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A guide to buying a textphone, 2001 (view report contents)

The display

Displays vary. The comments below are based on what testers and ergonomists picked out as important


Some textphones have LCD (liquid crystal displays) which have black or blue letters as in the main picture. LCD displays have rounded letters - preferred by some.


Some models have VF (vacuum fluorescent) screens which have bright illuminated blue/green letters - see above.

VF screens are easier to see but can be tiring for your eyes over long periods because they are bright. They can also be seen from a distance, so your conversations may not be private.

Most models with LCD are back lit - essential in poor light. On all models except the Textel 200 you can turn this off.


Some textphones show two lines of text. A few split words between the lines - harder to read.

The number of letters displayed ranges from 20 to 40 a line. You need a good memory to keep track of long sentences on screens which show fewer letters.

Some VF textphones only display text in capital letters.

Check that the screen is at an angle which makes it easy to read from your normal sitting position.

The speed at which text runs across the screen depends on how fast it is typed. Some users said messages sped by too quickly when they were talking to a fast typist. Some models have Pause and review - you can stop the text scrolling to give you more time to read. Some testers thought this stopped the flow of conversation.


Letters are from 4.5mm to 6mm in height, depending on model. One textphone is designed for visually impaired people and has characters 12mm high.

 

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Report contents

What are textphones?
How to use
Some main features explained
The display
Printing
Accessories
Deafblind people
Buying Guide
Mobiles
Alternatives
Typetalk
How to get a textphone
Professional advice
Helpful organisations
Suppliers
Acknowledgements