The Comm Lite 
User's Guide

 
Using the Comm Lite
The Comm Lite is an accessory that turns the Braille Lite Notetaker into a teletypewriter/telecommunication device (TTY/TDD). Currently, it works with the Braille Lite 2000, the Braille Lite 40, and the Braille Lite 18. (The Braille Lite 18 requires an Irzyk connector.) 
The Comm Lite's Modem uses a standard telephone line. It is not intended to work with a digital telephone system such as PBX.

Note: Connecting the Modem to a non-standard phone line may damage your telephone system or Comm Lite and void any existing warranties. If you are not sure of your telephone system, please ask your telephone system installer.
Packaged with the Comm Lite are an AC power cord, a TN-7 serial cable, a telephone cord, and a macros configuration disk.

Touring the Comm Lite
The Comm Lite is a slim, rectangular box. On one end of the box are lights that indicate the status of the modem. On the other end of the box are connectors and an on/off switch. To get a better understanding of each connector, orient the Comm Lite so that the connectors and on/off switch are facing you. From left to right the connectors are as follows:
*Line - Connects the telephone line 
*Phone - Connects a standard telephone
*RS-232C (a 9-pin serial port) - Connects the TN-7 serial cable
*Remote - Connects a device available from Ultratec
*Volume knob - Adjusts the volume
*PWR - Connects the AC Adapter
*Power Switch - Turns power on or off. Slide the switch left to turn on the unit. Slide the switch right to turn off the unit. 


Setting up the Comm Lite
Set the Comm Lite up in an area that has several electrical outlets and a phone jack that is within five or six feet. 
1. Be sure the Comm Lite is turned off. 
2. Plug the 9-pin portion of the TNS-7 cable into the RS-232C port. Connect the round 8-pin connection into the notetaker serial port.
3. Plug the AC adapter power cord into the PWR (power) jack and the other end into an electrical outlet.
4. Plug the telephone line into the line connection. This is the connection closest to the edge of the Comm Lite.
5. To connect a telephone to the same line, plug the telephone line into the second jack.


Preparing the Notetaker
1. Make sure that the TNS-7 cable is connected to the notetaker.
2. Turn on the Comm Lite.
3. Turn on the notetaker.
4. Open a file. (The Comm Lite Log is suggested).
5. Press J-CHORD, T (DOTS 2-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 2-3-4-5) to run the Comm Lite Macro. 


Comm Lite Macros
The following macros are used to configure the Braille Lite to work with the Comm Lite.

Note: If you purchased the Comm Lite and Braille Lite as a package, these macros are factory installed on your unit. 

This macro configures the Braille Lite to work with the modem. 
1. Press N-CHORD, T (DOTS 1-3-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 2-3-4-5) to start recording the Comm Lite macro.
2. Use K-CHORD (DOTS 1-3 CHORD) to silence the speech while the macro executes.
3. Enter the Status Menu with the ST-SIGN CHORD (DOTS 3-4 CHORD). 
4. Press B 30 (DOTS 1-2, DOTS 2-5, DOTS 3-5-6) to set the baud rate to 300.
5. Press D, F (DOTS 1-4-5, DOTS 1-2-4). This sets the duplex to full.
6. Press C, Y (DOTS 1-4, DOTS 1-3-4-5-6) to turn cursor tracking on
7. Press T, N (DOTS 2-3-4-5, DOTS 1-3-4-5) to turn Braille translation off. 

Note: You must use computer Braille when using the Comm Lite in TDD mode.

8.  Press O, Y (DOTS 1-3-5, DOTS 1-3-4-5-6) to turn Reject Ornamentation Characters on. This feature keeps repeated characters, such as a line of dashes, from being spoken and displayed. 
9.  Press G, Y (DOTS 1-2-4-5, DOTS 1-3-4-5-6) to turn interactive on. Use this command if speech is used. 
10. Press F, Y (DOTS 1-2-4, DOTS 1-3-4-5-6) to turn on the serial port.
11. Press S-CHORD, N (DOTS 2-3-4 Chord, DOTS 1-3-4-5) to turn speech off. 
12. Press E-CHORD (DOTS 1-5 CHORD) to exit the Status Menu.
13. Press O-CHORD, F, O (DOTS 1-3-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-2-4, DOTS 1-3-5), then type, comm lite log, to open the Comm Lite Log.
14. Use L-CHORD (DOTS 1-2-3 CHORD) to go to the top of the Comm Lite Log file.
15. Press D-CHORD, Z, E-CHORD (DOTS 1-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-3-5-6, DOTS 1-5 CHORD). This erases the previous contents of the Comm Lite Log.
16. Press O-CHORD, F, S (DOTS 1-3-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-2-4, DOTS 2-3-4) to subtract pages from the Comm Lite Log file.
17. Press O-CHORD, F, B (DOTS 1-3-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-2-4, DOTS 1-2) and then type the dropped number 9 to expand the Comm Lite Log file to 10 pages.
18. Press N-CHORD (DOTS 1-3-4-5 CHORD) to save the macro.


The following macro returns the notetaker to its original settings. This macro leaves you in the clipboard so you can open the Comm Lite Log file and review its contents. 
To run this macro, press J-CHORD, N (DOTS 2-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-3-4-5).
1.  Press N-CHORD, N (DOTS 1-3-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-3-4-5) to start recording the notetaker macro.
2.  Use K-CHORD (DOTS 1-3 CHORD) to silence speech while the macro executes.
3.  Enter the Status Menu with the ST-SIGN CHORD (DOTS 3-4 CHORD). 
4.  Press B, 9 (DOTS 1-2, DOTS 3-5) to set the baud rate to 9600.
5.  Press D, H (DOTS 1-4-5, DOTS 1-2-5). This sets the duplex to half.
6.  Press T, Y (DOTS 2-3-4-5, DOTS 1-3-4-5-6) to turn Braille translation on. 
7.  Press G, N (DOTS 1-2-4-5, DOTS 1-3-4-5) to turn interactive off.
8.  Press F, N (DOTS 1-2-4, DOTS 1-3-4-5). This turns the serial port off.
9.  Use E-CHORD (DOTS 1-5 CHORD) to exit the Status Menu.
10. Press O-CHORD, 01 (DOTS 1-3-5 CHORD, DOTS 3-5-6, DOT 2) to open the clipboard.
11. Press N-CHORD (DOTS 1-3-4-5 CHORD) to save the macro.


Dialing a Phone Number
All Comm Lite functions are available with X-CHORD, OW-SIGN, (DOTS 1-3-4-6 CHORD, DOTS 2-4-6) followed by the SPACEBAR. Once in the Command Menu, you only need to press the X-CHORD, OW-SIGN to issue a new command.
To dial a number:
1. Press D (DOTS 1-4-5). The Braille Lite displays the # SIGN (DOTS 3-4-5-6) and prompts with "Enter number to dial." 

Note: Enter the telephone number using dropped numbers. Do not use the number sign before the number. If you make a mistake, use the B-CHORD (DOTS 1-2 CHORD) to backspace. 

2. Type a carriage return (DOTS 4-6 CHORD) to begin dialing. The Comm Lite displays either "ringing," "busy," or "connect."
3. Next, Braille your conversation. Use Grade 1 Braille without literary signs (capital, exclamation, or punctuation marks) when speaking to someone who is not using a Comm Lite. 

Note: If you are dialing from a company where you need to first dial a number to access an outside line (i.e., 9) include a COMMA (DOT 6) after this number in the dial-up phone number field. This adds a two second pause, giving the phone system time to get a dial tone before dialing the rest of the number.


Hanging Up
To Hang up:
*Press X-CHORD, OW-SIGN, H (DOTS 1-3-4-6 CHORD, DOTS 2-4-6, DOTS 1-2-5). 
*The Comm Lite announces "hanging up."


Answering Phone Calls
In order for the Comm Lite to answer phone calls, the notetaker must remain on and connected to the modem. Pressing X-CHORD, OW-SIGN (DOTS 1-3-4-6 CHORD, DOTS 2-4-6) sets the Comm Lite ready to answer the phone. 
1. When the phone rings, the Braille Lite displays, "ringing."
2. Press A (DOT 1) to answer the call.
3. Begin typing when the Braille Lite displays, "connect TDD."

Other TDD Functions
There are a number of available functions that you can set the Comm Lite to perform. Press the Escape-Space command, X-CHORD, OW-SIGN to enter functions menu. Type the following commands to set the various functions:

Telephone Functions
Command			Function
D	                Dial Telephone
A			Answer Phone
H			Hang Up Phone
T			Tone/Pulse Dialing
			(Pulse is default)

Note: Typing T will change the way the Comm Lite will dial the number. Pressing T changes dialing to Touch-Tone. Pressing T again changes dialing back to pulse.


Message Functions
Command			Function
N			Enter New Message
L			List Message 
			(0 Characters is default)
S			Send Message


Auto Answer Functions
Command			Function
Z			Turn Auto-Answer on
V			View AA Message 
			(0 Characters is default)
M			Enter new AA message
R			Set number of Rings 
			(0 rings is default)


Communication Settings
Command			Function
1			Communication Mode
			(automatic is default)
2			Baudot speed (45 is default)
3			ASCII speed (300 is default)
O			Originate/Answer
			(Answer is default)
F			Full/Half Duplex
			(Half is default)
E			Echo On/Off
			(On is default)
I			Hi Sensitivity
			(Off is default)
C			Current Communication Settings
Q			Quit to 'AT' Command Mode


Resetting the Notetaker
To reset the notetaker to its original settings, press J-CHORD, N (DOTS 2-4-5 CHORD, DOTS 1-3-4-5). You can now disconnect the notetaker from the Comm Lite.


Freedom Scientific, Blind Low Vision Group 
August 2001 
PUBLISHED BY
Freedom Scientific BLV Group, LLC
11800 31st Court North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1805
USA
http://www.FreedomScientific.com
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Freedom Scientific.

Copyright © 2001 Freedom Scientific, Inc., All Rights Reserved.