Envoy Connect

 Envoy Connect

We will soon be launching a new Blind Low Vision NZ Library Service with a device called Envoy Connect.

It is easy to use, compact and portable. The tactile keypad makes this audio player ideal for blind and low vision users. It is a great option for people that want to access books quickly and easily.

Summary

• Easy to use. The player only has seven buttons. It is great option for someone that wants a straightforward device to read books. It’s even solar powered!
• New Self Service Option. By using the Aurora Cloud Connect app, anyone can download books straight to the device without the need to return the device back. Books, based on your prefences will automatically load onto the device.
• No Wi-Fi required. The Envoy Connect is a great option for someone who does not have internet access or a smartphone. However, you do require internet access to download new books, but that can done by support person (for example a volunteer, a family member or a friend.)
• Tried and Tested. Vision Australia and the Centre of Equitable Library Access (Canada) and other organisations around the world have already been using this service.
• Thank you, DAISY player. The beloved Plextor PTX1 DAISY player has been discontinued for a while now. Anyone who currently has a DAISY player will still be able to keep it as we gradually ‘pass the baton’ over to the Envoy Connect.

Device Descripton

The Envoy Connect is about the size of a deck of cards and weights about the same. Most of the device is dark blue, but the buttons are in a black recessed area on the front. The top half of the front has a circular speaker grill. Above the speaker, on top of the device, is the wrist strap. The bottom half has all the buttons that you need to control the device. There are two rows of three buttons.

Going from the top row left to right, the first button is a rocker switch for volume control. The second button is called the bookshelf button, and this button moves you from book to book. The third button is a sleep timer where you can set the timer to 15, 30 or 60 minutes. The bottom row contains all the player controls. To the left is the jump backward button and in the middle is the on/off play/pause button. The final button on the right is the forward button.

On the bottom of the device there is a 3.5mm audio jack, to plug in speakers or headphones. To the right of that is a USB port for charging and connecting to a computer to load more books. To the right of that is an SD card slot.

On the back of the device is a solar panel. The Envoy Connect can be charged in 8 hours in direct sunlight

Aurora Cloud Connect

Aurora Cloud Connect is a Windows program that allows you to download titles from BLVNZ to your Envoy Connect player. To use Aurora Cloud Connect, you must be a registered Blind Low Vision member and have an account number and password. Aurora Cloud Connect runs on Windows 10 and above and does not currently operate on Macs. It requires an internet connection to work.

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Installing Aurora Cloud Connect

• Select this link to download the Aurora Cloud Connect webpage.
  Download Aurora Cloud Connect
• Select the Install button.
• Select a location to download the setup.exe file and select Save
• Go to the location of the setup.exe and open it to install the Aurora Cloud Connect software.
• The software should automatically startup

Follow the on screen prompts to connect your Envoy Connect and copy books to your device.

Additional Features

Volume up

Press and hold to increase volume rapidly. A chime will sound when maximum volume is reached. Volume Down Press and hold to decrease volume rapidly. A chime will sound when the minimum volume is reached.

Volume memory

The player will automatically remember your last volume setting. Even if the player is turned off. Bookmark. The player will automatically remember where playback stopped, even if the player is turned off. It will resume playback from that position when pressing the play button.

Skip to beginning

If you press the back button when playing the first section of a book, it will skip back to the beginning of the book and resume playback.

Skip to end

If you press the forward button when playing the last section of a book, a chime will sound to let you know there is no next section, and playback will resume.

Delete a book

To delete a book, choose a book using the bookshelf button. To delete it, press and hold the bookshelf button for 5 seconds until you hear the confirmation chime. Turn off sleep timer. Press and hold the sleep timer button for 2 seconds until you hear the confirmation chime.

Auto power off

If the playback is paused for more than 5 minutes, the player will turn itself off.The player will remember your last reading position and resume playback from there.

Micro SD card

Add to the 8 gigabyte internal memory capacity by inserting a micro SD card up to 128 gigabytes into the slot on the bottom right. Ensure the micro-SD card is inserted correctly. The card is inserted correctly when the card is turned over and the ridge on the top face of the card is facing down.

The long straight edge of the card will be facing to the right. and the jagged edge facing to the left. Don’t use excessive force. It will insert easily when the card is the right way around. Be careful when ejecting the card, as it may spring out quickly and be lost.

Switch memory

The player will sequentially scroll through the content of the internal memory, followed by the content on the microSD card, with each press of the bookshelf button. To switch immediately between memories, Press and hold both the sleep timer and the back buttons together for two seconds.

USB computer connection

Connect to a computer by inserting the supplied micro-USB plug into the middle port on the bottom edge of the player. Use this connection for loading books and charging the player. Ensure the micro-USB plug is inserted correctly, with the two small prongs on the plug facing down. Don’t use excessive force. It will easily insert the right way around. The player will appear as an external drive on your computer. If the player has a microSD card inserted, this will appear as a second external drive on the computer.

Manually loading books

Audio content can be copied onto the player from a computer using the micro-USB port or a microSD card. When preparing content for the player, place all the audio files for one book into one folder. You must have one separate folder for each book. You may have up to 999 different folders, books, and 999 audio files in each folder.

Ensure that the audio files in each folder are sorted by name, in the order they are to be played. For example, the first file could be… 001. mp3. The second file would be 002. mp3 and so on. Ensure that the folders are also sorted by name according to the order you want them listed on the player’s bookshelf.

Note. The player has these requirements. Maximum folder name length. Fifty-eight characters. Maximum file name length, 185 characters. Version and serial number. Press and hold both the back and forward buttons together. The information will be voiced.

Low battery operation

The player will chime when battery capacity drops to 10%. It will continue to chime every minute until it reaches 5%. After this, the player will turn itself off. The player will remember your last reading position and resume playback from there.

Audio indicator

The player will emit various beeps or chimes to provide audible confirmation of a button press, player action, or warning.

For example, power on and off. Please note, there is no audio indicator if you set the sleep timer feature and the sleep timer turns the player off.

• Battery low.
• Volume minimum and maximum.
• Rewinding or fast forwarding.
• Last section in book.
• Book deletion.
• No book on the player.
• Sleep timer settings.
• Unable to play book.
• Micro SD card insertion or removal.
• Connecting or disconnecting from a computer.

LED indicator

The green light above the play button provides visual information about the player’s current operational state. For example, a solid green light means the power is on. If the light is blinking during playback, it means the sleep timer is on.It will also blink while rewinding or fast forwarding. Blinking while playback is paused means the player is paused. It will also blink to indicate low battery or charging via USB.

Troubleshooting

Player won’t turn on

Charge the battery by exposing the solar panel on the back of the player to direct sunlight for up to eight hours. Or better still, plug the player into an active USB port for a better charge. The internal rechargeable battery is not user replaceable, and the player should be returned to the place of purchase if it will not charge.

Cannot play book

Ensure that there are no empty book folders. Check that all the audio files that make up a book are contained within one folder. You must have one separate folder for each book. Ensure the audio files are supported and that no copy protection, DRM, is applied. The player supports the following formats.

WAV, MP3, WMA, Ogg Flack, APE, and AACLC.

Player cannot remember last reading position

Ensure that folder name lengths do not exceed 58 characters, and file name lengths do not exceed 185 characters.

The book plays out of order

Check that the audio files in each folder are sorted by name and are in the order they are to be played.

Cannot insert micro SD card

Ensure the ridge on the top face of the card is facing down. The long straight edge of the card will be facing to the right, and the jagged edge facing to the left. Don’t use excessive force. It will insert easily when the card is the right way around.

Cannot insert USB plug

Ensure you are using a micro-USB type B plug as supplied with the player. Ensure the micro-USB plug is inserted correctly with the two small prongs on the plug facing downwards. Don’t use excessive force. It will easily insert the right way around.

Warning chime

If the player encounters a problem, it will play a warning chime. Try playing a different book. Check the format of the audio files.

Player crashes or freezes

Check that folder name lengths do not exceed 58 characters. And file name lengths do not exceed 185 characters.

Player Reboot

If the player is not responding to any buttons, restart the player by pressing and holding the combination power play button for 10 seconds.

Hardware reset

If rebooting the player does not restart the player, gently insert the end of a paperclip into the small pinhole on the back of the player in order to press the hardware reset button. The small pinhole is located on the back of the player at the lower left of the label.

If problems persist or you have any questions or comments, please contact our National Contact Centre on  0800 24 33 33.