Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Options for a CCTV Magnifier (self.Blind)
submitted by itsdaletos
My dad is legally blind and has been reading with an Optelec 20/20 Plus since the mid 90's. The monitor died today (I'm surprised it lasted this long after seeing how old it was) and isn't displaying anything.
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He said that he received the magnifier from our state's department for the blind, so I'll contact them when they open up on Monday. However, I was wondering in the case they can't provide him with another magnifier, what community resources are there that I can look into to find an affordable magnifier for my dad?
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He said that he received the magnifier from our state's department for the blind, so I'll contact them when they open up on Monday. However, I was wondering in the case they can't provide him with another magnifier, what community resources are there that I can look into to find an affordable magnifier for my dad?
tasareinspace 2 points 4y ago
Lion's club can sometimes help out with that stuff.
seanalanmorris 1 points 4y ago
I'll lend my agreement to this comment. Lion's Low Vision Center helped me to a great extent by providing a bunch of stuff. When I stopped using some of it, I returned it to them and they were able to rehome the items to someone else.
-shacklebolt- 2 points 4y ago
Ideally the department for the blind will buy another one since it sounds like he's been actively using it for a very long time.
If that fails,
- An ipad (or iphone depending on how much magnification you need) works fine for a lot of people, especially if you aren't trying to use the CCTV to read especially long texts. If he (or you) already have one, it's worth trying out.
- Your state probably has an "assistive technology exchange" or "reutilization" program. These are sometimes great and sometimes not, and it's always worth at least trying to contact the administrator and asking if they can keep an eye out for the device you're looking for if it's not listed. They might also have a lending library to try devices short term.
- Local organizations that work with blind people might be able to recommend state, county, or city specific resources, devices no longer needed by someone, or non-profits that may help.
- ebay always has many used CCTV systems available. Research modern models from several companies and get an idea of which he wants, then follow those search terms if you don't find a great result right away. If something is over budget, it's worth politely asking the seller if they'd agree to a lower price if you're reasonable with your offer.
- Craigslist, FB market place, and local groups sometimes will have results (especially if you live in a big city.)
If that fails,
- An ipad (or iphone depending on how much magnification you need) works fine for a lot of people, especially if you aren't trying to use the CCTV to read especially long texts. If he (or you) already have one, it's worth trying out.
- Your state probably has an "assistive technology exchange" or "reutilization" program. These are sometimes great and sometimes not, and it's always worth at least trying to contact the administrator and asking if they can keep an eye out for the device you're looking for if it's not listed. They might also have a lending library to try devices short term.
- Local organizations that work with blind people might be able to recommend state, county, or city specific resources, devices no longer needed by someone, or non-profits that may help.
- ebay always has many used CCTV systems available. Research modern models from several companies and get an idea of which he wants, then follow those search terms if you don't find a great result right away. If something is over budget, it's worth politely asking the seller if they'd agree to a lower price if you're reasonable with your offer.
- Craigslist, FB market place, and local groups sometimes will have results (especially if you live in a big city.)
annibear 2 points 4y ago
Honestly, in this day and age, I've found my iPad to be a much better and more versatile option than using a CCTV. Throw on KNFB Reader and Lumin and you have both a portable CCTV and OCR for much less than the price of a CCTV.
0neIjim 1 points 4y ago
If your dad happens to be a Veteran, the VA will help with accessible technology.
seanalanmorris 1 points 4y ago
I consume all my reading on my iPad Pro with apps like Amazon Kindle, Apple Books and ForScore (for music). It works out for me because of the (now) native "dark mode" and the ability to invert colors. There are also a number of assistive apps that I use on my iPhone as well that far surpass any of the handheld video magnifiers. It also means I don't have to carry around an additional device.
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