Adjusting braille firmness on Focus 14 Blue

By Ana Jacob, 9 May, 2015

Forum
Braille on Apple Products

Hi all,

I just purchased a Focus 14 Blue braille display. One reason I settled on that particular display is that according to Freedom Scientific's website, you should be able to adjust the firmness of the Braille dots.

The problem is, I can't find any way to do this using either my Mac or iPhone. The user guide for the Focus Blue only mentions doing this using jaws. Anyone know if there's any workaround for this on os X or iOS? Or is that option strictly limited to jaws users?

I really hope I can still use this feature. If not, Freedom should make that clear before a purchase is made.

Also, anyone know if the auto advance feature works in iOS? Directions say to press both selector buttons simultaneously, but that doesn't do anything on either my phone or the Mac. I'd appreciate help on either of these.

Thanks.

Options

Comments

By Maldalain on Thursday, May 21, 2015 - 19:35

Yes, this is only available via JAWS. Even on the Omni you can not adjust the firmness of the braille dots. Other displays are supported as well on JAWS with regards to the firmness, still I have noticed that the Focus firmness is much noticeable than other braille note takers/displays. I have the mPower, and I have not felt any difference in the firmness of the braille dots. There might be somebody else have some kind of workaround for this.

By Scott Davert on Thursday, May 21, 2015 - 19:35

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

Hello.
Unfortunatnely, dot firmness is only an option within JAWS, as was indicated above. There is also no auto-advance feature with VoiceOver on the iPhone, so I'm afraid you are out of luck there as well. Sorry to be the messenger bringing the bad news!

By ApplePie64 on Saturday, January 21, 2023 - 19:35

If you have the latest Focus Blue Braille Display model, here is a link to read that gives you the option to manually adjust the braille dot firmness, by using the physical Menu button on the braille display itself:

https://www.perkins.org/resource/so-many-braille-displays-which-one-right-my-student-part-six/

I just tried it myself on my new Focus 40 Blue, which now has a physical menu button on it, and it worked. Hope this helped.

Posted 01-17-2023