Baum Poet Compact 2+ User manual

Poet Compact 2+
User Guide
Item number: 102311H12
From Software version 4
User guide version: 1.4
English 06/2017

About BAUM 3
About BAUM
BAUM Retec AG has been a leading provider of products and services
for blind and visually impaired people for more than 35 years. The high
quality and innovative braille products, desktop magnifiers, reading
machines, and software solutions are developed and manufactured in
Germany, and are ideal for educational, professional and private use.
Our Mission
“We believe in independence for every person who is blind or visually
impaired. We passionately apply our skills and experiences toward
developing solutions that reinforce success at school and work, and
improve quality of life.
We always question the way things have been done in the past. We
explore new and innovative ways to solve problems. Our approach
includes ergonomics, thoughtful design, and materials that meet the
highest quality standards. We care deeply about our customers, and help
and support them as much as we can. We care about our employees
too, and support them to reach their highest potential, ensuring a secure
and lasting working environment.
We develop innovative technology solutions that provide independence
for people who are blind or visually impaired. Our high-quality solutions
allow visually impaired people to magnify their world, and blind people to
access electronic and print content with speech or braille output.”
Wolfgang Baum, Chief Executive

Contents 4
Contents
ABOUT THIS USER GUIDE .............................................................................................51
BEFOR YOU BEGIN.........................................................................................................62
WHAT IS IN THE BOX..................................................................................................62.1
DESCRIPTION OF DEVICE .............................................................................................73
DESCRIPTION OF BUTTONS AND CONNECTORS ...........................................................73.1
READING WITH POET COMPACT (BASIC FUNCTIONS) .............................................94
SET UP AND TURN ON THE DEVICE .............................................................................94.1
SCANNING AND READING A DOCUMENT ......................................................................94.2
VOLUME AND READING SPEED CONTROL ..................................................................104.3
GENERAL READING COMMANDS ...............................................................................104.4
REPEAT READING A DOCUMENT...............................................................................114.5
SCANNING NEW DOCUMENTS,SAVING,RETRIEVING OR DELETING DOCUMENTS ........114.6
4.6.1 Scan a new document ..............................................................................11
4.6.2 Save a document......................................................................................12
4.6.3 Retrieve or Delete a saved document ......................................................13
LISTEN TO AUDIO BOOKS ON CD..............................................................................144.7
TURN OFF THE DEVICE ............................................................................................154.8
INTRODUCTION TO THE MENU SYSTEM ...................................................................165
ACCESSING AND NAVIGATING THE MENU ..................................................................165.1
HOW TO USE THE SETTING OPTIONS ........................................................................165.2
OVERVIEW OF THE MENU ITEMS ...............................................................................175.3
OVERVIEW OF MENU ITEMS IN THE SETTINGS............................................................195.4
SYSTEM VERSION ........................................................................................................216
NOTES WHEN USING MP3 FUNCTION........................................................................227
INSTRUCTIONS OF MP3 SUPER EASY MODE ............................................................227.1
NOTES ON PLAYING DAISY CD’S OR AUDIO CD’S...................................................248
CD PLAYER ............................................................................................................248.1
DAISY CDS.............................................................................................................248.2
TROUBLESHOOTING ....................................................................................................269
DEFECTS AND REPAIR ................................................................................................2710
COMPLIANCES..............................................................................................................2811
CE KONFORMITÄT...................................................................................................2811.1
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DISPOSAL ACCORDING TO EC-DIRECTIVE 2002/96/EG11.2
28
WARRANTY ...................................................................................................................3012
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ..............................................................................................3113
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION.......................................................................................3414

About this user guide 5
About this user guide1
Congratulations on your decision to purchase the POET Compact 2+.
We are sure you will enjoy reading with the new comfortable reading
machine
Poet Compact 2+ is developed to scan printed text and to read it aloud
with a naturally sounding TTS speech output.
Poet Compact 2+ helps you stay autonomic and independent when
handling printed matter.
All efforts have been made to ensure that information contained in this
document is correct at the time of issue. Neither BAUM Retec AG nor its
representatives assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is
any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information
contained herein.
We suggest that you store this user guide in a safe place for future
reference.
Notice for End Users in Germany/Europe
This user guide is a part of product, and should be kept with the product
at all times. In the event your product is ever sold to a new end user, this
user guide must be provided to them.
Copyright © 2017 BAUM Retec AG, Industriestr. 15, 74909
Meckesheim, Germany. All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored
in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from
BAUM Retec AG.
Licenses and trademarks
All licenses and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Befor you begin 6
Befor you begin2
Please check the contents of the package. In case you notice that parts
are missing or are damaged please contact your dealer immediately.
What is in the box2.1
Poet Compact
Power cable
User’s Guide
It is strongly recommended that you retain all packaging, in case you
need to return the device for any reason in the future. Improper packing
when shipping the device may void warranty.
Carefully read the manual and safety instructions before turning on the
device for the first time.
The device is may only be used in home and office environment. In
medical institutions use of the device is limited to office rooms.

Description of Device 7
Description of Device3
Description of buttons and connectors3.1
The buttons and loud speakers are located on the front side of the
reading machine. The cover of the scanner is located on the top; the
mains connector jack and the transportation lock are located on the rear.
Front panel (from left to right)
Left rotary knob = Speed control of reading voice.
Right rotary knob = volume control.
Triangular Start key = starts scanning the document page.
Circular Pause key = pauses or resumes reading.
Square Stop key = stops reading.
Speed
Volume
Start
Pause
Stop
Escape
Help
Menu
On/Of
OK
Up
Down
Left
Right

Description of Device 8
Menu Key pad with 8 keys (round button, surrounded by 4
segments and 3 small buttons):
Round centre = OK.
Upper Segment = Up.
Lower segment = Down.
Left segment = Left.
Right segment = Right.
Small oval Escape button, left to Up button = Close menu, cancel a
function, return to text window.
Small oval Menu button, right to Up button = Opens the menu, access
to menu functions.
Small oval Help button, left to Down button = Help information
according to the current situation or close the Help function.
Round On/Off button, down right = Turns on or off the device.
LED above the on/off button = green light while device is turned on.
Connector jack for headphones and USB port are on the left edge of
the front panel, next to the speed control.
Stereo loudspeakers are below control panel.
Slot and eject key of CD ROM Drive for audio or DAISY CD’s.
Top of device
Cover of the scanner glass. Open vertically backwards.
A grip at the front edge in the middle of the cover helps to open the
cover easily.
Scanner glass.
Rear
Mains connector: left.
Transportation lock: slide switch, in the middle.
(Unlock position = Push switch to the direction of mains connector)
USB port: Deepening, in the middle.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 9
Reading with Poet Compact (Basic4
functions)
The most used functions can be executed with three single keys.
A button panel with arrow keys, which surround a circular key, is used to
navigate through document. Each direction up, down, left, right is
represented by one of the cross like arrow keys and therefore allows an
intuitive use of the keys. This menu key panel is similar to panels of other
modern multimedia devices, i.e. television sets. The arrow keys of this
menu key panel also are used for moving in the menu.
Set up and turn on the device4.1
1. Put the device on a flat surface and make sure that the device is
standing steady
2. Make sure, that there is some space between the sides of the device
and other things for an adequate airing.
3. Check, if the slide switch of the transporting lock on the rear side is in
the unlock position. That means pushed to the direction of the mains
connector.
Otherwise the scanner is blocked and the device cannot scan texts.
4. Plug in the power lead to the mains connector on the rear side and
plug the cable into a live mains socket.
5. Press the power on key, (round key, to the very right on the front
panel)
6. While starting you get various sounds. At first some beeps then some
clicking sounds. Wait until you hear the prompt “Poet ready” or „Text
window“.
Scanning and reading a document4.2
1. Lift the cover.
2. Put your document on the glass, print side down. When scanning
books press both pages down on the glass and make sure, they rest
flat on the glass.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 10
3. Close cover.
4. Press the triangular start key.
5. Reading starts after some noise and sounds.
6. By pressing the round pause key you can interrupt reading. Press
pause key again to resume reading where you stopped before.
NB:
During reading of the scanned document, you can scan more pages.
Stop button stops reading, this may be useful when scanning several
pages. Pause key will then start reading the new scanned page. Escape
key cancels the action, i.e., if you want to read a completely different
document.
Volume and reading speed control4.3
Make your settings while a document is being read to you, to directly
check the result.
Increase Volume = Turn the right rotary knob clockwise.
Decrease Volume = Turn the right rotary knob counter clockwise.
Increase reading speed = turn the left rotary knob clockwise.
Decrease reading speed = Turn the left rotary knob counter clockwise.
NB:
Changing the reading speed reacts a bit delayed.
General reading commands4.4
1. Pause reading by pressing the round Pause key.
2. Press Right key or Left key of the menu key panel and select the
desired navigation level. You can select between the entries: line,
character, word, sentence, paragraph, page, 10 pages, and 100
pages.
3. By pressing Down key you move forwards in the document according
to the selected navigation level.
By pressing Up key you move backward in the document according to

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 11
the selected navigation level. i.e. word by word if navigation level
“word” is selected.
4. To start continuous reading from the current position press the round
pause key.
NB:
The punctuation dot defines the end of a sentence. When the navigation
level “sentence” is selected and you move through the text sentence by
sentence, also the abbreviation dots or ordinal numbers are interpreted
as end of sentence.
Repeat Reading a document4.5
1. Jump to top of document.
2. Therefore press and hold Down key. Then press Up key and release
both keys.
3. Now you can start continuous reading with the round Pause key. Or
you can read the text by pressing Down key according to the selected
navigation level, i.e. line by line.
It is possible to save a document and read it again later. You find a
description, how to save and retrieve documents in the following
chapters.
Scanning new documents, Saving,4.6
Retrieving or Deleting documents
You can execute these functions easily with the menu options. The
description given in the following chapters offers step by step
instructions. Moreover the instructions will help you to get familiar with
the menu and its general use.
4.6.1 Scan a new document
In default configuration of Poet all scanned pages are added to one
document.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 12
This is helpful, if you scan books or documents, which consist of several
pages.
However, if you want to scan a new document, which is completely
different to the previously scanned document, we advise first to execute
the command “Open file” to avoid mixing up the texts.
Each time the Poet is turned on it automatically presents a new blank file
in the text window by default. So, the first scanned document is always a
new document.
To open an empty text window for a new document proceed as follows:
1. Open the menu by pressing menu key, which is located to the right of
Up key.
2. The menu opens and presents the entry „Document specification“.
3. Move with Right key into the sub menu.
4. The menu item “Open document“ will be presented. In case another
menu item is presented, move with Up key or Down key until you get
this item.
5. Press OK key. Then you change into the text window and you can
start scanning the new document by pressing Start key.
In case you have not saved the previous document, you get a
corresponding message and an option to save the document.
NB:
If you press the Escape key in the text window also a new document file
is created.
4.6.2 Save a document
You can save the scanned document.
Proceed as follows:
1. Open the menu by pressing menu key, which is located to the right of
Up key.
2. The menu opens and presents the entry „Document specification“. In
case another menu item is presented, move with Up key or Down key
until you get the menu item “document specification”.
3. Move with Right key into the sub menu.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 13
4. Move with Up key or Down key to the item „Save document“ or
„Document save as“ and press Right key.
5. A list of available folders and drives opens up.
6. Move with Up key or Down key to the desired folder or drive, i.e. „Poet
Data” and open the folder by pressing Right key.
7. Now you are in the option for starting the speech input. Confirm with
OK key
8. Speak the document name clear and well pronounced and press OK
key to quit the speech input.
9. Now you are in the option to save the document with the recorded
document name. Press OK Key and the document is saved.
10.In case the recording of the document name went wrong, you can
repeat the speech input. Move with Up key or Down key to the entry
“Start speech input” and confirm wit OK key.
4.6.3 Retrieve or Delete a saved document
You can retrieve a saved document to read the text whenever you want.
Proceed as follows.
1. Open the menu by pressing menu key, which is located to the right of
Up key.
2. The menu opens and presents the entry „Document specification“. In
case another menu item is presented, move with Up key or Down key
until you get the menu item “document specification”.
3. Move with Right key into the sub menu.
4. Move with Up key or Down key to the item “Open document“ and
press Right key.
5. The list of the available folders and drives opens.
6. Move with Up key or Down key to the desired folder or drive, i.e. “Poet
Data” and open the folder by pressing Right key.
7. Now you are in the files list.
8. Move with Up key or Down key to the desired document and press
Right key.
9. A menu with several functions opens. Move with Up key or Down key
to the item “Open document” and confirm with OK key. You change
into the text window and you can start reading by pressing Pause key.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 14
However, if you want to delete the document, confirm the menu item
“Delete document” with OK key.
NB:
Within the menu you can move back a step by pressing Left key.
Listen to Audio books on CD4.7
Poet can read Daisy books or play back audio books and music, which
are stored on a CD.
1. Open a new blank document in text window.
2. Insert CD into the slot of the CD drive at the front of Poet.
3. After a short while you are informed about the CD type. (Daisy or CD
Player for Audio CDs)
A Daisy CD takes you to a list and if several Daisy books are saved
on the CD, you can move up or down between the books. Then press
Right key to open the book and you are in the list of the headings.
4. Press Pause key to start, pause or resume playback.
5. During playback, use Down key or Up key to move to the next or
previous title resp. next or previous heading in Daisy books.
6. During playback use Start key to jump back a bit or a phrase. In the
same way with Stop key you jump forward a bit or a phrase.
7. If an audio CD is running you can stop playing with OK key and you
change to the title list. When you move with Up key or Down key
through the list, the duration and name of the tracks are spoken. With
Pause key you can play the selected title.
8. To exit press Escape key or the eject key of the CD drive.
This makes Poet ready again for scanning documents.
Use the volume control knob to change volume. Only in Daisy books use
speed knob to increase or decrease the speed.
In case the CD is not recognized automatically, press Escape key and
insert the CD again.

Reading with Poet Compact (Basic functions) 15
Daisy Reader automatically reminds the last reading position. If you
insert the Daisy CD again, the Daisy Reader resumes playing from this
position.
Both Daisy Reader and CD Player come with a menu. The menu items
and functions are described in chapter 10.
Turn off the device4.8
1. Press the on/off key, to the very right of the front panel.
2. You get a sound and a message, that the Poet is switched off,
followed by some beeps.
3. After a short time the beeps stop, the green LED above the power
on/off key goes off and the device is shut down completely.
NB:
Please always first turn off the device before you pull of the power lead
or before you switch off the power supply.

Introduction to the Menu system 16
Introduction to the Menu system5
Accessing and navigating the menu5.1
The main navigation in the menu is simple and easy to learn.
Menu key opens the menu.
With Up and Down keys you move to the different menu items or entries.
Right key opens the selected item. As long as there are more options
you can select again between the items with Up or Down keys and open
the selected entry with Right key. This takes you deeper into the
branches of the hierarchic menu structure.
At the end of a branch you cannot go further with Right key. The last
entry is spoken again and a bump sound signalizes the end of the
branch. Then with Up or Down key you can select a function or
command and execute with OK key.
Left key will always takes you back one step.
The Escape key, located left of Up key, closes the menu at any time
The Help key, located left of Down key, gives you a context sensitive
help with information to the current menu entry or function.
NB: Some menu items tell you a key or key combination. You can remind
this key or key combination to execute the assigned function directly.
How to use the setting options5.2
In the menu select the item “Settings“ and open the submenu item
“General settings“ with Right key.
Here you can move with Up key or Down key between the settings and
different options. Depending if the option is activated or deactivated the
entries either have the according property “checked” or ”unchecked”.

Introduction to the Menu system 17
To check or uncheck a setting proceed as follows:
1. With Up key or Down key move to the desired entry.
2. Open with Right key the edit functions.
3. With Up key or Down key move to the desired function and confirm
with OK key.
4. You return to the setting and the status has changed. Now You can
check or uncheck other settings or close the settings option with
Escape key.
Use this strategy also when you want to change some options of the
voice or other settings.
Overview of the menu items5.3
The names of the different menu items explain their function. So, you are
informed which function is executed with this item or which other options
are available.
Following consequently the instructions of an entry will lead you to the
desired function and at last you just have to confirm with OK key.
The following entries are available in the first menu level:
Document specification.
Here you find options to save, delete or open a document.
Basic functions.
Here you find options to start scanning a new document, to interrupt
or resume reading, to spell a word etc. You can also directly execute
those functions with the assigned Poet keys.
Navigate in the document.
Here you find options to move forward or backward in the document.
Bookmarks and flags.
Here you find options to set a bookmark or flags to a text position, to

Introduction to the Menu system 18
jump to the bookmark or flags and to delete flags.
Settings.
Here you find options to change the language, the reading and menu
voice, text recognition, Scanner options and the general settings.
Voices for quick change.
If the quick change of voice is activated in the settings and several
voices are defined in the quick voice selection (Menu item „Settings >
Reading voice“, you get access here to this option. The option allows
you to change quickly between the defined languages and voices.
Manage MP3 (*).
If you have checked the option „MP3 easy mode“ or „MP3“ in the
general settings, you find entries to create and manage MP3 files.
Disconnect USB Media resp. MP3 Player (*).
You only get this entries, if you have connected an USB memory stick
or an USB MP3 player to the USB port first.
CD ROM / Daisy Reader automatic or manual (*).
This entry opens the Daisy Reader in case you have unchecked the
option „Find CD ROM automatically“ in the general Settings.
Otherwise the DAISY Reader starts automatically whenever a Daisy
CD is inserted. The option „Daisy automatic“ is useful when reading
novels, the option „Daisy manual“ is useful when reading nonfiction
books.
CD ROM / CD Player (*).
This entry opens the CD Player in case you have unchecked the
option „Find CD ROM automatically“ in the general Settings.
Otherwise the CD Player starts automatically whenever an Audio CD
is inserted“. You can start playing Audio CD’s or MP3 files stored on a
CD ROM:
NB:
The listed menu items, which are marked with (*) are not activated in the
basic configuration and original settings of Poet.

Introduction to the Menu system 19
Overview of menu items in the settings5.4
The following entries are available in the “settings” menu:
Folder.
Here you find functions to create, rename or delete folders.
With the help of folders you can save different documents in different
folders to separate them.
Language of reading voice and scanner.
Here you can check the language which is used for text recognition
and reading voice.
Menu voice speed.
Here you can adjust the reading speed of the menu voice. Turn the
speed knob within the edit functions and confirm with OK key.
Reading voice.
Here you can change the language, the voice, speed and pause
between sentences. In the edit functions you can add or delete the
selected voice for the quick change of the voice option.
Menu voice.
Here you can change the voice and speed of the menu voice.
MP3 voice.
Here you can change the language, the voice and speed of the MP3
voice.
The MP3 voice is used when you create an MP3 file.
Delete list of voices for quick change. (*).
This entry only is available if you have defined voices for the quick
voice change first.
Scanner.
Here you are informed about the scanner and the settings of text
recognition.

Introduction to the Menu system 20
General Settings.
Here you can activate or deactivate signals, set different reading
options, check the MP3 mode or select further options.
Restore original settings.
About Poet.
Here you get the system properties and software version number.