Using the B2G with VoiceOver

Version: 1.15.161
Date: 2019-09-30 23:43 UTC
Organization: National Braille Press
Contact: Brian Mac Donald
Address:
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States of America

Contents

1   Initial Setup

There are a few things that you'll need to do before you'll be able to use your B2G as a remote braille display for your iPhone. Both devices need to be made aware of each other, and then VoiceOver needs to be told to interact with your B2G. While this may sound a bit complicated, it's actually fairly easy. Here's what you need to do.

1.1   Check the iOS Release

Your iPhone needs to be running at least release 10.3 of iOS. To verify this:

  1. Tap on Settings.
  2. Tap on General.
  3. Tap on Software Update.

This screen will tell you which release of iOS your iPhone is currently running. If a new release is available then it'll include a brief description of that new release. If you'd like to upgrade then tap on Download and Install.

If your iPhone is already running iOS 10.3 (or later) then you may wish to finish configuring it for use with your B2G before upgrading it to a newer iOS release.

1.2   Turn Remote Display On

The Remote Display feature of your B2G needs to be enabled. To do this:

  1. Press Space+o (dots 135) to go to the Options screen.
  2. Go to Remote Settings, and press Center to open it.
  3. Ensure that Remote Display is on.
  4. Ensure that Secure Connection is off.

1.3   Turn Bluetooth On

Your iPhone and B2G communicate via Bluetooth. You need to ensure, therefore, that Bluetooth is turned on on your B2G. To do this:

  1. Press Space+s (dots 234), and then b (dots 12), to go to the Bluetooth Settings screen. If you don't press the b soon enough then navigate down to Bluetooth Settings and press Center.
  2. At the top of the Bluetooth Settings screen is an on/off checkbox. If it's not checked then press Center.

Stay on this screen for the next step.

1.4   Make the B2G Visible

Your B2G will need to be visible (also known as discoverable) in order for your iPhone to find it. To do this:

  1. Go to the Bluetooth Settings screen (as described above in Turn Bluetooth On).
  2. Find the line that describes how visible your B2G currently is. It'll say something like one of the following:
    • Only visible to paired devices
    • Visible to all nearby Bluetooth devices

Since your B2G and iPhone haven't been paired yet, you'll need your B2G, at least for the time being, to be visible to all nearby devices. Press Center until this is what that line says. As always, you can always change this to a more secure setting later.

Now you'll need to make sure that your B2G actually is visible. To do this:

  1. Navigate up to More Options and press Center.
  2. Navigate to Visibility Timeout and press Center.

This screen contains a set of radio buttons. Each of them (except for the last one) specifies some number of minutes or hours. This is for how long you'd like your B2G to remain visible. The last radio button is Never Time Out, which means that your B2G will remain visible until you change this setting to something else.

When you go to this screen, the radio button for the current setting will be pressed. If you'd like to change the setting then navigate to its corresponding radio button and press Center.

Our recommendation is that you set the visibility timeout to one hour. This will give you plenty of time to configure VoiceOver before your B2G automatically becomes invisible again.

You might consider setting your B2G to remain visible, but we recommend against this for the following reasons:

  • The battery drains faster while the B2G is visible.
  • It's less secure when your B2G is visible because anyone else with a Bluetooth device will be able to detect whenever you're near by.

1.5   Pair from within VoiceOver

Your B2G must be paired with your iPhone from within VoiceOver. Initiating the pairing either from the B2G or from the iOS Bluetooth screen won't work.

To pair your B2G with your iPhone:

  1. Tap on Settings.
  2. Tap on General.
  3. Tap on Accessibility.
  4. Tap on VoiceOver.
  5. Tap on Braille.
  6. Find Choose a Braille Display.

Just below this line, you'll find a list of the braille displays that VoiceOver can see and/or knows about. For each of them, it'll tell you if it's been selected, as well as if it's currently not paired, not connected, or connected.

Find the line for your B2G, and tap it. VoiceOver will tell you that it's pairing with your B2G, and then, a few seconds later, it'll tell you that your B2G is selected and connected.

That's it! You're all done! You're now able to use your B2G as a remote braille display for your iPhone.

2   Using the Remote Braille Display

2.1   Special Messages

The remote braille display may show one of these special messages:

remote display off
This means that the remote braille display hasn't been turned on yet. See Turn Remote Display On.
Bluetooth off
This means that the remote braille display is on but that Bluetooth isn't. See Turn Bluetooth on.
Bluetooth waiting
This means that the remote braille display is waiting for a host to connect to it. This may mean that your iPhone has gone to sleep as VoiceOver drops its connection to the braille display when that happens.

2.2   Important Bindings

The two most important bindings to know are those that let you switch the B2G to its remote braille display and back to Android. They are:

Space + Dots78
Switch to the remote braille display.
VolumeDown + VolumeUp
Switch back to Android.

When switched to the remote braille display, all of the keys except for the volume keys and the power switch belong to, and are controlled by, the remote braille display. That's why the binding to switch back to Android is a little unusual.

The remote braille display keeps running in the background, and, therefore, is always fully up-to-date, while the B2G is switched to Android.

2.2.1   Operating Modes

The remote braille display has two operating modes: Navigation and Keyboard. You can switch between them as follows:

Forward + Space
Switch to Keyboard Mode.
Backward + Space
Switch to Navigation Mode.

Keyboard Mode enables you to type, and, therefore, provides somewhat less navigation capability. Any combination of the eight dot keys, as well as Space by itself, type input in the expected way. This mode only supports the common bindings. In general, though, you can still use any Navigation Mode binding by adding Space to it.

2.2.2   Single-key Bindings

The individual keys perform common navigation functions. These bindings work in both Navigation and Keyboard mode, except that, when in Keyboard mode, the dot keys must be combined with Space.

Single-key Bindings
B2G Key VoiceOver Action
Backward pan to the left
Forward pan to the right
Left move to previous item
Right move to next item
Up move to previous item using rotor setting
Down move to next item using rotor setting
Center activate item
Dot1 move to previous item
Dot4 move to next item
Dot2 pan to the left
Dot5 pan to the right
Dot3 move to previous item using rotor setting
Dot6 move to next item using rotor setting
Dot7 activate the Back button
Dot8 pause/continue speech

2.3   Device-specific Bindings

Since the B2G emulates a Baum Conny when used as a remote braille display, VoiceOver implements the same device-specific bindings for it as it does for Baum's Vario Ultra model. These bindings work in Navigation mode. The source for these lists is the Apple support page Use a Baum VarioUltra Display with VoiceOver.

2.3.1   Navigation

Device-specific Navigation Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to previous item Left or Dot1
move to next item Right or Dot4
go to first item Dots123
go to last item Dots456
go to Status Bar Dots234
go to Notification Center Dots46
go to Control Center Dots25
activate the Back button Dots12

2.3.2   Scrolling

Device-specific Scrolling Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
scroll left one page Dots246
scroll right one page Dots135
scroll up one page Dots3456
scroll down one page Dots1456

2.3.3   Rotor

Device-specific Rotor Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to previous item using rotor setting Up or Dot3
move to next item using rotor setting Down or Dot6
select previous rotor setting Dots23
select next rotor setting Dots56

2.3.4   Interaction

Device-specific Interaction Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
double-tap item cursor routing key
select item Center or Dots36
activate the Home button Dots125
activate the Delete key Dots145
activate the Return key Dots15
activate the Volume Up button Dots345
activate the Volume Down button Dots126
activate the Eject key Dots146

2.3.5   Reading

Device-specific Reading Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
read page starting at selected item Dots1235
read page starting at the top Dots2456
speak page number or rows displayed Dots34

2.3.6   Editing

Device-specific Editing Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
Select All Dots2356
Select Text Dots256
Unselect Text Dots235
Tab Dots2345
Shift Tab Dots1256
Cut Dots1346
Copy Dots14
Paste Dots1236
undo typing Dots1356
redo typing Dots2346
change item label Dots12346

2.3.7   Control

Device-specific Control Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
toggle screen curtain on/off Dots123456
pause/continue speech Dots1234
toggle speech on/off Dots134
start VoiceOver help Dots13

2.3.8   Braille

Device-specific Braille Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
toggle expanded status description status routing key
pan braille to the left Dot2
pan braille to the right Dot5
toggle announcement history Dots1345
next output mode Dots1245
next input mode Dots236

2.4   Common Bindings

These bindings are common to all of the braille displays that VoiceOver supports. They work in both Navigation and Keyboard mode. The source for these lists is the Apple support page Common Braille Commands for VoiceOver.

2.4.1   Navigation

Common Navigation Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to previous item Dot1 + Space
move to next item Dot4 + Space
go to first item Dots123 + Space
go to last item Dots456 + Space
Item Chooser Dots24 + Space
go to Status Bar Dots234 + Space
go to Notification Center Dots46 + Space
go to Control Center Dots25 + Space
escape current context Dots12 + Space

2.4.2   Scrolling

Common Scrolling Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
scroll left one page Dots246 + Space
scroll right one page Dots135 + Space
scroll up one page Dots3456 + Space
scroll down one page Dots1456 + Space
speak page number or rows displayed Dots34 + Space

2.4.3   Rotor

Common Rotor Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to previous item using rotor setting Dot3 + Space
move to next item using rotor setting Dot6 + Space
select previous rotor setting Dots23 + Space
select next rotor setting Dots56 + Space

2.4.4   Interaction

Common Interaction Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
perform simple tap Dots36 + Space
activate the Home button Dots125 + Space
activate the Volume Up button Dots345 + Space
activate the Volume Down button Dots126 + Space
activate the Eject key Dots146 + Space
3D touch on selected item Dots356 + Space

2.4.5   Reading

Common Reading Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
read page starting at selected item Dots1235 + space
read page starting at the top Dots2456 + Space

2.4.6   Editing

Common Editing Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
Select All Dots2356 + Space
Select Left Dots235 + Space
Select Right Dots256 + Space
Tab Dots2345 + Space
Shift Tab Dots1256 + Space
Cut Dots1346 + Space
Copy Dots14 + Space
Paste Dots1236 + Space
activate the Delete key Space or Dots145 + Space
activate the Return key Space or Dots15 + Space
undo typing Dots1356 + Space
redo typing Dots2346 + Space
text search Dots124 + Space
output text style Dots23456 + Space
start dictation (when in text field) Dots156 + Space

2.4.7   Control

Common Control Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
toggle screen curtain on/off Dots123456 + Space
pause/continue speech Dots1234 + Space
toggle speech on/off Dots134 + Space
App Switcher Dots16 + Space
start VoiceOver help Dots13 + Space
change item label Dots12346 + Space
toggle Quick Nav Dots12345 + Space
play/pause music Dots156 + Space

2.4.8   Braille

Common Braille Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
pan braille to the left Dot2 + Space
pan braille to the right Dot5 + Space
toggle announcement history Dots1345 + Space
translate Dots45 + Space
next output mode Dots1245 + Space
next input mode Dots236 + Space
toggle contracted/uncontracted braille Dots1245 + Space

2.4.9   8-Dot

Common 8-Dot Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to previous container Dots17 + Space
move to next container Dots47 + Space
Delete Dot7 + Space
Return Dot8 + Space
toggle mute Dots1347 + Space
start help Dots137 + Space
scroll up one page Dots34568 + Space
scroll down one page Dots14568 + Space
simulate long press Dots3678 + Space
single letter Quick Nav Dots123457 + Space

2.4.10   iPad-only

Common iPad-only Bindings
VoiceOver Action B2G Binding
move to left split view app Dots35 + Space
move to right split view app Dots26 + Space
move to previous container Dots17 + Space
move to next container Dots47 + Space