Freedom From The Computer
Hi Listers, A few years ago, I decided that since I was using Jaws and had no need for the screen, why should I have to be tied to the computer to use the computer. Here's what I did. I connected an FM transmitter to the sound card of my computer and now use a small FM radio or my Sansa mp3 player which is tiny and equipped with FM to hear Jaws or anything else from the sound card. Then I bought an RF wireless keyboard with a range of a hundred feet or so. The keyboard is small and light and with a transmitter built in. The keyboard's receiver plugs into the USB port of my computer. With this combination, for probably the last five years, unless I have to load a disc or do something physical on the computer, I compute wherever I want from bed, to the living room, to the kitchen, etc. My only problem is that because it's an RF keyboard, I sometimes have to physically adjust the keyboard receiver's little antenna at the computer depending on where I am in the house. So here's my question. I haven't done anything with Bluetooth and I know some of you are much more knowledgeable about this technology. Is anyone doing the same thing I'm doing with Bluetooth? I think I need a longer range, Class 1, wireless Bluetooth keyboard. Does anyone know where I could buy such an animal? There seem to be plenty of infrared or short-range wireless keyboards out there but the first question from well-meaning sighted computer people is, "why would you want a wireless keyboard anywhere too far to see the computer screen," . Of course the answer is that you probably wouldn't unless you were a visually impaired person using a screen reader so it's kind of a niche problem. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Lee Mounger' To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
My Apple Bluetooth keyboard is able to operate my iPhone from all over the house. I've never used it with a Windows machine, but I assume that results will be similar. The Apple KB is a little on the expensive side, so it will be a kick in the teeth if it doesn't work how you want it to when you get it, but it's something to keep in mind. http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ -- James Scholes http://twitter.com/JamesScholes To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
Thanks James, I'll take a look. - Original Message - From: "James Scholes" To: "PC Audio Discussion List" Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 7:19 AM Subject: Re: Freedom From The Computer My Apple Bluetooth keyboard is able to operate my iPhone from all over the house. I've never used it with a Windows machine, but I assume that results will be similar. The Apple KB is a little on the expensive side, so it will be a kick in the teeth if it doesn't work how you want it to when you get it, but it's something to keep in mind. http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ -- James Scholes http://twitter.com/JamesScholes To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
Correct, there's no technical reason anyone couldn't make a class 1 bluetooth dongle that would work with a bluetooth keyboard, but I haven't ever seen one. I did have one that work with a bluetooth pair of headpones and an audio receiver though, but these were packaged together, and I never looked into whether I could make this work for a bluetooth keyboard or not. I did roughly what you did at one time, with an RF wireless keyboard and an RF wireless pair of headphones, but I never took it to the extreme you're doing. I did briefly look into switching over to bluetooth for both the keyboard and headphones, like you're doing, but I didn't look very hard, and I never did find anything for the keyboard. I ended up giving up on this idea when I bought myself a netbook, which I can now carry around the house. The netbook has it's own set of pros and cons though, as you can well imagine. On 21/07/11 07:03, Lee Mounger wrote: > Hi Listers, > > A few years ago, I decided that since I was using Jaws and had no need for > the screen, why should I have to be tied to the computer to use the computer. > Here's what I did. I connected an FM transmitter to the sound card of my > computer and now use a small FM radio or my Sansa mp3 player which is tiny > and equipped with FM to hear Jaws or anything else from the sound card. Then > I bought an RF wireless keyboard with a range of a hundred feet or so. The > keyboard is small and light and with a transmitter built in. The keyboard's > receiver plugs into the USB port of my computer. With this combination, for > probably the last five years, unless I have to load a disc or do something > physical on the computer, I compute wherever I want from bed, to the living > room, to the kitchen, etc. > > My only problem is that because it's an RF keyboard, I sometimes have to > physically adjust the keyboard receiver's little antenna at the computer > depending on where I am in the house. So here's my question. I haven't done > anything with Bluetooth and I know some of you are much more knowledgeable > about this technology. Is anyone doing the same thing I'm doing with > Bluetooth? I think I need a longer range, Class 1, wireless Bluetooth > keyboard. Does anyone know where I could buy such an animal? There seem to > be plenty of infrared or short-range wireless keyboards out there but the > first question from well-meaning sighted computer people is, "why would you > want a wireless keyboard anywhere too far to see the computer screen," > . Of course the answer is that you probably wouldn't unless you were a > visually impaired person using a screen reader so it's kind of a niche > problem. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. > > Lee Mounger' > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher (CJ) chalt...@gmail.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
BTW, I did a Google search for class 1 bluetooth dongles, and I got quite a few hits. For example, http://www.iogear.com/product/GBU321/. As I said in another email, I didn't try any of these myself, but there seems to be quite a few of them and they seem to cost under $30. They also seem like they'd do what you want. If it were me, I'd give one a shot! Even if it didn't work with the range you're looking for, you'd still have a perfectly usable USB bluetooth dongle. Good luck! On 21/07/11 07:03, Lee Mounger wrote: > Hi Listers, > > A few years ago, I decided that since I was using Jaws and had no need for > the screen, why should I have to be tied to the computer to use the computer. > Here's what I did. I connected an FM transmitter to the sound card of my > computer and now use a small FM radio or my Sansa mp3 player which is tiny > and equipped with FM to hear Jaws or anything else from the sound card. Then > I bought an RF wireless keyboard with a range of a hundred feet or so. The > keyboard is small and light and with a transmitter built in. The keyboard's > receiver plugs into the USB port of my computer. With this combination, for > probably the last five years, unless I have to load a disc or do something > physical on the computer, I compute wherever I want from bed, to the living > room, to the kitchen, etc. > > My only problem is that because it's an RF keyboard, I sometimes have to > physically adjust the keyboard receiver's little antenna at the computer > depending on where I am in the house. So here's my question. I haven't done > anything with Bluetooth and I know some of you are much more knowledgeable > about this technology. Is anyone doing the same thing I'm doing with > Bluetooth? I think I need a longer range, Class 1, wireless Bluetooth > keyboard. Does anyone know where I could buy such an animal? There seem to > be plenty of infrared or short-range wireless keyboards out there but the > first question from well-meaning sighted computer people is, "why would you > want a wireless keyboard anywhere too far to see the computer screen," > . Of course the answer is that you probably wouldn't unless you were a > visually impaired person using a screen reader so it's kind of a niche > problem. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. > > Lee Mounger' > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher (CJ) chalt...@gmail.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
One thing I noticed on my Googling was that the Macbook Pro has a class 1 bluetooth adapter built into it. If the iPhone also contains a classs 1 bluetooth adapter then this would explain what James is seeing. In other words, I think this is more a factor of the iPhone than the Apple keyboard. I would guess that if you get a class 1 bluetooth dongle for your PC then you could use any bluetooth keyboard, but it may be that you need a class 1 device on both ends. On 21/07/11 07:43, Lee Mounger wrote: > Thanks James, I'll take a look. > > - Original Message - From: "James Scholes" > To: "PC Audio Discussion List" > Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 7:19 AM > Subject: Re: Freedom From The Computer > > >> My Apple Bluetooth keyboard is able to operate my iPhone from all over >> the house. I've never used it with a Windows machine, but I assume >> that results will be similar. The Apple KB is a little on the >> expensive side, so it will be a kick in the teeth if it doesn't work >> how you want it to when you get it, but it's something to keep in mind. >> >> http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ >> -- >> James Scholes >> http://twitter.com/JamesScholes >> >> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: >> pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org > > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher (CJ) chalt...@gmail.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Freedom From The Computer
Hi Chris, Thanks very much for the info. I did some checking this morning and found what seems to be maybe a better RF wireless keyboard than I've got. I'm mainly looking at this setup for a friend of mine who can't walk and although I'm pretty satisfied with how my setup works, it's a lot easier for me to scamper to the computer to make minor receiver adjustments than it would be for him so I want his setup to be better than mine. And then if we get him set up really well, I might have to start looking real sad around the wife and mention the one word she hates to hear me say the most, upgrade. Lee Mounger - Original Message - From: "Christopher Chaltain" To: "PC Audio Discussion List" Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 9:38 AM Subject: Re: Freedom From The Computer One thing I noticed on my Googling was that the Macbook Pro has a class 1 bluetooth adapter built into it. If the iPhone also contains a classs 1 bluetooth adapter then this would explain what James is seeing. In other words, I think this is more a factor of the iPhone than the Apple keyboard. I would guess that if you get a class 1 bluetooth dongle for your PC then you could use any bluetooth keyboard, but it may be that you need a class 1 device on both ends. On 21/07/11 07:43, Lee Mounger wrote: Thanks James, I'll take a look. - Original Message - From: "James Scholes" To: "PC Audio Discussion List" Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 7:19 AM Subject: Re: Freedom From The Computer My Apple Bluetooth keyboard is able to operate my iPhone from all over the house. I've never used it with a Windows machine, but I assume that results will be similar. The Apple KB is a little on the expensive side, so it will be a kick in the teeth if it doesn't work how you want it to when you get it, but it's something to keep in mind. http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ -- James Scholes http://twitter.com/JamesScholes To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher (CJ) chalt...@gmail.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Finding an actual DVD with audiodescription
Thanks James! Vicky - Original Message - From: "James Scholes" To: "PC Audio Discussion List" Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 7:13 PM Subject: Re: Finding an actual DVD with audiodescription If you have a region-free DVD player/DVD drive, or one that supports region 2 disks, sure. -- James Scholes http://twitter.com/JamesScholes To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org === Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found. (Email Guard: 7.0.0.21, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.17930) http://www.pctools.com/ === To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
dissapointed in my wireless headset
I found out for sure today that the problems I had with my Logitec Audio 995 wireless headset were not because of the computer. I just connected them to a new Studio Cat DAW and I still get ticks, crackles, and pops along with very small drop outs in the high frequencies. I used the included latency checker tool and it warned that a driver or device was causing problems. There were no warnings before installing the headset. I intended to use the headset for speech recognition but it isn't quite good enough. Very unhappy! Bob To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
