VideoTIM5 compared to VideoTIM3
1. ZOOM
Zoom is about enlarging/reducing templates, e.g. letters.
VideoTIM3: 9 levels, including 2 zoom plus levels and 6 reduction levels.
VideoTIM5: 14 levels, including 4 zoom plus levels and 9 reduction levels. VideoTIM5 can zoom in and out significantly more. The zoom levels, at which larger parts of the template are shown, for example several lines of writing are displayed as lines, have become significantly more precise and therefore now enable a much better view of a page layout or an overall overview.
2. CONTRAST
Contrast is required for fonts or notes of different thicknesses and is also referred to as “mode”.
VideoTIM3: 3 modes for displaying b/w letters and characters.
VideoTIM5: 5 modes. The ability to adapt to different reading situations has been significantly optimized. To put it simply, modes 1 and 2 represent b/w situations such as fonts and characters. Due to the increased display accuracy, two b/w modes are now sufficient. Modes 3, 4 and 5 are experimental in nature and display halftones and colors in a differentiated manner.
3. BRIGHTNESS
Brightness (threshold) makes letters and graphics thicker or thinner.
VideoTIM3: rotary control. With each new document, the brightness had to be readjusted manually using a rotary control. In situations with rapidly changing light conditions, e.g. when reading on packaging, it was difficult to find the right brightness setting.
VideoTIM5: The brightness adjustment occurs automatically. If necessary, the setting can be adjusted individually using two buttons. Thanks to the automatic system, the brightness is now readjusted so quickly, even in very difficult lighting conditions, that the image is already optimized before it is shown on the tactile interactive monitor.
4. INVERSION
With one button you can turn black into white and white into black by double-clicking.
VideoTIM3 and VideoTIM5: Inversion is present on both devices.
5. VIDEO CAMERA SENSOR AND CONNECTOR
This is about the type of video sensor and the connection plug to the VideoTIM base device.
VideoTIM3: The sensor is analogue, the connection does not correspond to any standard in the computer sector.
VideoTIM5: The sensor is digital, the connection is USB-A and therefore corresponds to the common standard in the computer sector. The conversion of the video camera to digital technology enables a higher resolution of detail in the images. That’s why an extended zoom range is now possible and significantly sharper character reproduction.
6. VIDEO CAMERA COLORS
This involves black/white or color recordings from the video cameras.
VideoTIM3: Black and white camera. Bright colors such as bright yellow or bright green could hardly be reproduced or not correctly.
VideoTIM5: color camera. Mode 1 reproduces all colors equally. Bright yellow and bright green are displayed correctly. Mode 2 shows the colors according to their brightness. The new video technology can show more details.
7. POWER SUPPLY
The power supply for electronic devices has changed significantly in recent years. VideoTIM has joined this trend.
VideoTIM3: A 12 volt system with a non-standard plug for power connection.
VideoTIM5: A 5 volt system with an EU standardized USB-C plug for power connection. The entire device technology was converted to 5V. The use of 5V and standardized USB-C connections now enables the use of system elements and electronic parts that have been tried and tested millions of times and are also used in many other modern electronic devices, such as smartphones. The USB-C plug has the great advantage that it doesn’t matter which way it is inserted into the socket. VideoTIM4 still had the more complicated USB-B sockets, where you never knew whether you were inserting the plug the right way round.
8. CONTROL INDICATORS
The control indicators are shown on the TIM to provide the user with feedback as to which function is activated.
VideoTIM3: Simple indicators on the TIM edge at the bottom right, mode indicator with two dots next to each other, zoom level information as a small black font number, no indicator of brightness level.
VideoTIM5: Large, intuitive indicators for mode, brightness and zoom level, which are briefly displayed on one side of the TIM with a width of 4 pixels (that corresponds to a quarter of the touch screen). The large tactile indicators enable quick, ergonomic perception of the settings.
9. PROCESSOR AND SOFTWARE
The processor and the software determine the performance of the image optimization for blind people.
VideoTIM3: Low processor capacity, small software program. In certain situations, thin, horizontal lines could not be captured and were missing – this made in some cases reading difficult, for example. Templates with low contrast values could not be displayed correctly.
VideoTIM5: Powerful processor with extensive software program. These expanded data processing capabilities are used for improved image analysis. This means that fonts and graphics become sharper and even fine horizontal lines are displayed correctly. The immediate ability to adapt to changing and difficult lighting situations is given. Even originals with very low contrast values can be output on the TIM in the highest quality.
10. TAKTILE INTERACTIVE-MONITOR („TIM“)
The Tactile Interactive Monitor (“TIM”) is the basic electromechanical element of the VideoTIM technology. TIM shows the tactile images on its surface on the touch panel.
VideoTIM3: Partially difficult production of the precision parts, which meant a lot of post-processing effort.
VideoTIM5: Significantly increased manufacturing accuracy, resulting in less additional effort for post-processing. New, standardized components are manufactured, mechanically optimized components are developed and new electronic components tailored to the new 5V system are used. The various optimizations made it possible to improve the mechanical precision of the entire TIM.
Gunnar Matschulat
ABTIM Devices for the Blind / ABTIM Blindenhilfsmittel
Ferdinand-Schrey-Str. 84
42119 Wuppertal
Germany
Tel. +491781568866
(Phone within Germany: 01781568866)
info@abtim.com