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CELAPublic library services for Canadians with print disabilities

Centre for Equitable Library Access
Public library service for Canadians with print disabilities

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Compatible devices and formats

Overview

 

Whether you want to read your books or magazines on a DAISY player, computer, smartphone, braille display, or another device, CELA offers a format that will work for you.

Once you choose your device below and identify a compatible format, you can read our related tutorials on how to download books or magazines.

A pink iPhone, a white iPhone, a gold feather, and earbuds lying on top of a keyboard.

Choose your technology:

  • DAISY player
  • Computer
  • iPhone, iPad or Android
  • CD player
  • MP3 player
  • Braille display

Devices

DAISY player

The following DAISY players work with our Direct to Player service. This service is the easiest and fastest option for getting DAISY audio or text books and magazines. A computer isn't required - just the player and access to an Internet connection. Table top models also play DAISY CDs and regular CDs.

Victor Reader Stream, New Generation

  • Buy from CNIB
  • Buy from Humanware

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (Direct to Player)
  • DAISY text (Direct to Player)
  • Additional compatible formats include: EPUB, Microsoft Word (.docx), Braille Ready Format (.brf), but you must transfer the files yourself

Related tutorials:

  • Direct to Player Overview (YouTube)
  • About the Victor Reader Stream, New Generation (Humanware)
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine – DAISY players
  • How to transfer a DAISY .zip book to your Victor Stream

 

Victor Reader Stream, New Generation

Victor Reader Stratus 4M and 12M

  • Buy the 4M from CNIB
  • Buy the 12M from CNIB
  • Buy the 4M from Humanware
  • Buy the 12M from Humanware

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (CD, Direct to Player)
  • DAISY text (Direct to Player)
  • Additional compatible formats include: EPUB, Microsoft Word (.docx), Braille Ready Format (.brf), but you must transfer the files to an SD card or USB key yourself

Related tutorials:

  • About the Victor Reader Stratus 4M (Humanware)
  • Video tutorial of Victor Reader Stratus 4M (YouTube)
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine – DAISY players

 

Victor Reader Stratus

Older models of DAISY players do not work with Direct to Player service. Examples:

  • Victor Reader Stream - download and transfer books in DAISY zip format or use the CD companion. Related tutorial: How to transfer a DAISY .zip book to your Victor Reader Stream
  • Victor Reader Classic - DAISY CDs
  • Victor Reader Vibe - DAISY CDs
  • PLEXTALK PTN2 - DAISY CDs. Related tutorial: How to transfer a DAISY .zip book to your Plextalk PTN 2.

Return to top

 

Windows desktop or laptop computer

Dolphin EasyReader for Windows (free)

Download EasyReader for Windows

Dolphin EasyReader for Mac (available with paid EasyReader Premium subscription)

Download EasyReader for Mac

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (Direct to Player or .zip)
    Note: If your computer has a CD player, you can also listen to DAISY CDs.
  • DAISY text (.zip)
  • Newspaper (.html)
  • EPUB
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)

Related tutorials:

  • Quick User’s Guide for EasyReader
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine on a computer

 

Dolphin EasyReader logo

AMIS (free)

Download AMIS
Note: AMIS is no longer being developed or supported.

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (Direct to Player or .zip)
  • DAISY text (.zip)

Related tutorials:

  • How to read a DAISY text magazine on a computer
  • How to read a newspaper

 

AMIS logo

Kurzweil (paid)

Download Kurzweil

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (.zip.) (Only available in Kurzweil 1000)
  • DAISY text (.zip)

Related tutorials:

  • Kurzweil product guides

 

Kurzweil education logo

Read&Write for Google Chrome (free)

Download the Read&Write extension for Chrome browsers

Compatible formats:

  • EPUB
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)

Related tutorials:

  • How to download an EPUB book to a Chromebook

Return to top

Read&Write logo - a purple puzzle piece with the initials "RW"

iPhone, iPad or Android

Dolphin EasyReader (for iPhone, iPad or Android; free)

  • Download in the App store
  • Download on Google Play

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (Direct to Player, .zip)
  • DAISY text (Direct to Player, .zip)
  • EPUB

Related tutorials:

  • Quick User’s Guide for EasyReader
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine on mobile

 

Dolphin EasyReader logo - an open book with an audio icon on one of the pages

Voice Dream Reader (for iPhone or iPad, paid)

Download in the App Store

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (.zip)
  • DAISY text (.zip)
  • EPUB
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)

Related tutorials:

  • How to download a DAISY book on your iPhone or iPad - Voice Dream Reader
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine on mobile
  • How to download an EPUB book to mobile
  • Voice Dream Reader help (external website)

 

Voice dream reader logo - an open white book with a red page sticking out against a blue background

Legere Reader (for Android, paid)

Download on Google Play

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (.zip)
  • DAISY text (.zip)
  • EPUB
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)

Related tutorials:

  • How to download an EPUB book to mobile
  • How to read a DAISY text magazine on mobile
  • Legere Reader help (external website)

Return to top

Legere Reader logo - an open white book against a blue background

MP3 compatible CD player

Any MP3 compatible model

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (CD)

Return to top

A black CD player

MP3 player

You can play DAISY books on many MP3-compatible devices. You will lose the navigation, bookmarking and other special playback features of DAISY.

Any model

Compatible formats:

  • DAISY audio (Direct to Player or .zip)

Return to top

A small grey MP3 player

Braille display

A brief overview of types of braille displays

Braille displays currently on the market come in many shapes and sizes. The number of braille cells is a determining factor in price and portability. Typical sizes range between 14 and 40 cells.

The other important defining characteristic is the type of functionality. They can be grouped broadly into three main categories:

  • Braille displays
  • Notetakers
  • Smart braille displays

Braille displays

These devices only work when connected to computers, smartphones and tablets. They allow you to read and navigate any text displayed on the screen of the connected device.

Notetakers

These type of braille displays connect to other devices but also allow stand-alone functionality, such as taking notes. Further, they offer a range of other useful features such as reading mail, streaming music, or loading Android applications of various kinds.

Smart Displays

An emerging category of displays mainly geared towards connecting to other devices while offering limited stand-alone functionality, such as taking notes and loading books from some online services or through a computer.

Compatible formats:

Specific file formats supported depend on the device model, but, generally, the following CELA formats are compatible:

  • Braille Ready Format (.brf) - Braille displays that support the option of storing and displaying files locally, without being connected to any external device, will allow opening of files in BRF.
  • DAISY text (.zip, Direct to Player - format supported depends on the braille display model)
  • ePub
  • MS Word
  • DAISY audio (depending on the functionality of the braille display, some have the ability to play audiobooks as well)

Further, any text presented on the screen of the connected device can be read with a braille display. For example, text from a webpage, book, or application.

Related tutorials

  • How to download an electronic braille book
  • An overview of braille devices (external link)
  • How to choose a braille display (external link; note the specific information about device models may not be current)
A brailliant device

Related topics

  • Making reading accessible (learn about adapting reading for different types of print disabilities)
  • Accessible formats
  • Automatic selection

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The Centre for Equitable Library Access, CELA, is an accessible library service, providing books and other materials to Canadians with print disabilities.

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