[access-uk] Re: : Accessible Pocket DAB Radio Identified.
- From: "Jackie Brown" <jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:32:23 -0000
Hi David
Thanks for posting this info, very interesting. As you say, so rare these days
to find something almost 100% accessible for a totally blind person.
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Emails: thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx
jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.thebrownsplace.info
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
David Griffith
Sent: 20 February 2015 14:23
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] : Accessible Pocket DAB Radio Identified.
I will post this on both the BCAB and Access lists as there is likely to be
interest in this.
At long last I have found a good accessible pocket DAB radio. The headline news
for me is that the reception is good, the volume level and sound quality is
fantastic at about 50% better than the current Pure models and best of all it
is entirely usable in all its functions so far for a completely blind user.
First of all the product name is
DAB Radio, GMYLE PPM001 RDS DAB/DAB+ Portable Digital Radio and MP3 Player with
TF Card Slot and Built-in Battery Charger.
The other headline is that this Radio is also a bargain at £32 from Amazon.
One off sighted help may be needed to set up the initial scan of digital
stations but I hope eventually to learn the keystoke to do this.
The device is small and light, its length about the length of my index finger
and about half a finger's width wide. I do have big hands but you can get an
idea from that.
On the top edge of the device is a 3.5 headphone jack and a Mini USB charging
socket. The ear buds supplied seemed cheap and i instantly discarded them for
my normal earphones.
On the bottom edge of the device is a micro SD card slot for Mp3 functions and
a reset hole. I have not yet investigated MP3 functionality as I have to
purchase a micro SD card.
On the front of
the device is a screen at the top, below that is 2 buttons, the one on the
left is a menu button for use with screen functions, the one on the right is a
mode button which cycles through DAB FM and MP3 player modes.
Below that is a classic big round button surrounded by a familiar circular
rocker switch.
To turn the device on and off you hold the big center button down for 3 seconds.
To increase or decrease the volume you click the rocker circle up or down.
Amazingly despite its mini size this is the only device I have where the
maximum volume is too loud even without hearing aids for me.
This would be an ideal device for hearing impaired people who would struggle to
hear normal commercial radios.
To change stations you click the rocker circle on either side of the big center
button. There is a sequence you need to follow which is easy to learn. To move
to an adjoining station you need to click the rocker circle to the right or
left twice, then press the center button and the station will change. What is
happening is that the first click puts the display into station mode, the
second click will change the station displayed and the press of the center
button will confirm the desired station change.
So if you are counting the stations you want to change to you ignore the first
click. So I have learnt for example that pressing 4 times to the left and
pressing the center button will move me from 5 Live to TalkSport.
Similarly pressing 8 clicks rightwards from Five Live will put me on Radio 4
Extra.
There is a preset functionality for this device which I am investigating but in
practice so far I am changing to the stations I need to easily by learning how
many click to make to get to each station. .
The Amazon website customer reviews claim that there is no hold switch but by
experiment I have found this is not strictly true. There is a station hold
function. You can invoke this by pressing the center button twice and you will
be locked onto that station and prevented from accidental station change. To
release the lock cycle the mode switch from DAB to FM and Mp3 and back to DAB
and full key functionality will be returned.
FM Radio functionality is as you would expect with tuning by using the right
and left click and reception again in my area seems excellent.
So in short this small budget radio is massively outperforming my Move
2500 personal pocket radio from Pure at less than half the price.
Reception, sound volume, and quality and usability are far superior.
So for once this is a good news story.
Of course I have, before I wrote this review, ordered a second model as a back
up as devices like this accessible to blind people are a bit like goldest
nowadays.
David Griffith
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