Scanner Software For A Blind Enthusiast

[pdevasto]

I'm totally blind from birth, but have had scanners since the 80's. Up to the Pro-96, I was able to easily add frequencies, even trunked systems, and maintain them using Win96 developed by Starrsoft (Thanks, Don, for working with me to make your program even easier to use!). I now have a BCD325P2 and BCD996P2, and even though I'm not able to use their menus, I am fortunate to have found Freescan to help me create and maintain my systems. I was saddened to learn that nobody was working on improving Freescan, because even though the developer did a fantastic job of creating a "blind friendly" mode, there are things I still cannot, but wish I could, do like working with tools like the quick key manager or the scanner optimizer. Also, while working through the system configuration and settings screens, there are buttons that my screen reading software doesn't recognize, so I'm not able to take full advantage of what my scanners can offer. I'm sure that anyone who knows the programming language for Freescan might be able to improve this last item. Another frustration I have is that while Butel and ProScan are much more popular and powerful scanner edditing programs, I have been told by both developers that they don't think it's possible to modify their interface so that a blind person can use them.

I realize that Freescan is now public software, so I'm reaching out to the forum to see if there might be anyone interested in possibly re-visiting the software to see if we could improve things. I have helped other potential blind listeners set up with the BCD scanners, and I know there have to be many other blind people out there who would love to be able to do the same things, except for the frustration of not being able to access the menus.

This forum may not be the correct place to go into lots of detail, so I'm going to take this opportunity to invite anyone who might be interested in learning more to join me on a groups.io group that I created to discuss this topic:

bdigitalscan groups.io Group

This group is for users of digital police scanners who happen to be blind or visually impaired, or sighted folks who may wish to help these users find ways to make it easier for those users to enjoy many hours of great listening. At present, these scanners are quite difficult for a blind person...

groups.io

I'd even welcome anyone from the two software vendors mentioned above if they'd be interested in chatting with me! The scanner hobby is something I have been passionate about all my life, and I really wish that more blind people could be able to enjoy it as much as I have.

Thank you so much for at least listening!

 

[Scan125]

Hi Pete

Long time since we engaged with Scan125 and ScanAudio (July 2023 )

Are you still using them as I've not heard from you recently?

I'll look into your groups.io as I already have some other groups.io I use.

As we have discussed in the past supporting blind users and adapting / modifying existing programs that did not have blind users in mind when they were created (I'm guilty as charged) is not always that easy and certainly very difficult to get perfect.

See you over in bdigitalscan groups.io Group when I get authorised.

Nick

 

[buddrousa]

Have you tried the program PROSCAN it has a 30 day free trial if it works for you.

 

[K4EET]

Have you tried the program PROSCAN it has a 30 day free trial if it works for you.

The OP stated in their original post:

“Another frustration I have is that while Butel and ProScan are much more popular and powerful scanner edditing programs, I have been told by both developers that they don't think it's possible to modify their interface so that a blind person can use them.”

 

[Scan125]

It is not easy to retrofit even simpler changes like tab/field sequence selection once a user interface has been done. Note I say done as opposed to design.

Take Scan125



What was the logic behind my design. Simple!

I was new to scanners and the Uniden manual was pretty poor. I wanted to somehow present to the user all the basics without having tthem hidden behind a myriad of menus and tabs. From the picture above I don't think many could say that this does not visually summarise the the Uniden 125 scanner. Also everything is basically ready to hand, logically group, etc.

Now enter the blind person. While screen readers can read on mouse over events it is still a maze of 100s of possible things to click on. As for tabbing where do you start. Top Left, sequentially left to right and down and into the next lower group. Just to get from Volume to Scan Banks View Edit will drive you crazy.

Things would have been better if I had top tabs with for each of the main groupings of controls and also re-group major functions into a simpler main focus area with those controls also duplicated in their logical tabs & groups as well.

Another problem is that now everyone has learnt the UI and layout so a massive and radical change is probably not going to be welcome.

I worked with the OP (Pete) on trying improve what I had and added some "speaking" feedback to the user, sorted a few "tabbing" sequences out but really it was just a hack and a bodge.

I've mentioned ScanAudio which I have not publicly released but this is a much simpler programs to allow a blind user to manually control their scanner and ScanAudio will tell them everything that appears on the scanner screen along with simpler PC keyboard actions to SCAN and HOLD etc.

I've more work to do on ScanAudio but if there is interest from 125 scanner users I can put out beta versions for test and feedback. If this proves to be a success then I can add the 75, SR30C scanners. Beyond that other Uniden scanners could be added but as I don't have them then life becomes rather difficult from a programming point of view.

 

[buddrousa]

@Scan125
Thankyou for your work also thankyou for taking the time to explain to the rest of us users what why and how this process works and what changes would have to be made to work for the OP and other users like the OP.