SYM Systems EasyTalk Instruction Manual

USER’S HANDBOOK

-i User’s Handbook

0
USER’S HANDBOOK
TM
1.1

i User’s Handbook
Writing JamesTanne
Editing Megan Salisbury
Photography,Graphics,Layout JamesTanne
Engineering Ed Kandefer
Allen Poetzsch
PhuocTran
Thanks to all the people out in the field who evaluated and tested the EasyTalk.
EasyTalk™ is a registered trademark ofThe GreatTalking Box Company
©1997 SYM Systems Corporation.All rights reserved.Duplication of this material in whole or part for commercial purposes is expressly
prohibited.

ii
Table of Contents
Introducing the EasyTalk
New Technology i-2
Features i-2
About this Handbook i-3
Quick Start
Setting Up the Equipment 1-1
Recording Messages 1-2
Playing Back Messages 1-4
Calling Alarm 1-5
Equipment and Its Care
The Equipment 2-1
Description of Hardware Features 2-4
The Touch Panel 2-7
Overlays 2-8
Caring for the EasyTalk 2-10
Charging the Battery 2-11
Making the Battery Last 2-12
Low Battery Warning 2-12
Technical Information 2-13
Recording Messages
Setting Up the EasyTalk 3-1
Preparing to Record 3-2
Recording Messages 3-4
Re-recording Messages 3-5
Preparing Overlays 3-5
Level Message Cues 3-7
Erasing Messages 3-8

iii User’s Handbook
Playing Back Messages
Getting the EasyTalk Ready for the User 4-1
Speaking Messages 4-2
Settings for the End-user 4-3
Calling Alarm 4-4
Scanning
About Scanning Mode 5-2
Scanning patterns 5-3
Selecting Scanning 5-5
Adjusting the Scanning Configuration 5-6
Trouble Shooting
Common Problems 6-1
Keyboard Calibration 6-3
Servicing the EasyTalk 6-4
Glossary of Terms

i
Introduction

i-1 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
iii
Introduction:
Introducing the
EasyTalk
™
Congratulations on purchasing the best in assistive communication
technology.The EasyTalk is a digital playback device,designed to provide the best
combination of ruggedness,portability,and price/performance available.It
allows you to record messages digitally to later be played back instantaneously
with the touch of a key.The EasyTalk is ideal for individuals requiring a limited
number of messages with easy access.
The EasyTalk was created with the following criteria in mind:
• Ease of use
• Portability
• Durability

Introduction i-2
i
• Long battery life
• High quality sound
• Affordable Price
New Technology
Employing leading edge technology,the EasyTalk is compact,easy-to-
use and completely programmable.It uses reliable Flash EPROM technology to
provide memory for recording up to 14 minutes of speech.With advanced
memory management,the EasyTalk provides 4 levels of messages,giving a
maximum of 160 messages! Also,the EasyTalk’s sophisticated audio circuitry and
high quality speaker produces a crisp clear voice and the high capacity Nickel-
Cadmium batteries ensure long continues operation (up to 12 hours on a single
charge).
Features
The EasyTalk integrates the following features:
• High quality digital sound
• Multiple message levels (total of 4)
• Variable length messages on every level
• Compact,rugged case
• Customizable overlays for 6 different keyboard layouts
• High message capacity
• Programmability
• Ease of Use
• Highly sensitive touch panel with no‘dead zones’
• Calling alarm
• Ultra bright scanning LEDs

i-3 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
iii
About this Handbook
This handbook was designed to help you,as a care giver or therapist,to
quickly learn to set up the EasyTalk and put it to use.It will help you to record
messages and then teach the user to play them back.For those familiar with this
type of communication aid,there is a‘quick start’chapter that gives only the
most essential information in order to set up the EasyTalk,record messages,and
begin playing them back.For more in-depth instructions,such as for scanning or
special care,please refer to the remainder of this guide.
This manual is designed to make the initial reading and subsequent
referencing as quick and simple as possible.
• The first chapter, Quick Start ,will guide experienced users
through software installation and basic use.
• The second chapter, Equipment and Its Care ,provides detailed
instructions on handling the EasyTalk and its accessories.
• The third chapter, Recording Messages ,explains how to set up
the EasyTalk with messages for later playback by the user.
• The fourth chapter, Playing Back Messages ,provides
information which should help the care giver or therapist to adjust
settings for the user and to teach the user to play back messages.
O
rgan
i
zat
i
on

Introduction i-4
i
• The fifth chapter, Scanning ,explains the scanning feature and
how to set up for scanning.
• The last chapter, Trouble Shooting is provided to help you
through problems you may encounter while using the EasyTalk.
Referring to this chapter will likely answer questions that arise
while using the EasyTalk.
?IMPORTANT:
Thismanual is intended to guide atherapistor care giver through thenecessary
steps to operate the EasyTalk and as such, it is assumed that a therapist or other trained
professional will be at hand to assist the actual user with his or her individual needs in
order to properly and safely use the EasyTalk.
Sections are labeled in Large Bold type,like at the top of the
previous page,and sub-sections are labeled in Bold type in the columns.
Though it is recommended that you read the entire manual,you can easily
browse finding the sections of immediate interest in bold print.
When a new word appears with which you may not be familiar,it will be
set in italics .There is a glossary at the end of the manual where you can look up
the meaning of the term as it relates to this handbook.
An indexing tab on the outside edge of each page indicates the chapter
number.These make it easy to find a chapter by looking at the edge of the closed
manual.
Important messages are separated from the main text by a line and an
icon,like the one above.Be sure to read these:
`
CAUTION:
will warn you of dangers which could cause
harm to yourself,the user,or the EasyTalk.
?
IMPORTANT
:will provide you with important
information.
8
HELPFUL HINT
:will give you helpful hints that save time
or make using the EasyTalk even easier.
/
NOTES
:At the end of each chapter,there is be some space
provided for you to record additional information.
Be sure to take the time to read through this handbook and discover the
broad range of choices you have with the EasyTalk.
S
ect
i
ons
T
erm
i
no
l
og
y
I
n
d
ex
T
a
b
s
M
essages

i-5 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
iii /NOTES:

1
Quick Start

1-1 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
111
Chapter One:
Quick Start
This chapter is intended for people with previous experience using an
augmentative communication aids.If you are unfamiliar to this technology,it is
highly recommended that you read the entire manual before using the EasyTalk,
but feel free to use this chapter as a summary or a quick reference thereafter.
Setting Up the Equipment
The Easy Talk is designed to be oriented in whatever fashion best
accommodates the end-user.It can be held horizontally or vertically depending
on the individual’s needs.To simplify the instructions in this chapter,all references
to the EasyTalk will be made assuming that you are holding it horizontally.
O
r
i
entat
i
on

Quick Start 1-2
1
The On/Off knob is on the right side of the EasyTalk.Rotate the knob
upwards into the‘ON’position.There will be a small‘click’and the EasyTalk will
turn on.Rotate the knob in the opposite direction to turn off the EasyTalk.
To recharge the EasyTalk,simply plug the charger into a wall outlet and
the other end into the Charger port on the left side.The LED next to the Charger
port will light up,indicating that the EasyTalk is charging.For a full charge,leave
the EasyTalk plugged in for at least 8 hours uninterrupted.
Recording Messages
To record a message the EasyTalk must be in Record mode .To change
levels,the EasyTalk must be in Play mode .To select Record mode,slide setup
switch 1 to the left and for Play mode,slide it to the right.
To change between levels:
1. Put the EasyTalk in Play mode,by sliding setup switch 1 to the right.
2. The Record button now functions as the Level button.
3. Press the Level button to move to the next level.
The EasyTalk will announce each level as you move through the levels.
The keyboard layout is changed by adjusting setup switches 3,4,and 5.
Follow the chart below when arranging the setup switches:
T
urn
i
ng
O
n t
h
e
E
asy
T
a
lk
C
h
arg
i
ng
S
w
i
tc
hi
ng
M
o
d
es
RECORD/PLAY:
SPLP
PLAYRECORD
PLAY TIME:
MODE:
1
2
C
h
ang
i
ng t
h
e
L
eve
l
C
h
ang
i
ng
K
ey
b
oar
d
Layout
LAYOUT:
1X1 2X2 4X51X2 2X5 4X10
3
4
5

1-3 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
111
Message compression can be switched between SP (Standard Play) and
LP (Long Play).To select SP,slide setup switch 2 to the right.To select LP,slide
setup switch 2 to the left.
To record a message,follow these instructions:
1. Change the level to the one upon which you wish to record
messages.
2. Put the EasyTalk in Record mode by sliding setup switch 1 to the
left.
3. Press the Record button - the LED above will flash indicating that
the EasyTalk is ready to record.
4. Press a key upon which to record the message and hold it.
5. The message key will light up and after a moment,you will hear a
single beep.
6. Continuing to hold the message button,begin speaking into the
microphone at a distance of four or five inches.
7. Release the message key when the message is complete.You will
hear two beeps,indicating that the recording is complete.
To listen to the message you’ve just recorded,simply press the same
message key,again.
Pl
ay
Ti
me
RECORD/PLAY:
SPLP
PLAYRECORD
PLAY TIME:
MODE:
1
2
R
ecor
di
ng A
M
essage

Quick Start 1-4
1
Playing Back Messages
Messages can be played back in both Record and Play mode.However,it
is recommended that when you are finished recording,you put the EasyTalk in
Play mode to prevent accidental erasure of messages you have recorded.To put
the EasyTalk in Play mode,slide setup switch 1 to the right.
Accessing messages once they are recorded is simple – press the key
associated with the message.
Volume The volume is adjusted by the same knob used
to turn on the EasyTalk.Once the knob is in‘ON’
position,spin it upwards to increase the volume
and downwards to decrease the volume.
HoldTime The amount of time a key must be held to play
back a message is set by adjusting setup
switches 6 and 7.See the diagram below:
Pl
ay
M
o
d
e
RECORD/PLAY:
SPLP
PLAYRECORD
PLAY TIME:
MODE:
1
2
Pl
ay
i
ng
B
ac
k
M
essages
A
dj
ustments
HOLD TIME:
0.0 0.50.25 1.0
6
7

1-5 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
111
Calling Alarm
The built-in alarm is armed by moving setup switch 12 to the right and is
activated by holding any message key for a length of time defined by the hold
time setting according to the chart below:
?IMPORTANT:
The EasyTalk is not meant to be used as a primary alarm. The user should have
another available means of calling for help in case of emergency. For the EasyTalk to
be useful as a calling alarm is important to keep the battery charged and the
EasyTalk in perfect running order at all times. This requires that the EasyTalk be charged
every day .
For more information on setting and activating the alarm,see the
section, Calling Alarm in Chapter Four, Playing Back Messages.
Hold Time Alarm Hold Time
0.0 seconds 5 seconds
0.25 seconds 10 seconds
0.5 seconds 15 seconds
1.0 seconds 20 seconds
ALARM: ONOFF
12
HOLD TIME:
0.0 0.50.25 1.0
6
7

2
Equipment &
Its Care

2-1 EasyTalk User’s Handbook
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Chapter Two:
Equipment and
Its Care
This chapter describes important features and physical characteristics of
the EasyTalk and proper care and configuration thereof.At the end of this chapter
is an important table of technical information.
The Equipment
The Easy Talk is designed to be oriented in whatever fashion best
accommodates the end-user.It can be held horizontally or vertically depending
on the individual’s needs.To simplify instructions,all references to the EasyTalk in
this handbook will be made assuming that you are holding it horizontally.
O
r
i
entat
i
on