ViewPlus TigerBox User Manual

ViewPlus TigerBox

User Manual

Revision: 20180609

Table of Contents

I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 2

A. Preface .............................................................................................................................................. 2

B. Specifications .................................................................................................................................... 3

II. VP TigerBox Setup ..................................................................................................................................... 3

A. Hardware Setup ................................................................................................................................ 3

Multiple TigerBoxes in the same area? ................................................................................................. 3

B. Software Setup .................................................................................................................................. 3

iOS Mobile Devices ............................................................................................................................... 3

Android Mobile Devices ........................................................................................................................ 4

C. Configurations for Wireless Printing ................................................................................................. 5

Connecting to TigerBox in Wi-Fi Direct mode and accessing user interface ........................................ 5

Switching between Wi-Fi Direct mode and Wi-Fi Network Client mode .............................................. 8

Connecting to TigerBox in Wi-Fi Network Client mode and accessing user interface .......................... 9

D. Hardware Reset to Wi-Fi Direct Mode ............................................................................................ 11

III. Printing to ViewPlus embosser @TigerBox ............................................................................................ 12

A. Settings for printing Braille documents .......................................................................................... 12

Formatter Settings .............................................................................................................................. 12

Embosser Settings ............................................................................................................................... 14

B. Adding VP embosser @ tigerbox to system devices ....................................................................... 15

Adding VP embosser @ tigerbox on Android Mobile Devices ............................................................ 15

Adding VP embosser @ tigerbox on iOS Mobile Devices ................................................................... 17

Adding VP embosser @ tigerbox on Windows PC .............................................................................. 18

C. Printing through TigerBox ............................................................................................................... 22

When to choose VP embosser (Braille)? ............................................................................................. 22

When to choose VP embosser (Tiger)? ............................................................................................... 23

Printing through option from TigerBox user interface Home screen ................................................. 23

Printing from App (example Pages) on iOS device: ............................................................................ 24

Printing from App (example Chrome) on Android device: ................................................................. 25

IV. ViewPlus Help and Support ................................................................................................................... 28

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I. Introduction

A. Preface

Welcome to ViewPlus TigerBox, an AirPrint compatible wireless print server for current VP embosser
models, including VP EmBraille, VP Cub, VP Max, VP SpotDot, VP Columbia, VP Delta, VP Premier, and VP
Elite.

Connect your embosser to TigerBox to send text from mobile devices for text to Braille translation and
embossing. It will work with mobile devices through CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) utilizing
Airprint protocol. Devices running iOS are using CUPS by default. For Android devices, installation of CUPS
client app is required previous to using TigerBox with such device. It is recommended to use Android
version 6 or higher when printing through TigerBox.

TigerBox will produce Braille on the fly from mobile devices according to user preference settings for
language, Braille type, and page layout. Only true text information will be translated to Braille. TigerBox
will also enable to emboss tactile graphics, but it is not capable of initiating any ink output accompanying
the Braille at this time.

Wi-Fi Direct mode

Wi-Fi Direct provides a direct wireless connection to your ViewPlus supported embossers that allows you
to print without joining a local network or connecting to the Internet. When you activate Wi-Fi Direct on
your embosser, you can securely print documents from most Wi-Fi-capable computers and mobile
devices. The technology is similar to Bluetooth, but uses Wi-Fi to work at greater distances and faster
speeds.

Wi-Fi Network mode

Tiger Box can also be configured to work in Wi-Fi Network mode where it can be configured as a client to
another accessible wireless network. The advantage of Network mode is, that you can print contents (such
as supported files) directly from the internet if the host network allows internet access. And, the embosser
connected to Tiger Box will immediately be accessible for Braille printing from any PC or other device
connected to the same host network.

Keep up to date by checking the ViewPlus Technologies, Inc. web site at:

www.ViewPlus.com

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B. Specifications

Operating System

s Android 6+, iOS,

Windows 7, 8,

8.1

or 10

Network

10/100 MBps Ethernet, 802.11n Wireless Lan,

Connections

Ethernet, WiFi Direct, WiFi Network

S

ecurity

WPA2

Bluetooth 4.0

II. VP TigerBox Setup

A. Hardware Setup

The hardware for your TigerBox is easily setup with these simple steps:

1. Connect the micro USB of provided power cable to TigerBox, and plug in the power plug to a
power wall outlet (or extended wall outlet).

2. If you are planning to setup TigerBox in Network Client mode to an existing local area network,
connect it to the corresponding router using ethernet cable.

3. Connect your ViewPlus embosser to TigerBox using a standard USB device cable. Please note that
only one of the four accessible USB ports will be active, but it is your choice which one you occupy.

TigerBox will boot upon power connection. The red LED light should turn on steady. The green light should
be blinking, indicating proper Wi-Fi function.

Multiple TigerBoxes in the same area?

If you are planning to run multiple TigerBoxes within the same local area, please make sure to power on
any next TigerBox only after changing network configuration of the previous one to identify itself with a
unique SSID when leaving in Wi-Fi Direct mode, or a unique hostname when running in Network Client
mode. Please see section II.C. below for further information.

B. Software Setup

iOS Mobile Devices

No specific software setup is needed on iOS mobile devices to be able to print wireless to your ViewPlus
embosser @ tigerbox.

Depending on your network configurations, a network discovery app (e.g. "Fing") might be convenient
though to find TigerBox IP address when configured in Network Client mode. This user manual will point
out situations where this could be useful.

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Android Mobile Devices

As mentioned within the preface of this document, please make sure to install Android CUPS printing app
on your mobile device. You will find this app for free from Google Play Store. Search for "cups print" to
find it and click to install.

Screenshots of installing CUPS

Depending on your network configurations, a network discovery app (e.g. "Fing") might be convenient to
find TigerBox IP address when configured in Network Client mode. This user manual will point out
situations where this could be useful.

Please also note, that the capability to print through TigerBox from your mobile device depends on
printing capabilities of the application from where you are sending data to be embossed.

Some basic tests at ViewPlus conclude to following statements about certain apps when wanting to print
content to a ViewPlus embosser @ tigerbox.

Microsoft Word app for Android: This app provides mainstream printing features similar to MS Office
Word program under Windows, and is giving reliable results when printing to a ViewPlus embosser
through TigerBox.

Chrome: Though Chrome is said to be the standard web browser on Android mobile devices, it does not
reliably provide printing service through Android CUPS print.

Firefox: This is another common web browser on Android mobile devices, and it works well providing a
print command reliably from page menu.

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Samsung Internet Browser: This works well also, providing "Print" directly in options menu on page.

Opera: Opera seems to be a popular browser on Android as well, but unfortunately it does not seem to

provide any print option, why this wouldn't be applicable with TigerBox.

C. Configurations for Wireless Printing

As mentioned within preface of this document, there are two operating modes for TigerBox: Wi-Fi Direct
mode, and Wi-Fi Network Client mode. Wi-Fi Direct mode is running by default after initial hardware setup
of TigerBox.

Connecting to TigerBox in Wi-Fi Direct mode and accessing user interface

TigerBox is hosting direct Wi-Fi named "TigerBox" by factory default. As long as TigerBox is configured to
Wi-Fi Direct mode, you will need to connect your mobile device, or PC, to this Wi-Fi in order to print to
the embosser connected to TigerBox, or to access user settings and configurations for wireless printing.

User screens of different devices may vary from screen shots below, but in general these are the steps to
follow to connect to TigerBox Wi-Fi and access network configuration settings.

1. Open settings on your mobile device and select Wi-Fi. A list of known networks should appear.

2. Select "TigerBox" network and connect.

3. Your device will notice that TigerBox has no internet access and might try to disconnect and
connect to a different Wi-Fi network instead, because the known network with internet access is

Screenshots of connecting to TigerBox Wi-Fi

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preferred by your device. You may need to acknowledge that you want to stay connected, and
possibly also need to select "forget other networks" and turn off mobile data.

4. When successfully connected to "TigerBox" Wi-Fi network, open your preferred web browser
application and enter "http://10.10.0.1" for TigerBox dedicated IP address, or URL
"http://tigerbox" within the address line. A page as shown in following pictures will open.

TigerBox user interface Home page

5. This is the "Home" page of the TigerBox user interface application within your web browser.

The printer specific information depends on the ViewPlus embosser model that you have currently
connected to your TigerBox. With no embosser connected to TigerBox, printer specific information
will show to not be available.

You can switch between sections "Home", "Formatter Settings", "Legacy Settings", and "System"
by selecting the center left menu items. Go to "System" for Wi-Fi Direct, or Wi-Fi Network Client
configuration settings.

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This is the section of the System page, where
configuration can be changed between Wi-Fi
Direct and Wi-Fi Network operating mode

In this section a summary of current connection
values is given. At the bottom you find a "Refresh"
button to refresh display of values after any
change, as well as a button to check for updates
on TigerBox.

TigerBox user interface System page

Please note, that "Check for Updates" can only be
performed in Wi-Fi Network Client mode with
internet access at the same time.

TigerBox main settings on System page

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6. Initially, TigerBox will provide Wi-Fi direct network with SSID "TigerBox" and no password. If you
like, you can secure TigerBox direct Wi-Fi by entering a "Passphrase".

7. You may also change SSID, for example to differentiate between multiple TigerBox devices in
Wi-Fi Direct mode.

8. Press "Apply" to save any changes made within main settings.

9. Make sure to know SSID and passphrase to be able to connect to TigerBox again at any later time.

Switching between Wi-Fi Direct mode and Wi-Fi Network Client mode

If your TigerBox is connected via Ethernet cable to a router of other local area networks, you may switch
configurations to run TigerBox in Network Client mode. The advantage in this case is to have access to
whatever data the connection through this other network will provide (internet) at the same time as
wireless printing through TigerBox will be possible.

Follow the steps below to connect TigerBox in client mode to another network.

1. Select radio button "Connect to another Network" within Main Settings of System home page.

TigerBox main settings on System page

2. A selection box will appear to choose one of the available networks to serve as host for TigerBox
in Network Client mode. Select your preferred local network from the list that opens.

3. SSID of the selected network will show in edit fields below. Enter the passphrase (password) for
access of selected network if your device does not remember it.

4. You may also change hostname of your TigerBox, for example to differentiate between multiple
TigerBox devices connected as clients to the same network.

5. When pressing "Apply" TigerBox will switch to Wi-Fi network client mode.

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