POCKET READER FAQ English

You can use the POCKET READER with common NiCd-Accumulators or rechargeable alkaline cells. Those need to be recharged with an external charger. Because of the smaller capacity the service life with NiCd-Accumulators is shorter in comparison with common alkaline batteries.
Take into consideration the risk of not recharging regularly - the accumulators should be recharged as soon as the charging status on the POCKET READER display shows one "small box" left (visible when switching on the device).

The display shows "no line found" instead of the text to be read.

The POCKET READER must be dragged with the middle of the scan window over the text to be read. With small typeface, when the scan window covers several lines at once, the middle line is read. The typeface should not be too big either (max. approx.16pt, i.e. 5,6mm)
Under extreme light conditions (e.g. direct exposure to sunshine) character recognition may be disturbed.

An 8 point font is not 2,8 mm but rather 1,8 mm high (capital letters).

1 point, lithographically speaking, corresponds to 1/72 inch (1 inch = 25,4 mm). The 8 point font therefore takes up about 2,8 mm line height (=font size). The capital letters are naturally a bit smaller (remember the umlaut dots a.o.). Furthermore, the actual size of capital letters varies with the font.

Can I read smaller typeface with the POCKET READER as well?

With very clear print the POCKET READER can read typefaces smaller than 8 points as well.

My POCKET READER has got problems to recognize colored text.

The contrast between text and background must be big and clear enough. For example the following is not suitable: red or yellow typeface on white background or the contrary (because of the red lighting), black typeface on dark blue background.
In general there are problems with halftone printed background.

The display shows "line lost" instead of the text being read.

The text line has moved out of the scan window during reading.
You have dragged the POCKET READER over the the line too quickly - it can process approx. 6.5 cm/second maximum for big typeface and approx. 50 characters/second maximum for small typeface.

The result of the reading does not match the read text.

Keep the POCKET READER almost vertically with respect to the text sheet. Drag the POCKET READER smoothly, in a straight line, over the text.
To gain the most out of the POCKET READER you need to practice with the device to find the knack.

Instead of the text to be read there appear only characters like ".", ", ", ":", ";", "!" on the display.

You are trying to read text on halftone printed (dotted) background. The POCKET READER interprets the background as text characters.

The POCKET READER recognizes no "umlauts" (German accent).

Make sure that the correct text language (German) has been configured.

I get particularly bad reading results.

With some documents we are not able to achieve good recognition rates with the POCKET READER, for example with bad print (a lot of characters are stuck together) or with particular exotic typefaces (similar to handwriting).

Will there be an updated version of the character recognition software (OCR)?

The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software is stored in a write-protected Flash-EPROM and can not be updated.

Which (text-)languages does the POCKET READER recognize?

With the POCKET READER only printed characters in the languages English, German, French, Italian and Spanish can be read. Additionally all languages which use characters of one of the above languages (e.g. umlauts) in Latin typeface are supported at least partially.

Can the POCKET READER recognize Cyrillic characters?

With the POCKET READER only printed characters in Latin typeface can be read. Cyrillic typefaces as well as typefaces similar to handwritten copy book can not be recognized.

Connection POCKET READER <=> PC

Which preconditions are there to use the POCKET READER with a PC?

For using the software on IBM compatible PCs there are the following preconditions:

IBM compatible PC with 486 (or better) processor
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP
approx. 3 MB free hard disk capacity

For the connection between POCKET READER and PC please note:

a free serial interface (COM1, COM2, ...) must be available

The PC program can not connect to the POCKET READER.

Make sure that the POCKET READER is switched on and not in the configuration menu.
Make sure that the POCKET READER cable is plugged into the right socket (serial interface as stated in the program settings).
A very common problem is that the COM port is blocked by some other SW (e.g. synchronization software for palmtop, mouse, modem, digital camera, or similar). If you want to or need to connect the POCKET READER to the same interface as some other device, please make sure that all applications and drivers, which use the interface, are terminated before the POCKET READER software is launched. In general it is not sufficient to simply disconnect the devices.
-- For example, if you use the 3Com Palm III and have it connected to the same serial port as the POCKET READER, you need to terminate the 'HotSync' sotware which usually resides in the system tray of the task bar (lower right of your screen) before downloading the text from the POCKET READER to the PC.

Can I use the POCKET READER on COM 3 as well?

With the new version 1.2 of the software, COM-interfaces are supported up to number 12. Nevertheless you need to check whether there is an interrupt conflict: Windows often assigns the same IRQ to COM3 as to COM1. With such settings the transfer probably does not work.

Can I use the POCKET READER with a PC with a USB interface?

PCs which have no standard serial interface, but provide only a USB interface, can connect to the POCKET READER via a USB-serial-converter. Such a converter must
* support low baud rates (down to 300Bd) and
* supply an (emulated) standard serial port such as e.g. COM3.
Note that the USB connection with PCs has not been tested by Siemens.

There are problems with a dynamic link library 'delphimm.dell' or 'borlndmm.dll'.

Please update your PReader software to the new version 1.2. Follow the instructions given in the software section of this site.

Can I speed up the data transfer?

Use the newest software version (available at software) and disable the option "display text during transfer".
Utilize the highest transfer rate where you don't get "repeat" status messages (on the left side of the status line).

Can I use the text read with the POCKET READER with another hardware plattform than PC under Windows?

There is Windows-Software, running on all versions starting with Windows 95, and a connection cable for PC shipped with the POCKET READER. Further, there is software available for Windows 3.1 and for Linux as well as for PSION (Series 3, 5 and 7 and Siena), for Apple MacIntosh and Newton, for 3Com Palm III and Palm V and for Windows CE handheld devices (with keyboard). Note that for computer hardware different from 'IBM compatible' PCs, there are adapters required for the connection cable.

Connection POCKET READER <=> Mac

Which preconditions are there to use the POCKET READER with a Mac?

For using the software on a Mac there are the following preconditions:

PowerPC or 86030 or better processor
MacOS Version 7.5.3 or higher
approx. 3 MB free hard disk capacity

For the connection between POCKET READER and Mac please note:

a free serial interface (modem or printer) must be available
an adapter 9-pin DB male <=> 8-pin MiniDIN male is required (cf. documents)

Can I use the POCKET READER with an iMac (with a USB interface)?

Macs which have no standard serial interface, but provide only a USB interface, can connect to the POCKET READER via a USB-serial-converter. Such converters are available in various forms, either as stand-alone USB-serial-converters or in connection with a USB hub. Note that the converter must
* support low baud rates (down to 300Bd) and
* supply an (emulated) standard serial port such as modem or printer port (the 'Comm Toolbox' is not supported by the version 1 of the PReader software).
Siemens has tested Keyspan USA-28x and CompuCable iDock, which both worked fine. It has been found out that Belkin adapters are not compatible.

The Mac software can not connect to the POCKET READER.

Make sure that the POCKET READER is switched on and not in the configuration menu.
Make sure that the POCKET READER is connected to your Mac via the corresponding adapter to the serial interface as stated in the program settings.
Make sure that the interface is not occupied by the network (AppleTalk). This may even be the case if you are not connected to a network, as the activation of AppleTalk is requested by some programs. In such a case, either connect the POCKET READER to another interface, switch the network to another port (such as Ethernet or Remote Access) or deactivate AppleTalk.

When I transfer big amounts of text, the program pauses for a long time after the transfer has completed.

The character attributes as stored in the POCKET READER (size and quality) have to be converted to 'styles' in order to be displayed in different sizes and colors. This process can take a considerable amount of time, depending on the number of characters (several thousand) on a slow machine (esp. 68K models). Should this be the case, please deactivate the display of size and color attributes.

After the program starts, the icon bar flickers.

Click in the lower right corner of the window and change its size by dragging the corner.

When I change the user interface language, the menu bar doesn't change as well.

Due to a deficiency of the programming tool (RealBasic) in its current version, it is not possible to change the text of the first menu level at runtime. As a remedy, we ship the software in various language versions. As soon as a new release of the programming tool with this error corrected will be available, the software will be updated (please check our website).

When I drag&drop text, sometimes the character attributes (size and color) get mixed up.

Due to a deficiency of the programming tool (RealBasic) in its current version, it is only possible to have the optical representation treated correctly with drag&drop. The character attributes as processed by the program internally may therefor get mixed up sometimes. As soon as a new release of the programming tool with this error corrected will be available, the software will be updated (please check our website).

Connection POCKET READER <=> Newton

Which preconditions are there for using the POCKET READER with an Apple Newton MessagePad?

The PReader software for Newton will work with any Newton with NewtonOS 2.0 or higher.
That includes:

MessagePad 120 (OS 2.0)
MessagePad 130
MessagePad 2000
MessagePad 2100
eMate 300

For the connection between POCKET READER and Newton please note:

an adapter 9-pin DB male <=> 8-pin MiniDIN male is required (cf. documents)
for MP2k or MP2100 the Newton Interconnect Adapter is required

Connection POCKET READER <=> PSION

Which preconditions are there to use the POCKET READER with a PSION?

For using the software on a PSION there are the following preconditions:

Series 3c, 3mx, 5, 5mx, 5mxPro, 7 or Siena

For the connection between POCKET READER and PSION please note:

a 'Null-Modem' adapter 9-pin DB male <=> 9-pin DB male is required for the connection via the cables shipped with the respective devices (cf. documents)

The PSION software can not connect to the POCKET READER.

Make sure that the POCKET READER is switched on and not in the configuration menu.
Make sure that the POCKET READER is connected to your PSION via an appropriate adapter ('Null-Modem').
Make sure that the remote link is turned OFF (e.g. with the Series 5: System screen menu: Tools / Remote link / OFF).

Connection POCKET READER <=> 3Com Palm

Which preconditions are there to use the POCKET READER with a 3Com Palm?

For using the software on a Palm there are the following preconditions:

Palm III or Palm V
Palm OS 3.0 or higher

For the connection between POCKET READER and Palm please note:

a 'Null-Modem' adapter 9-pin DB male <=> 9-pin DB male is required for the connection via the cables shipped with the respective devices (cf. documents)

Connection POCKET READER <=> WindowsCE device

Which preconditions are there to use the POCKET READER with a WindowsCE device?

For using the software on a WinCE device there are the following preconditions:

WindowsCE HandheldPC (keyboard device) with MIPS or SH3 processor
WindowsCE 2.0 or higher

For the connection between POCKET READER and WinCE device please note:

a 'Null-Modem' adapter 9-pin DB male <=> 9-pin DB male is required for the connection via the cables shipped with the respective devices (cf. documents)

Note that PalmSize devices such as e.g. Compaq iPAQ are not supported!

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