Scanner for poor eyesight

mmbridges · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 01:33 AM

Does anyone have a scanner suggestion for someone with very poor eyesight? Most scanners I have seen have very small buttons and very small screens. I was thinking about a PC option where a large monitor can be employed but a base unit with large screen and buttons would be preferable. What do you think?

Mike

FLRAILMAN · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 05:08 PM

FIRST, I EXTEND A WARM WELCOME ON BEHALF OF THE RADIOREFERENCE STAFF & MEMBERS. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF COMPANY WITH YOUR DILEMMA, SCANNERS PRODUCED YEARS AGO WERE SIZABLE & WERE ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED FOR EASE OF OPERATION BY THE USE OF FAIRLY LARGE DISPLAYS & CONTROLS, NO MORE, TODAYS SCANNERS ARE MUCH SMALLER WITH CROWDED CONTROLS & EXTREMELY HARD TO READ DISPLAY SCREENS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BACKLIT. HERE ARE SOME OF MY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD SOLUTIONS:

IF YOU DESIRE DISPLAYED FREQUENCY VOICE SYNTHESIZER CAPABILTY, THE ONLY RECEIVERS THAT COME TO MIND ARE THE ICOM IC-R8500 & IC-R9500, SINCE NEW IC-R8500s ARE ALMOST IMPOSIBLE TO PURCHASE, YOU CAN GET A USED ONE & HOPE THAT IT COMES WITH THE UT-102 VOICE SYNTHESIZER MODULE OR PURCHASE ONE AFTERMARKET. THE IC-R9500 WHICH HAS THE SAME CAPABILITY IS EXTREMELY PRICEY TO THE TUNE OF APPROX. $13,000.00 DOLLARS.

THERE ARE A TON OF NEW & USED AFFORDABLE SCANNERS & RECEIVERS ON THE MARKET THAT ARE PC CONTROLLED WHEREBY YOU CAN CONTROL THEM FROM A PC AND/OR LAPTOP WHICH GIVES A MUCH LARGER DISPLAY TO WORK WITH.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE RADIO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH, THEN I HAVE SEEN THIS METHOD USED BEFORE & IT IS BETTER THEN NOTHING. IT'S A TABLETOP MAGNIFIER FOR READING, HOWEVER IT IS STABLE ENOUGH TO TURN ON IT'S SIDE IN FRONT OF A RADIO ENABALING ONE TO SEE & USE THE CONTROLS & DISPLAY SCREEN WITHOUT ANY EYESTRAIN. THE WEBSITES LISTED BELOW WILL ASSIST YOU IN YOUR DECISION, EITHER WAY, LET'S HOPE ANOTHER MEMBER WILL COME UP WITH A MORE FEASIBLE SOLUTION.

ICOM R8500 Wideband Receiver IC-R8500

ICOM R9500 Wideband Receiver IC-R9500

Strong Signals - Computer Control Scanning FAQ

Magnifying Aids, Magnifiers, Magnifying Glasses, and Indepentent Living Aids to help people with Macular Degeneration
ITEM #570284

I HOPED THIS HELPED YOU.

FLRAILMAN

rmiller818 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 05:16 PM

You could but a GRE PSR-500/600 or Radio Shack Pro-106/197 (same scanner really, all made by GRE) and use WIN500 plus the USB programming cable. Win 500 has a remote monitoring client that allows you to control the functions of your scanner from you PC and it is bigger than the keypad and screen on the scanner.

The Uniden scanners are PC controllable as well but I don't know enough about the software etc to comment on them.

HancockCountyHal · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

"SCANNERS PRODUCED YEARS AGO WERE SIZABLE & WERE ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED FOR EASE OF OPERATION BY THE USE OF FAIRLY LARGE DISPLAYS & CONTROLS, NO MORE, TODAYS SCANNERS ARE MUCH SMALLER WITH CROWDED CONTROLS & EXTREMELY HARD TO READ DISPLAY SCREENS"

I'd love to have a fat finger scanner with a display that I can easily read. Until then, I plan to use computer software and my monitor. There is no reason to shrink base units down to the point of poor useability.

HCH

FLRAILMAN · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 05:37 PM

There is a scanner software section in the wiki.

Flrailman

MPSCS · #6 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbridges

Does anyone have a scanner suggestion for someone with very poor eyesight? Most scanners I have seen have very small buttons and very small screens. I was thinking about a PC option where a large monitor can be employed but a base unit with large screen and buttons would be preferable. What do you think?

Mike

Most of today's newer high-end scanners can be interfaced with your computer, and using various software, you can make the display very large, depending on your screen resolution. Using today's large LCD displays you should have not problems!

Another option would be to monitor some of the on-line scanner audio feeds provided by Radio Reference!

gmclam · #7 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 12:25 PM

Just because a scanner can be controlled by a PC does not mean the software on the PC will provide a larger display. I had a Uniden here a while ago and the software to control it was horrible. The display on the PC monitor was the same size as the LCD on the scanner and did not scale when expanded.

So check the scanner AND the software before you buy.

Apache_UK · #8 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 01:11 PM

I use BUTEL's ARC780 to control my Uniden 780XLT, not for convenience sake, but to log new found frequencies during unattended long term searches.

I have used it to control & organise channels etc, and when you get used to it's little foibles, it's quite good, and the display is a decent size and nice and contrasty.

MPSCS · #9 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmclam

Just because a scanner can be controlled by a PC does not mean the software on the PC will provide a larger display. I had a Uniden here a while ago and the software to control it was horrible. The display on the PC monitor was the same size as the LCD on the scanner and did not scale when expanded.

So check the scanner AND the software before you buy.

That is why I also said..."you can make the display very large, depending on your screen resolution".

Even if the display from the software is a little too small, you can make it much larger by lowering your PC's monitor resolution to something like 800x600, or if you need it even larger, try 640x480, it will be huge!

tcg · #10 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 04:18 PM

Someone suggested this already it's a low tech option but a good one.

Reading Magnifier-Desk Table Stand Magnifying Glass

mmbridges · #11 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 11:43 PM

What a nice welcome to the forum. All of the suggestions were quite helpful. I have rethought some things in light of the various responses and I think I will be opting for the tabletop magnifier. My father-in-law doesn't have a computer and I am thinking that is one extra layer of complexity we might try to avoid if the low-tech solution works out for him.

Thanks again.

Mike

gmclam · #12 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPSCS

That is why I also said..."you can make the display very large, depending on your screen resolution".

Even if the display from the software is a little too small, you can make it much larger by lowering your PC's monitor resolution to something like 800x600, or if you need it even larger, try 640x480, it will be huge!

If you have to change your screen settings to make a window or the text in it larger, it is not very good software and I would avoid it.

hoser147 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 11:59 AM

There is a need for such a product, Ive brought it up several times on these very forums. It just amazes me that no one in the industry has created such a critter. Said it before and will say it again, they make fish finders that have bigger displays on them, and now days even picture frames with LCD type displays. A good base scanner with a bigger screen to display all of todays info that is packed into a little display would be Real Nice along with buttons of appropriate size. Heck were all gettin older. Come on GRE and Uniden take a look.

davidmc36 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmclam

Just because a scanner can be controlled by a PC does not mean the software on the PC will provide a larger display. I had a Uniden here a while ago and the software to control it was horrible. The display on the PC monitor was the same size as the LCD on the scanner and did not scale when expanded.

So check the scanner AND the software before you buy.

You could use any software and use the magnify function in Windoze to zoom in on the display of the scanner.

jack103 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 06:55 PM

How about a new verision of the UNIDEN MR 8100.