Features of the Duo-B20:
The Duo-B20 is a pocket size computer with a Braille keypad and a 20 cell Braille display. It runs under the Windows XP Pro operating system and includes built-in Windows applications such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, WordPad and others.
Physical Look of the Duo B20
Below is a physical description of the Duo-B20, keys layout and other controls.
Top surface:
The top has a rubber keypad with a 20-cell refreshable Braille display. Just ahead of the front edge.
The keys on the top row starting from the left are as follows:
Escape key – This is an oval shaped key in a horizontal position.
Power key – This is a circular key with a recessed centre.
Fn 1 key – This is a small round key used for the secondary functions of some of the keys.
Up Arrow key – This is a semi-circular shaped key.
Tab key – This is a large round key below the Up Arrow key.
Left Arrow key – This is a semi-circular shaped key to the left of the Tab key.
Right Arrow key – This is a semi-circular shaped key to the right of the Tab key.
Down Arrow key - This is a semi-circular shaped key below the Tab key.
Windows logo key – This is a small round key to the right of the Up Arrow key.
Secondary power key - This is a circular key with a recessed centre similar to the Power key.
Delete key - This is a horizontally positioned oval shaped key similar to the Escape key.
Dots 1, 2, and 3 keys – These are the Braille input keys to the left of the Down Arrow key.
Dots 4, 5, and 6 keys – These are the Braille input keys to the right of the Down Arrow key.
Dot 7 key – This is a rectangular key to the left of the Dot 3 key. By itself, it is the Backspace key. When used together with another key, it is a Shift key.
Dot 7 with an alphabetic character will give the upper case of the character.
Dot 8 key – This is a rectangular key to the right of the Dot 6 key. By itself, it is the Enter key. When used together with another key, it is the Insert key.
Dot 8 is used as the JAWS key when used together with other valid key combinations. For example, dot 8 with dot 2 is Insert + 1, which toggles JAWS keyboard help on or off.
Speaker grills - They are located below dots 7 and 8.
Between the speaker grills are three rectangular keys. From left to right they are Alt, Space Bar and Ctrl
Below the spacebar row are 20 Braille routing keys, beginning from the left with key 1. Keys at position 5, 10 and 15 are higher than the other keys. When used independently these keys are used as Braille routing keys.
These keys have secondary functions. To activate these functions press and release the Fn 1 key, then press one of the routing keys.
The secondary functions of the routing keys are as follows:
keys 1 to 12 for the function keys F1 to F12.
Key 13 is num pad slash.
Key 14 is num pad star.
Key 15 is num pad 5.
Key 16 is num pad minus.
Key 17 is num pad plus.
Key 18 is reserved for future use.
Key 19 is reserved for future use.
Key 20 is grade 2 mode.
Left side
On the left side of the unit there are, from front to back, USB socket, microphone socket, headphone socket and external monitor socket.
Back face
In the back right corner is a small round hole which is the socket to connect the AC power supply.
Right side
On the right side of the unit, midway between the front and back, is the SD memory slot.
Towards the back is the grooved cover of the battery compartment. Slide the cover towards the back to open. The cover is rectangular with three straight edges and one edge with a peak in the middle. The peaked edge should face towards the back edge.
Inserting the battery
In order to insert or replace the battery, do the following:
• Ensure that all packaging is removed from the battery.
• Open the battery compartment by sliding the battery cover towards the back of the unit.
• At one end of the battery you should find a fabric loop that is used for removing the battery from its slot. At the other end you should find one edge with a series of notches.
• Making sure the notched edge is facing towards the front of the Duo-B20, carefully place the notched end of the battery into the battery slot and slide gently to the left until it is inserted all the way into the unit. At this point the battery should protrude slightly past the back edge of the Duo-B20. Using the thumb, apply gentle pressure to the battery to connect the battery sliding it past the back edge of the unit.
• Making sure the fabric loop of the battery is not obstructing the battery cover replace the battery cover by sliding the cover back into position with the peaked edge towards the back. When the cover is closed properly the corner where the peaked edge meets the back of the unit should feel smooth. If it is not, you may have to open the cover slightly and press the fabric loop down and slide the cover into position.
CAUTION: Never use force when inserting 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.
Connecting the Duo-B20 to the mains for charging
In order to charge the internal battery, you will need to connect Duo-B20 to the mains supply as follows:
• Place the Duo-B20 on a flat surface in front of you in the normal operating position.
• Locate the AC adaptor that was supplied with the Duo-B20. The AC adapter consists of a rectangular transformer block with an integrated cable. At the end of the cable is a small round connector.
• CAUTION: Before proceeding any further, you should ensure that you do have the correct type of mains cable for the country's mains supply. If you don't have the correct cable, you should contact the local Duo-B20 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 the Duo-B20.
• 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.
Turning On the Duo-B20
To turn on the power, do the following:
• Locate one of the Powers On/Off buttons, which is the second button from the left or Right on the top row of the Duo-B20 keypad.
• Press and release the button. You should hear a click to indicate the unit is powering on and the fan turns on for a few seconds then turns off.
• The boot up process starts and Windows will load. You should hear the Windows start up sound. Please wait until you hear the screen reader speaking and Braille is displayed before using the Duo-B20.
To turn off the power, do the following
Press the Power On/ Off button and release it. Windows will display options. Select shut down and press Enter.
The Security Main Switch
The security main switch is located at the back of the unit. It is used to secure unit from accidentally being powered on or off. When unit is in an off position the switch is downward and upward in an on position.
General safety information
• Do not insert or remove the power plug with wet hands.
• Do not subject the Duo-B20 to shocks, such as dropping or stepping on it.
• If liquids or metal fragments should enter the player, remove the power plug immediately and remove the battery.
• Never disassemble or attempt to repair the Duo-B20 yourself.
• If you smell smoke or any strange odours coming from the Duo-B20, turn off all power immediately. Disconnect the AC adaptor if connected and remove the battery.
• Do not use the Duo-B20 near water.
Safe use of the rechargeable battery
• Never disassemble the battery or expose to fire.
• Only use the specified battery that was included with the Duo-B20.
• Install it as instructed, with the terminals placed in the correct orientation.
• Do not subject the battery to shocks, such as dropping or stepping on it.
Maintenance and battery care
It is important that you look after the Duo-B20 properly from the outset to ensure that you do not cause accidental damage to the unit or the battery.
In order that you get the most out of the rechargeable battery, you should take careful note of the following points:
• When using the Duo-B20 for the first time, or after one month of storage, you should connect to a mains power supply for at least 3 hours.
• If the Duo-B20 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 the agent.
• The usable time may be affected by the ambient temperature and working environment.
• The battery will normally take 3 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 3 Hours
Optical Discs
An external USB optical media drive is required to use optical discs with the Duo-B20. It may be purchased from the local agent or most computer stores.
Secure Digital or SD memory cards
Insert the notched end of a SD memory card with the notched corner facing the back of the Duo-B20.
Using the Braille Keypad of the Duo-B20
The Quiet Touch Braille keypad of the Duo-B20 is activated by a gentle but firm keypress. Using force is not recommended.
To get accustomed to the Braille keypad turn on the keyboard help mode of the screen reader and practice using the keypad until the feedback you get is accurate and consistent. For example, in the JAWS screen reader insert+1 will toggle keyboard help on or off. To simulate this key sequence on the Braille keypad, press and hold down the dot 8 key then press the dot 2 key to toggle keyboard help mode on or off.
Entering and Editing Text
When the Duo-B20 boots up, enter text using un-contracted computer Braille. When creating or editing a text document turn on the grade 2 mode by pressing and releasing the Fn1 key then press routing key 20. You should hear a tone going up in pitch. Pressing the same key sequence will toggle the grade 2 mode off. You should hear a tone going down in pitch.
Grade 2 mode activates a Braille back translator that converts the grade 2 Braille characters as they are entered. This allows you to input text directly into a word processing program such as WordPad or Microsoft Word using grade 2 Braille.
As you type in grade 2 mode the Duo-B20 attempts to anticipate what you are typing and will give you feedback on possible words. Continue typing until you complete the word by typing a space character. The translated word will be entered in the application. If you have the grade 2 feature of the screen reader enabled the text will be displayed in grade 2 Braille.
In some instances it may be better to enter text in computer Braille. For example, email or web addresses that may include periods and no spaces between words. Press the Fn1 key followed by routing key 20 to toggle grade 2 mode on or off.
When correcting existing text you should turn off grade 2 mode. For example, you typed the word boot but wanted to change it to book. Press the backspace key, dot 7, to erase the t. Turn off grade 2 mode then type k. Turn on grade 2 mode to continue entering text in grade 2 Braille.
You may also enter text by connecting a USB QWERTY keyboard to the Duo-B20. You can alternate between the Braille keypad and the USB keyboard to enter text.
Specifications
NOTE: Soniel VES reserves the right to modify the products specification at any time without prior notice.
Main Specifications
This section details the main specifications for the Duo-B20.
Audio output:
• Headphone terminal (Stereo)
Externally connected terminal:
• USB1.1, type B
SD card slot:
• Secure Digital card
Power source:
• AC adaptor, Input: AC 100 V to 240 V, 50-60 Hz, 0.5A Output: 12V, 1.5A, 18.0W, Positive tip, Negative barrel. Caution: For indoor use only.
Dimensions and weight
• Length 17.5 cm or 7 in.
• Width 10 cm or 4 in.
• Height 4.5 cm or 1.75 in.
• Weight Approx. 850g or 1.9 lbs (battery and leather case included)
What you get in the box
The following is a list of all the items you should get in the box when you receive the new Duo-B20. You should carefully check that you have received all these items and report any missing items immediately to the Duo-B20 agent.
Items you should receive:
• 1 Duo B20 Computer with 20-cell Braille display
• 1 AC Adaptor with integrated power cable
• 1 Rechargeable battery
• 1 external monitor connector cable
• 1 USB hub
• 1 USB Ethernet Adapter
• 1 Leather Carrying Case
• 1 2 GB SD Memory Card
• 1 User's Guide on SD Memory Card
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