The Humanware Companion software is a Windows-based computer program that is designed for use in conjunction with the Victor Reader Stream. It is primarily used to transfer DAISY books and other supported audio/text files from a computer, onto the player. It can be very useful if one does not feel comfortable using Windows Explorer to complete the transfers. The sections below will briefly explain the software’s main interface, as well as provide step-by-step instructions on how to complete transfers using this software.

Note: All commands mentioned in this document can be used with all Windows screen readers-including JAWS, NVDA, Narrator, or Window-Eyes.

Overview of the main screen

When launched with the player connected to the computer, the software displays a screen that primarily contains the following areas and buttons, which can be accessed using the tab key. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, and one should still refer to the complete user guide for all of the software’s functionalities. The complete user guide can be found at the following link: Humanware - Home - Low vision & blindness solutions

Items on the main screen

• An area called “Talking Books on PC”. This displays a list of audio books, or other player-supported audio or DAISY text files that are currently saved on your computer (in a pre-selected location) and are currently available for transfer to the player.
• A checkbox that allows you to select, whether you would like the software to display DAISY.zip files in the above list.
• An area called “PC Talking Books Location”, which tells the current location [or folder] on your computer that the software will draw books from, to make them available for transfer [in the above list].

• A Browse PC button, which will allow you to change the default location that the software obtains books from to make available for transfer [in the above list].
• An area called “Talking Books on Storage Card”, which lists the books and other supported files that are currently on your player’s SD card that you have transferred or copied.
• A transfer/remove button, used to execute the transfer of books to the player.

1. Launch the software.
2. With the player turned off, connect the player to your computer using the included USB cable.
3. Turn the player on. You should hear the usual welcome message followed by a message that says “Player Connected”. 
4. Next, you’ll need to specify the exact location [or folder] on your computer from which books are drawn from to be made available for transfer. To do this, press tab until you hear the Browse PC button. Then, when prompted to select a folder, press tab twice.
5. You’ll be taken to a list [or tree view] of all folders or locations to select from [e.g. desktop, documents, downloads, etc]. Press the up or down arrow keys respectively until you hear the name of the folder or location that houses the books you wish to transfer. Press Enter on that folder’s name and you will be taken back to the main screen of the software and your location will be set until you change it again. Moving forward, the system will know to draw books from that specified location/folder to make available for transfer.
6. Once you have returned to the main screen of the software after specifying your location, press tab until you hear “Talking Books on PC Tree View”. This area contains a list of books or supported files that are available for transfer [in the location you specified in step 2]. 
7. Use your up and down arrow keys to read through the available books or files, and you may select as many files as you like by checking their associated checkboxes. To select a book, press the spacebar when you hear its’ title. Once a book is selected, you should hear the title of the book announced, followed by the words “selected for transfer”. This will be announced for each selected book.
8. Once you have finished making your selection (s), press tab until you hear the “Transfer/Remove Selected Talking Books” Button and press enter on it.
9. Now the system will begin to transfer your selected books. You may use the up and down arrow keys on the next screen to read the status of each book transfer, announced in percentages. When the process is complete, a confirmation message will be announced in the form of a dialog box.
10. Press enter on the Ok button to dismiss it and to be returned to the main screen of the software. Now you may use standard Windows procedures to exit the software, and safely eject the player before unplugging it from your computer to listen to your newly added content.