Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 User Guide

 

 

                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                    07th July 2026

Version 0.9.1

 

 

Contents

1      Introduction-- 6

2      How are Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 Used?- 7

2.1      Stand-Alone Mode- 7

2.2      Remote Mode- 7

3      Transcribed Braille- 7

4      Automatic Translation-- 8

5      Translate Braille- 8

6      Documentation Conventions- 8

7      In the Box- 9

8      Features- 9

9      Orientation-- 10

9.1      Top view of Orbit Reader Q20- 10

9.2      Top view of Orbit Reader Q40- 11

9.3      Side view of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40- 11

9.4      Back view of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40- 12

9.5      Key Locations and Use of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40- 13

9.6      Panning Keys- 17

9.7      8-Dot Braille Cells- 18

10    Getting Started-- 18

10.1    Charging the Device- 18

10.2    Power On and Off- 19

10.3    Inserting and formatting the SD Card- 19

10.4    Inserting a USB drive- 20

10.5    About Menus and File Names- 20

10.6    Entering and Exiting Menus- 20

10.7    Device Operational Modes- 20

10.8    Languages and Translation- 21

11    The Menu-- 22

11.1    Setting up Languages- 23

11.1.1     System Language- 23

11.1.2     Read/Edit Language- 23

11.1.3     Editor Encoding- 23

11.2    Menu Availability- 24

11.3    Menu Options- 24

11.3.1     Battery- 25

11.3.2     Cursor Blink (1) 25

11.3.3     Sort (Name: Ascend) 26

11.3.4     Split Words (Off) 26

11.3.5     Filter Dot 7 (On) 26

11.3.6     Wrapping (On) 26

11.3.7     Compress Spaces (On) 26

11.3.8     Indents (On) 27

11.3.9     Scroll rate (4) 27

11.3.10   System Sounds (Off) 27

11.3.11   Navigation sounds (Off) 27

11.3.12   Error sounds (Off) 27

11.3.13   Volume (3) 27

11.3.14   Vibration (On) 27

11.3.15   Profile 1- 28

11.3.16   Profile 2- 28

11.3.17   Profile 3- 28

11.3.18   Profile 4- 28

11.3.19   Add Language- 29

11.3.20   Remove Language- 29

11.3.21   Version- 30

11.3.22   Audio version- 30

11.3.23   Serial Number 30

11.3.24   Reset Defaults- 30

11.3.25   Date Format (dd-mm-yyyy) 30

11.3.26   Time format (12 hours) 30

11.3.27   Clock Settings- 30

11.3.28   Alarm 1- 31

11.3.29   Alarm 2- 32

11.3.30   USB (HID) 32

11.3.31   Bluetooth (Auto) 32

11.3.32   Pair (Just Works) 32

11.3.33   Mode (Stand-Alone) 33

11.3.34   Bluetooth scan- 33

11.3.35   Manage connections- 33

11.3.36   Config thumb keys- 34

11.3.37   Maintenance Status- 34

11.3.38   Auto Sleep Status- 34

11.3.39   Braille Input 35

12    Stand-Alone Mode- 35

13    File Manager-- 35

13.1    File Manager Drives- 36

13.2    File Manager Commands- 37

13.3    More about Copying and Pasting Files- 39

13.4    File Movement Commands- 40

13.4.1     Supported File Types- 40

13.5    Preparing Files- 40

13.6    File transfer (Bluetooth) 41

14    The Reader-- 41

14.1    Reader Commands- 42

14.2    Power Move Forward and Back- 44

14.3    Find Braille- 44

14.4    Braille Pacer (Auto-Scroll) 46

15    Edit Box- 47

15.1    Edit Box Commands- 47

16    The Editor-- 48

16.1    Cursor Routing Buttons- 49

16.2    Editor Commands- 49

16.3    Editor Block Text Commands- 52

16.4    Context Menu- 53

17    Support for Perkins Keypad-- 53

18    Sounds and Vibrations- 54

18.1    Sound and Vibration Indications- 54

19    Remote Mode- 55

19.1    Before you connect- 56

19.2    Using the Bluetooth Connection- 56

19.2.1     Connect to Multiple Hosts- 57

19.2.2     Manage Connections- 57

19.2.3     Manage Bluetooth Connection Commands- 58

19.3    USB- 58

19.3.1     Human Interface Device (HID) – Orbit 58

19.3.2     Human Interface Device (HID) – Braille- 59

19.3.3     Serial 59

19.3.4     Mass Storage- 60

19.4    iOS Devices- 60

19.4.1     Connecting iOS with Bluetooth- 60

19.4.2     iOS Resources- 61

19.4.3     iOS Commands- 61

19.5    Mac Computers- 61

19.5.1     Connecting to a Mac over USB- 62

19.5.2     Connecting to a Mac over Bluetooth- 62

19.5.3     Controlling the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 from a Mac- 63

19.6    Android Devices- 63

19.6.1     Connecting to Android devices over Bluetooth- 63

19.6.2     Input and Output Text with Talkback- 63

19.7    Chromebooks- 64

19.7.1     Connecting Chromebook with USB- 64

19.8    Fire OS Tablets- 64

19.9    Windows PCs- 65

19.9.1     Connecting to Windows over USB- 65

19.9.2     Connecting to Windows over Bluetooth- 65

19.9.3     Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) 66

19.9.4     Job Access with Speech (JAWS) 66

19.9.5     Dolphin Supernova Screen Reader 68

19.9.6     Narrator 69

20    File transfer over Bluetooth-- 69

20.1    Send a file from the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40- 70

20.2    Receive a file on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40- 70

21    Calculator-- 70

21.1    Basic calculator functions- 72

21.1.1     Addition- 72

21.1.2     Subtraction- 72

21.1.3     Multiplication- 72

21.1.4     Division- 72

21.2    Memory operations- 72

21.3    Calculator Commands- 72

22    Calendar-- 73

22.1    Appointments- 73

22.1.1     View, Edit and Create appointments. 74

22.1.2     Modify- 75

22.1.3     Delete appointment 75

22.2    Calendar Commands- 75

23    Key Lock Command-- 76

24    System Alerts- 76

25    Reboot the Device- 76

26    Device Upgrade Procedure- 76

26.1    Device Firmware Upgrade- 76

26.1.1     Download firmware package- 77

26.1.2     Using the Windows PC Upgrade Utility- 77

26.1.3     Using an SD card to Perform the Upgrade- 80

26.2    Audio Firmware Upgrade- 81

26.2.1     Download the Audio Firmware Package- 81

26.2.2     Upgrade to the Audio Firmware- 81

26.3    Troubleshooting- 82

27    Localization-- 83

28    Troubleshooting-- 84

28.1    Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 does not power on or seems to freeze. 84

28.2    Exercising the Pins- 85

28.3    Generating a debug log- 85

29    Battery Use and Replacement- 85

30    Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 Cleaning Tips- 86

31    General Specifications- 87

32    Appendices- 88

32.1    Appendix A – Links for Remote mode commands- 88

32.2    Appendix B – Trademark Notices and Attribution- 88

32.2.1     Hardware Limited Warranty- 89

32.2.2     EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS- 90

32.3    Appendix C - FCC Information- 92

FCC Notice- 92

FCC Caution- 92

33    Further Information-- 93

 

 


 

1        Introduction

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Orbit Reader Q40 are portable, refreshable braille displays and stand-alone readers with the following features:

·       The Orbit Reader Q20 has a line of 20 braille cells, while the Orbit Reader Q40 has 40 braille cells with pins that arrange into the required pattern to accurately represent any six- or eight-dot braille code, in any language, and for any discipline.

·       The Orbit Reader Q20 includes 20 cursor routing buttons, one for each braille cell, while the Orbit Reader Q40 includes 40 cursor routing buttons.

·       Reads the contents of files on an SD (Secure Digital) card or USB drive in the Stand-Alone Mode

·       Remote connectivity to PCs and mobile devices for use with a screen reader

·       On-board translation from text to braille and from braille to text

·       On-board support for contracted braille

·       On-board support for over 40 languages, including UEB.

·       Simple editing functions

·       Audio and vibration indications

·       Onboard utilities such as Calculator, Calendar, and Alarm

·       Signage-quality braille

The key difference lies in the number of braille cells and cursor routing buttons: the Orbit Reader Q20 has 20cells, while the Orbit Reader Q40 has 40 cells.

2        How are Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 Used?

2.1       Stand-Alone Mode

Content stored on an SD card is read in one of three ways:

·       Sent by library.

·       Prepared on a computer and copied to the device.

·       Using onboard translation

In Stand-Alone mode, both the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 display the contents of files stored on an SD card (or USB thumb drive). It supports text to braille and braille to text translation on-board for English and over 40 other languages. For English, it supports translation to and from contracted and uncontracted braille. In addition, it can be configured to translate contracted braille into other languages. Please refer to the localization section in this guide for more details.

2.2       Remote Mode

Connect the device to a computer or mobile device with a screen-reader and then do one of the following:

·       Read commercially available titles on Kindle™, Adobe® Digital Editions, or Apple Books® application programs.

·       Employ any accessible technology for browsing, utilities, and education.

·        The screen reader translates text into Braille code of choice.

3        Transcribed Braille

There are multiple sources for files that are transcribed into high-quality braille. Below are some examples:

·        National Library Service (NLS) provides professionally transcribed, formatted files through the Web Braille project.

·        RNIB Reading Services offers professionally transcribed braille titles.

·        National Braille Press (NBP) produces braille books, textbooks, tests, and information for adults and children.

·        Louis Database lists titles produced by over 160 organizations American Printing House for the Blind (APH) transcribes textbooks for K-12 students.

4        Automatic Translation

In addition to professionally transcribed titles, you may also use dynamic translation to obtain braille.

 

Automatically translated braille may be appropriate for some forms of reading.

·       Book share® dynamically generates braille formatted files from the titles in its library.

·       Sugamya Pustakalaya is India's first and largest collection of accessible books. Users can access a collection of over 3,28,900 books, maintain their individual reading shelves online and download books in chosen formats.

·       NFB-NEWSLINE® is a free audio information service, providing downloadable Braille files of up-to-the-minute content from over 400 national, international, and state newspapers.

5        Translate Braille

·       The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have built-in forward and reverse braille translation functionality. This is controlled by the profile selected from the menu.

·        Braille Blaster™ is a full-featured transcription software package for creating quality formatted braille.

·        DAISY™ Pipeline provides a comprehensive solution for converting text documents into accessible formats,

·        Send to Braille is a shortcut that adds braille to the Windows® Send To menu, which can convert files on your computer into unformatted BRF (Braille Ready Format) files.

6        Documentation Conventions

For consistency and clarity, we have used the following conventions in this document.

If multiple key combinations are required, the documentation indicates those keys like this: CTRL + G, Alt + F1, etc. Modifiers like the Shift key on a regular QWERTY keyboard, are keys you hold down while pressing another key. This modifies the effect of the pressed key.

The words Keys and Buttons are used interchangeably.

In the descriptions of each Menu option, this documentation indicates the default setting.

Any reference to navigation by “page” while in Stand-Alone mode only means navigation by 1000 characters (page = 1000 characters).

7        In the Box

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 package typically includes the following items:

 

·       The Orbit Reader Q20 or Orbit Reader Q40 unit

·       USB Type-C cable

·       AC adapter

·        SD card

·        A Quick-Start guide in large-print

Depending on where you have purchased the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 from, you may receive a different set of accessories. Check that all purchased items are in the box that you have received.

 

Note that some distributors may ship the unit with SD card already installed in the machine.

8        Features

Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have the following features:

·       The Orbit Reader Q20 has 20 refreshable eight-dot braille cells, while the Orbit Reader Q40 has 40 refreshable eight-dot braille cells. Both models can display both 6-dot and 8-dot braille symbols.

·       A cursor routing button above each braille cell

·       Onboard forward and backward braille translation

·       Bluetooth® wireless technology supports simultaneous connections to 5 devices.

·       Clock function also time-stamps files when they are created or edited.

·       Calculator, calendar, and alarm applications

·       Audio and vibration indications

·       78-key QWERTY Keyboard

·       Four Thumb keys

·       USB Type-C charging and communication port

·       Full-size SD card slot

·       USB Host port to connect to a USB drive.

·       Two rocker keys for panning

·       User-replaceable rechargeable battery

9        Orientation

The orientation of buttons, keys, cells, and slots is important for understanding how Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 operate and how you input and receive information on your braille display.

 

To begin with, place the device on a flat surface in front of you with the row of braille cells closest to you. This is the proper operational orientation.

9.1       Top view of Orbit Reader Q20

9.2       Top view of Orbit Reader Q40

9.3       Side view of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40

On the right side of the device, from front to back, is the Power button (front), USB Type-C (center), and 3.5mm Audio Jack (back). The USB port has one bump below it (shown in the image below)

 

On the left side of the device is the standard USB A host port (shown in the picture below).

9.4       Back view of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40

At the backside of the device, is the SD card slot. The SD card slot is a standard type with spring feedback. The SD card is inserted with the card connector fingers facing down. To remove the card, press in and remove your finger to allow the card to pop out (shown in the picture below).

9.5       Key Locations and Use of Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40

When properly oriented, the four thumb keys are closest to you. We will refer to them as Thumb Keys 1 through 4, starting from the left. These keys are used for easy navigation and control. This detailed layout ensures that users can efficiently navigate and utilize the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 for reading, writing, and managing files.

 

Above the four thumb keys there is a braille display—20 cells for the Orbit Reader Q20 and 40 cells for the Orbit Reader Q40. The panning keys are at each end of the braille display. See the Panning Keys section for more information.

 

For orientation purposes, there are seven slightly raised tick marks located above the braille cells on Q20 and 3 on Q20. These orientation marks are spaced at every fifth braille cell. For example, the first tick mark from the left is between the fifth and sixth braille cell.

 

There is a cursor routing button above each braille cell.

 

Refer to the following images for the key locations on the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. The key locations are the same for both devices.

 

The only difference between the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 is the number of braille cells and cursor routing keys. The Orbit Reader Q20 has 20 cells with 20 cursor routing keys, while the Orbit Reader Q40 has 40 cells with 40 cursor routing keys, corresponding to the number of braille cells on each device.

 

 

Moving towards the top and away from you and above the cursor buttons, is the 78-key QWERTY keyboard, having 12 function keys and arrow keys in an inverted-T configuration.

 

In Stand-Alone mode, the QWERTY keyboard keys are used for navigation and editing/writing.

 

In Remote mode, while using the display with a screen reader on a host device, like an iPhone, the QWERTY keyboard input keys can be used to input text or control the functionality of applications on the host device.

 

The QWERTY keyboard consists of 6 rows. Below, each key is listed in order from left to right, along with its basic usage with various devices. The layout and functionality apply to the US English keyboard layout. The description is as follows:

 

Top Row (Function Keys and Esc)

Second Row (Number Row)

Third Row (Alphabet Row)

Fourth Row (Alphabet and Command Keys)

Fifth Row (Alphabet and Command Keys)

Bottom Row (Modifier Keys and Navigation)

Special Function keys

Consumer Function keys

9.6       Panning Keys

The Panning keys are two-function rocker keys found at either end of the braille display. These keys control how you read the lines of the text: either next or previous. Pressing on one end of the key results in one action, while pressing on the opposite end results in the opposite action.

 

To read the next display of text (panning forward), press the bottom part of the key (down) on either Panning key. To read the previous display of text (panning backward), press the top part of the key (up) on either Panning key.

9.7       8-Dot Braille Cells

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 are six-dot braille devices with two additional dots below Dot 3 and Dot 6. These two additional dots are Dot 7 and Dot 8, which are used to indicate capitalization while reading and editing the file in 8 dot mode. These dots also indicate a selected item in the menu, text with attributes or accent marks or a cursor. Their exact use depends on the application you use with the display.

10    Getting Started

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have two modes: Stand-Alone mode and Remote mode. In Stand-Alone mode, the device is a book reader that uses an SD card or a USB drive as storage media. In Remote mode, the device works like a braille display and needs to be connected to a computer or other host with a screen reader.

 

This section explains how to charge, turn the device on and off, insert the SD card/USB drive, and enter and exit the menus.

10.1   Charging the Device

When you receive the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, it may be already charged; however, we recommend that it should be fully charged before or during first use. You can use the device and charge it at the same time, so it saves reading time. When the battery gets to 10% of its capacity, Dot 8 of the last braille cell (the 20th cell for the Orbit Reader Q20 and the 40th cell for the Orbit Reader Q40) starts blinking on and off. This behavior is normal and indicates that the battery is low.

 

To charge the device, use the standard USB-A to Type-C USB cable and the charger provided with the unit. Insert the small end of the cable into the USB Type-C port of the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. The connector should slide in smoothly without resistance; do not force it. Now insert the large end of the cable into a computer’s USB A port or the charger plug provided. Plug the charger into an AC mains outlet.

 

If the device is on when you connect the charger, the display shows "-- Charger connected". When you unplug the charger, it shows "-- Charger unplugged". The charger plugged and unplugged indications are displayed briefly even when the unit is off. The language of the message depends on the language you select for system messages from the menu. By default, the language will be UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted).

 

For more information, see the Battery section under the Menu.

If you have charged the device for 4 hours or longer, and it does not power on, contact Customer Service at techsupport@orbitresearch.com

10.2   Power On and Off

A square Power (on/off) button is located on the right face of the device. See the Orientation section for more information.

 

To power on the device, press and hold the power button for 2 seconds. If for some reason the powering on process takes more time, the Orbit Reader flashes the braille cells from left to right to let you know that it is powering on.

 

When you turn the device on, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 resumes from the place you left. If you are using the device or inserting the SD card/USB drive for the first time, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 shows the first file or folder name on the SD card.

 

The Orbit Reader displays, “SD card [no media]" when the SD card slot is empty.

 

To turn off the device, press and hold the Power button for two seconds. The braille cells flash from left to right to indicate the device is powering down.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have a low-power standby/sleep mode. Quickly tapping the Power button puts the unit in sleep mode. Tapping the Power button while the device is in sleep mode wakes the device. While editing or when connected to Bluetooth, if no keys are pressed for an hour, the unit automatically goes into sleep mode. Otherwise, the device goes to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity. After five hours in sleep mode, the unit shuts off to conserve power.

10.3   Inserting and formatting the SD Card

The device comes with an inserted SD card with translated braille files already on it, so that you can quickly learn to use the device by reading the material.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 use standard full-size SD cards from 4GB to 32 GB in capacity. The card must be formatted as FAT32. There is no way to format a card on the device. Most cards have already formatted. However, you can format one as FAT32 on a desktop computer for use with the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

 

To insert the SD card, find the large slot at the back.

 

On one of the short sides of the SD card, there are some ridges called fingers or teeth. Position the SD card with the teeth facing down. Now insert the short side with teeth into the device. The SD card should go smoothly until it gets about a quarter of an inch from being fully in the device. At this point, you feel slight resistance. The card slot works like a toaster, gently push the SD card in until you hear a click. The card is aligned with the rear edge when properly inserted.

 

To remove the card, press it in a little until it pops out and then gently remove it.

10.4   Inserting a USB drive

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 come with a standard USB A host port. You can insert a USB flash drive and read its contents. It shows the message “-- USB drive inserted” when the flash drive is plugged in. You can copy or move content from the flash drive to the SD card and vice versa.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 can support Flash drives up to 32 GB in capacity. The drive must be formatted in the FAT32 format. It is not possible to format a USB drive on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. You use a Windows or Mac computer to format the drive.

10.5   About Menus and File Names

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 show internal menus and file names according to the language selected from the menu.

10.6   Entering and Exiting Menus

·       To Open the menu, press Windows Key + P.

·        To Exit the menu, press Backspace.

·       To Move through the menu choices, press the Up or Down Arrows

·       To See choices within a menu option, use the Right and Left Arrows

·       To Select a menu item, press ESC.

 

10.7   Device Operational Modes

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have two functional modes. Stand-Alone mode and Remote mode.

 

Stand-Alone mode is the default operational mode and allows you to read, edit, and browse files without being connected to another device. An SD card or USB drive must be inserted in the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 while operating in Stand-Alone mode. See the Stand-Alone Mode section of this document for more information.

 

Remote mode allows you to connect the Orbit Reader to iPhone®, iPad®, and Android™ mobile devices, as well as desktop computers. In Remote mode, Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 act as an input and output device for the remotely connected host via USB or Bluetooth. See the Remote Mode section of this document for more information.

 

To move back and forth between Stand-Alone and Remote modes, use the following commands:

·       To switch to Remote mode: press CTRL + Right Arrow

·        To switch to Stand-Alone mode: press Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2

The Stand-Alone mode provides the following features:

·       Menu

·       File Manager

·       Reader

·       Editor

Remote mode connects in the following ways:

·        Bluetooth

·        USB: HID (Orbit), Braille-HID, Serial, or Mass Storage

10.8   Languages and Translation

Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support multiple languages. They following languages are pre-loaded on the unit:

 

·       UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)

·       UEB Grade 2 (contracted)

·       USA computer braille (8 dots)

·       USA English Grade 1 (EBAE)

·       USA English Grade 2 (EBAE)

 

More than 40 other languages can be loaded from the SD card. These include:

 

·       Arabic Grade 1

·       Arabic Grade 2

·       French 6-dot Braille

·       French 8-dot computer braille

·       French Grade 2

·       German Grade 1

·       German 8-dot computer braille

·       Hindi

·       Spanish Grade 1

·       Spanish Grade 2

You can configure the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 to use the same or different languages for the system messages and to read/write files. For example, you can have the system menu and messages to be in your local language while you work with UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted) files with the reader/editor or vice versa.

 

For this, there are language profiles that can be selected and configured from the menu. Alternatively, you can switch between different profiles using the hotkeys. Please refer to the section ‘Setting up the languages’ for more details.

 

While typing you need to enter the key inputs as per the language selected. For example, if you have selected UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted), you must type in UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted) only. This applies to any key input you provide such as typing for the Find command, or for renaming the file.

11    The Menu

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 provide a menu for setting options, checking the battery, and changing modes of operation.

 

To open the menu, press the Windows + P keys. Battery Status is the first menu option displayed.

 

Some menu options let you select from among several choices. For example, the Sort option allows you to choose one of the various options for arranging files in the file manager. Other menu options provide information about the device, such as serial number and version. The selected option is underlined with Dots 7 8.

 

To scroll through the other possibilities, press the Right Arrow key. To select the option, press Enter. The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 respond by underlining the word with Dots 7 and 8 to indicate the choice.

 

To move to another menu item, press the Up or Down Arrow key. When you get to the end of the list of options and press the Down Arrow key, the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 move back to the top menu item. Similarly, when you press the Up Arrow from the first menu item, The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 move to the last item in the list. This feature allows quick access to the last few menu items and so some options that may be used frequently are located at the bottom of the menu list.

 

To close the menu and return to your work, press Backspace.

11.1   Setting up Languages

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 come configured to support UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted), UEB Grade 2 (contracted), USA English Grade 1 (EBAE), USA English Grade 2 (EBAE) and USA Computer Braille (8 dot). Additional language files can be loaded from the SD card. Please refer to the localization section in this guide for more details.

 

Note: BRF cannot be configured as the system language.

 

You can also configure the encoding type of the text file.

 

To allow easy configuration of languages and switching between languages, four language profiles (Profile 1, 2, 3, and 4) are provided. Each profile has options to choose the System Language, Read/Edit Language and Editor Encoding.

11.1.1  System Language

The System Language setting allows you to set the language of the system messages and menu options.

11.1.2  Read/Edit Language

The Read/edit Language setting allows you to read or edit the content in the desired language.

 

Following is the list of languages that can be set as System language and/or Read/Edit language.

·        Eng uncontracted (USA English Grade 1)

·        Eng contracted (USA English Grade 2)

·        eng_8-dot-computer (USA Computer Braille (8 dot))

·        b (BRF format files)

·        UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)

·        UEB Grade 2 (contracted)

·         Additionally loaded Languages from SD card

11.1.3  Editor Encoding

The Editor Encoding setting applies to new files only and allows you to save the file in the desired encoding format. Encoding is how the data is stored internally in the text file. There are pros and cons to each of the encoding systems. If you are not sure which encoding to use, we recommend using UTF-8. More details on encoding can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_encoding

 

It has the following options:

·        UTF-8

·        Unicode-16LE

·        Unicode-16BE

·        ANSI

 

The hot keys for switching between profiles are Alt + F1, Alt + F2, Alt + F3, and Alt + F4 for profiles 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

 

If you accidentally select an unfamiliar language, press Alt + F1, Alt + F2, Alt + F3, and Alt + F4 restores the default profile.

11.2   Menu Availability

The menu is available for the Remote and Stand-Alone modes. Press Windows Key + P   to open the menu in either mode.

 

To exit the menu and return to the previous mode, press Backspace.

11.3   Menu Options

Some of the Menu options have a default setting (indicated in the list below). For most of these options, you can move among alternatives by pressing the Right or Left Arrows and then pressing Select. Selected items are underlined with Dots 7 8. Refer to the specific section for further information.

 

·       Battery

·       Cursor Blink (1)

·       Sort (Name: Ascend)

·       Split Words (Off)

·       Filter Dot 7 (On)

·       Wrapping (On)

·       Compress Spaces (On)

·       Indents (On)

·       Scroll rate (4)

·       System Sound (Off)

·       Navigation Sounds (Off)

·       Error Sounds (Off)

·       Volume (3)

·       Vibration (On)

·       Profile 1.

·       Profile 2.

·       Profile 3.

·       Profile 4

·       Add language

·       Remove language

·       Version.

·       Audio version.

·       Serial Number.

·       Reset Defaults           

·       Date Format (dd-mm-yyyy)

·       Time format (12 hours)

·       Clock Settings

·       Alarm 1

·       Alarm 2

·       USB (HID)

·       Bluetooth mode (Auto)

·       Pair (Just Works)

·       Mode (Stand-Alone)

·       Bluetooth scan

·       Manage connections

·       Config thumb keys

·       Maintenance Status

·       Auto sleep Status

·       Braille Input (OFF)

11.3.1  Battery

The Battery status menu item displays the amount of energy remaining in the battery as a percentage of the total capacity of the battery. When the battery in the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 gets to 10%, Dot 8 of the last braille cell (the 20th cell for the Orbit Reader Q20 and the 40th cell for the Orbit Reader Q40) on the display blinks on and off. This behavior is normal, indicating that the battery is low.

 

When the unit is plugged in for charging, the message "-- Charging XX%" is displayed, where XX is the remaining energy in percent.

11.3.2  Cursor Blink (1)

The Cursor Blink option works only while editing in the Edit Box or Editor mode. This option allows selecting the number of seconds between blinks. The default setting for the Cursor Blink option is one second between blinks. The setting choices are 1, 5, 15, 30, and 60 seconds, and 0 where the cursor does not blink. To select, press Select.

11.3.3  Sort (Name: Ascend)

The Sort menu item lets you change the order in which files on the SD card or USB drive are displayed using the built-in File Manager. The sorting categories are Name, Date, Size, and Last Read.

 

Additionally, you may sort files within the selected category in ascending or descending order. After selecting a category, press the Right Arrow until you reach either Ascend or Descend in the list and press the Select button. The Orbit Reader displays the files in the selected order. The default setting for this menu item is Ascending (A to Z). To return to the File Manager, press Backspace from Stand-Alone mode.

11.3.4  Split Words (Off)

The default setting for Split Words is Off. In the default setting, the Reader tries to put as much content on the display as possible without splitting a word. However, if you want 20 cells of braille in Orbit Reader Q20 or 40 cells of braille in Orbit Reader Q40, no matter what the content, set Split Words to On. When Split Words are on, the Reader shows partial words. When you pan to the next 20 braille cells in Orbit Reader Q20 or the next 40 braille cells in Orbit Reader Q40, the remainder of that word appears at the beginning of the line. To select, press Enter.

11.3.5  Filter Dot 7 (On)

The default setting for Filter Dot 7 is On. The Filter Dot 7 menu item lets you turn off the Dot 7 that frequently appears in some BRL and BRF files. Dot 7 is filtered by default, but if you want to make a BRL or BRF file that uses eight-dot braille, turn this setting off. To select, press Enter.

11.3.6  Wrapping (On)

The default setting for Wrapping is On. The Wrapping option is the Orbit Reader to reflow files that are already formatted for embossing. Normally, formatted files contain line-end indicators for every 18-20 characters for the Orbit Reader Q20 and 38-40 characters for the Orbit Reader Q40, which starts a new line. This option eliminates extra space, making it easier to read on a display. To select, press Enter.

11.3.7  Compress Spaces (On)

Carriage returns, blank lines, and tabs represent extra spaces (or white space) in a document. These spaces take up a lot of room and therefore slow down reading on a braille display. The Compress Spaces option eliminates superfluous blank lines and spaces. If multiple blank lines or spaces appear in the file, they are compressed to a single space. This setting is especially useful when reading formatted text files that contain many blank lines.

 

The default setting for Compress Spaces is On. To select, press Enter.

11.3.8  Indents (On)

Paragraph Wrapping lets you choose if the Compress Spaces setting should be applied to the leading spaces of paragraphs or not. If Paragraph Wrapping is set to off, the paragraph is displayed with leading spaces if present, regardless of the Compress Spaces setting.

 

If Paragraph Wrapping is set to ON, the Compress Spaces setting is applied to the leading spaces of the paragraph. The default setting for Paragraph Wrapping is On.

11.3.9  Scroll rate (4)

Displays the current scroll rate time in seconds and lets you adjust the same.

11.3.10                  System Sounds (Off)

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 provide sound indications over the speaker and audio jack for different actions.

 

Using this menu item, you can enable and disable sound indications for system events such as start-up, shutdown, low battery and waiting events. The default setting is Off.

11.3.11                  Navigation sounds (Off)

Using this menu item, you can enable and disable sound indications for navigation events.

11.3.12                  Error sounds (Off)

Using this menu item, you can enable and disable sound indications for various error events.

 

For more information, see the Sound and Vibration section.

11.3.13                  Volume (3)

You can adjust the audio volume from this menu item to a level between 1 and 10. The default setting is level 3. To select, press Enter.

11.3.14                  Vibration (On)

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 can provide indications via vibration in response to various user actions. These indications can be turned on or off from this menu item. The default setting for Vibration is On. To select, press Enter.

 

For more information, see the Sound and Vibration section.

11.3.15                  Profile 1

The Profile 1 settings are configured by default for using the device with UEB Grade 1. However, it can be configured to select any of the available languages and encoding schemes. The default configurations are as follows:

 

·       System Language: UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)

·       Read/Edit Language: UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)

·       Editor Encoding: ANSI

11.3.16                  Profile 2

The profile 2 default settings are configured for using the device with the UEB Grade 2. However, it can be configured to select any of the available languages and encoding schemes. The default profile 2 configurations are as follows.

 

·        System Language: UEB Grade 2 (contracted)

·        Read/Edit Language: UEB Grade 2 (contracted)

·        Editor Encoding: ANSI 

11.3.17                  Profile 3

The profile 3 default settings are configured for using the device with Computer Braille. However, it can be configured to select any of the available languages and encoding schemes. The default profile 3 configurations are as follows.

 

·       System Language: US Computer Braille (8 dot)

·       Read/Edit Language: BRF

·       Editor Encoding: ANSI

11.3.18                  Profile 4

The profile 4 default settings are configured for using the device with the language loaded from the SD card. However, it can be configured to select any of the available languages. The default profile 4 settings are as follows.

 

·       System Language: <Languages from SD card>

·       Read/Edit Language: <Languages from SD card>

·       Editor Encoding: UTF-8

The default settings of Profile 1,2,3, and 4 can be changed with Right/Left Arrow keys, under the System Language, Read/Edit Language and Editor Encoding options.

 

For example, if you wish to have the system language as UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted) and work with BRF files, you can select Profile 3 that has the following default settings.

 

·       System Language: UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)

·       Read/Edit Language: BRF

·       Editor Encoding: ANSI

Likewise, all profiles can be configured as per the user’s requirements.

 

Please refer to the localization section in this guide for additional information.

11.3.19                  Add Language

The Add Language menu option lets you load language files from the SD card to the internal memory of your Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. However, the language files are different for Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40, and you will need to download and install the appropriate language files for your Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. It lets you load as many languages as the available memory permits. The unit will display a “memory full” message if the memory is insufficient. If you encounter this, you will need to remove some languages from the memory before you can load new languages.

 

You can scroll through the available language files on your SD card by pressing the Right or Left Arrow keys and pressing Enter to add a language.

 

It may take some time for the file to be loaded. The unit shows a busy indication through audio sounds and by displaying “busy” on the display.

11.3.20                  Remove Language

The Remove Language menu option lets you remove language files from the internal memory of your unit so that you can make space for loading other languages.

 

You can scroll through the loaded languages using the Right or Left Arrow keys and press Enter to remove a file.

 

You can also use the “remove all” option that appears as the first item to remove all the loaded languages at once. Note that if you use this option, it removes the pre-loaded UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted) and UEB Grade 2 (contracted) languages as well. It does not remove the US English Grade 1 (EBAE), English Grade 2 (EBAE), and the US computer braille (8-dot).

 

If you remove a language that is currently assigned in a profile, English 8-dot computer Braille is assigned to the profile by default.

 

It may take some time for the file to be removed. The unit shows a busy indication through audio tones and by displaying “busy” on the display.

11.3.21                  Version

The Version item in the menu displays the version number of the software on your device. You may need the version number when talking to Customer Service. For the latest version of the software, refer to the website.

 

Note: The software version is shown in US computer braille (8 dot) only.

11.3.22                  Audio version

The Audio version item in the menu displays the version number of the audio firmware installed on your device. You may need the version number when talking to Customer Service. For the latest version of audio firmware, refer to the website.

 

Note: The audio firmware version is shown in US computer braille (8 dot) only.

11.3.23                  Serial Number

The Serial Number item in the menu shows the serial number of the device you are using. This number is useful for service and warranty purposes.

11.3.24                  Reset Defaults

The Reset Defaults item in the menu resets all your menu settings to the factory default settings. To reset the default settings, press the Enter button. This action resets defaults and takes you to the top of the Menu options list (Battery Status).

11.3.25                  Date Format (dd-mm-yyyy)

Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support the following date formats:

·       dd-mm-yyyy

·       mm-dd-yyyy

·       yyyy-mm-dd

The default date format is “dd-mm-yyyy.” You can change the date format using the left and right arrow keys and set the date format by pressing the Enter key.

11.3.26                  Time format (12 hours)

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support the 12/24 hour’ time formats. The default Time format is 12-hour format. You can change the time format using the left and right arrow keys and set it by pressing the Enter key.

11.3.27                  Clock Settings

Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 include a clock. You can check the date and time by pressing Windows + C. The date and time are also used when creating, editing, and saving a file or folder.

 

The default format for time and date is HH: MM DD-MM-YYYY (where HH is Hours, MM is Minutes, DD is Date, MM is Month and YYYY is Year). You can scroll through these fields with the Left and Right navigation keys. The active field (where the cursor is currently) will be underlined. Press the Enter key to modify the current field.

 

Press the Up Arrow key to increase and the Down Arrow key to decrease the value in the date and time fields. For instance, if the current date is 01-08-2020 and you want to change it to 01-08-2021, use the Left/Right navigation keys to move the cursor to the year field (YYYY) of the date. Press the Up Arrow key to change the years from 2020 to 2021 and the Enter key to save the changes. Press Backspace to exit from the Menu. The value in a field wrap once you reach the last valid value. For instance, minutes range from 00 to 59. So, if you press the Up Arrow key when the time is 09:59, it increases the time to 10:00.

11.3.28                  Alarm 1

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 provide two alarms. The first alarm can be configured from this menu item.

 

There are six fields to configure the alarm. You can navigate through different fields by pressing the Left and Right arrow keys and Press the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate through different choices in the field. The current field (where the cursor is placed) is underlined. Press Backspace once to save all the changes you have made in the alarm settings.

 

Alarm Status (OFF): Press the Right arrow key to go to Alarm status. Press Enter to enable the editing cursor. You can toggle the Alarm status between ON and OFF by pressing the Up and Down arrow keys.

 

Time (HH: MM): Next to the alarm status item is the time setting. Press the Right arrow key to go to the time field. The format for time is HH: MM in either 12 or 24-hours format depending on the set configurations of the menu item Time format (12 hours). Press the Up and Down arrow keys to set the values of the field and Press the Right arrow key to switch between the fields.

 

Repeat (Mon): Press the Right arrow key to go to the repeat field and set the desired days by pressing the Up/Down arrow key. You can choose any day from Monday to Sunday and there are two additional options: All and Once. When you set “All” the alarm rings every day and when you set “Once,” it rings only once at the next occurrence.

 

Ringtone (Ring 1): Press the Right arrow key to set a ringtone for the alarm and choose between Ring 1 through Ring 5 by pressing the Up and Down arrow keys. The ringtones are played as you navigate through the list.

 

Ringtone duration (1 to 59): Press the Right arrow key to set the alarm duration. The range of the alarm duration is 1 to 59 seconds, and the default is 20 seconds.

 

Snooze time (1 to 59): Press the Right arrow key to set the Snooze time. The range of the snooze time is 1 to 59 minutes. The default is 5 minutes.

 

The alarm rings at the time and day it has been set for even if the device is in sleep mode or completely shut off. Press Backspace to cancel the alarm or press Space to Snooze. The alarm automatically snoozes after the ringtone duration if not acknowledged. It repeats this cycle 5 times and then turns off automatically.

11.3.29                  Alarm 2

The second alarm can be configured from this menu item. It has similar settings to Alarm 1.

11.3.30                  USB (HID)

The USB menu selects between the four possible USB protocols: Human Interface Device (HID) (Orbit), HID Braille, Serial, or Mass Storage. The default setting for USB is HID (Orbit). To select the option, press Enter.

 

For more information, see the USB Connectivity section under Remote Mode.

11.3.31                  Bluetooth (Auto)

There are three choices under this menu option.

 

·       Bluetooth Auto

·       Bluetooth manual

·       Bluetooth OFF

The default setting for Bluetooth is Auto. If there is any screen reader activity running on the paired device, the Orbit Q20 and Q40 automatically switches to Bluetooth Remote mode. If you do not want an automatic Bluetooth connection, switch to the manual option. To disable Bluetooth completely, select OFF. To select another option, press Enter.

 

For more information, see the Using the Bluetooth Connection section under Remote Mode.

11.3.32                  Pair (Just Works)

The Pair menu item selects a Bluetooth pairing scheme. The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 use the selected scheme to respond to Bluetooth pairing requests from a host device. To select the option, press Enter.

 

The two choices are:

 

Just Works – This is the default Bluetooth pairing scheme. When using this scheme, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 automatically pairs with any device that sends a pairing request.

 

Confirm code – This is the most secure pairing scheme. With this scheme, the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 respond to pairing requests by displaying a random number on both the device's braille display and the host device. To confirm the pairing request, ensure that the numbers match and then press Enter on Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. To reject the pairing request, press Backspace.

11.3.33                  Mode (Stand-Alone)

By default, the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 operate in Stand-Alone mode where you read and write files stored on the SD card. To specifically set the unit to another mode, select Remote, BT (for Bluetooth,) or USB. Orbit Reader tries to automatically switch to Bluetooth or USB depending on screen reader activity, but if you want to, for instance, specifically switch back to Stand-Alone mode from Remote mode, or switch the interface from Bluetooth to USB, use this option. To select the option, press Enter.

11.3.34                  Bluetooth scan

To use the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with various screen readers wirelessly over Bluetooth, you must first configure a Bluetooth partnership between the Orbit Reader and a computer or smartphone. You can search for Bluetooth devices from the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 by pressing the select button. It initiates the Bluetooth device scanning and shows the progress bar on the braille display.

 

Once the scanning is finished it shows the first device’s name on the display or a “No device found” message if no nearby Bluetooth device is found

 

You can scroll through the list of scanned devices by pressing the Up and Down arrow keys and pressing select to pair with that device. Press Backspace to go back.

 

For more information, see the Using the Bluetooth Connection section under Remote Mode.

11.3.35                  Manage connections

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support up to five Bluetooth connections and one USB connection. This allows you to use the USB connection with your desktop computer while simultaneously setting up Bluetooth connections to your phone and tablet. The first screen reader that connects with the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 becomes active by default. Additionally, the device preserves all connection information when powered off.

 

The Manage Connections menu item shows you the list of paired Bluetooth devices and allows you to switch between different devices. The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 display contents from the active connection and send QWERTY keyboard inputs to the active connection.

 

You can quickly toggle the active connection among the paired Bluetooth devices. The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 highlight the active connection by underlining it. For example, if the Orbit Reader is connected to your primary computer and you receive a text message on your smartphone that you want to read and respond to using the braille display, you can switch access to the smartphone and then back to resume braille access to your computer.

 

Pressing the Enter key from this menu item shows the first device name from the paired devices list. Scroll through the list by pressing the Up and Down arrow keys. When scrolling, the Bluetooth device name is displayed, if available. Otherwise "Bluetooth device" will be displayed, followed by a number from 1 to 5.

 

Press the Enter key to make it an active connection. Press Backspace to go back.

 

For more information, see the Using the Bluetooth Connection section under Remote Mode.

 

11.3.36                  Config thumb keys

The Config thumb keys item is used to map the Pan backwards, Previous line, Next line, and Pan forward commands to the thumb key of the user's choice. Users can configure all four thumb keys as per their choices.

 

The default configuration of thumb keys is as: Thumb key 1 is the Pan backwards key, Thumb key 2 is the Previous line key, Thumb key 3 is the Next line key, and Thumb key 4 is the Pan forward key.

 

11.3.37                  Maintenance Status

The Maintenance Status item in the menu displays whether the current maintenance status is On or Off. If the maintenance status is On, the device will operate all pins up and down every 24 hours while in power-off mode.

 

11.3.38                  Auto Sleep Status

The Auto Sleep Status item in the menu displays whether the current auto sleep status is On or Off. If the auto sleep status is On, the device will go to sleep mode automatically when it remains inactive for more than 10 minutes. If the auto sleep status is Off, the device will not go to sleep mode automatically.

 

11.3.39                  Braille Input

The Braille Input option allows you to switch between input methods using either the QWERTY keyboard or Perkin’s key support.

If Braille Input is ON, you can write text using Perkin’s key support only.

If Braille Input is OFF, you can write text using the QWERTY keyboard.

 

This option is applicable only when the selected read/write language is English, excluding Computer Braille. There is no effect of this setting when the language is English Computer Braille or any language other than English.

For English Computer Braille, you can write text using the QWERTY keyboard only.

For languages other than English, you can write text using Perkin’s key support only.

 

12    Stand-Alone Mode

Stand-alone mode is the default operational mode, allowing you to read, edit, and browse files without being connected to another device. A formatted SD card or USB drive must be inserted in the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 while operating in Stand-Alone mode. This card must contain the files you wish to read.

 

Stand-alone mode operates in the following ways:

·       File Manager

·       Menu

·        Reader

·       Editor

 

13    File Manager

The File Manager is where you select a file stored on the SD card or USB drive to read on the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. You can also create new files and folders, view the properties (such as the file size and current reading position), and copy, rename, and delete files.

 

When moving through the list of files, the Orbit Reader Q20 displays the first 20 characters of each file name. For the Orbit Reader Q40, it displays the first 40 characters of the file name, corresponding to the number of braille cells available on each device. You may scroll to the rest of the information about the file, such as the rest of a long file name, its size, and date, by using the panning keys to move the display window. You can change the way files are sorted in the file list using related menu options.

 

Each item on the file list includes the following items:

·       Filename and extension

·       The current reading position in the file as a count of characters

·       Size in KB (kilobytes)

·       Last modified time

·       Protected or Unprotected

Only one column is displayed per line (with panning as necessary). Pressing Left or Right Arrow moves to the previous or next column heading (file information). Upon exiting the Reader (Backspace), you are returned to the same place and column in the File Manager.

 

The language of the file name is displayed according to the system language. For instance, if the file is in UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted) and the default language is also UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted), it will be displayed in UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted). But if the system language is set to a different language, and the file name is in UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted), the file name may appear unrecognizable. However, you can quickly change your profile using a hotkey to read the file name in the appropriate language.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support two media storage devices – an external SD card and an external USB drive. You can use one or both simultaneously for reading and creating new files.

13.1   File Manager Drives

The file manager shows two drives at the top level:

 

·       SD card

·       USB drive

Pressing the Enter key opens the root of the directory of the chosen drive. When you press the Enter key on the SD card drive, it opens the root directory of the SD card and shows the list of files available on the SD card. Pressing Backspace will take you back to the top level in the file manager. Press the Down arrow key to go to the USB drive and press Enter. This opens the root directory of the external flash drive connected to the USB host port.

 

When there is no flash drive connected to the USB host port, the display shows “USB drive [No media].” Similarly, it shows “SD card [No media]” when there is no SD card inserted.

 

Inserting a flash drive into the USB Host port shows the message “USB drive inserted” and it shows the message “USB drive removed” when you remove it.

 

If you are browsing the contents of the flash drive and remove it from the USB Host port, the File Manager takes you to the top directory of the file manager.

 

You can copy files between an SD card and a USB drive using available commands.

13.2   File Manager Commands

The following are the commands which you can use in File Manager. Most of the commands for files also work for folders.

 

To open a file or folder, press Enter. Pressing Enter opens the file or folder.

 

To go to the previous or next file or folder, press Up or Down Arrow. Pressing the Up or Down Arrow moves to the previous or next file in the list.

 

To go back to one folder level, press Backspace. Backspace acts like a "back" key to exit the current activity. If you are already in File Manager, pressing Backspace moves back to one level where you have multiple subfolders open. If you are at the root level, Backspace does nothing. If you are in one of the columns of information, for example, size or date, then pressing Backspace returns to filename.

 

To move through file information, press Left or Right Arrow. This command moves you through the file information by headings. See Error! Reference source not found. section for more information.

 

To open the Preference Menu, press Windows Key + P. Pressing Windows Key + P opens the Preference Menu.

 

To scroll text, press the Left or Right Panning keys. If the file name is longer than the display, panning left or right displays more of the file name. When you get to the end of the file name, pressing the panning key moves you to the next item of file information, like position, size, date, and so on.

 

To make a New File, CTRL + N. The New File command starts the Editor mode with a new file in which to type. To exit the Editor, press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to exit the Editor.

 

To make a New Folder, press CTRL + O. The New Folder command opens the Edit Box where you may type the name of the new folder. Pressing Enter saves the new folder name and returns you to the file list with that folder selected. If you do not name the folder, press Enter names the folder as New Folder. Press Enter to exit without making a new folder.

 

To delete a file or folder, press DELETE. This action deletes the currently selected file(s) or folder(s). Only empty folders and unprotected files can be deleted. Confirmation is required before the file or folder is deleted. When the message "-- Confirm action" is displayed, press Enter to confirm or press Backspace to cancel.

 

To rename a file or folder, press CTRL + R. The Rename File command allows you to change the name of a file or folder. To use it, press the Rename command. The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 responds with an Edit Box containing the original file or folder name. Edit the name or type a new one and press Enter. Press ESC to exit without renaming a file or folder. Note: The key input for the file name should be entered as per the selected system language.

To write a new folder name or rename a file/folder, write a new name as per the selected read/write language, you can enter a name as follows:

o   English Computer Braille: You can enter a new name using the QWERTY keyboard.

o   Other Languages (Excluding English): You can enter a new name in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On: You can enter a new name in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input Off: You can enter a new name using the QWERTY keyboard. While entering a name, the input will be displayed in English Computer Braille, but after pressing Enter, the name will be shown in the selected read/write language.

 

To cut a file, press CTRL + X. This action cuts the currently selected file(s) or empty folders from their location and places them on the clipboard to be used with the paste command.

 

To copy a file, press CTRL + C. The Copy File command makes a copy of the currently selected file(s) or empty folders and places it (them) on the clipboard to be used with the paste command.

 

To paste a file, press CTRL + V. This action pastes the file(s) or folder(s) that are currently on the clipboard into the current location in File Manager. If no file or folder is on the clipboard, no action is taken.

 

To mark a file, press CTRL + M. When moving multiple files, use the Mark File command to mark each file before using Cut, Copy, or Delete. To Mark a file, place an arrow on the file and press CTRL + M.

To clear a marked file, press CTRL + M again.

File Manager indicates marked files by raising Backspace and entering the first letter of the file name.

 

To Protect or unprotect a file, press CTRL + P. To protect a file from accidental changes, turn an arrow to the file and press CTRL + P. To remove the protected status, select the file and press CTRL + P again. To determine if a file is Protected, arrow Right or Left to the Unprotected/Protected heading.

 

To edit the current file, press CTRL + E. When editing the current file, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 switches to Edit mode, which is indicated by a cursor at the point of input. The cursor is at the first character shown on the display when you press the edit command. As you type, everything is saved to the file. To exit, press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to exit the Editor. See The Editor section for more information.

 

To Edit the Last Edited File, ALT + TAB. This command reopens the last file you edited and returns the cursor to its last position in that file. “The Edit Last Edited File” command is useful for taking notes on what you read. Use the command to quickly switch back to the Editor. Then close the Editor to return to the title you are reading. This command has no effect if you are already editing a file. The device displays the error message "-- File not found" when no previous file has been opened or if the file was deleted. Press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to return it to the file you were reading.

13.3   More about Copying and Pasting Files

When copying or pasting a file that results in another file with the same name, File Manager adds an extension to indicate that the new file is a copy. For example: if you copy a book. brf to a folder that already contains a book. brf, the new file becomes book_1.brf and the original book. brf remains unchanged.

 

If the SD card runs out of space before a file operation is completed, File Manager shows, "-- Error copying file xxx" where xxx is the file name.

 

When copying a large number of files, or large files that can take some time, the File Manager displays progress messages during the copy operation.

 

If copying a file takes more than five seconds, File Manager displays, "-- Copying xxx (yy%)" where xxx is the name of the file and yy is the percentage complete. This percentage is updated after every 10% of progress.

For the command keys, go to the File Manager Commands table under the File Manager section.

13.4   File Movement Commands

To move to the first file, press CTRL + HOME. Pressing CTRL + HOME moves the File Manager selection to the first file in the current folder.

 

To move to the last file, press CTRL + END. Pressing CTRL + END moves the File Manager selection to the last file in the current folder.

 

To Incrementally search the file list, Type the file name quickly. To find a file quickly, type the first few letters of the file's name. The File Manager highlights the first file matching the letters you typed.

 

13.4.1  Supported File Types

·       BRF: It is translated, formatted braille. The device displays the exact representation.

·       BRL: It is Translated, unformatted braille. The device displays the exact representation.

·       TXT: It is in Text format. The device displays as per the language selected.

In addition to the supported file types, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 shows the contents of any file. This feature is useful, however, to examine files that do contain readable text even if it is not a supported file type. However, some files may not contain readable content.

 

There are several excellent braille translation systems available in the U.S. If you obtain textbooks from APH or get transcribed titles from NLS or NBP, the braille should be correct and formatted. You may also get braille translation software that produces automatically translated braille using programs like ‘Libelous.’ Alternatively, you can have Book Share automatically generate braille files of the titles available.

13.5   Preparing Files

To prepare BRF files for placement on the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40, follow these guidelines:

·        Determine the translation type.

·        Translate the file.

·        Place the file onto the SD card or use the Mass Storage protocol to copy from your desktop computer.

To copy files to the SD card, remove the card from the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 and place it into a card reader on your computer. Alternatively, you can connect the USB cable from the Orbit Reader to your computer and activate the Mass Storage protocol on the Orbit Reader by either pressing CTRL + J or selecting Mass Storage from the USB option in the menu. When using the Mass Storage protocol, the Orbit Reader shows up as a drive on the computer, and here, you cannot use other functions of the Orbit Reader.

 

13.6   File transfer (Bluetooth)

You can transfer a file from the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to any paired Bluetooth device over Bluetooth. Select a file from the file manager using the Up or Down arrow keys and press Windows + CTRL + b.

 

For more information, see the File transfer over Bluetooth section.

 

14    The Reader

In Stand-Alone mode, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 displays the content of files stored on an SD card and USB drive. It translates the text into the language that you select for the Read/Edit option in the menu section.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 are designed to be stand-alone readers. Placing BRF, BRL, or TXT content (see File Types section) on an inserted SD card/USB drive turns it into an on-the-go braille book reader. When first powered on, the Orbit Reader displays the contents of the first file on the SD card/USB drive. To get to the file list, press Backspace. Go to the desired file using the Up or Down Arrow key. Press Enter to open the file. Use the Left and Right Panning keys to read it. There are many other functions in reading mode such as Find, Power Move, Bookmarks, and even a menu to set preferences. The following sections describe the commands and settings that can be used while reading.

 

When you turn the device on, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 resumes from the last place of the last file in use. For first-time use, it displays the first file or folder on the SD card. Press Backspace to close the file and display File Manager, which shows a list of files on the SD card. If there is no SD card inserted, the message "-- No SD card" is displayed.

 

When you open a text file to read for the first time on Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, the file gets translated first as per the language selected for Reading/Editing. For a large file, it may take a few seconds to complete the translation. The translation process is indicated by showing a progress bar on the display where the Dot 6 (6th pin) of the first 6 cells rises in sequence repeatedly.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 stores the translated files in the SD card/USB drive so that it can be used in the future. Latency is observed only when you open the file for the first time or if the translated file is lost for some reason.

 

While the file translation is in progress, no other operations are allowed, and pressing any key will have no effect.

 

If translation is taking too much time and you wish to abort the operation, you can do so by pressing Backspace. The system will cancel the file opening operation and will take you back to the file manager.

 

You can switch the reading language with the help of hotkeys, even if you are in the middle of the file. Please note that if you change the language, the system will translate the file again as per the new language selected.

 

When you reach the end of the file, "-- End of file" is displayed by the Reader. Similarly, if you are at the beginning of the file, "-- Start of file" is displayed.

14.1   Reader Commands

While in Stand-Alone mode, the following commands are available.

 

To Go to the Previous or Next display, press the Panning keys. See Panning Keys section for more information.

 

To Go to Previous or Next Character, press the Left or Right Arrows. If you press the Right Arrow key, the next letter appears on the right side of the display.

 

To Go to Previous or Next Word, press CTRL + Left or Right Arrows. If you press CTRL + Right Arrow, the next word appears on the right side of the display.

To Go to the Previous or Next Line, press the Up or Down Arrows. Pressing the Previous or Next Line command moves to the previous or next carriage return in the file.

 

To Go to the Previous or Next Page, press PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN.

To Go to the Top or Bottom of a file, press CTRL + Home or CTRL + End. Pressing CTRL + Home moves to the top of a file; pressing CTRL + End moves to the bottom of a file. (For compatibility with other devices, CTRL + Home moves to the top and CTRL + End moves to the bottom of a file.)

 

To Exit the File, press Backspace. If you read a file, pressing Backspace returns you to your previous location.

 

To Set or Clear a Bookmark, press CTRL + M. In addition to the automatic bookmark placed when you close a file, the Orbit Reader lets you set additional bookmarks. Reader displays the message "-- Bookmark added" or "-- Bookmark cleared" if there was already a bookmark at that position.

 

To Go to Previous or Next Bookmark, press Shift + Left or Right arrow. The Reader responds by moving the cursor to the bookmarked position. The bookmarked location appears as the first character on the display. If there are no marks in the indicated direction, "-- No more bookmarks" is displayed.

To Power Move/Search Forward and/or back, press Window + Down or Window + UP. Press the Alt + Up arrow to move back. Press the Alt + Down arrow to move forward. See Power Move Forward and Back section for more information.

 

To Find Braille, press CTRL + F. Pressing CTRL + F opens an input field (Edit Box) with a cursor. By default, it shows the last search string on the display. This allows you to perform a search in a specific braille format by typing the text in the same braille format. Press Enter to begin the search. To exit the Edit Box without performing a search, press ESC. See Edit Box and Find Braille sections for more information.

 

To Find the Next Braille, press Alt + Down Arrow. Pressing Alt + Down Arrow repeats a previous search forward from the point in the file where you are. If there is no text in the Find Edit buffer, the Reader uses the text at the cursor. See the Find Braille section for more information.

 

To Find Previous Braille, press D Alt + Up Arrow. Pressing Alt + Up Arrow repeats a previous search backward from the point in the file where you are. If there is no text in the Find Edit buffer, the Reader uses the text at the cursor. See the Find Braille section for more information.

 

To Edit the Current File, press CTRL + E. CTRL + E to edit the file you are currently reading. Press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to exit the Editor and continue reading.

 

To Open a New File, press CTRL + N. CTRL + N opens a new file in the Editor for editing/notetaking. Press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to return it to the file you were reading.

 

To Edit the Last Edited File, press ALT + TAB. Using this command reopens the last file you edited and returns the cursor to its last position in that file. The Edit Last Edited File command is useful for taking notes on what you read. Use the command to quickly switch back to the Editor. Then close the Editor to return to the title you are reading. This command has no effect if you are already editing a file. The device displays the error message "-- File not found" when no previous file has been opened. Press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to return it to the file you were reading.

14.2   Power Move Forward and Back

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 feature power move commands that provide a quick way to navigate through large sections of a file. These commands allow users to efficiently move or search for a known location within the document. A power move operates by using boundaries and moving 50% between them with each press of the key command. In essence, by using a power move to search within a file, you are drilling down to the information using a binary command. When you press Windows + Down Arrow or Window + Up Arrow, the Reader moves in the following ways:

 

On the first press, the cursor moves halfway between the current position and the start (Windows + Up Arrow) or end (Windows + Down Arrow) of the file, which acts as the boundaries for the power search.

 

Subsequent presses treat the moved-from position as the new boundary in that direction. So, if you are at the beginning of the file (or 0%) when you press Windows + Down Arrow, the Reader moves the cursor to halfway between 0% and 100%. You are now at 50%, and this becomes the new boundary. The initial boundary is at the original position of 0%. Therefore, if you press Windows + Up Arrow, you move halfway between 50% and 0% to end at 25%. Or, if you press Windows + Down Arrow, you move halfway between 50% and 100% to end at 75%.

 

Each time you press the Windows + up arrow or Windows + down arrow keys, the Reader shows the percentage in the first few cells of the display line and fills the rest of the cells with text at that position. This continues until you press some other key. See the Panning Keys section for more information.

14.3   Find Braille

To find specific braille text, use the Find command (CTRL + F). The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 responds by opening an input field (see Edit Box section) with a cursor, which is indicated by Dots 7 and 8. By default, it shows the text at the current cursor location in the edit box. Unlike Power Move, which searches by known location of text, the Find command searches the entire file for instances of the braille text you enter in the input field. If you have searched for something previously, that text appears in the Edit Box with your cursor at the end. See the Power Move Forward and Back section for more information.

 

To find a word, first press CTRL + F to enter the Edit Box. Type the word you wish to find, in the language selected for the reader/editor and then press Enter to start the search moving forward in the file.

 

As per selected read/write language, you can enter a word as follows:

o   English Computer Braille: You can enter a word using the QWERTY keyboard.

o   Other Languages (Excluding English): You can enter a word in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On: You can enter word in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input Off: You can enter a word using the QWERTY keyboard. While entering a word, the input will be displayed in English Computer Braille, but the searched word will be shown in the selected read/write language.

To search for moving backward in the file, press Alt + Left Arrow. The word is shown as the first word on the display. If the word is not found, the message "-- Not found" is displayed. Press Backspace to clear the message. To exit the Edit Box without finding the word, press ESC.

 

After the word is found, to continue searching, press the Alt + right arrow to find the next occurrence (forward in the file) or the Alt + left arrow to find a previous occurrence (towards the beginning of the file).

 

If you are searching for text in a contracted braille file, you must type the text you want to search in contracted braille if the read/write language is other than English or English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On.

 

If you are searching in a plain text file, you must type the text you want to search for in Computer Braille. See Appendix A - Computer Braille Chart for details.

 

You can search for terms up to 255 characters long. Searches are generally not case-sensitive. A search for the word "animal" results in finding both lowercase and uppercase versions of that word (animal/Animal). However, if you want to find words with upper case letters only, type the text you wish to find with the braille indicator for capitalization included (in contracted braille, one Dot 6 precedes a capital letter, while two Dot 6s precedes an entirely capitalized word. In Computer Braille, capital letters include Dot 7). For example, a search for the capitalized word "Animal" gives the results for "Animal" (capitalized), but not "animal" (lowercase).

 

Additionally, searches match both whole and partial words. Searching for "an" finds "an" (whole) and "man" (partial). To restrict searches to whole words, add a space at the beginning or end of the word. The Reader matches the space with any non-printing character such as spaces, tabs, and line feeds.

 

Read the section on Edit Box for editing commands and navigation functionality.

 

In” search files,” the Reader moves from reading files to searched text and displays it at the beginning of the display line. If the text is not found, then the Reader displays “Not found” and gets back to its previous position. While searching through large documents, the Orbit Reader displays “Busy” while conducting the search.

 

To repeat a search moving forward towards the end of the file, press ALT + Right Arrow.

 

To repeat a search moving back towards the beginning of the file, press ALT + Left Arrow.

14.4   Braille Pacer (Auto-Scroll)

The Braille Pacer feature is available in the Reader and lets you set a reading pace for the display to automatically advance.

 

The pace can be adjusted during reading by pressing the CTRL + ALT + Up arrow to increase the speed (i.e., a faster advance rate) or the CTRL + ALT + Down arrow key to decrease the speed (i.e., a slower advance rate). Pressing these keys once increases or decreases the speed in one-second steps. You can set the scrolling speed from 1 to 20 seconds depending upon your reading speed.

 

Many users might like to have finer control of the speed, and this can be achieved by pressing the space bar, Backspace, and up or down arrow keys. The fine control increases or decreases the speed in steps of one-tenth of a second.

 

The default speed is 4 seconds. You can review the current scroll rate from the menu, but it can be changed only while reading. The current scroll rate is not displayed when auto-scrolling. However, when the auto-scroll is stopped and the scroll rate is changed, the scroll rate will be displayed by the message “XXY sec scroll rate.” You can use all the reading navigation commands during the Braille Pacer mode as well.

 

To Start/Stop Braille Pacer, press Space. The rate of change is not viewable if the speed is increased or decreased while active.

 

To Increase/Decrease Speed by 1 Second, press CTRL + Alt + Up/DOWN arrow.

 

To Increase/Decrease Speed by 0.1 seconds, press CTRL + Alt + Right/LEFT arrow.

15    Edit Box

The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 presents a text dialog or input field called an Edit Box when you want to find text or rename a file. The Edit Box permits only one line of text. Press CTRL + F to begin a search or press CTRL + R to rename a file.

 

Once in the Edit Box, insert the text by typing the desired text as per the language selected for the reader/editor, and then use the Edit Box commands to navigate. The Edit Box displays a blinking cursor (Dots 7 and 8) to indicate the beginning of the text that you are searching for or editing.

When the Orbit Reader shows an edit box, it often provides default text, such as a file name or a previously entered search term. To delete or replace the selected text, type a letter, or press the backspace key. To edit the existing text in insert mode, press one of the arrow keys to move the cursor letter by letter to the position where you wish to edit.

15.1   Edit Box Commands

To Move Left or Right One Letter, press the Left or Right Arrow. Pressing the left or right arrow moves the cursor in the desired direction. When the cursor reaches the end of the edit box, it stops--it can move no further.

 

To Move to the Start or End of the Text, press Up or Down Arrow. Press the Up or Down Arrow to move the cursor to the beginning or end of the text.

 

To Backspace, press Backspace. The Backspace key deletes the letter immediately left of the cursor. Use the Backspace key in case of a typing mistake or to remove small amounts of text.

 

To Accept typed text, press Enter. Here, pressing Enter acts as an Enter/OK key.

 

To Close the Edit Box, press ESC. To close the edit box, use the Close command. In single-line controls, Close removes what you have typed. In multiple-line controls, all text is automatically saved in the editor.

 

16    The Editor

In addition to serving as a tool for reading braille, Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 offer the ability to write and edit text. This feature allows you to create/edit new or existing files on the SD card.

 

While you are in the Editor mode, the cursor notes the current position by blinking Dots 7 8. The default setting for the cursor is 1 second. The blink of the cursor can be turned off from the Menu.

 

There are three ways to edit a file. Each of these three commands is available both from the Reader and the File Manager.

·       Create a new file: CTRL + N.

·       Edit current file: CTRL + E.

·       Switch to last edited file:  Alt + Tab

To insert text, type or paste the text in the cursor. You can insert any text into an open file using the keyboard The Editor adds the typed or pasted text.

 

To exit Editor, press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to exit the Editor. The cursor disappears, returning you to the Reader in the file you were editing.

 

When you exit the editor or save the file from the context menu, the back translation from braille to text is performed as per the selected language. The translation process is indicated by showing a progress bar on display where the Dot 6 (6th pin) of the first 6 cells rises in sequence repeatedly. This operation cannot be canceled.

 

If you are exiting a new file, the editor automatically names the file with the first 40 characters of the translated text in the file. If a file already exists with that name, the Editor appends a number to it until it produces a unique name. To rename a file or to add an extension to the file name, highlight the file name in File Manager, and use the rename command. If there are Computer Braille characters that cannot be used in a filename, such as a forward slash (/) or an asterisk (*), the characters are replaced with an underscore (_). Once you exit, the new file name in the File Manager is selected. If you wish to rename the file, use the rename command (CTRL + R). If you want to give the file a specific name, write that name as the first line in the file.

 

Note: It is recommended that you exit the Editor before you perform a system update, reset the device, or remove the SD card. Exiting the Editor saves your work. Not exiting the Editor first could result in lost work.

16.1   Cursor Routing Buttons

A cursor routing button is located above each braille cell for positioning the cursor.

 

While editing a file in Stand-Alone mode, press a cursor routing button to move the cursor to that braille cell. This makes cursor navigation very convenient.

Similarly, when connected in remote mode, press a cursor routing button to move the cursor to that point, or to select a link in a Web page or e-mail message.

16.2   Editor Commands

To Edit New File, press CTRL + N. Creates a new file in the Editor, ready for input.

 

Depending on the chosen read/write language, writing text will work differently. Below is an explanation of the various modes of operation:

o   English Computer Braille: It is possible to write text using the QWERTY keyboard. NO Braille translation is performed., and text is always shown in Computer Braille.

o   Other Languages (Excluding English): You can write text in the selected read/write language using Braille input mode which emulates a Perkins-style keyboard by using the S D F J K L keys.

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On: You can write text in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input Off:

You can write text using the QWERTY keyboard. As you type, the text will initially be displayed in English Computer Braille on the Braille display.

When you press the SPACE or ENTER key, the previously entered text will be automatically translated according to the selected Braille table. For example, UEB grade 2.

Modifying Existing Data:

If you want to edit content which has already been translated, you can move to the word that you want to edit, long-press the cursor routing key at that word. The selected word will then be displayed in Computer Braille on the Braille display, accompanied by two short vibration indications that indicate entering a special edit mode.

You can modify the word or write multiple words using the QWERTY keyboard.

If you place the cursor on a blank line where no word is present, a blank Braille display will appear, indicated by a vibration, with the cursor blinking at the first cell. You can then enter new data on this new line using the QWERTY keyboard.

When you press Enter, the inserted text will replace the selected word in the file.

If you press ESC, the changes will be discarded, and the file will reopen in the editor without any modifications.

 

To Edit Current File, press CTRL + E. Opens the selected file for editing.

 

As per selected read/write language, you can update the existing file as follows:

o   English Computer Braille: You can update the file content using the QWERTY keyboard.

o   Other Languages (Excluding English): You can update the file content in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On: You can update the file content in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input Off:

o   Adding Data at the End of the File:

If you want to add data at the end of a file, you can use the QWERTY keyboard to type the desired text. When you press the SPACE or ENTER key, the entered data will automatically be converted and displayed in the selected language.

o   Modifying Existing Words in the File:

To change an existing word in the file, first, long-press the cursor routing key at the word you want to modify. The selected word will then be displayed in Computer Braille on the Braille display, accompanied by two short vibrations, indicating that the word is ready for editing.

You can modify this word or write multiple words using the QWERTY keyboard.

If you press the cursor routing key on a blank line where no word is present, the Braille display will show a blank screen with a vibration indication, and the cursor will blink at the first cell. You can then enter new data on this line using the QWERTY keyboard.

When you press the Enter key, the inserted text will replace the selected word in the file.

If you press the ESC key, the changes will be discarded, and the file will reopen in the editor without any modifications.

 

To Switch to Last Edited File, press Alt + Tab. Opens the last edited file for further editing. The device displays the error message "-- File not found" if the file has been deleted.

 

To Add a new line (Enter), press Enter. Pressing Enter adds a new line (enters a carriage return) at the end of a paragraph and places the editing cursor in the first cell of the next paragraph.

 

To Delete a character, press Backspace. Pressing Backspace deletes the character to the left of the editing cursor.

 

To Exit Editor, press the ESC key to open the context menu. The context menu displays the EXIT option first. Press the Enter key to exit the Editor. When you close a file, the Editor saves and returns it to the Reader or File Manager, depending on your earlier location. It automatically saves your work. If you have opened the file from File Manager, File Manager makes the new file with the current item in the list. If you edit an existing file, Reader moves the reading position to the place where the cursor was.

 

To Save current work, press the ESC key to open the context menu and then press CTRL + S. The Orbit Reader automatically saves files every 1 KB of data, or about 1000 characters, as you edit. However, small file increments could be lost during certain situations such as SD card removal, system updates, or device resets. Pressing the ESC key to open the context menu and then pressing CTRL + S saves the file as you deem necessary.

 

To Go to the next or previous character, press Left or Right Arrow. Pressing Left or Right Arrow moves the cursor to the previous or next character.

 

To Go to the next or previous word, press CTRL + Left or Right Arrow. Pressing CTRL + Left or Right Arrow moves the cursor to the start of the previous word or next word. This is also used to navigate between digits.

 

To Go to the Previous or next display, press Pan Up or Down. Pressing Up or Down on the Panning rocker keys allows you to move to the previous or next display of braille. If you press the bottom part of the rocker key, the display pans forward. If you press the top of the rocker key, the display pans backward. The editing cursor is placed at the first cell. See Panning Keys section for more information.

 

To Go to the Previous or next paragraph, press Up or Down Arrow. Pressing the Up or Down Arrow moves the editing cursor to the start of the previous or next paragraph. If the start of the previous or next paragraph is not on the display, then the display pans to the start of the previous or next paragraph to the first cell on the display. The editing cursor is placed in the first cell.

 

To Go to Start or end of paragraph, press shift + windows + home and shift+ windows + end. Pressing shift + windows + home and shift + windows + end Arrow moves the cursor to the start or end of the current paragraph. If the start or end is not on the current display, then the display pans to the start or end of the first cell of the display. The editing cursor is placed in the first cell.

 

 

To Go to the Previous or Next page, Page Up and Page Down. Pressing Page Up and Page Down moves the cursor to the previous or next page (1000 characters or form feed character).

 

To Go to the top or end of the document, press CTRL + Home and CTRL + End. Pressing CTRL + Home and CTRL + End moves the cursor to the top or bottom of the document.

 

To Find Next Braille, press ALT + Down Arrow. Pressing the ALT + Down arrow repeats a previous search forward from the point in the file where you are. If there is no text in the Find Edit buffer, the Editor uses the text at the cursor.

 

To Find the Previous Braille, press ALT + Up Arrow. Pressing the ALT + Up arrow repeats a previous search backward from the point in the file where you are. If there is no text in the Find Edit buffer, the Editor uses the text at the cursor.

16.3   Editor Block Text Commands

The Editor block operations depend on a selection. The selection is the text between the cursor and the location mark.

 

Note: The size limit for a cut/copy/paste operation is 5 KB of data.

 

Adding a location mark does not change the content. Marks are used for copying/cutting a selection of text. To copy or cut using marks, press ESC and then CTRL + M to place a mark. Only one mark can be placed/added at a time. Once the mark is placed, the text between the cursor and the mark can be copied (ESC and then CTRL + C) or cut (ESC and then CTRL + X). Once the text is copied or cut, the mark is cleared.

To Set or clear the Location Mark, press ESC and then CTRL + M. The editor indicates a mark by raising both Dots 7 and 8 on the character where the mark occurs. To set or clear a mark in the file, press the Mark command. If there was already a mark at the cursor, the editor shows "-- Mark cleared" on the display and removes the mark. If there is no mark, it shows -" Mark set" and adds a mark.

 

To Copy, press ESC and then CTRL + C. The copy command places the selected text onto the clipboard for later use in this file or another file.

 

To Cut, press ESC and then CTRL + X. The cut command removes the selected text from the document and places it onto the clipboard for later use. If you want to put that text somewhere else, move to the desired position, then use the Paste command.

 

To Paste, press ESC and then CTRL + V. To paste the contents of the clipboard before the cursor, use the Paste command.

16.4   Context Menu

The Context menu gives you quick access to functions such as cut, copy, and mark for use in the Editor.

While in Editor, press ESC to open the Context menu. There are two ways to select from the Context menu after it is open.

  1. If you do not know the braille shortcuts, press the Up or Down Arrow key to scroll to your selection and press Enter.
  2. If you know the braille shortcut for the command (the braille letter associated with the function), press that letter with CTRL.

·       E Exit

·       M Mark

·       C Copy

·       V Paste

·       X Cut

·       F Find

·       S Save

You can also press ESC and then press CTRL + E to quickly exit the Editor. The first press opens the Context menu; the second press selects the first option in the menu, which is Exit.

 

17    Support for Perkins Keypad

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support the Perkins keypad, allowing users to write data in any Braille language.

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 use the Perkins keyboard to rename files or folders, and it is available for the search operation, as well as in the Editor, Calculator, and Calendar applications.

For read/write languages other than English, Perkin’s key support is used for writing text in all applications.

For English (excluding Computer Braille), you can enable or disable Perkin’s key support through the "Braille Input" setting in the Preference menu. If Braille Input is on, Perkin’s key support is enabled. If Braille Input is off, Perkin’s key support is disabled.

Once the Perkins keyboard is enabled, users can use the QWERTY keys S, D, F, J, K, L, which will function as the dot keys 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, and 6, respectively. The other QWERTY keyboard commands will work as normal.

The device cannot enable the Perkins keyboard while the language is set to Computer Braille.

18    Sounds and Vibrations

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 provide sound and vibration indications upon various user actions. The following table shows user actions and scenarios and their respective sound and vibration indications. These indications may also be turned off from the preferences menu. See System Sounds (Off), Navigation sounds (Off), Error sounds (Off) and Vibration (On).

18.1   Sound and Vibration Indications

·       Device Power On: Power ON Sound, Single long vibration

·       Device Power Off: Power OFF Sound, Two short vibrations

·       Navigating through any list. E.g., File list or menu items: Navigation sound, Single short vibration.

·       Navigation limits. E.g., End of the file, End of the list in the menu: Navigation limit sound, Two short vibrations.

·       Error/Failure/Timeout notifications. E.g., File saving error, pairing failure, pairing timeout: Error sound, Single long vibration.

·       Progress/Busy notifications. E.g., copying files, scanning Bluetooth devices: Busy sound, Single short vibration once in a second

·       Low battery indication (10%): Low battery sound, Single long vibration once in a minute

·       Entering sleep mode: Tick sound, Single short vibration

·       Exiting sleep mode: Tick sound, Single long vibration

·       Change in device mode: Tick sound, Single short vibration.

·       Charger insertion/removal: Tick sound, Single short vibration

·       End of line or paragraph: Line sound, Single short vibration

·       Battery status is 0%: No audio, Two long vibrations (shutdown indication)

19    Remote Mode

In addition to using the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 as a portable reading tool and editor, it connects with host devices (i.e., computers, phones, tablets) to provide braille input/output to that device. The host device must be running software that supports Braille.

 

·       Windows PCs - JAWS®, NVDA, Windows Narrator

·       Mac® computers and iOS® devices - Voiceover

·       Android devices - Talkback, Braille TTY, Amazon VoiceView

When you use the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 as a display for other hosts, the screen reader on that host device provides translation and other braille settings. Refer to the documentation for the specific screen reader you are using.

 

When you enable Remote mode, the QWERTY Keyboard will connect to the host device, and you can operate the host device using the QWERTY keyboard. The only hotkeys used with Remote mode that are not sent to the remote device are as follows:

·        Pressing Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2 to disable remote mode.

 

When Connecting the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to an external device in remote mode using USB or Bluetooth, the Braille display and QWERTY keyboard act as one single connection. The QWERTY keyboard acts like any other external USB or Bluetooth keyboard that is connected with the external device.

 

This means that screen reading commands, as well as commands for operating various functions related to the operating system of the connected device, remain the same as with any USB or Bluetooth keyboard connected to it, and are not special or unique to the Orbit Reader device.

 

For example, if you connect the Orbit Reader device to Windows via a USB cable, and use NVDA as your screen reader, you can use traditional NVDA commands to interact with your computer. You can read the window title with the NVDA key + t, read current time with NVDA + F12, etc.

 

If connected to VoiceOver on iOS, you can use commands such as CTRL + Command + Left/Right arrow keys, to navigate between items on the screen, for example.

 

Notes

·       If connected to Windows, we recommend using the laptop keyboard layout of your screen reader, since the Orbit Reader device does not include an Insert key.

·       When connecting to an Apple device (a Mac computer or an iOS device), the Alt key serves as the option key, while the Windows key serves as the Command key.

 

19.1   Before you connect

Before you connect the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to a host, it is important to set the device so that the screen reader(s) you use recognizes it. The Orbit Reader is in the process of being registered with screen readers.

 

19.2   Using the Bluetooth Connection

Bluetooth is a technology that wirelessly connects devices, such as the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, to host devices, such as phones, tablets, and computers or to peripherals such as Bluetooth keyboards. For example, when using an iPhone with Voiceover, you can control the iPhone with keys and buttons on the Orbit Reader, and you can read the entire interface in braille as you interact with it.

 

If the Orbit Reader is on, when you turn on the host device, it connects automatically provided the Bluetooth option in the menu is set to Automatic. When the host device enters sleep mode or is turned off, the Orbit Reader reverts to showing stand-alone content. When connected to another device through the USB port, the Orbit Reader reconnects to the screen reader on the other host device.

 

There are only two ways to wake up a host device:

·       Pressing the Power button

·       Receiving a notification

 

If you wish to connect to a screen reader application such as Voiceover or Talkback, initiate pairing from the host.

 

See the Bluetooth section for the host device you plan to use:

 

·       Connecting iOS with Bluetooth

·       Connecting Mac with Bluetooth

·       Connecting Android with Bluetooth

·       Connecting Windows with Bluetooth

19.2.1  Connect to Multiple Hosts

It is possible to pair the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with more than one device. For example, you can pair it with both your phone and tablet. The device you use must offer a braille interface.

 

Make sure the screen reader on each host supports the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. Pair the display with each device following the Bluetooth steps for that device type.

 

When connecting to host devices that do not support the Orbit Reader 20 or Orbit Reader 40, you cannot connect to the device. This will ensure the proper functioning of commands between the Orbit Reader and host devices.

 

19.2.2  Manage Connections

You can quickly toggle the active connection between paired Bluetooth devices using the Manage connection menu item.

 

Access the list of connected devices by pressing hotkey command ALT + L and scroll through the list by pressing Up/Down arrow key. This list shows the name of the paired Bluetooth device. An empty slot is shown by the message "Bluetooth device" followed by a number from 1 to 5.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support up to five simultaneous Bluetooth connections.

 

Press the Enter key to make the displayed connection active. The Orbit Reader displays the selected device’s name with an underline. Press Backspace to go back.

 

When you use Bluetooth, it is possible to interrupt the activities of the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 by a connected host device. Each time you wake up the host device, it takes over the Orbit Reader. This behavior makes it very convenient to interact with your host device in braille, but if you use the Orbit Reader in Stand-Alone mode or connect it to a screen reader with USB, you may not want interruption when your phone wakes up. To return the Orbit Reader to what you were doing before the interruption, put the host back to sleep by tapping its Power button.

 

To prevent interruptions from occurring altogether, turn off Bluetooth in the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 menu or temporarily turn off notifications on the host device. When you are ready to resume using Bluetooth, either turn it back on from the Orbit Reader’s menu or use the hotkey CTRL+ B from Stand-Alone mode on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. (You can always return to Stand-Alone mode by pressing Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2 on the Orbit Reader.)

 

Note: If the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 does not update the display after switching to a connection, unlock your host device so that it will detect the display and activate the connection.

 

19.2.3  Manage Bluetooth Connection Commands

To Activate Bluetooth device, Press left upper pan key +cursor routings 1 through 5, Pressing left upper pan key in conjunction with cursor routings 1 through 5 quickly switches to one of the five Bluetooth connections. To activate the USB HID Orbit device, press the left upper pan key along with cursor routing 6. This will quickly switch to HID Orbit.

 

To Forget selected connection, Press CTRL + Q. Pressing CTRL + Q deletes selected connection from the list, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 displays “Delete success”.

 

To Forget all connections, Press CTRL + X. Pressing CTRL + X deletes all connections from the list, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 displays “Delete success”.

 

19.3   USB

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a technology that makes connecting devices with hosts easy. It provides some advantages over Bluetooth because it is both faster and charges the Orbit Reader simultaneously.

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 support three kinds of USB connections (all with the same cable available in the box.)

 

·       Human Interface Device - Orbit (recommended)

·       Braille - HID

·       Serial

·       Mass Storage (for turning the Orbit Reader's SD card into a drive on your computer)

19.3.1  Human Interface Device (HID) – Orbit

When using the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with a screen reader that supports HID Orbit, follow these steps:

1.      Turn on the Orbit Reader. Orbit Reader displays the last braille you were reading.

2.      Connect the USB cable to the host and to the Orbit Reader. "-- Charger connected" is displayed.

3.     On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, press CTRL + H or left upper pan key + cursor routing 6. "-- HID Orbit" is displayed. The QWERTY keyboard will connect to the host, and you can operate the host device using QWERTY keyboard.

4.      Start the screen reader. Orbit responds by displaying what the screen reader is showing. If your screen reader does not support HID, see Serial below.

To switch back to Stand-Alone mode, press Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2.

To switch to Bluetooth mode, press the left upper pan key along with cursor routings 1 to 5 to quickly switch between one of the 5 Bluetooth devices.

 

19.3.2  Human Interface Device (HID) – Braille

When using the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with a screen reader that supports HID Braille, follow these steps:

1.      Turn on the Orbit Reader. Orbit reader displays the last braille you were reading.

2.      Connect the USB cable to the host and to the Orbit Reader. "-- Charger connected" is displayed.

3.      On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, press CTRL + Windows + H. "-- HID Braille" is displayed.

Start the screen reader. Orbit responds by displaying what the screen reader is showing. If your screen reader does not support HID, see Serial below. Switch back to Stand-Alone mode, press Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2.

19.3.3  Serial

When using a screen reader that only supports Serial protocol, follow these steps:

1.      Turn on the Orbit Reader. It displays the last material to read.

2.      Connect the USB cable. "-- Charger connected" is displayed.

3.     On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, press CTRL + I. "-- Serial USB" is displayed. The QWERTY Keyboard will connect to the host, and you can operate the host device using QWERTY keyboard.

4.      Install any necessary drivers. See the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 Resources page or screen reader manufacturer's support webpages.

5.      Configure the screen reader. Refer to the screen reader section in this document or refer to your screen reader documents.

19.3.4  Mass Storage

To use an SD card inserted in the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 as a drive on your computer, follow these steps:

1.      Turn on the Orbit Reader. It responds with braille from your last activity.

2.      Connect the Orbit Reader to your computer using a USB cable. "-- Charger connected" is displayed.

3.      On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, press CTRL + J. "-- Mass storage " is displayed. The QWERTY Keyboard will connect to the host, and you can operate the host device using QWERTY The QWERTY Keyboard. Depending on your settings, the computer also responds with a notification of a new drive that is now available.

4.      Use your PC to read and write files on the new drive.

To switch back to Stand-Alone mode, press Thumb key 1 + Thumb key 2. Do not switch back to Stand-Alone mode while file transfers are in progress.

 

Note: If you have hidden files enabled on your device, you may encounter the following files:

·       .BKP-FILEHISTORY - This file contains information of the last reading position of the last 100 files that were opened on the device.

·       .BKP-RECENTHISTORY - This file contains information required for software to generate the recent file list.

·       .Logfile - Log file containing software debug information.

Do not delete these files. You will only see them if you have hidden files enabled.

19.4   iOS Devices

You can connect to iOS devices using Bluetooth or USB. For a USB connection, set the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to HID-Braille under the USB option in the Menu, then connect the USB cable; VoiceOver detects the display automatically. For the best results, we recommend iOS 17 or later.

19.4.1  Connecting iOS with Bluetooth

Connecting the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to an iOS device provides both braille feedback and the ability to type and control the device with the Orbit Reader’s Keyboard and directional buttons.

 

In default configuration (Just Works), the Orbit Reader is ready to pair with iOS via Bluetooth. Follow these steps to pair with Bluetooth:

1.      Turn on Bluetooth. Bluetooth can be turned on in the Menu or by pressing CTRL + B on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

2.      On the iOS device, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille unless you use a version of iOS prior to 13, then go to Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille.

3.      Look for the name of the unit in the list of possible braille displays. It will be listed as “Orbit Reader 20” for the Orbit Reader Q20 and “Orbit Reader 40” for the Orbit Reader Q40, followed by the last four digits of the device serial number.

4.      Activate the Orbit Reader device in the list to pair.

 

Once you pair the unit, iOS starts sending braille to the Orbit Reader, and you can use the Orbit Reader input and navigation keys to control your iOS device.

 

Note: VoiceOver must be on in order to send braille to the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

 

For more information about iOS and braille displays, see Braille Displays for iOS on the Apple® Accessibility website.

19.4.2  iOS Resources

19.4.3  iOS Commands

 

 

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have a full QWERTY keyboard, so the commands you use in remote mode are the standard keyboard commands of your screen reader or operating system, not commands specific to the display. For the current command list, refer to the vendor documentation for your screen reader or operating system. Links to the official command references are provided in Appendix A.

19.5   Mac Computers

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 can be connected to a Mac in two ways. One is to connect using the USB cable available in the box. The second is to use Bluetooth for a wireless connection.

19.5.1  Connecting to a Mac over USB

The simplest way to connect the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to a Mac is to connect using a standard USB-A to Type-C USB cable. To use the HID-Braille protocol, select HID-Braille under the USB option in the Menu. Next, run VoiceOver by pressing the Apple CMD key + F5. Then, attach the small end of the USB cable to the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with the bumps facing down and the big end to Mac. VoiceOver automatically recognizes and starts using the display. For the best results, we recommend macOS 15 or later.

19.5.2  Connecting to a Mac over Bluetooth

The default configuration for pairing with a Mac through Bluetooth is ‘Just Works’”. If Bluetooth has been turned off, it can be turned on in the menu or by pressing CTRL + B on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

 

If the Orbit Reader is in default connection, follow these steps to pair the device with a Mac:

1.      Turn on Bluetooth. Bluetooth can be turned on in the menu or by pressing CTRL + B on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

2.      When VoiceOver is on, open VoiceOver Utility by pressing VO-F8

3.      Go to Braille category using arrow keys, press tab once and then arrow keys until you hear Displays and then press tab again until you reach the Add (+) button.

4.      A dialog box will open showing a list of devices found by the Mac. Press VO + shift + down arrow to enter the list and then press arrow keys to find the display.

5.      Select “Orbit Reader 20 ” from the list for the Orbit Reader Q20 or “Orbit Reader 40 ” for the Orbit Reader Q40. VoiceOver filters the devices it detects to list only the Bluetooth braille displays that are within range of your computer and that appear to match a VoiceOver braille display driver.

6.      Activate the Orbit Reader device in the list to pair. Press return key to activate or pair the display.

7.     A confirmation dialog will appear asking for pairing, press tab to reach confirm button and press return there.

8.       

 

If the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 does not work with VoiceOver, it is possible that you are not using the latest Mac OS. In that case, you have the following choice:

1.      Check for updates. We suggest you update the latest operating system.

If the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 is not listed, make sure you have turned on Bluetooth in the Menu.

19.5.3  Controlling the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 from a Mac

To control how VoiceOver treats the display, follow these steps:

1.      Open the VoiceOver Utility by pressing Command + F8 while VoiceOver is running.

2.      Press arrow keys to reach Braille option.

3.      Select the Braille Display tab using tab and arrow keys.

To turn on contracted braille, check the Contracted Braille box.

For the Mac documentation on connecting and using braille displays, see Apple's VoiceOver Info Guide.

For more information on other MAC commands refer to the link.

19.6   Android Devices

You can connect to Android devices using Bluetooth or USB. For a USB connection, set the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to HID-Braille under the USB option in the Menu, then connect the USB cable. TalkBack detects the display over HID-Braille automatically. The Bluetooth pairing steps below also apply.

19.6.1  Connecting to Android devices over Bluetooth

In the default configuration, the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 are ready to pair with Bluetooth. If Bluetooth has been turned off, it can be turned on in the menu or by pressing CTRL + B.

1.     Turn on Bluetooth. Bluetooth can be turned on in the menu or by pressing CTRL + B on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

2.     Turn on the Android device and turn on Bluetooth.

3.     Scan for available devices in the Bluetooth section and connect your device after it appears in the list.

4.     Now, Come back to home screen.

5.     Now, go to settings, accessibility, talkback, talkback settings and swipe down there to braille display settings.

6.     Turn on the braille display if it is off and then find the device you connected to and double tap there.

7.     You will be presented with some options, from which select connect and activate. Then your braille display will successfully connect.

 

19.6.2  Input and Output Text with Talkback

To input text with your braille keyboard, first, enable the keyboard in your Android settings under Language and Input. If you try to use the keyboard before completing this step, you will receive a prompt to change your settings. To edit a text field, focus and activate the text field. You can then use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move in the text field.

By default, Android is set to display English Computer Braille. So, you can only write data in Android using English Computer Braille. If you want to write in other languages, add those languages to your Android Braille Keyboard settings of Talkback.

To add languages, go to Talkback settings -> Braille Keyboard -> Languages. Add your preferred language from the list, and then select that language in the “Preferred typing language” option. For more information on Talkback commands refer to the link.

 

19.7   Chromebooks

19.7.1  Connecting Chromebook with USB

To connect to Chromebook with USB, follow these steps:

 

1.     Press CTRL + H to put the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 in Remote HID (Orbit) mode. Alternatively, Press Up Arrow + Select in the menu, and then arrow to USB.

2.     Plug the Orbit Reader into the Chromebook USB port. After a few seconds, the Chromebook detects the device and turns on Chrome Vox.

For more information on Chromebook commands refer to the link.

 

19.8   Fire OS Tablets

To pair the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with VoiceView on your Fire Tablet, follow these steps

1.     Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers and double tap on Settings.

2.     Find the Accessibility settings and double tap. Then double tap on VoiceView Screen Reader.

3.     Navigate to Braille and double tap. Then double-tap Pair Bluetooth Braille Display.

4.     Make sure your Orbit Reader’s Bluetooth is on, and then double tap on Scan.

5.      Look for the name of the unit in the list of braille displays. It will be listed as “Orbit Reader 20 ” for the Orbit Reader Q20 and “Orbit Reader 40 ” for the Orbit Reader Q40, followed by the last four digits of the device serial number.

6.     Double tap on it to pair.

For additional information, go to the "Use a Braille Display with Your FireTablet":(https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201829370) webpage on the Amazon Help and Customer Service site.

19.9   Windows PCs

Before connecting the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with a PC, you must first decide how you wish to connect: via Bluetooth or USB. This is a personal choice. USB charges the device as you use it, so it is a good choice when your battery is low. Bluetooth does not use wires, so it is a good choice when you are on the go.

19.9.1  Connecting to Windows over USB

If your screen reader does not support HID, switch to the Serial protocol on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with the hotkey or select Serial from the USB option in the menu.

 

For Windows versions 7 and newer, the serial interface requires the installation of two drivers: one for the USB and one to make the USB port appear like a COM port. The only exception is Windows XP. Because it is Serial only, it can just be plugged in. The second driver is required because many screen reading programs handle braille displays like a serial device. The COM port assignment driver shows the assigned port number used to communicate with the display. Take note of the COM port number for later use. If you need to look at it later, go to the Device Manager while the display is connected and look in the section for Ports: COM and LPT. One of the COM ports is assigned to Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. You need to use that number when you set up your screen reader.

Once the display is connected to the device you wish to use, configure the software to use the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

19.9.2  Connecting to Windows over Bluetooth

When connecting the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with Bluetooth, you must first choose a pairing configuration.

 

The default configuration is ‘Just Works.’ If the Orbit Reader is in default connection, follow these steps to pair the device:

1.     On the PC, perform a Bluetooth search.

2.     Select “Orbit Reader 20 ” for the Orbit Reader Q20 and “Orbit Reader 40 ” for the Orbit Reader Q40 from the list.

3.     Press enters to connect the display and press enter again to close the dialog.

4.     Now, press the tab on the Bluetooth window until you reach more Bluetooth settings.

5.     Press enters on that option and press ctrl + tab to reach com port tab.

6.     Press tab to reach the list of com ports and find the outgoing com port with your device name and remember that.

 

 

19.9.3  Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA)

 

 

We recommend using the latest version of NVDA. With NVDA installed on your PC, it automatically recognizes the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 over USB and Bluetooth. If NVDA is not recognizing the display, go to the NVDA Preferences menu and select Braille Settings from the list. From the braille display drop-down menu, select the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 and click OK.

Note: For a USB connection, set the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to HID-Braille by selecting HID-Braille under the USB option in the Menu.

NVDA turns ‘On’ braille output when it is configured for the display. To turn ‘Off’ braille support, select "No Braille" from Braille Display options in the Braille Settings menu.

19.9.3.1    NVDA Commands

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have a full QWERTY keyboard, so the commands you use in remote mode are the standard keyboard commands of your screen reader or operating system, not commands specific to the display. For the current command list, refer to the vendor documentation for your screen reader or operating system. Links to the official command references are provided in Appendix A.

19.9.4  Job Access with Speech (JAWS)

 

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 are supported on JAWS 2020 and later. No driver installation is required, as support is integrated into JAWS.

19.9.4.1.1      Connecting with USB (JAWS 2026 and later)

JAWS 2026 and later support the plug-and-play HID-Braille standard over USB. In this mode, JAWS automatically detects the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, so no manual display selection is required.

1.     On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, open the Menu, arrow to the USB option, and select HID-Braille.

2.     Connect the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to your computer with the USB cable.

3.     Start or restart JAWS. JAWS detects the display automatically and begins brailleing the screen.

Note: HID-Braille is currently available over USB only. See Connecting with Bluetooth below for Bluetooth connections.

19.9.4.1.2      Connecting with USB (JAWS 2025 and earlier)

JAWS 2025 and earlier use the HID (Orbit) protocol and require the display to be selected manually. On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, set the USB protocol to HID (Orbit) by pressing CTRL + H, then follow these steps:

1.     Start or restart JAWS.

2.     Insert + J to bring up the JAWS menu.

3.     Press Enter on Options.

4.     Down Arrow to Braille and press Enter.

5.     Tab to Add and press Enter.

6.     Arrow Up or Down to Orbit Reader 20 or 40 and press Space to check the box and select it.

7.     Tab to the Next button and press Enter.

8.     Select USB.

9.     Tab to the Next button and press Enter.

10. Select Orbit Reader 20 or 40 as a primary device.

11. Tab to the Finish button and press Enter.

12. Restart JAWS.

19.9.4.1.3      Connecting with Bluetooth (all supported versions)

HID-Braille is currently available over USB only. Bluetooth connections continue to use the legacy selection procedure on all JAWS versions, including JAWS 2026 and later. Orbit Research is actively working to bring Bluetooth in line with USB so that the same features are available over both connection types on JAWS 2026 and later.

1.      Press CTRL + B.

2.      Follow steps 1-7 of the JAWS 2025 and earlier USB procedure above.

3.      Select the COM port where the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 is connected (check more Bluetooth settings for COM port or use COM port you saved from previous steps).

4.      Follow steps 9-12 of the JAWS 2025 and earlier USB procedure above.

To turn off braille support, follow these steps:

1.      Insert + J to bring up the JAWS menu.

2.      Press Enter on Options.

3.      Down Arrow to Braille and press Enter.

4.      Up Arrow to No Braille Display.

5.      Tab to Ok and press Enter.

6.      Restart JAWS.

Note: For a longer description of any of the following commands, turn JAWS keyboard Help ‘on’ by pressing Insert + 1 and type the command. Quickly type the command twice to get an even longer description. Press Insert + 1 again to exit the JAWS keyboard Help mode.

19.9.4.2    Jaws Commands

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have a full QWERTY keyboard, so the commands you use in remote mode are the standard keyboard commands of your screen reader or operating system, not commands specific to the display. For the current command list, refer to the vendor documentation for your screen reader or operating system. Links to the official command references are provided in Appendix A.

19.9.5  Dolphin Supernova Screen Reader

To connect Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to Dolphin Supernova Screen Reader, the device must be connected by a Standard USB-A to Type-C USB cable and set in HID protocol mode.

 

To connect the Orbit Reader via USB, follow these steps:

 

1.     Press Ctr l+ H to activate HID Orbit mode on Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40

2.     Click on Supernova’s Control Panel

3.     Press ALT key to open the Menu bar.

4.     Now press left/right arrow keys to navigate to Braille menu

5.     Now press the down arrow to go to the General preferences menu and click on it.

6.     Here the dialog box will open. It will contain 3 Tabs.

7.     Here click on Braille display tab. Now here you will see “No Braille display” and “Orbit Reader 20” display for Orbit Reader Q20 or “Orbit Reader 40” display for Orbit Reader Q40. Select “Orbit Reader 20” or “Orbit Reader 40” and click on OK button.

 

Note:  While connecting the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 with Dolphin Supernova Screen Reader first time, steps 1 to 7 are required to follow. After that Dolphin Supernova Screen Reader automatically connects with Orbit Reader once the HID Orbit mode activated by Space 2 7 on Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

 

19.9.6  Narrator

Narrator is the screen reader built into Windows. Narrator braille support works with the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 on Windows 11 over USB.

On the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, set the USB mode to HID (Orbit) by pressing CTRL + H, or by opening the Menu, selecting the USB option, and choosing HID (Orbit). Then connect the display to your computer with the USB cable.

Install Narrator braille support: Narrator braille is installed as an optional Windows feature. To install it, follow these steps:

1.     Press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + N to open Narrator settings.

2.     Select the Use a braille display with Narrator button to open the braille page.

3.     Select the Download and install braille button. This may take some time.

4.     When the download is complete, restart your computer when prompted, then log back in and return to Narrator settings.

5.     In the Braille section of Narrator settings, turn on the Turn on braille switch.

6.     Select Add a braille display, then choose the Orbit Reader manufacturer and the USB connection type.

Note: If you use the same braille display with a third-party screen reader such as JAWS or NVDA, you may need to change the braille display driver. In Narrator settings, select the Use a braille display with Narrator button, then under Braille display driver select the driver used by your third-party screen reader so you can switch between Narrator and that screen reader.

Uninstall Narrator braille support: To remove Narrator braille, open Settings (Windows logo key + I), select Apps, go to Optional features, then Installed features, search for Accessibility - Braille support, expand it, and uninstall the feature. Restart the device after braille support is removed.

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 have a full QWERTY keyboard, so the commands you use in remote mode are the standard keyboard commands of your screen reader or operating system, not commands specific to the display. For the current command list, refer to the vendor documentation for your screen reader or operating system. Links to the official command references are provided in Appendix A.

20    File transfer over Bluetooth

You can transfer a file from the Orbit Reader device to any paired Bluetooth device over Bluetooth except for iOS and Mac.

20.1   Send a file from the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40

Go to a file in the file manager and browse to the file you wish to send. Press Windows + CTRL + b command to send the file to the Bluetooth device.

 

Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 opens the list of paired devices. Scroll through device names from the list using Up and Down arrow keys and press Select.

 

It shows the progress message “Sending, XXX, YY%,” where XXX is a file name, YY is the percentage. Once the file transfer is completed, it shows the message “File transfer complete.” You can cancel the file transfer by pressing Esc. It shows the message “File transfer aborted.” In case the host device cancels the file transfer, it shows the message “File transfer canceled.”

 

In case of any error in the file transfer, it shows the “File transfer error.”

20.2   Receive a file on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40

When the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 receives a file transfer request from the host Bluetooth device, it shows the notification “XXX, YYY, ZZZ”, where XXX is a file name, YYY is the device name and ZZZ is the size of the file.

 

Press Enter to accept the file receive request or Esc to reject it.

 

It shows the progress by displaying “Receiving XXX, YY%,” where XXX is the file name and YY is the percentage received. Once the file transfer is completed, it shows the message “File transfer complete.” You can cancel the file transfer by pressing Esc. It then shows the message “File transfer aborted.” In case the host device cancels the file transfer, the Orbit Reader shows the message “File transfer canceled.”

 

In case of any error in the file transfer, the Orbit Reader shows the message “File transfer error.”

 

The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 stores the received file in the “Bluetooth” directory available at the root of the SD card. You cannot change this directory.

21    Calculator

The Calculator can perform the four fundamental arithmetic operations.

 

Press CTRL + T keys from stand-alone mode to open and close the calculator application. It shows the message “Calculator” for 2 seconds and starts blinking the cursor on the first cell of the display when the calculator is launched.

 

You can now start typing digits (0 to 9), mathematical operators (+, -, *, /), decimal point, and equals sign. The Calculator gives an error indication in the form of vibration or audio on inserting invalid input.

 

While entering the expression, you must enter using the language that is set as “read/write language.” As per selected read/write language, you can enter expressions as follows:

o   English Computer Braille: You can enter expressions using the QWERTY keyboard’s number and mathematical operator keys.

o   Other Languages (Excluding English): You can enter expressions in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input On: You can enter expressions in the selected read/write language using only Perkin's key support (S D F J K L).

o   English (Excluding Computer Braille) with Braille Input Off: You can enter expressions using the QWERTY keyboard’s number and mathematical operator keys. While entering expressions, the input will be displayed in English Computer Braille, but the result and all previous operations will be shown in the selected read/write language.

 

When you type any digit or operator, it moves the cursor to the next cell. Press  Backspace  to remove the last digit/operator. Once the entire display is full, you can review the previous display by pressing Left/Right keys or pan keys. (Total number of input digits and operators is limited to 255 entries for a single operation and a maximum of 15 digits are allowed per operand).

 

Press  Enter   key to perform the calculation and display the answer. It stops blinking when the answer is shown. On pressing Enter   key on the answer, it repeats the previous operation on the answer.

 

Dot 8 at the last cell indicates the answer is longer than 20 digits in Orbit Reader Q20 or 40 digits in Orbit Reader Q40. Press Pan keys to review the remaining answer.

 

To review the last 10 operations, press CTRL + Y or CTRL + Z.

 

Exit the Calculator to go to previous or other modes or preference menu. The calculator application exits automatically when you turn off the device or it goes into sleep mode.

21.1   Basic calculator functions

21.1.1  Addition

Type any digits, then press ‘+’ sign to add the addition operator and then type digits again. For example, 4+2

21.1.2  Subtraction

Type any digits, then press ‘-’ sign to add the subtraction operator and then type digits again. For example, 4-2

21.1.3  Multiplication

Type any digits, then press ‘*’ sign to add the Multiplication operator and then type digits again. For example, 4*2

21.1.4  Division

Type any digits, then press ‘/’ sign to add the division operator and then type digits again. For example, 4/2

 

Press Enter key to display the answer.

 

Press  CTRL + K   to clear the last operand typed into the display (CE – Clear Entry) and press  CTRL + Delete   to clear the display and any partial calculation (AC – All Clear)

 

The Calculator shows the following errors messages:

 

·       Divide by zero: “Cannot divide by zero.”

·       Zero divided by Zero: “Result is undefined.”

·       Pressing Select key without entering the second operand: “Syntax error.”

21.2   Memory operations

The memory operations allow you to store and recall the results of calculations.

 

The calculator memory is set to 0 until you press M+ (CTRL + Up) or M- (CTRL + Down). Each time you press M+, the number on the display is added to the number stored in the calculator memory. Each time you press M-, the number on the display is subtracted from the number in the calculator memory. To recall the number in the calculator memory, press MR (CTRL + Left). To clear the memory, press MC (CTRL + Right).

21.3   Calculator Commands

·       To Open/Close Calculator, press  CTRL + T.

·       To do Addition, press  Plus 

·       To do Subtraction, press  Minus 

·       To do Multiplication, press  Multiplication 

·       To do Division, press  Division 

·       To Backspace, press  Backspace 

·        To Clear Entry, press  CTRL + K.

·       To All clear, press  CTRL + Delete.

·        To enter Decimal point, press  CTRL + Dot key.

·        To enter Pi key(Displays the value of pi) press CTRL + slash key.

·       To do M+ (Memory Plus), press  CTRL + Up arrow.

·        To do M- (Memory minus), press CTRL + Down arrow.

·        To do MR (Memory recall), press CTRL + Left arrow.

·        To do MC (Memory clear), press CTRL + Right arrow.

·       To do History navigation, press  CTRL + Y / CTRL + Z.

 

Note: shortcut only available when read/write language is set to Computer Braille

22    Calendar

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 include a calendar.

 

Press CTRL + L to open or close the calendar. The first thing you see is the month and year. For example, “"Jul 2021". Now press the Down arrow key once, and you will see the name of the days. For example, “Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa.”

 

Now, press the down arrow key once, and you will see the date numbers on the braille window. For example, "              1  2  3". Pressing down arrow again shows July 4 through 10, and continuing to press down arrow will scroll down through the weeks of July and then into August, etc. Similarly, if you can press up arrow to see the previous week.

 

At this point, as you navigate using the down arrow key today’s date is shown highlighted with raised Dot 7 and 8.

 

Please note that the Letter sign, capital sign and number sign shall not be displayed along with month, year, and weekdays titles if the System language selected is to be other than the English Computer Braille.

22.1   Appointments

You can also add and view appointments for a specific day.

22.1.1  View, Edit and Create appointments.

You can quickly jump to a specific date using the Gotto Date command (CTRL + G). It opens an edit box displaying the current date in one of the following formats DD/MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY/DD/MM. Type in the date on which you wish to set an appointment and press ESC. While entering the date, you must enter it using the language that is set as ““read/write language.” You can use the Left and Right arrow keys to jump between the date fields that you wish to type in.

 

Once the date is entered, Press the ESC key to jump directly to the appointment for the date.

 

If you wish to do it manually then you first need to scroll to the line where your desired date is shown and then start using the right arrow key to focus on the date for which you want to set up or edit an appointment. Suppose you want to set up an appointment on July 24, 2021. You would arrow down through the month of July until you reach the row where July 18 through 24 is shown. You will see that the cells representing July 23 have dots 7-8 raised to indicate that July 23 is the current date.

 

Now, press the right arrow. On the cells representing July 18, the first date shown in the braille window, dots 7 and 8 are raised underneath the number 8. So, you would press the right arrow 6 times to focus on July 24, the date on which you wish to add an appointment.

 

Pressing the Enter button Assuming you have no appointments on or later July 24, you receive the following message:

 

          -- No Appointments

 

If you press Backspace at this point, you will be returned to the display showing July 18 through 24.

 

To create the new appointment you want for July 24, press CTRL + ALT + Q. You should see the date and time displayed with dots 7-8 raised below the first digit. Use the right arrow key to navigate to that part of the display you wish to change, such as the hour or minute. Press the right arrow repeatedly until you pass the time area and type the information about the appointment. You can correct any mistakes here using backspace. Press Enter to add the appointment. What you now see is the date, time, and text of the appointment.

 

Press Enter if you still want to make changes. If you are done, press Backspace to get back to the display of July 18 through 24. None of the dates are highlighted.

 

If you want to see the appointments you might have created for the period July 18 through 24, you must first ensure that one of the dates in the window is highlighted—that is, has dots 7-8 raised beneath the last digit. If no date is highlighted, nothing happens when you press the Select button. With a date highlighted, you either see “No Appointments” or you are presented with a list of the appointments you have already created. Use the up or down arrows to move between the appointments in the list. You can press CTRL + Q to delete the appointment or enter to edit the appointment.

22.1.2  Modify

You can also modify the existing appointment. Press Enter key on any day. It shows the list of existing appointments and press Enter key to get the cursor on the first field of that appointment and you can change any field by pressing Up/Down arrow key.

 

Enter to confirm the modifications.

 

Appointment changes can be discarded by pressing the CTRL+ d.

22.1.3  Delete appointment

You can also delete the existing appointment. Press Enter key on any day. It shows the list of existing appointments and Press CTRL + Q to delete that appointment.

 

This action deletes the appointment currently showing. Confirmation is required before the appointment is deleted. When the message "Confirm action" is displayed, press Enter to confirm or press Backspace to cancel.

 

An alarm rings at its programmed time and day of the appointment. Press Backspace to acknowledge the ringing alarm.

22.2   Calendar Commands

The following are the commands for the calendar application.

·        To open/close calendar, press CTRL + L.

·        To Go to Previous or Next Week, press Up or Down Arrows You can navigate in the calendar by weeks. Pressing Down arrow key goes the next week and pressing Up arrow key goes to the previous week.

·       To Add a new appointment, press CTRL+ ALT + Q.

·       To Delete appointment, press CTRL + Q.

·       To Go to Date, press CTRL + G.

23    Key Lock Command

The Key Lock command prevents accidental key presses. The command is to hold CTRL + Windows + l for two seconds or more. Pressing and holding these same keys again, unlocks the keys. You can also unlock the keys by turning the device off and then on again.

 

24    System Alerts

System alerts, such as — “Battery low" are indicated by periodic cycling of Dot 8 in the last cell of the device.

 

Alerts are seen by invoking the Menu or the Editor Context Menu. Pressing Enter causes the next alert to appear if there is any. The alert is removed from the alert list once it has been displayed.

 

If no more alerts are in the list, the first Menu or Editor Context Menu item appears. Pressing Backspace clears all pending alerts and puts you back on the first Menu or Editor Context Menu item.

 

If the alert message length is longer than 20 characters in Orbit Reader Q20 or 40 characters in Orbit Reader Q40, you can navigate through the message using Panning keys. If you are already in Menu or Editor Context Menu when an alert appears, you can review the alert by pressing Space key.

 

25    Reboot the Device

If the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 suddenly does not respond to button presses, and you know that the battery is not fully discharged, then you may try rebooting the device by pressing the lower Right Panning key + Thumb 3. There is no indication of the reset event. The unit is in power-off condition after reset and needs to be powered on before it can be used.

26    Device Upgrade Procedure

26.1   Device Firmware Upgrade

New versions of the firmware for the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 are released from time to time, containing improvements, bug fixes, and new features. This section describes the procedure for updating the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 firmware.

 

There are two ways to upgrade the firmware of the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40: either using a Windows PC and a USB cable or using an SD card containing the update file.

 

The USB upgrade method requires a Windows PC, but the upgrade process is simple and quicker, but the SD card upgrade method only requires a computer to download the update file and put it on the SD card; then no computer is required to perform the actual upgrade.

 

There are two parts to the upgrade procedure:

1.     Download the firmware package.

2.     Upgrade the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40

The process for downloading the firmware package is common to either upgrade method.

26.1.1  Download firmware package

1.     Go to the Orbit Research Support webpage http://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-q40-support/

2.     For the most current version, select Download Most Recent Firmware. The firmware for both the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 models is the same. https://www.orbitresearch.com/orbit-reader-q40-firmware-download/

3.     Select Firmware Upgrade Package “OR Qwerty - Target Software vB1.01.00.XXrYY”.

4.     Save the zip file to your PC.

When the download is complete, follow these steps:

1.      Open the folder on your computer where the firmware zip file was downloaded. This is usually your Downloads folder.

2.      Right-click on the file and choose "Extract all" OR select the file by arrowing to it, pressing the application key and choosing "Extract All" from the Context menu.

3.      Follow the dialog steps to extract the zip file to a folder of your choice.

When finished, your chosen folder should contain a folder named after the version of the release, for example, OR-40_XX.XX.XX. Make a note of the location of this folder for use in the next section of this document.

 

For information about bugs, fixes, and additions to the software, see the latest version's Release Notes on the Orbit Research Firmware package shared by the customer support team.

26.1.2  Using the Windows PC Upgrade Utility

The following is required to perform the upgrade to the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 with a PC:

1.     The Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 unit

2.     Standard USB-A to Type-C USB cable

3.     A PC running Windows XP or later.

4.     The Orbit Reader 40 Upgrade Utility file found in the Orbit Reader firmware package folder (see Download firmware package).

5.      Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 Release Bin files found in the Orbit Reader firmware package folder (see Download firmware package).

To upgrade the firmware, follow these steps:

1.     Make sure the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 is turned off.

2.     Connect the Orbit Reader to the PC using the USB cable.

3.     In the Release folder on your PC, run the Orbit Reader 40 Firmware Upgrade Utility. If you receive an error message, see the Troubleshooting section. Assuming no errors, the program displays the message, “Note: Connect the device to the PC and put it into upgrade mode. To enter, Firmware Upgrade Mode, press and hold the Right Panning forward button + Thumb 2' key. Then press and release the 'Thumb 3' key. The other keys can be released after this” in the message field.

 

 

4.     Press and hold down the Right Panning forward button + Thumb 2, then press Thumb 3. The utility shows the message “Orbit Reader 40 is connected” in the Device status field. It shows the message “Do you want to upgrade the device?” in the message field at the bottom of the dialog.

5.     Release Thumb 3 first, then release the Right Panning key and Thumb 2. This switches the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 to Upgrade mode. You should hear a tone on your PC.

6.     The utility shows the device serial number and the software version of the device at the top right corner of the window. If the serial number is blank, repeat steps 4 and 5.

7.     Activate the Browse button found in the dialog.

8.     Browse and select the firmware bin file from your PC. The file is in the folder you unzipped previously.

9.     Once the file is selected, the dialog shows the software version of the selected file. A dialog box will also display the information that the current file selected is firmware binary.

 

10. Activate the Upgrade button. The utility starts upgrading the device. The device will emit a single vibration pulse at 2 second intervals.

11. Do not unplug the cable. Wait for the message “Device upgrade has been completed” on the upgrade utility or until the Orbit Reader reboots and shuts down.

12. The Orbit Reader device is upgraded. Turn on the Orbit Reader device to start using the device.

To check for a successful upgrade of the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40, press Windows + P to open the Orbit Reader device preference Menu and arrow to "Ver" in the list. The version number of the firmware release should match the number shown in the upgrade utility.

26.1.3  Using an SD card to Perform the Upgrade

The following are required to perform the upgrade to the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 from an SD card:

1.     Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 unit.

2.     Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 Release Bin files found in the Orbit Reader firmware package folder of the download package (see Download firmware package).

3.     Your SD card should have a FAT32 file system.

To upgrade the firmware, follow these steps:

1.     Copy the binary file “OR Qwerty - Target Software vB1.01.00.XXrYY.bin” from the download package to the root folder of the SD card. Use either the Orbit Reader device Mass Storage Mode or remove the SD card and put it in a card reader. When completed, insert the SD card into the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40. Make sure that your SD card contains only one binary file. Remove the other binary files from the SD card.

2.     Turn off the Orbit Reader device. The unit should be turned off before the upgrade is started.

3.     Press and hold the Right Panning forward button + Thumb 1, then turn on the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40; it will show the message “Preparing…”. Now you can release all the keys. Typically, it will take about 40 to 50 seconds to prepare.

4.     The device will emit a single vibration pulse at 2 second intervals.

5.     Once preparation is complete, the Orbit Reader should show the message “Upgrading firmware..” Progress is shown by blinking 2 cells of dot 6 at the end of the message.

6.     Typically, it will take 2.5 to 3 minutes to upgrade the firmware. Do not remove the SD card during the upgrade.

7.     When the upgrade has completed, the Orbit Reader will show the message “Upgrade complete” for a few seconds and then the device will automatically reset itself and turn off.

8.     The Orbit Reader device is upgraded. Turn on the Orbit Reader device to start using the device.

To check for the successful upgrade of the device, press Windows + P to open the Orbit Reader device preference Menu and arrow to "Ver" in the list. The version number of the firmware release should match the number in the name of the bin file.

26.2   Audio Firmware Upgrade

The audio section of the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 contains separate firmware which can be updated independently. Some device firmware upgrades may require the audio firmware to also be upgraded, but this is not always the case. The firmware release notes for the device firmware will specify when an audio firmware upgrade is required. Care should be taken to ensure that compatible versions of the audio and device firmware are loaded on to the unit, else the audio functions may not work as expected.

26.2.1  Download the Audio Firmware Package

To download an Audio Firmware Upgrade Package for the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40:

7.     Go to the Orbit Research Support webpage http://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-40-support/

8.     For the most current version, select Download Most Recent Audio Firmware from http://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-40-support/orbit-reader-40-audio-download/

9.     Select OR-40 Audio Firmware Upgrade Package vB1.00.00.XXrYY.

10. Save the zip file to your PC.

When the download is complete, follow these steps:

1.      Open the folder on your computer where the firmware zip file was downloaded. This is usually your Downloads folder.

2.      Right-click on the file and choose "Extract All" or select the file by arrowing it, pressing the application key and choosing "Extract All" from the Context Menu.

3.      Follow the dialog steps to extract the zip file to a folder of your choice.

When finished, your chosen folder should contain a folder named after the version of the release, for example, OR-40_XX.XX.XX. Make a note of the location of this folder for use in the next section of this document.

26.2.2  Upgrade to the Audio Firmware

The procedure to upgrade the audio firmware is same as the procedure for upgrading the device firmware (see the section Device Firmware Upgrade).

 

Please make sure that the audio firmware version you have downloaded is compatible with the firmware version installed on your device. You will be able to find this information from the release notes in the audio firmware package or the device firmware package.

 

When upgrading using the Windows upgrade utility, you will need to browse and locate the audio firmware binary (.bin) file instead of the device firmware binary file. After you select a valid audio firmware binary file, the upgrade utility will show “Audio Upgrade” in the “Upgrade mode” field.

 

Similarly, when upgrading through the SD card, you will need to copy the audio firmware binary file to the root directory of the SD card instead of the device firmware binary file. Please be sure to remove the device firmware binary file from the root directory of the SD card while performing the audio firmware upgrade.

 

The rest of the process remains the same.

26.3   Troubleshooting

1.     In case the unit freezes up or does not accept any commands at all, you can perform a recovery operation by following the steps suggested below.

a.     Try a different key combination to upgrade (see below).

b.     Make sure that you have the binary file “OR Qwerty - Target Software vB0.00.00.XXrYY.bin” into the root directory of the SD card.

c.     Press and hold the Right pan lower + Thumb 1 keys + the Power button and wait for the message “Preparing…”. If you do not get any message within 4 or 5 seconds, press and release the Thumb 3 key and then release the other keys.

d.     Wait for about a minute. The Orbit Reader device should start upgrading and show the message “Upgrading firmware.”

e.     Typically, it will take 2.5 to 3 minutes to upgrade the firmware.

f.       The Orbit Reader device shows the “Upgrade complete” message after completion of a successful firmware upgrade for 5 to 8 seconds and then the device will automatically reset/shut down itself.

2.     If the Orbit Reader device does not show the message “Preparing,” make sure you had pressed the keys in the correct sequence. Press and hold the Right pan lower + Thumb 1 keys and without releasing them, press the power key to turn on the device.

3.     If you are not sure at what stage of the upgrade process you are, you can always start from the first step. Just reset the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 by pressing Thumb 3 and the Right pan down key.

4.     While upgrading through the SD card, make sure you have either the device firmware binary or the audio firmware binary only in the root directory. Do not copy both files to the SD card at the same time.

5.     Please make sure your audio firmware is compatible with the device firmware version. You will be able to find this information from the release notes in the audio firmware package or the device firmware package.

27    Localization

The following are the steps to be followed for configuring a language other than English.

 

1.       The localization language files are different for Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. Download the new files from the following website links for your language.

For Q20: https://www.orbitresearch.com/orbit-reader-q20-localization-download/

For Q40: https://www.orbitresearch.com/orbit-reader-q40-localization-download/

2.       If the desired language file is not there, you can request it by writing to us at techsupport@orbitresearch.com.

3.       Copy the file on the SD card that you are using with the device. The file can be copied externally through a card reader or putting the device into Mass Storage mode.

4.       Go to the Preference menu item “Add language” to check the file you copied. If you have multiple language files in the SD card, you can scroll through them using the Left/Right Arrow key.

5.       Go to the file of your choice and press Select to load file to internal memory.

6.       It may take some time for the file to be loaded. The unit shows busy indication through audio tones and displaying “busy” on the display.

7.       You can load multiple languages following the same process (If you encounter “Memory full” error while adding languages, you need to remove some languages before you can load new languages. Please refer to the “Remove language” section for more details on how to remove languages.)

8.       Go to the Profile settings for the profile of your choice among profile 1, 2, 3 or 4 in preference menu.

9.       Go to the sub-menu called “system language” and press Enter. If you have multiple language files in the internal memory you can scroll through them using the Left/Right Arrow key.

10.   Go to the file of your choice and press Enter. Press Backspace to exit the system language setting.

11.   Now Go to the Read-write menu item which is next to the system language.

12.   Go to the file of your choice and press Enter. Press Backspace to exit the read-write language setting.

13.   Press Backspace to exit the menu.

14.   Press ALT + F1, ALT + F2, ALT + F3 or ALT + F4 to activate the profile 1, profile 2, profile 3 or profile 4, respectively.

28    Troubleshooting

28.1   Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 does not power on or seems to freeze.

If the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 does not power on or seems to freeze, try these options in the following order:

 

Option 1: Plug in the device

1.      Plugin the unit with the supplied AC wall connector and cable to ensure that the battery is charged. This is the most reliable power source.

2.      Let the unit ‘charge’ for at least an hour or more.

3.      Hold the Power button for at least two seconds. If the unit is on, it should turn off. If it is off, it should come on.

Option 2: Check SD card

1.      Remove the SD card.

2.      Hold the Power button for two seconds.

Option 3: Unplug the device

1.      If the unit is plugged in, unplug the power cord.

2.      Hold the Power button for at least two seconds.

Option 4: Reset device

1.      Press the Reset command (Thumb 3 + right-bottom Panning key). Note: On reset, the unit is unresponsive, and there is no change to the display.

2.      Hold the Power button for at least two seconds.

Option 5: Remove the battery

Note: Use this option as the last resort.

1.      Call customer service for guidance on safely removing the battery.

2.      Leave it out for a few minutes.

3.      Reconnect it, then try the options again.

If none of the options works and the device does not come on, contact Customer Service at techsupport@orbitresearch.com.

28.2   Exercising the Pins

If you experience issues with the pins, you may exercise the pins following the steps described below.

1.      Power On the unit.

2.      Enter test mode (Press and hold Thumb 1 key + tap power button 5 times).

3.      The unit shows the unit serial number.

.

4.      Make a note of pins that are misbehaving if any.

5.      Press the CTRL + UP arrow key, this will automatically toggle all the pins up and down. This may also help to recover the pins if they are stuck due to nominal dust in the pin movement path.

6.      Allow the exercise to run for 4-5 minutes only and press Thumb 2 to stop the process.

7.      Restart the device and check if the stuck pins have recovered.

28.3   Generating a debug log

 

If you encounter any unexpected behaviour with system software, you can generate log and share it with us to help us diagnose the issue. The debug log can be generated by following the steps described below.

1.      Charge the unit till the battery level is above 10%.

2.      Power On the unit.

3.      Insert the SD card into the SD card slot of the unit.

4.      Make sure you are in local mode. Press Select + left to go into the local mode.

5.      Press ALT + CTRL+ Windows + shift + s key.

6.      A file named “. Logfile_ [Unit serial number].txt" (e.g., Logfile_SUA00051) will be generated in the SD card.

7.      Press CTRL + J key to switch unit to mass storage/media device mode or simply attach the SD card.

8.      Copy “. Logfile_ [Unit serial number].txt " to PC and email to us at techsupport@orbitresearch.com.

29    Battery Use and Replacement

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 include a rechargeable Lithium-Ion capacity battery. It charges fully in about three hours under optimal conditions. A full battery charge lasts about three days of typical use. You can check the battery status in the Menu.

 

When the battery in Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 gets to 10% capacity, Dot 8 of the last braille cell (the 20th cell for the Orbit Reader Q20 and the 40th cell for the Orbit Reader Q40) starts blinking and sound and vibration indications are also provided.

 

The battery in Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 should last several years. Gradually, the battery begins discharging faster than usual as its capacity declines. When the duration of time that the battery holds charge becomes inconveniently short, it is time for a replacement.

 

To replace the battery, follow these steps:

1.      Obtain a replacement battery. Use only the battery designed for the Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40. Batteries are available from our website or by calling us.

2.      Remove the battery door screws.

3.      Remove the battery door.

4.      Carefully unplug the connector. Do not pull the wire. Use the connector instead.

5.      Insert a new battery.

6.     Replace the cover and screws.

To dispose of batteries properly, call the recycling center at 1-800-822-8837.

 

30    Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 Cleaning Tips

Due to exposure to natural elements such as dust and oils, the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 should be cleaned periodically.

 

The following are some tips to keep your Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 clean:

 

·       Cleaning should be performed with the unit switched off and with all pins in the down position.

·       Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft tip attachment to remove dust from the pin area.

·       Use a lint-free cloth to wipe the cells.

·       The cloth may be moistened with water.

·       Avoid using the following:

·        Paper towels, cotton swabs or materials that can release fibers.

·       Alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners

·        Canned or compressed air

31    General Specifications

 

·       Dimensions (WxHxD): 6.936 x 1.385 x 11.62 inch (176.18 x 35.18 x 295.20 mm)

·       Weight: 2.645 lbs. (1200 grams)

·       Braille Cells: 40 eight-dot braille cells; Refresh rate < .75 sec

·       Additional Keys: Power on/off button, 2 panning keys rocker type, and 20 cursor routing keys in Orbit Reader Q20 or 40 cursor routing keys in Orbit Reader Q40

·       Supported File Formats: .txt,. brl, .brf, .bra

·       OS Support: Windows - NVDA, JAWS, Dolphin Supernova, Microsoft Narrator, Mac OS X - Voiceover, iOS - Voiceover, Android - Talkback, Fire OS - VoiceView, Chrome OS - Chrome Vox, Linux/Unix - BRLTTY

·       Bluetooth Connections: Up to 5 simultaneous connections

·       Interfaces and Ports: 1x USB Type C port, for host interface, firmware upgrade, and battery charging, 1x USB Standard-A port for connecting USB flash drives.

·       Bluetooth 5.0, Class 2, Flash Media Slot, 1x SD card (4GB to 32GB capacity)

·       Battery: User-replaceable, rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery

·       Battery Life on a full charge: 3 days of typical use

·       Charging Method: PC charger - Charge over USB Port – 5V, 500 mA Max, Wall charger - Charge over USB Port – 5V, 1000 mA Max; USB BC1.2 compliant charger required

·       Environmental Conditions: Operating Temperature: 5 °C to 45 °C, Operating Humidity: 10% - 70% relative humidity, Storage Temperature: -15 °C to 70 °C

·       Storage Humidity: 5% - 90% relative humidity

32    Appendices

32.1   Appendix A – Links for Remote mode commands

 

Screen Reader

Command link

Voiceover for macOS

Appendix A. Commands and Gestures (apple.com)

Voiceover for iOS

Use VoiceOver on iPhone with an Apple external keyboard - Apple Support (IL)

Talkback commands

Use Talkback keyboard shortcuts - Android Accessibility Help (google.com)

Chromebook commands

Use the built-in screen reader - Chromebook Help (google.com)

JAWS commands

JAWS Hotkeys – Freedom Scientific

NVDA commands

NVDA command key quick reference (nvaccess.org)

Narrator commands

Chapter 8: Using Narrator with braille (microsoft.com)

The Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 use a standard QWERTY keyboard. In remote mode, the commands available to you are the keyboard commands of the screen reader or operating system you are connected to. Use the links above to view the current command reference published by each vendor. Because these command sets are maintained by the screen reader and operating system vendors and change over time, always refer to the vendor documentation for the most up to date list.

32.2    Appendix B – Trademark Notices and Attribution

 

Adobe® is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

 

Android™, Chromebook™, and Google™ are trademarks of Google Inc.

 

Apple®, iPad®, iPhone®, iPod®, and Mac® are registered trademarks or service marks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

 

Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

 

Book share® is a registered trademark of Beneficent Technology, Inc.

 

Braille Blaster™ and Refreshabraille 18™ are trademarks of the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.

 

DAISY, A Better Way to Read is a trademark of the DAISY Consortium.

 

Screen Reader is a trademark of Dolphin.

 

iOS® is a registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license by Apple Inc.

 

JAWS® is a registered trademark of Freedom Scientific, Inc.

 

Kindle™ and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

 

Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

 

NFB-NEWSLINE® is a registered trademark of the National Federation of the Blind.

 

Orbit Reader Q20™ and Orbit Reader Q40™ are trademarks of Orbit Research.

 

SD is a trademark or registered trademark of SD-3C, LLC in the United States, other countries, or both.

32.2.1  Hardware Limited Warranty

Warranty obligations for the Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40 are limited to the terms set forth below:

 

Orbit Research warrants this hardware product against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the purchase by the original purchaser ("Warranty Period"). If a hardware defect arises and a valid claim is received by Orbit Research LLC within the Warranty Period, at its option and to the extent permitted by law, Orbit Research will either:

 

Repair the product free of charge (or) replace it with a product that is manufactured from new or serviceable used parts and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product.

 

A replacement product or part assumes the remaining warranty of the original product thirty (30) days from the date of replacement or repair; whichever provides longer coverage. Parts provided in fulfillment of its warranty obligation must be used in products for which the warranty service is claimed.

32.2.2  EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS

This Limited Warranty applies only to the hardware product manufactured by Orbit Research LLC that can be identified by the “Orbit Research" trademark, trade name, or logo affixed to it. Orbit Research is not responsible for damage arising from failure to follow instructions relating to the product's use.

 

This warranty does not apply in the following cases:

  1. Damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, flood, fire, earthquake, or other external causes.
  2. Damage caused by operating the product outside the permitted or intended uses described by Orbit Research LLC
  3. Damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Orbit Research
  4. A product or part that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of Orbit Research
  5. The serial number has been removed or defaced.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THIS WARRANTY AND THE REMEDIES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, REMEDIES AND CONDITIONS, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, STATUTORY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS WARRANTY AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ORBIT RESEARCH IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONDITION, OR UNDER ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF USE; LOSS OF REVENUE; LOSS OF ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS (INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS ON CONTRACTS); LOSS OF THE USE OF MONEY; LOSS OF ANTICIPATED SAVINGS; LOSS OF BUSINESS; LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY; LOSS OF GOODWILL; LOSS OF REPUTATION; LOSS OF, DAMAGE TO, OR CORRUPTION OF DATA; OR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS OR DAMAGE HOWSOEVER CAUSED INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND PROPERTY, ANY COSTS OF RECOVERING, PROGRAMMING OR REPRODUCING ANY PROGRAM OR DATA STORED IN OR USED WITH THE ORBIT RESEARCH PRODUCT, AND ANY FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA STORED ON THE PRODUCT. THE FOREGOING LIMITATION SHALL NOT APPLY TO DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS, OR ANY STATUTORY LIABILITY FOR INTENTIONAL AND GROSS NEGLIGENT ACTS AND/OR OMISSIONS. ORBIT RESEARCH DISCLAIMS ANY REPRESENTATION THAT IT WILL BE ABLE TO REPAIR ANY PRODUCT UNDER THIS WARRANTY OR MAKE A PRODUCT EXCHANGE WITHOUT RISK TO OR LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR DATA.

CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS

FOR CONSUMERS WHO ARE COVERED BY CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS OR REGULATIONS IN THEIR COUNTRY OF PURCHASE OR, IF DIFFERENT, THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE, THE BENEFITS CONFERRED BY THIS WARRANTY ARE IN ADDITION TO ALL RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CONVEYED BY SUCH CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS AND REGULATIONS. Some countries, states, and provinces do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or allow limitations on how long an implied warranty or condition may last, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary by country, state, or province. This Limited Warranty is governed by and construed under the laws of the country in which the product purchase took place. ORBIT RESEARCH LLC., the warrantor under this Limited Warranty, is identified at the end of this document according to the country or region in which the product purchase took place.

OBTAINING WARRANTY SERVICE

Please access and review the online help resources referred to in the documentation accompanying this hardware product before seeking warranty service. If the product is still not functioning properly after making use of these resources, please send an e-mail to: techsupport@orbitresearch.com, for instructions on how to obtain warranty service. You must follow ORBIT RESEARCH warranty procedures.

ORBIT RESEARCH will maintain and use customer information in accordance with its Customer Privacy Policy.

If your product is capable of storing software programs, data, and other information, you should make periodic backup copies of the information contained on the product's hard drive or other storage media to protect the contents and as a precaution against possible operational failures. Before you deliver your product for warranty service, it is your responsibility to keep a separate backup copy of the contents and disable any security passwords. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE CONTENTS ON THE DEVICE BEING SERVICED WILL BE LOST OR REFORMATTED IN THE COURSE OF WARRANTY SERVICE, AND ORBIT RESEARCH IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO OR LOSS OF PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE MEDIA OR ANY PART OF THE PRODUCT SERVICED.

Your product will be returned to you configured as originally purchased, subject to applicable updates. You will be responsible for reinstalling all other software programs, data, and passwords. Recovery and reinstallation of software programs and user data are not covered under this Limited Warranty.

32.3   Appendix C - FCC Information

FCC Notice
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 the 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 the 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.

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.

FCC Caution
To ensure continued compliance follow the installation instructions and this device must be installed with a computer or peripheral device certified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC rules for the Class B limits. Use shielded interface cables only. Use the power adapter that is supplied with the device to charge its internal battery pack.
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

33  Further Information

For the latest information, specifications, troubleshooting tips, software upgrade instructions, care and use information, warranty information, and more detailed instructions, please contact the distributor from where you purchased your Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.

 

 

For further questions or concerns not covered in this User Guide, please contact the distributor from where you purchased your Orbit Reader Q20 or Q40.