Short answer: Choose a braille printer based on five things: how much you print, whether you need double-sided printing, whether you use continuous paper or cut sheets, whether you need graphics or colour, and where the printer will stand. A small printer may be enough for one employee, while a school or resource centre often needs double-sided printing and higher capacity.
Five questions before you choose
1. How much will you print?
Speed is measured in characters per second. A printer for one user can manage with 25–50 characters per second. For books, teaching materials or many pages a week, 100–200 characters per second makes more sense.
2. Single-sided or double-sided?
Double-sided braille (interpoint) uses about half as much paper, and documents become thinner and easier to handle.
3. Continuous paper or cut sheets?
Tractor-fed printers use continuous paper with holes along the edges, which suits large volumes. Sheet-fed printers use ordinary cut sheets and are easier for short documents.
4. Do you need graphics or colour?
All ViewPlus printers can produce tactile graphics. Some models can also print colour and black text on top of the braille, so sighted and blind people can use the same sheet.
5. Where will the printer stand?
Braille printers are noisy. ViewPlus states 70 dB(A) for Columbia, and sound enclosures are available for several models. Also consider the connection: USB, network or wireless. For wireless printing you can use the ViewPlus Tiger Box.
ViewPlus models at a glance
Figures from ViewPlus. See the product pages for details and prices.
| Model | Speed (up to) | Double-sided | Paper | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EmBraille | 25 char/s | No | Continuous or cut sheet | No |
| SpotDot | 50 char/s | No | Cut sheet | Yes |
| Columbia | 120 char/s | Yes | Continuous | No |
| Delta | 120 char/s | Yes | Cut sheet | Yes, in two passes |
| Rogue | 120 char/s | No | Cut sheet or continuous (two versions) | Yes, in two passes (sheet version) |
| Premier 100 | 100 char/s | Yes | Continuous | Black text with accessory |
| Elite 200 | 200 char/s | Yes | Continuous | With accessory |
Which one suits whom?
- One employee or a home office: EmBraille is small and easy to move.
- School or office with both sighted and blind people: SpotDot or Delta, with colour and braille on the same sheet.
- Office or resource centre with regular needs: Columbia or Rogue.
- Large volumes, such as books and teaching materials: Premier 100 or Elite 200.
Software
ViewPlus printers come with Tiger Software Suite, which translates text to braille and creates tactile graphics directly from programs such as Word and Excel. It also works with other programs such as Duxbury and TactileView.
Questions and answers
Is a braille printer the same as a braille embosser?
Yes, they are two names for the same thing.
Can public customers buy with an EAN number?
Yes. Read more about EAN invoicing.
Can we get a quote?
Yes. Write to info@inva.store and tell us what the printer will be used for.
Sources
- ViewPlus: Embosser overview and Columbia