. PLEXTALK will say "Go to bookmark".

• Enter the number of the voice bookmark you wish to go to, using

the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When a valid bookmark number has been entered, PLEXTALK will

go to the location of that bookmark and playback will start automatically.

• Depending on the setting you have selected for the playback of voice bookmarks, the voice annotation that you previously recorded will either be heard at this time or not.

NOTE: PLEXTALK will speak an error message if you try to go to a bookmark that does not exist.

Once you have entered bookmarks into a title or album, a "Bookmark" option will become available on the Navigation Menu. In order to navigate to the next bookmark with a lower or higher number, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Bookmark" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Press the Number 4 key to move to the next bookmark with a lower number. PLEXTALK will move to the bookmark and announce its number. Playback will start automatically. If you are on the bookmark with the lowest number, pressing the Number 4 key will take you to the bookmark with the highest number.

• Press the Number 6 key to move to the next bookmark with a higher number. PLEXTALK will move to the bookmark and announce its number. Playback will start automatically. If you are on the bookmark with the highest number, pressing the Number 6 key will take you to the bookmark with the lowest number.

NOTE: When navigating in this way, you will move by the numbering sequence of the bookmarks and not by the time sequence that they appear in the title or album. For example, assume you have randomly assigned bookmarks with numbers from 1 to 10 throughout your title or album and you are currently on bookmark 5. Using this method will allow you to move to bookmark 4 or 6 regardless of where they are located, even if there are other bookmarks in between numbers 4 and 5 or between 5 and 6. NOTE: The simple bookmark is assigned the number 0. NOTE: If there are no bookmarks in the title, the "Bookmark" option will not be listed on the Navigation Menu.

11.14.5. Clearing bookmarks.

This section tells you how you can clear individual bookmarks or all the bookmarks in the current title or in every title.

To clear the simple bookmark from the current title or album, do the following:

• Press the Bookmark key 4 times. PLEXTALK will say "Clear bookmark".

• Press the Enter key and the simple bookmark will be cleared. PLEXTALK will confirm this by saying "Cleared".

NOTE: If you try to clear the simple bookmark and it has not been assigned, PLEXTALK will speak an error message.

To clear a numbered bookmark or a voice bookmark, the procedure is identical, as follows:

• Press the Bookmark key 4 times. PLEXTALK will say "Clear bookmark".

• Enter the number of the bookmark you wish to clear, using the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you confirm the number of the bookmark you wish to clear,

PLEXTALK will clear this bookmark from the current title or album and will confirm this by saying "Cleared".

NOTE: If the bookmark you have selected is a voice bookmark, the equivalent voice annotation will also be deleted from memory. NOTE: If you enter an invalid bookmark number, PLEXTALK will speak an error message.

If you wish to clear all bookmarks in the current title or album, do the following:

• Press the Menu key to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Bookmark" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Clear all bookmarks in current title" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• PLEXTALK will ask you to confirm this action. If you wish to proceed, press the Enter key and PLEXTALK will say "Cleared". If you have changed your mind, press the Cancel key or the Menu key to exit the menu system entirely.

NOTE: The procedure will only clear bookmarks in the current title or album and will not affect bookmarks in other titles or albums.

If you wish to clear all bookmarks from all titles and albums, do the following:

• Press the Menu key to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Bookmark" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Clear all bookmarks" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

11.14.6. Turning on and off voice bookmark speech.

When you are using voice bookmarks, you are able to select whether you want to hear them spoken or not.

To turn voice bookmarks On or Off, do the following:

• Press the Menu key to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Bookmark" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Setting of playing voice bookmark" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to select either "Voice bookmark on" or "Voice bookmark off" and press the Enter key to confirm your choice. PLEXTALK will confirm the action by saying "Set"

NOTE: The factory default setting for playing voice bookmarks is "Voice bookmark on".

12. Playing DAISY titles.

This chapter covers additional features that can be used when you are playing a DAISY title from a CD or CF card. If you don't already have a DAISY CD or CF card in PLEXTALK, it will be useful to do this now. The User's Guide CD is a good choice as it contains many of the features discussed in this section.

CAUTION: PLEXTALK is only compatible with round CDs. Irregularly shaped CDs, such as the business card type, will cause a malfunction and should not be used. CAUTION: As the CD rotates at a high speed, do not stick any thick items, like Braille labels, onto the surface of the disc. REMINDER: In the column of 5 keys on the left side of the top of PLEXTALK, The Heading key is the second key from the top and the Page key is the third key from the top. They are both black, diamond shaped keys.

12.1. Getting heading and title information.

To find out information about the titles on the CD or CF card, and about the headings in the current title, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press and hold down the Heading key.

• The current heading number and the total number of headings in

the current title will be announced.

• If there is more than one title on the CD or CF card, the current title number and the total number of titles on the CD or CF card will be announced.

• As PLEXTALK supports titles that span across multiple CDs, If more than one CD has been used, the current CD number and the total number of CDs will be announced.

• This will be followed by an announcement of the copyright status of the current section in the DAISY title.

• After these announcements, the first phrase of the current section will be played.

REMINDER: The PTR2 recognises 4 categories of copyright status which are Master, Copy, DAISY or No copyright information. The announcement made by PLEXTALK will include one of these categories. NOTE: If the playing position is at the beginning or end of the title, because there is no audio at these locations, no copyright information or recorded audio will be heard.

12.2. Getting page information.

To find out information about the pages in the current title, whether PLEXTALK is playing or not, do the following:

• Press and hold down the Page key.

• The current page number and the maximum number of pages in

the current title will be announced.

NOTE: If there are any front pages or special pages within the DAISY title, the number of front pages and special pages will be announced as well as the other page information.

12.3. Title navigation.

In situations where there are more than one title on the CD or CF card, you may wish to switch from the title you are currently reading to another title. You can either do this by using the "Go To Title" feature or by using the Navigation Menu, as follows:

To go direct to a specific title, do the following:

• Press the Heading key until the guide speech says "Go to title".

• Type in the number of the title you want to go to, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid title number and pressed the Enter

key, PLEXTALK will switch to the title you selected. If you have entered an invalid title number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

To select a different title by moving through the available titles one at a time, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Total Titles" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to move sequentially through the available titles.

• As you move your selection, you will first hear the number of the title you have selected followed by the first phrase of that title.

• If you wish to play the selected title, press the Play/Stop key. Playback will start from the position in the title where it was stopped previously.

• If you wish to move to a different title, continue to use your Number 4 or 6 key until you find the title you want.

NOTE: If there is only one title on a CD or CF card, PLEXTALK will remove all title navigation options from the system at that time.

12.4. Heading navigation.

Navigating to headings is very similar to title navigation. You can either go to headings direct or you can move through the available headings one at a time.

REMINDER: Headings are marked locations in the DAISY title that you may wish to get to quickly, such as the start of chapters, sections and sub sections. The headings in a DAISY title are numbered sequentially from the start of the title. Every heading has an associated navigation level between Level 1 and Level 6.

To go direct to a specific heading, do the following:

• Press the Heading key until the guide speech says "Go to heading".

• Type in the number of the heading you wish to go to, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid heading number and pressed the Enter key, PLEXTALK will switch to the heading you selected and playback will start automatically. If you have entered an invalid heading number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

To navigate headings sequentially, using heading levels, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to your desired level of navigation, for example Level 1 or Level 2.

• Press the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous heading on the selected level. PLEXTALK will move to the heading and playback will start automatically. If there is no previous heading, PLEXTALK will move to the beginning and say "Beginning of title".

• Press the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next heading on the selected level. PLEXTALK will move to the heading and playback will start automatically. If there is no next heading, PLEXTALK will go to the end and say "End of title".

NOTE: When navigating in this way, PLEXTALK will stop at all headings that have a level the same as or higher than the level you have selected. For example, if you chose to navigate on Level 3, PLEXTALK will find all Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 headings as you move backwards or forwards. If you have chosen Level 1 navigation, PLEXTALK will only find Level 1 headings as you move.

12.5. Page navigation.

Navigating to pages is very similar to heading navigation. You can either go to pages direct or you can move through the available pages one at a time. When using PLEXTALK, pages are numbered sequentially from the start of the title.

To go direct to a specified page, do the following:

• Press the Page key until the guide speech says "Go to page".

• Type in the number of the page you wish to go to, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid page number and pressed the Enter key, PLEXTALK will switch to the page you selected and playback will start automatically. If you have entered an invalid page number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

To navigate pages sequentially, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Page" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Press the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous page. PLEXTALK will move back to the previous page marker and playback will start automatically. If there is no previous page, PLEXTALK will go to the beginning and say "Beginning of title".

• Press the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next page. PLEXTALK will move forwards to the next page marker and playback will start automatically. If there is no next page, PLEXTALK will go to the end and say "End of title".

NOTE: If there are no page markers in the title, the "Page" option will not be listed on the Navigation Menu. NOTE: There are three kinds of page which are Normal, Front and Special. Front pages are those at the front of the book before the page numbering for the body of the book begins. Special pages are those that are not front matter and which do not follow the sequential numbering system. You cannot move directly to Front or Special pages using the Page key and can only navigate to them using the Number 4 or 6 keys after selecting the "Page" option on the Navigation menu.

12.6. Group navigation.

REMINDER: A Group, in the context of the PTR2, is a navigation feature which can be assigned to items of note throughout a DAISY title. They are separate from other navigation features like headings and pages. In the DAISY version of the User's Guide, groups are used to highlight points of safety and notes.

Groups can only be navigated sequentially, however, in the menu system, you are able to specify whether you want PLEXTALK to go to groups only or to all headings as well as groups. The ability to navigate groups independent of other structure makes navigation quicker, whereas navigating groups with the headings, gives a better idea of where the groups are in the structure.

In order to select your preferred method of navigation, do the following:

REMINDER: The Menu key is the black, oval shaped key on the right side of the top of PLEXTALK, just in front of the speaker grill.

• Press the Menu key once.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Control panel" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Select moving behaviour for a group" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to select between "Stop all structure" or "Stop the group only", pressing the Enter key to confirm your selection.

• Having made your choice, PLEXTALK will exit from the menu system automatically.

To move backwards or forwards a group at a time, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Group" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Use the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous group item in the title. PLEXTALK will move backwards to the previous group item and playback will start automatically. If there are no previous group items, PLEXTALK will go to the beginning and say "Beginning of title".

• Use the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next group item in the title. PLEXTALK will move forwards to the next group item and playback will start automatically. If there are no next group items, PLEXTALK will move to the end and say "End of title".

NOTE: If there are no group markers in the title, the "Group" option will not be listed on the Navigation Menu.

12.7. Phrase navigation.

REMINDER: Phrases are a DAISY navigation feature which are automatically created when the recording is made. A phrase is the piece of audio between one moment of silence and the next.

As discussed in an earlier section, PLEXTALK enables you to specify whether you want the Back and Forward keys to function as phrase jump or 5 second jump keys. Before you can navigate backwards or forwards a phrase at a time, you must set this option for phrase jumps.

To set the Back and Forward keys for phrase jumps, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Control panel" option and

select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Select the moving behaviour for forward and back" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Phrase moving" option and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• After making this selection, you will be automatically exited from the menu system.

Having set this option, to move backwards or forwards a phrase at a time, do the following:

To jump back one phrase, press the Back key once. PLEXTALK will move backwards to the start of the previous phrase and playback will start automatically. If there is no previous phrase, PLEXTALK will go to the beginning and say "Beginning of title". To jump forwards one phrase, press the Forward key once. PLEXTALK will jump forwards to the start of the next phrase and playback will start automatically. If there is no next phrase, PLEXTALK will go to the end and say "End of title".

NOTE: Phrase jumping only works when listening to a DAISY title. NOTE: Sometimes, depending on how long you let the phrase play for, you may need to press the Back key twice quickly to move to the previous phrase, otherwise PLEXTALK may only jump back to the start of the current phrase.

12.8. Selecting a playback mode.

You can select a number of different playback modes when using a DAISY title. The available options are as follows:

• Standard play - this option is the factory default setting. It plays through the title and stops when finished. PLEXTALK will say "End of title". Pressing the Play/Stop key at this stage will start playback from the beginning again.

• Repeat between bookmarks - if you have inserted bookmarks into your title, the audio between the bookmarks either side of your current position in the title will be repeated continuously until playback is stopped. The beginning and end of the title are treated like bookmarks in this playback mode.

• Repeat section - the current section will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat title - the current title will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat all titles - playback will continuously play all titles in order until playback is stopped.

• Repeat random - the sections within the current DAISY title will be continuously played in random order until playback is stopped.

NOTE: In this situation, the order of bookmarks is not based on their numerical sequence but on their time sequence in the title.

In order to select a playback mode, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Playing Settings" option

and select it by pressing the Enter key. The currently selected playing mode will be spoken.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to your preferred playing mode and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Your selection will be made and the menu system will be exited automatically.

NOTE: When you select a playback mode, it will remain the default playback mode until you change it again, even if the unit is turned off and back on.

13. Playing Music CDs.

This chapter covers features that are specific to playing Music CDs. There is a lot of similarity between these commands and the equivalent ones for DAISY titles, so you should find them simple to learn. Before continuing with this chapter, ensure that you have inserted a Music CD, so you can try out the features as you progress.

CAUTION: PLEXTALK may not be able to play a Music CD that is not compliant with the CD digital audio (CD-DA) standard. Some copyprotected Music CDs are not compliant with CD-DA, and this can affect their playing, even on a CD-ROM-based player such as PLEXTALK. CAUTION: PLEXTALK is only compatible with round CDs. Irregularly shaped CDs, such as the business card type, will cause a malfunction and should not be used. CAUTION: As the CD rotates at a high speed, do not stick any thick items, like Braille labels, onto the surface of the disc.

13.1. Track navigation.

Navigating to tracks is very similar to heading or page navigation. You can either go to tracks direct or you can move through the available tracks one at a time. Tracks are numbered sequentially from the start of the album.

To go direct to a specified track, do the following:

• Press the heading key once. the guide speech will say "Go to track".

• Type in the number of the track you wish to go to, using the

Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid track number and pressed the

Enter key, PLEXTALK will switch to the track you selected and playback will start automatically. If you have entered an invalid track number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

To navigate tracks sequentially, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Track" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Press the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous track. PLEXTALK will move back to the previous track and playback will start automatically. If there is no previous track, PLEXTALK will go to the beginning and say "Beginning of album".

• Press the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next track. PLEXTALK will move forwards to the next track and playback will start automatically. If there is no next track, PLEXTALK will go to the end and say "End of album".

NOTE: When moving back a track at a time, if you allow the track to play for more than 3 seconds, the next time you move back a track, you will move to the start of the current track. If you move back a second time within 3 seconds, you will move to the previous track.

13.2. Selecting a playback mode.

As for a DAISY title, when playing a Music CD you can select a number of different playback modes. The available options are as follows:

• Standard play - this option is the factory default setting. It plays through the album and stops when finished. PLEXTALK will say "End of album". Pressing the Play/Stop key at this stage will start playback from the beginning again.

• Repeat track - the current track will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat album - the current album will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat random - the tracks within the current album will be continuously played in random order until playback is stopped.

• Repeat between bookmarks - if you have inserted bookmarks into your album, the audio between the bookmarks either side of your current position in the album will be repeated continuously until playback is stopped. The beginning and end of the album are treated like bookmarks in this playback mode.

NOTE: In this situation, the order of bookmarks is not based on their numerical sequence but on their time sequence in the title.

In order to select a playback mode, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Playing Settings" option

and select it by pressing the Enter key. The currently selected playing mode will be spoken.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to your preferred playing mode and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Your selection will be made and the menu system will be exited automatically.

NOTE: When you select a playback mode, it will remain the default playback mode until you change it again, even if the unit is turned off and back on.

14. Playing an Audio File CD or CF card.

This chapter looks at issues relating to playing Audio File CDs and CF cards. In this guide, the term "audio files" refers to files that have been created using a PC or IC recorder. As previously mentioned, PLEXTALK is capable of recognising and playing audio files which are in any of the following file formats: Wave, MP3 or Ogg Vorbis.

Before proceeding with this section, you may wish to insert a CD or CF card containing files in one or more of these formats into PLEXTALK so you can try out the features as you proceed.

CAUTION: PLEXTALK is only compatible with round CDs. Irregularly shaped CDs, such as the business card type, will cause a malfunction and should not be used. CAUTION: As the CD rotates at a high speed, do not stick any thick items, like Braille labels, onto the surface of the disc. NOTE: PLEXTALK cannot be used to record, edit or back up audio files on CDs or CF cards.

14.1. About audio files.

This section gives you some more technical information about the types of audio files that can be used with your PLEXTALK. The file types are as follows:

• MP3 Files - MP3 (short for MPEG1/2 Audio Layer 3) is a standard for the compression of audio data. It allows compression ratios of 1/10 or even 1/12, with Music CD quality. PLEXTALK supports the following bit rates: MPEG1 Layer 3 from 32kbps to 320kbps and MPEG2 Layer 3 from 8kbps to 160kbps. It also supports VBR (Variable Bit Rate).

NOTE: For VBR, the reporting of the elapsed time and remaining time is not accurate and should be viewed as an estimate only. NOTE: PLEXTALK does not support MPEG2.5 Audio Layer 3 file format.

• WAVE Files - The Wave format is Microsoft's standard audio file format. PLEXTALK supports Wave files in PCM(Pulse Code Modulation) format only.

• Ogg Vorbis Files - Ogg Vorbis is a free licensed audio compression format using bit rates from 45kbps to 320kbps. PLEXTALK supports all Ogg Vorbis bit rates.

NOTE: Please visit the web site, http://www.vorbis.com/ for further details about this format.

14.2. About playing sequences.

This section gives you information about the playing sequence used for playing files and folders.

• Playback of files - If there is a text file called “play list” in the folder, PLEXTALK will follow the playing sequence specified in this file. If a file of this type does not exist in the folder, PLEXTALK will playback the files in the order of their file names. In this case, numbers take precedence over alphabetical characters. For example, if one file is called "123ABC" and a second file is called "ABC", the file "123ABC" will play before the file called "ABC".

NOTE: The “play list” file normally has a file name extension of “m3u” and the names of the audio files are written in the order that you want them played.

• Playback of folders - If more than one folder exists on the CD or CF card, the audio files will be played from the lowest level of the folder structure in the first folder upwards before then playing the files at the lowest level of the next folder structure. Finally, any files at the root level will be played. The following example demonstrates this idea:

At the Root level there is Folder 1, Folder 4, and File A. Under Folder 1 there is Folder 2, Folder 3, and File B. Under Folder 2 there is File E and File F. Under Folder 3 there is File G and File H. Under Folder 4 there is File C and File D.

In the above example, the playing sequence would be: E, F, G, H, B, C, D, A.

14.3. Restrictions on Audio Files.

When creating an Audio File CD or CF card for use in your PLEXTALK, you should bear in mind the following restrictions:

Restrictions on numbers of files and folders:

• The maximum number of files that can be stored in a folder is 1022. Files in excess of 1022 are not recognized.

• The maximum number of folders is 254, including a root folder. Folders in excess of 254 are not recognized.

• PLEXTALK treats file folders as albums and recognizes up to 8 hierarchies.

NOTE: When there is a large number of folders, PLEXTALK may take longer to read the CD or CF card information.

Restrictions when recording:

• When creating an Audio File CD or CF card, you should only use a blank CD or CF card to record on. Do not create a DAISY title on the blank media before burning your audio files to CD or CF card. If you do, the DAISY files will take precedence over the audio files and the disc or card will not play properly.

• PLEXTALK recognizes CDs that are written by the following methods: “Disc-At-Once”, “Track-At-Once”, “Session-At-Once” and “Packet Writing (only after finalized)”.

• When creating an Audio File CD, you must select “ISO9660 Level 1” or “ISO9660 Level 2” or “Joliet” or “Romeo (Windows)” as the file system properties.

• When creating an audio file, it is recommended that you do not use local code characters in the names of files or folders.

• Specialised CD writing software is required to create the Audio File CD.

14.4. Checking the number of files and albums.

To check the number of files in the current album and the number of albums on the CD or CF card, do the following:

Press and hold down the Heading key. The number of the current file, the total number of files, the number of the current album and the total number of albums will be spoken.

NOTE: If there is only one album on the CD or CF card, only the file information will be spoken.

14.5. File navigation.

Navigating to files is very similar to track navigation on Music CDs. You can either go to files direct or you can move through the available files one at a time. Files are numbered sequentially from the start of the album.

To go direct to a specified file, do the following:

• Press the heading key once. the guide speech will say "Go to file".

• Type in the number of the file you wish to go to, using the Number

Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid file number and pressed the Enter

key, PLEXTALK will switch to the file you selected and playback will start automatically. If you have entered an invalid file number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

To navigate files sequentially, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "File" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Press the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous file. PLEXTALK will move back to the previous file and playback will start automatically. If there is no previous file, PLEXTALK will go to the beginning and say "Beginning of album".

• Press the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next file. PLEXTALK will move forwards to the next file and playback will

start automatically. If there is no next file, PLEXTALK will go to the end and say "End of album".

NOTE: When moving back a file at a time, if you allow the file to play for more than 3 seconds, the next time you move back a file, you will move to the start of the current file. If you move back a second time within 3 seconds, you will move to the previous file.

14.6. Album navigation.

Navigating to albums is very similar to file navigation. You can either go to albums direct or you can move through the available albums one at a time.

To go direct to a specified album, do the following:

• Press the heading key twice. the guide speech will say "Go to album".

• Type in the number of the album you wish to go to, using the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you have entered a valid album number and pressed the

Enter key, PLEXTALK will switch to the album you selected. If you have entered an invalid album number, the guide speech will speak an error message.

• Press the Play/Stop key to start playback.

To navigate albums sequentially, do the following:

• Use the Number 2 or 8 key to go to the "Album" option on the Navigation Menu.

• Press the Number 4 key to move backwards to the previous album. PLEXTALK will move back to the previous album and announce the album number.

• Press the Number 6 key to move forwards to the next album. PLEXTALK will move forwards to the next album and announce the album number.

14.7. Selecting a playback mode.

As for a DAISY title or a Music CD, when playing an Audio File CD or CF card, you can select a number of different playback modes. The available options are as follows:

• Standard play - this option is the factory default setting. It plays through the current album and stops when finished. PLEXTALK will say "End of album". Pressing the Play/Stop key at this stage will start playback from the beginning of the album again.

• Repeat file - the current file will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat album - the current album will repeat continuously until playback is stopped.

• Repeat all albums - all albums will be repeated sequentially until playback is stopped.

• Repeat random - the files in all the album will be continuously played in random order until playback is stopped.

• Repeat between bookmarks - if you have inserted bookmarks into an album, the audio between the bookmarks either side of your current position in the album will be repeated continuously until playback is stopped. The beginning and end of the album are treated like bookmarks in this playback mode.

NOTE: In this situation, the order of bookmarks is not based on their numerical sequence but on their time sequence in the title.

In order to select a playback mode, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to the "Playing Settings" option

and select it by pressing the Enter key. The currently selected playing mode will be spoken.

• Use the Number 4 or 6 key to go to your preferred playing mode and select it by pressing the Enter key.

• Your selection will be made and the menu system will be exited automatically.

NOTE: When you select a playback mode, it will remain the default playback mode until you change it again, even if the unit is turned off and back on.

15. Power management features.

Now that you have learned how to use your PLEXTALK for playback operations, there are several features related to power management that you may find helpful to know about. PLEXTALK will warn you when the battery charge is becoming low. It also has an automatic power off function a sleep timer and the ability to power itself on at specified times. This chapter shows you how these features work.

15.1. Battery low warning.

When PLEXTALK is operating on battery power and the power level drops to a level where it needs to be recharged, PLEXTALK will say "Low battery. Please plug in AC adaptor". This message may be repeated several times. If you wish to continue to use PLEXTALK, you need to plug in the AC adaptor and switch on the mains power. If you do not plug in the AC adaptor, PLEXTALK will shut down automatically when the battery level drops below a certain point.

CAUTION: If the battery power fails during operations such as CD backup, disc finalisation or disc erasing, the media may become damaged or unusable.

15.2. Automatic power off function.

In order to save battery power, PLEXTALK will automatically shut down after 30 minutes of inactivity. Before shutting down, PLEXTALK will give you a 1 minute warning followed by a 15 second warning. After this 15 seconds, PLEXTALK will shut itself down automatically.

If you do not want PLEXTALK to shut down during this warning period, just carry out one of the operating functions, for example, start playback, start recording or access the menu system. PLEXTALK can then be left for a further 30 minutes of inactivity before the same warning will be spoken again.

NOTE: PLEXTALK will not automatically shut down if it is running on mains power.

15.3. Compulsory power off function.

If for any reason, PLEXTALK will not shut down or you are not able to navigate with any keys, you can try using the compulsory power off function, as an alternative to removing the battery.

To use the compulsory power off feature, pulling the Power On/Off switch towards the front for more than 10 seconds. PLEXTALK should shut down.

NOTE: If this method does not work, and your PLEXTALK is still powered on, you should remove the battery and replace it, as detailed in Section 6.4.

15.4. Sleep timer function.

The Sleep Timer feature enables you to specify an amount of time, after which, PLEXTALK will shut down. This can be handy if you are wanting to listen to a DAISY book or music for a set amount of time or if you want to record something that you know in advance how long it lasts. This section shows you how to set and cancel the sleep timer.

15.4.1. Setting the sleep timer.

REMINDER: The Information key is the top key in the column of 5 keys on the left of the top of PLEXTALK. It is a black, diamond shaped key.

To set the sleep timer, do the following:

• Press the Information key once. PLEXTALK will say "Sleep timer. Input minutes to activate".

• Enter a number between 1 and 999, using the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm or the Cancel key to clear your entry.

• When you enter a valid number of minutes, PLEXTALK will confirm

that the sleep timer has been set to the number of minutes you entered.

100

15.4.2. Cancelling the sleep timer.

To cancel the sleep timer, do the following:

• Press the Information key once. PLEXTALK will tell you that the sleep timer is currently on and the number of minutes remaining before shut down. It will then tell you to enter a number or to press 0 if you wish to cancel the setting.

• Enter the number 0, using the Number Pad.

• Press the Enter key to confirm and PLEXTALK will say "Cancelled".

15.5. Power On timer function.

PLEXTALK gives you the ability to set 2 times when the unit will automatically turn itself on. These are called "Power on timer 1" and "Power on timer 2". These work similar to the way an alarm clock radio works. You can set the timers to come on at the same time each day.

This section shows you how to activate, deactivate and modify the power on timer settings.

15.5.1. Check the time on the internal clock.

Before setting the power on timer function, you should double check that the date and time on your PLEXTALK's internal clock is correctly set. Press and hold down the Information key to hear the current date and time spoken. If the date or time is not correct, you should refer to Section 10.1 Setting the date and time for instructions on how to reset the date and time.

15.5.2. Activating the power on timer.

To activate or turn on one of the power on timers, do the following:

• Press the Menu key once to access the Main Menu.

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Activeforever Plextalk PTR2 User Manual

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