MegaDots
The DOS braille translator
Return to Braille
Products Menu
MegaDots is a mature DOS braille translator with powerful
features for the volume transcriber and producer. Its straightforward,
style-based system and automated features let you create great braille with
only a few keystrokes. Yet it is sophisticated enough to please the fussiest
braille producers -- you can control each step MegaDots follows to format,
translate and produce braille documents.
Product Overview
- Since MegaDots recognizes many file formats, you can bring in virtually
any document and set it up for braille. MegaDots supports all commercial
braille embossers and all modern inkprint printers.
- Whenever you want to see how the braille looks, press the Translate key.
Suddenly you're looking at the same words, but in braille! You can jump
around, edit or enter more braille. Braille entry can be done using a
six-key technique, or as "Inkprint in braille", where the words you type
become braille as you type them. When you are done in braille, press the
Translate key once more and you return to print.
- Users of voice and refreshable braille displays will appreciate
interacting with software tailored for blind access. Screens are simple and
free of clutter, and you don't have to fuss around to know where you are in
the software. When you move into a new area, the name of the screen is
spoken, such as "Editor", "Main menu" or "Save file help".
- For large print users, MegaDots supports popular screen enlargement
programs, as well as a built-in large text mode. You'll never have to scroll
around looking for text or information that's off the screen. All you need
to see is right there in front of you.
- For sighted users, MegaDots has a familiar look and feel. Pull-down
menus, point and click mouse interaction and colorful screens make working
fun. The braille itself can be viewed in a variety of forms, depending on
what is most readable for you.
- MegaDots gives you the features you expect from a modern word processor,
such as macros, bookmarks, and find and replace.
Features in MegaDots Version 2
- File Importer works hard so you won't have to.
- The File Importer is smarter than ever: it identifies what kind of
document you're importing (i.e., a letter, poetry, etc.) and automatically
applies the appropriate styles to the imported document. This important
and intuitive step minimizes the time and effort it used to take to make
great braille.
- MegaDots 2.x imports Windows Help Screens, which are otherwise very
difficult to access with speech or refreshable braille.
- For users who want total control, automatic features of the importer
can be temporarily and selectively disabled.
- Optically scanned documents are automatically recognized and cleaned
up - before you even edit your document!
- MegaDots knows that optical scanners make visual mistakes and has a
system for changing nonsense back into the right words. And now, optically
scanned documents are automatically recognized and cleaned up - before you
even edit your document! Just import your optically scanned document, and
obviously misspelled text is corrected, i.e., "farnily" is changed to
"family". Other common format errors are also fixed, such as split
paragraphs and misnumbered list items.
- Here's how it works. First, the scanned document's format is cleaned
up. For example, optical scanners often break up paragraphs
inappropriately or misnumber lists of items. MegaDots correctly formats
these areas. It can even remove the garble that results from scanning
pictures or graphics within the text. The text itself is then cleaned up,
one word at a time. MegaDots will find and correct any obviously
misspelled words before you even view your imported document. Running
headers, footers and page numbers that occur on each page are removed and
used for print page indicators in the document.
- If you simply need quick reading materials, use our new included
program, MiniDots.
- MiniDots creates well-formatted braille using the new file importer
and automatic cleanup. You don't even have to open the document.
- Improved Spell Checker
- We've added over 20,000 words to the dictionary. The Spell Checker now
recognizes over 110,000 words.
- Large Print Features!
- Create beautiful large print up to five times as tall and wide as
standard fonts (up to 64 point).
- MegaDots supports your printer's scalable fonts for the most
attractive possible large print.
- With new large print page indicators, you'll be able to follow page
numbers from the original text.
- Advanced Inkprint Printing Capabilities
We're proud to present these useful features designed specifically to make
learning and proofreading braille easier. And while we were at it, we threw
in quite a bit for users who need high quality, customizable inkprint, too.
- MegaDots now supports all modern inkprint printers, including
postscript printers.
- Choose from ten different kinds of inkprint braille.
- Make inkprint braille and text on the same page in three different
formats: side by side, word by word, and line by line.
- Side by Side displays the braille page next to the print page
on one sheet.
- Word by Word puts the print word directly over each braille
word.
- Line by Line mode puts the print line above each braille line.
- Now you caour printer.
- Adjustable vertical and horizontal spacing makes inkprint layout to
your most exacting specifications.
- Get a detailed document overview with the Interpret Format
feature.
- New Interpret Format screen shows you what's in your document: how
many and which styles it uses; whether there are tabs, running headers, or
print page indicators; and other useful information. This overview helps
you check the "big picture" of your document.
- Make global changes to your document. For example, change all Poetry
paragraphs to Body text.
- Within the overview, you can ask for greater detail. For example, you
can view just the poetry in your document, or all of the print page
indicators.
- Within one of these views, you can jump straight to that place in the
text. Or, stay within the view, and make changes there.
- Use Interpret Format to adjust the importation of a document. When
used right after import, you can adjust MegaDots' document cleanup, how
MegaDots selects styles and what import features or styles to use while
importing.
- Easy Table Formatting!
Braille Planet has worked with the pickiest braille transcribers to revamp
our table formatting.
- MegaDots follows all of the new BANA and British table rules.
- MegaDots will automatically squeeze the table to fit on the braille
page.
- If you braille table is too wide for the braille page, MegaDots can
put it on two facing pages.
- Column Blocking lets you cut and paste entire columns.
- Format your word list in columns with Make Clipboard Columns.
This feature now lets you choose the number of columns you want to
generate.
- MegaDots now handles diacritics.
MegaDots now supports all of the diacritical marks shown in the textbook
format codebook. This speeds up another laborious aspect of making braille.
- Better Voice Options
MegaDots Version 2 contains a good configuration for Jaws for Windows
version 3. Now your Windows screen reader (if you have Jaws for Windows 3)
can read your DOS application. Version 2 also includes the freeware speech
program PROVOX and the shareware program Tiny Talk.
Does MegaDots Do Windows?
Yes, MegaDots 2.x is still an MS-DOS application. But many
people using MegaDots today are using it from Windows, usually Windows 95 or
Windows 98. Before and after the initial release of MegaDots 2.0 in May of
1998, we have made a concerted effort to ensure that it is as Windows-friendly
as possible. A number of Windows-specific improvements have been incorporated
beginning with version MegaDots 2.02, released in June of 1999.
- Can you call MegaDots from Windows, without going into a DOS box?
Yes. When you install MegaDots, it guides you through installing a Windows
icon for launching MegaDots.
- Can MegaDots bring in files from Microsoft Word? Yes. However,
until recently MegaDots did not bring in files from recent versions of Word,
specifically files from Word 97 and Word 8. Beginning with version 2.02,
imports these files very well, as long as you are working on a Windows 95 or
higher system (and you are not running in MS-DOS mode).
- If a blind person uses mainly Windows applications on their computer,
can they use MegaDots with voice or refreshable Braille access? Yes.
Many blind Windows-based computer users are using MegaDots successfully.
These users have a number of options for speech or refreshable Braille
access to MegaDots. JAWS for Windows version 3.0 or higher works in DOS
applications. Because many people wanted to use MegaDots with JFW, we have
included a set of MegaDots script files, for use with JFW 3.0 or higher.
Since November 1998, MegaDots has been working well with JFW. We are also
aware that two other Windows screen readers, Outspoken and Window Bridge,
work in DOS applications, but we have not tested them with MegaDots. Other
blind Windows users have been using MegaDots 2.0 with a DOS screen reader
such as VocalEyes, ASAP, MasterTouch, ScreenPower, or one of the public
domain or shareware programs such as JAWS for DOS, Provox, or TinyTalk; we
include copies of Provox and TinyTalk on the MegaDots installation disks.
When the MegaDots installation software guides you through setting up a
MegaDots icon, it offers the opportunity to have your DOS screen reader come
up automatically as you launch MegaDots from Windows.
- Can MegaDots print through Windows? We greatly simplified the
process of printing braille from MegaDots through Windows with the release
in June 1999 of MegaDots version 2.04 and the braille printing utility
called embossit. If you are using MegaDots 2.04 (or higher) and your
MegaDots folder includes the file embossit.exe, then MegaDots automatically
does its braille printing through the Windows Print Manager, using a
"Generic/text only" printer set-up (created by embossit). If your set of
MegaDots program or update disks was shipped in June 1999 or later, this
should all be in place on your system. If your most recent set of update
disks was shipped earlier, then we highly recommend updating your MegaDots
program. If you are using MegaDots version 1.6 or below, then you can
purchase an update to the current version of MegaDots.
How Do People Use MegaDots?
- Large braille production services use MegaDots to produce braille
textbooks efficiently for blind students. The program's speed lets them move
through a great amount of material in a short time.
- Elementary school students as young as third grade are using MegaDots to
make braille and to learn about computers.
- Teachers find MegaDots helpful in quickly getting braille to their blind
students. There are exercise and directions styles for making exams and
worksheets in MegaDots.
- MegaDots is used by several deaf-blind persons as their main reading and
writing tool.
- Blind computer programmers use MegaDots to make computer program
listings in braille.
- Volunteer transcriber groups use MegaDots in a variety of ways--both for
translation and for 6-key direct entry of braille.
- Schools and transcribers use MegaDots to make grade one braille in
Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
Why Upgrade?
- If you are a braille transcriber, and want the new table rules,
diacritics, and all the new features and bug fixes in MegaDots designed for
transcribers.
- If you want better braille when you send a file through MegaDots without
any checking or any fixing up.
- If you want to reduce your workload when you take scanned material into
MegaDots.
- If you want large print from MegaDots.
- If you want a greater variety of inkprint layout and control with
MegaDots.
Purchasing
If you have multiple copies, site licenses, or any other
unusual situation, call the sales line at 800-317-9611 for details.
| Products |
Single User
License |
Organizational site
License - 10 Seats |
Single User Upgrade |
| Megadots |
$540.00 |
 |
$2,700.00 |
$195.00 |
| MegaMaths |
$325.00 |
|
$1,625.00 |
|
| Beginner Braille |
$75.00 |
|
$375.00 |
|
| DBT WIN/MegaDots Bundle |
$750.00 |
|
|
|
Bundled Demos of Beginner Braille and Megamath
Beginning with MegaDots version 2, demonstration versions of
the add-on products Beginner Braille and MegaMath are included.
- Perfect for vision teachers -- choose the level of braille contractions
most appropriate for your students with Beginner Braille. You can
customize the contractions used in any kind of document and then save each
set of contractions for reuse. Or build students' braille literacy with
Beginner Braille's included APH Patterns series or Braille Too.
- MegaDots' MegaMath Mathematics Translator turns MegaDots into a
powerful tool for math and science braille notation. The intuitive and easy
to learn direct entry method automatically translates notation into correct
Nemeth Code braille. Entry shortcuts called FastMath let you choose and
customize frequently used notation.
Version 2 System Requirements
- IBM compatible computers with a 486 processor or better
- 4 megabytes (8 recommended) of RAM
- 15 megabytes free hard drive space
- color screen for sighted users.
- MegaDots is Windows-compatible; requires DOS 6 or higher.
- MegaDots is compatible with all modern inkprint printers, and supports
postscript and other built-in scalable fonts.
|
|
