SARA™

Scanning and Reading Appliance

User’s Guide

Freedom Scientific Inc.

440506-001 Rev C
PUBLISHED BY
Freedom Scientific Inc.
11800 31st Court North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1805
USA
www.FreedomScientific.com
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written
permission of Freedom Scientific.
Copyright © 2011 Freedom Scientific, All Rights Reserved.

Federal Communications Commission Notice

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio or television technician for help.
SARA’s Top Panel

1. Scan/Record Key 7. Down Arrow

2. Play/Pause Key 8. Right Arrow
3. Left Double Arrow 9. Right Double Arrow
4. Left Arrow 10. Menu Button
5. Top Arrow 11. Help Key
6. Select Key
SARA’s Front Panel

1. Power button 5. Function Key 3

2. Volume Rocker 6. Function Key 4
3. Function Key 1 7. Voice Rate Rocker
4. Function Key 2 8. Headset Jack
 Table of Contents
Introduction _______________________________________________________ 1
Welcome to SARA! _________________________________________________ 1
Features _________________________________________________________ 2
What’s in the Box? _________________________________________________ 3
What SARA Cannot Read ___________________________________________ 4
How to Set Up SARA _______________________________________________ 4

Scanning and Reading with SARA _____________________________________ 5

Powering SARA On and Off __________________________________________ 5
Scanning and Reading with SARA _____________________________________ 6
Adjusting Voice Volume _____________________________________________ 7
Adjusting Reading Speeds ___________________________________________ 8
Getting Help ______________________________________________________ 8
Using the Movement Keys ___________________________________________ 9
To Skim through a Document while Reading ____________________________ 10
Cycling through Documents you are Reading ___________________________ 10
Using the Function Keys____________________________________________ 11

Using the Menus___________________________________________________ 12

Using the Settings Wizard ___________________________________________ 13

Working with Files _________________________________________________ 14

Opening a New Blank Document _____________________________________ 14
Opening a Saved Document_________________________________________ 15
Opening a Document from a CD or USB Drive __________________________ 16
Listening to an Audio File ___________________________________________ 17
Navigating an Audio File __________________________________________ 18
Reading Public Domain Books _______________________________________ 19
Closing a Document _______________________________________________ 20
Saving a Document _______________________________________________ 20
Saving a Document with a Different Name ____________________________ 21
Saving a Document on a CD or USB Drive____________________________ 21
Deleting a Document ______________________________________________ 22

Using the Menus for Other Settings ___________________________________ 23

Go To Menu _____________________________________________________ 23
Voice Settings____________________________________________________ 24
Reading Voice and Menu Voice ____________________________________ 24
Enabled Languages _____________________________________________ 25
Scanning Settings_________________________________________________ 26
Scanning Order _________________________________________________ 26
 Scanning Mode _________________________________________________ 26
Scanning Contrast_______________________________________________ 27
Visual Settings ___________________________________________________ 28
Text Font ______________________________________________________ 28
Text Size ______________________________________________________ 29
Text Color _____________________________________________________ 29
Spotlight Color__________________________________________________ 29
Spacing _______________________________________________________ 29
Advanced Settings ________________________________________________ 30
Key Assignments _______________________________________________ 30
Key Announcements _____________________________________________ 32
Save to CD Format ______________________________________________ 33
Save to USB Format _____________________________________________ 34
Autoplay Audio CD ______________________________________________ 34
Contracted Braille _______________________________________________ 35
Power Management _____________________________________________ 35
Restore Factory Settings__________________________________________ 36
Updating SARA___________________________________________________ 36

Attachments for SARA______________________________________________ 37

Using a Headset or Speakers with SARA_______________________________ 37
Using a Monitor with SARA _________________________________________ 37
 Using a Braille Display with SARA ____________________________________ 38
Optional Keyboard Covers __________________________________________ 39

Warranty Information _______________________________________________ 40

Technical Support_________________________________________________ 43
Web Site ________________________________________________________ 44

Keyboard Layout Diagram for Creating Tactile Images ___________________ 45

 Introduction
Welcome to SARA!
Freedom Scientific’s Scanning and Reading Appliance (SARA) is a stand-alone device
designed to help the blind and those with low vision read printed materials. You can use
SARA to read almost anything, including mail, important documents, hardcover and
paperback books, and more. SARA uses the latest in optical character recognition
technology to scan pages and then reads the contents of that page to you with clear,
crisp, human-sounding synthesized speech. SARA contains a host of features that let
you customize your reading experience. A built-in CD drive lets you read your favorite
books on CD. SARA even allows you to read DAISY (Digital Accessible Information
System) format digital talking books.
This user’s guide is intended to show you how easy it is to scan and read using SARA.
It contains information on SARA and the keypad, as well as a few getting started keys.
Not only can you easily set up SARA and attach a headset, but you can also connect it
to a computer monitor.
There are menus you can use to set a variety of choices like reading and menu voices,
language, visual settings, and managing files saved to the hard drive or to a USB
memory device.

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Features
The SARA is easy to use. It works right out of the box. Major features of SARA include:
• Reads books, magazines, newspapers, bills, and more.
• Reads DAISY audio books.
• Reads audio book CDs.
• Reads columns and sidebars as well as text.
• Large buttons perform all the basic functions any user needs.
• A colorful keypad with tactile symbols and shapes conveys each button’s use.
• Press the Help key followed by any of the other keys, to find out what their function
is.
• Easy-to-use menus can also be used to control scanning and reading.
• Front-mounted stereo speakers make SARA easy to hear.
• RealSpeak™ Solo voices can be changed to suit your preferences, including
reading speed and volume.
• Spell words to get a better understanding of what is being spoken.
• SARA remembers hundreds of thousands of pages.

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 • Built-in CD-RW player allows you to read books saved on a compact disc. You can
also save books to a blank CD.
• Access reading material stored on a USB device, such as a USB thumb drive or
external hard drive.
• Connect to a computer monitor for colorful, large print to complement the speech.

What’s in the Box?

• SARA Scanning and Reading Appliance
• Power cord (110 or 220 V)
• Power adapter
• Large print user’s guide
• Basic training audio recording
• Headset
• Test page for scanning

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What SARA Cannot Read
SARA cannot read handwritten or hand-printed material. If there is a signature on a
typewritten letter, SARA reads the letter but not the signature. If the signature is written
over other printed words, for example the closing "Sincerely yours," the letters touched
by the signature are not read correctly.
SARA may have trouble reading some printed forms because borders are often used to
surround the text. SARA sometimes ignores text that is too close to vertical or horizontal
lines or words surrounded by a box. For example, you will have difficulty using SARA to
read box scores on the sports or stock market pages of a newspaper. Even if SARA
reads most of the text correctly, it may be hard to determine the meaning.

How to Set Up SARA

To set up SARA, first plug the square end of the AC power cord into the power adapter
(the black rectangular box). Next, connect the small, circular end of the power adapter
cable to the back of SARA. The correct socket is on the far right side when facing the
back of the unit. Finally, plug the AC power cord into a wall outlet. The unit is now ready
to use.
If you want to use the headset that comes with SARA, plug it into the headset jack on
the lower right of the front panel.

4
 Scanning and Reading with SARA
Powering SARA On and Off
The POWER button is the small, circular green button located on the far left of the
lower vertical surface on the front of SARA. Press this button once to turn the
power on.
While SARA is warming up, there is an intermittent tone to indicate it is active.
When the unit is ready, it says, "Welcome to SARA. Samantha is the current
reading voice. Press the red Scan key to scan. Press the green Read key to begin
reading. Press the yellow help key, followed by any other key, to learn what it
does." This is SARA's default start up message. If you have changed the reading
voice, you will hear a different name spoken. Refer to "Key Announcements" on
page 32 for information on customizing this start up message.
Warning: Do not disconnect the power cord or unplug SARA while the unit is
powering off.

5
 Press the POWER button to turn off your SARA unit. SARA will prompt you to
press the POWER button again to power down, the DOWN ARROW key to put
SARA into Sleep Mode, or any other key to cancel. In Sleep Mode, SARA does not
completely shut down, but consumes less power. Press any key to quickly resume
using SARA from Sleep Mode.
Note: Any unsaved documents will be discarded when you completely shut down.
To save your documents, stop SARA from shutting down and save your
documents. See Saving a Document on page 20 for more information.

Scanning and Reading with SARA

1. Lift the cover of the scanner.
2. Place your reading material print side down on the scanner’s glass plate.
Square the page against the raised left and front edges around the glass.
3. Close the scanner cover.
Warning: If you have a thick document such as a book, the back part of the top
of the scanner cover will raise up to level off as it rests on the book.
Do not press down on the scanner. Placing pressure on the lid can
shatter or dislodge the glass in the scanner, voiding the product
warranty.

6
 4. Press the SCAN key, which is the red oval key with a raised circle in the
upper left of the keypad. SARA says, "Scanning" as it begins scanning and
plays an intermittent tone while scanning and recognizing text. When SARA is
finished analyzing the page, reading begins automatically.
Tip: If you want to cancel the scan, press the SCAN key again.
5. To stop reading, press the READ key, which is the green key with a raised
play and pause symbol below the SCAN key. Press the Read key again to
resume reading.

Adjusting Voice Volume

To the right of the Power button on the front panel is an orange rocker key with
a raised loud speaker on it that controls the volume of SARA’s speech. This is
called the VOLUME ROCKER. Press on the left side of the bar to lower the
volume and on the right side to raise the volume. SARA says “softer” or
“louder” so that you can adjust the volume to your preferred level.

7
Adjusting Reading Speeds
SARA has another orange rocker key on the front edge, just to the left of the
headset jack on the right. It has a raised rabbit symbol on it to represent
speed. This is the VOICE RATE ROCKER. If you press the left side of the bar
you hear SARA say “slower” each time you press it. Pressing on the right side
of the bar increases the voice rate and you hear SARA say “faster.”
Press the VOICE RATE ROCKER key until you find a comfortable reading
speed.

Getting Help
Press the HELP key followed by one of the other keys for an explanation of
that key’s function.
In addition, SARA CE contains the contents of this user's guide as a DAISY
audio book for easy navigation. To open the online user’s guide, press the
MENU key, press UP ARROW to move to About SARA, then press the
SELECTOR key to open the submenu. Press the SELECTOR key again to
open Help.

8
Using the Movement Keys
To move around on a page you are reading, use the four blue arrow keys in the center
of the keypad.

The UP and DOWN ARROWS move one line up or down.

The LEFT and RIGHT ARROWS move you one word in the direction of the
arrow.

Press the blue SELECTOR key, located in the center of the arrow keys, to
read the current word. Press the SELECTOR key a second time to spell the
current word. Press the SELECTOR key a third time to spell the current
word using the phonetic alphabet (where “A” is “Alpha,” “B” is “Bravo,” and
so on).

9
 The factory setting for the blue DOUBLE ARROW keys moves forward
or backward by pages. You can change the movement unit of the
DOUBLE ARROWS by selecting Double Arrow Movement from the Key
Assignments submenu in the Advanced submenu. You can select page,
sentence, paragraph, or none. Use the up and down arrow keys to
select an option, and then press the SELECTOR key.
Tip: For more information on using SARA’s menus, see Using the Menus on page 12.

To Skim through a Document while Reading

You can skim read through a document by using the arrows while SARA is already
reading. The LEFT and RIGHT ARROWS move by sentence and the DOUBLE
ARROWS move by paragraph. SARA continues to read at the next unit you have
selected.

Cycling through Documents you are Reading

You can have more than one document open simultaneously. It is possible to cycle
through these documents using FUNCTION Key 1. This key is located beside the
VOLUME ROCKER on the front of the SARA. Press the key once to move from one
open file to another.

10
Using the Function Keys
Four small, circular function keys are located in the center of the front panel,
between the VOLUME ROCKER and VOICE RATE ROCKER. FUNCTION Key 1
is the farthest of the four keys on the left. FUNCTION Key 2 is the next key to the
right, and so on. You can assign a variety of different commands to these keys from
the Key Assignments submenu in the Advanced submenu. For more information,
see Function Keys 1 through 4 on page 31.
By default, each function key performs the following command:
• Function Key 1 – Cycles through all documents that you currently have opened. If
you find you have too many documents open, you can close them by using the
Close Document command on the File submenu.
• Function Key 2 – Erases the current page. When you press this key, SARA asks
you to press it again if you wish to delete the page. If not, simply press any other
key to cancel this command.
• Function Key 3 – Cycles through the various reading languages you have
selected.
• Function Key 4 – Allows you to choose whether SARA divides columns or ignores
columns when scanning.
Note: Some commands are not available when an audio file is playing.

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 Using the Menus
SARA has a menu that allows you to work with files, set voice and scanning
options, choose visual settings, and select languages you want to use.
Use the MENU key to access the menu. The MENU key is the rectangular
brown key on the upper right of the keyboard. Press the MENU key once to
open the menu. Pressing the MENU key while in any of the menus closes the
item and returns you to the document.
Once the menu is open:
• Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to select menu items. SARA reads each menu
item as you move to it.
• Use the SELECTOR key to open submenus and to accept menu choices, similar to
pressing the ENTER key on a computer.
• Press the LEFT ARROW to close a submenu if it is open or close a list and return
to the menu.
• When you are in a list, the DOUBLE ARROWS move up or down a list by 10 items.
• Press the MENU key to close the menus and return to the document.
Tip: Press the HELP key followed by any other key to have its function explained.

12
 Using the Settings Wizard
The Settings Wizard offers a convenient way to configure SARA without having to go
through several menus to locate the options you want. To launch the wizard, press the
MENU key to open the menu, use the UP or DOWN ARROW keys to navigate to
Settings Wizard, then press the SELECTOR key.
The wizard consists of a series of pages which allow you to change various settings
including the font type and point size; foreground and background color for displayed
text; foreground and background color for the spotlight; the reading voice name and
rate; the menu voice name and rate; the default mode used for scanning; how SARA
announces keys at startup; the format used when saving files to a CD or a USB drive;
and power management settings. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to change a
setting and the RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys to go to the next or previous page. If
you are on the last page, pressing RIGHT ARROW will close the wizard and apply your
new settings. Press the MENU key from any page in the wizard to cancel and return to
the currently open document without changing settings.

13
 Working with Files
You can use the File submenu to open documents, close documents, play audio files
(such as DAISY books), read public domain books, save documents, and delete
documents. To access the File submenu, press the MENU key, and then press the
SELECTOR key to choose File. To choose a command, use the UP and DOWN
ARROW keys to select it, and then press the SELECTOR key.

Opening a New Blank Document

To open a new document, select New Document from the File submenu. You can then
scan a new page. SARA adds the page to the document. You can continue scanning
pages to add to this document and then save them as a single file (see Saving a
Document on page 20).

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 Tip: Do not use one document to store all of your scanned pages. Not only will it
become increasingly difficult to locate important information in a timely manner,
but SARA will take longer to save or open the file.
The ability to save and manage multiple files is a key function of SARA to help
improve organization. Once you have scanned a document, such as a newspaper
article, or a piece of mail, save it with a unique file name related to the information
it contains. When you are ready to scan something different, remember to open a
new document and repeat the process. You will find it much easier to locate
information stored in smaller, well-named files.

Opening a Saved Document

To open a document that you have saved, select Open Document from the File
submenu. SARA displays a list of all files in memory. Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS
to move by item and the DOUBLE ARROWS to move through the list by ten items.
SARA speaks the names of the files available as you move through them. After you
hear the name of the desired document, press the SELECTOR key to open it.
Note: If you have read the document previously, you are moved to the text location
where you left off.

15
Opening a Document from a CD or USB Drive
If you have reading material on a CD or USB drive, such as a thumb drive or external
hard drive, you can open the file and read it with SARA. Insert the disc in the slot on the
front of the SARA or connect a USB drive to one of the USB ports on the back of the
SARA, open the File submenu, and select Open from Media. The following file formats
are supported: OBX, ARK, RTF, TXT, DOC, PDF, HTML, XML, and DAISY audio files.
If more than one device is available, for instance, a CD is inserted and a USB drive is
connected at the same time, you are first placed in a list of all available drives. Use the
UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select the drive you want to open files from, and press
the SELECTOR key to list the files on that drive.
Note: Files you want to read with SARA on a CD or USB drive cannot be stored in
folders.
You can also open TIFF, JPEG, and PCX image files. When you open image files,
SARA scans and recognizes the text and then inserts it into a new document. You must
save this document if you want to keep it (see Saving a Document on page 20).
To remove the disc, press the Eject button to the left of the CD drive.

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Listening to an Audio File
To begin playing an audio file, insert an audio CD into the slot on the front of the SARA,
or connect a USB drive containing audio content to one of the USB ports on the back of
the unit.
If you inserted a CD, by default, SARA automatically places you in a list of all the audio
tracks or DAISY books on the CD so you can choose the one you want to listen to. If the
CD only contains one title, SARA automatically opens and begins playing it.
If you have turned off the Autoplay Audio CD feature, or you want to play audio stored
on a USB drive, open the File submenu and select Play Audio. Just like when opening
files from a CD or USB drive, if more than one device is available, use the UP and
DOWN ARROW keys to select a drive then press the SELECTOR key to open it. SARA
places you in a list of the available audio tracks. SARA only lists audio tracks that are
supported. The following file formats are supported: MP3, WAV, audio MPG,
unprotected WMA, and CDA
Note: Titles can be the actual book title or a unique, invented title. Some titles also
indicate how many CDs are part of the book. For example, a long book may be
recorded onto several CDs. Some CDs also contain more than one book.

17
 If you listened to this book before, you are immediately placed at the spot where you
last stopped listening when you open the book. Press the green READ/PLAY key with
the raised play and pause symbols on it to begin listening to the audio file. Press this
key again to pause.
Tip: Press the HELP button followed by one of the other buttons for an explanation of
that button’s function while accessing an audio file.
Navigating an Audio File
While playing an audio file, you can use the LEFT DOUBLE ARROWS to rewind or the
RIGHT DOUBLE ARROWS to fast forward the audio by five seconds. After you rewind
or fast forward, SARA immediately begins playing the audio from the new position. To
increase or decrease the playback speed of the audio file, use the VOICE RATE
ROCKER.
When the file is stopped, you can use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to select the track
you want to listen to. Press the READ/PLAY key to play that track.
When you are finished listening to an audio file, select Close Document from the File
submenu. You can only have one audio file open at a time, but you can freely switch to
other documents that are open.

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 Note: While most audio files simply list the track numbers, DAISY books display topics,
or chapters, in a tree view. You can navigate by using the UP and DOWN
ARROWS. You can also use the RIGHT and LEFT ARROWS to expand and
close the topics.

Reading Public Domain Books

SARA includes many classic literary works for your reading enjoyment. To read one of
these books, open the File submenu and select Public Domain Books. If you have
assigned the Public Domain Book function to a Function key, press that function key.
Depending on the enabled languages and available books, another submenu listing the
languages you can choose from may be available. If more than one dialect of a
language is enabled, and a collection of books for that language is available, the book
collection will be the same. For example, the book collection for British English and U.S.
English is the same because both are English dialects.
Note: If there are collections available for other languages that you have enabled,
these also appear on the submenu.
Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS, or the DOUBLE ARROW keys, to select the book
you want to read and press the SELECTOR key. When SARA opens the book, it reads
it using the dialect you selected previously from the submenu. You can navigate these
books the same way as documents that you scan.

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Closing a Document
To close a document, open the File submenu and select Close Document. If the
document has not been saved prior to closing, SARA will ask if you would like to save
the document.
Upon closing a document, you are returned to another open document if any are open.
If no other documents are open, a new untitled document is created.

Saving a Document
To save the current document, select Save Document from the File submenu. If the file
has not been saved previously, you are prompted to press the SCAN/RECORD key to
record a file name. To record a name for the document, speak in the general direction of
the microphone located on the right front of the SARA next to the speaker. This process
is similar to recording a greeting on an answering machine.
Begin speaking when you hear the tone. Your file name can be 5 seconds long. The
recording ends automatically and is played back.
SARA then prompts you to press the SELECTOR key to accept the file name or to
press the SCAN/RECORD key again to redo the recording.
You can re-record the file name until you are satisfied. The file is not saved until you
press the SELECTOR key to accept your recorded file name.

20
By default, documents opened from a USB device are saved to the USB device unless
you save the document using Save As from the File submenu.
Saving a Document with a Different Name
You can save a document under a different name. To save the currently open document
with a different name, select Save As from the File submenu. Press the
SCAN/RECORD key, and speak a new name for the document. When you are finished,
press the SELECTOR key. A version of the document with the original name is retained
in memory.
Saving a Document on a CD or USB Drive
You can save the currently open document on a CD or on an external USB drive, such
as a thumb drive or external hard drive. Insert a blank, writable CD-R or CD-RW disc
into the slot on the front of SARA or connect a USB drive to one of the USB ports on the
back of the SARA. Then, select Save to Media from the File submenu.
If more than one device is available, for instance, a CD is inserted and a USB drive is
connected at the same time, you are first placed in a list of all available drives. Use the
UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select the drive you want to save the file to, and press
the SELECTOR key. Press the SCAN/RECORD key, and speak a name for the
document. When you are finished, press the SELECTOR key. SARA will copy the file to
the blank CD or USB drive, which ever you selected.

21
 By default, SARA saves the document as an OpenBook (OBX) file, if you save the file to
a CD, or as a Rich Text (RTF) document, if you save to a USB drive. You can also
choose to save the file as an OpenBook (ARK), plain text (TXT), or rich text (RTF)
document using the Save to CD Format submenu, or as an OpenBook (OBX) or plain
text (TXT) document using the Save to USB Format submenu (see page 33) in the
Advanced submenu. The file name is saved as a sound (WAV) file.
Tip: You can save additional documents on the CD in later sessions.

Deleting a Document
To delete a document saved in memory, select Delete a Document from the File
submenu. Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to move to the file you want to delete.
Press the SELECTOR key to delete the file. SARA will ask you if you want to delete the
file. You can use the LEFT ARROW to go back to the menu without deleting the file, or
press the SELECTOR key to delete the file.

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 Using the Menus for Other Settings
To access the submenus described in this section, press the MENU key. Then, use the
UP and DOWN ARROWS to make a selection and press the SELECTOR key.

Go To Menu
The Go To submenu allows you to quickly move from place to place in the current
document or audio file list.
The available commands include:
• Top of Document – Moves you to the beginning of the current document or audio
track list.
• Bottom of Document – Moves you to the end of the current document or audio
track list.
• Next Page – Moves you to the next page of the current document.
• Previous Page – Moves you to the previous page of the current document.
• Next Paragraph – Moves you to the beginning of the next paragraph.
• Previous Paragraph – Moves you to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
• Next Sentence – Moves you to the beginning of the next sentence.

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 • Previous Sentence – Moves you to the beginning of the previous sentence.

Voice Settings
The Voice Settings submenu allows you to change your reading and menu voice
settings. You can change the speech rate and the voice. The speaking language
determines the voices that are available. You can also select the reading language by
choosing the Reading Voice command.
Reading Voice and Menu Voice
Open the Voice Settings submenu and select Reading Voice to change the voice SARA
uses while reading, or select Menu Voice to change the voice SARA uses when
navigating menus. The following voice options are available:
• Voice Rate - The voice rate can be set between 100 and 500 words per minute.
You can change this setting using either the VOICE RATE ROCKER bar on the
front right of the unit or the menu. The rate adjusts in units of 20 words per minute.
When you go to the menu, SARA announces the current rate for either the reading
or menu voice.
• Voice Selection - When you select the Voice Selection command, a list of the
voices available for the current language displays. Use the UP and DOWN
ARROW to move through the list of voices. Press the SELECTOR key to choose
the voice you want to use.

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 • Voice Language - Changing the voice language automatically changes the
scanning language and the list of available voices. While in the document, you can
return to the menu to change languages.
Enabled Languages
Select Enabled Languages from the Voice Settings submenu to open a list of the
languages installed on SARA. If a language is activated, you hear the word “checked.”
Use the SELECTOR key to check or uncheck the language. You can enable as many of
these languages as you like. Once a language is enabled, you can choose it for the
reading voice.
Tip: You can press FUNCTION Key 3 to cycle through your enabled languages.

25
Scanning Settings
The Scanning Settings submenu allows you to change the scanning order, scanning
mode, and scanning contrast.
Scanning Order
Select Scanning Order from the Scanning Settings submenu to choose whether SARA
should divide columns or ignore them. The default setting is Divide Columns. For
example, if you are scanning a newspaper, you would want to have Divide Columns
selected so SARA recognizes the columns instead of reading straight across the page.
If you want to read across columns of text, select Ignore Columns.
Tip: You can also press FUNCTION Key 4 to toggle between Divide Columns and
Ignore Columns.
Scanning Mode
Select Scanning Mode from the Scanning Settings submenu to choose one of the
following modes:
• Scan and Read – Selected by default, SARA stops reading when you press
the SCAN key and begins scanning. When the scan is complete, SARA begins
reading the new page.

26
 • Scan in Background – Allows you to continue reading from the current
location in a document while SARA scans a page.
• Scan and Replace – SARA replaces the current page with the newly scanned
page. You can use this mode to rescan or replace a page in a multi-page
document.
• BuckScan – SARA scans and recognizes United States paper currency.
Denominations supported include $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. To
scan a bill, place it horizontally along the edge of the glass plate’s left front
corner and press the SCAN key.
Scanning Contrast
Use Scanning Contrast to control the dark-to-light contrast ratio in the scanned
document. The following choices are available:
• Automatic Contrast - SARA will individually evaluate each page to determine
the best contrast setting for maximum accuracy. This is the easiest setting but
it adds to the scanning time. This is the default setting.
• Normal Contrast - This setting will work for most books and memos, or
anything else that has reasonably good black print on white paper.

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 • Darken Page - This setting is useful when the print on the page is too light.
When SARA reads a light page, letters seem to break up. An example of this is
when SARA reads “iii” instead of the letter “m.”
• Lighten Page - Choose this option if the letters are becoming glued together.
An example of this is when SARA reads the letter “m” instead of the letters r”
and “n.”
You can fine-tune the contrast level by choosing one of the numbers 0 through 16.
Darken Page is equivalent to a value of 4, Normal Contrast is 8, and Lighten Page is 12.

Visual Settings
Use the Visual Settings submenu when SARA is attached to a computer monitor to
change the font, size, color, and spacing of displayed text. For instructions on how to
connect a monitor to SARA, see Using a Monitor with SARA on page 37.
Text Font
Select Text Font from the Visual Settings submenu to change the font of the displayed
text.

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Text Size
Select Text Size from the Visual Settings submenu to increase or decrease the size of
the displayed text. The available sizes are expressed in points.
Text Color
Select Text Color from the Visual Settings submenu to choose from several different
foreground/background color combinations for displayed text.
Spotlight Color
Select Spotlight Color from the Visual Settings submenu to choose from several
different foreground/background color combinations for the spotlight, which highlights
each word as SARA reads. Having the spotlight color set differently from the text color
makes it easier to locate the highlighted text.
Spacing
Select Spacing from the Visual Settings submenu to change the spacing of displayed
text. Six different text spacing options are available. Each level provides increasing
amounts of space between words and letters.

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Advanced Settings
From the Advanced submenu, you can change how certain keys behave, change the
start up message, set the document format used when saving to a CD or USB drive,
configure power management options, and reset SARA to factory defaults.
Key Assignments
The Key Assignments submenu allows you to change the behavior of the double arrow
keys and the function keys.
Double Arrow Movement
Select Double Arrow Movement from the Key Assignments submenu to change how far
in the document you will move each time you press the double arrow keys. The keys
can be set to move by sentence, paragraph, page, or none. The default setting is page.

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Function Keys 1 through 4
You can assign different commands to the four function keys located on the front panel
of the SARA. To do this, open the Advanced submenu, then the Key Assignments
submenu, and select one of the four available function keys. A list of possible
commands that you can assign to the selected function key is displayed. Use the UP
and DOWN ARROW keys to move to the command that you want to assign to the key,
and then press the SELECTOR key. After you have assigned the command, press the
LEFT ARROW key to close the list.
Note: Some commands are not available when playing an audio book.
The available commands include:
• Language Toggle – Cycles through your enabled languages.
• Divide Columns Toggle – Switches between Divide Columns and Ignore
Columns.
• Delete Page – Erases the current page.
• Document Toggle – Cycles through currently open documents.
• Go to Top of Document – Moves you to the beginning of the current document or
audio track list.
• Go to Bottom of Document – Moves you to the end of the current document or
audio track list.
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 • Scanning Mode Toggle – Switches between Scan and Read mode, Scan in
Background mode, and Scan and Replace mode.
• Public Domain Books – Opens a list of Public Domain books available for the
language and dialect you have currently selected.
Key Announcements
The Key Announcements submenu allows you to change the message that you hear
after SARA is powered on. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move to the type of
message you want to hear and press the SELECTOR key. The available options are:
• Speak Visual Cues - selected by default. After SARA has finished starting, the
following message is spoken, "Welcome to SARA. Samantha is the current reading
voice. Press the red Scan key to scan. Press the green Read key to begin reading.
Press the yellow help key, followed by any other key, to learn what it does."
• Speak Orientation Cues - When selected, SARA speaks the following message
after starting, "Welcome to SARA. Samantha is the current reading voice. Press the
Scan key, located at the top left of the keypad, to scan. Press the Read key,
located directly below the Scan key, to begin reading. Press the Help key, located
at the bottom right of the keypad, followed by any key to learn what it does."
• None - When selected, SARA speaks the following message after starting,
"Welcome to SARA. Samantha is the current reading voice."

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Note: If you have selected a different reading voice, you will hear that voice name
spoken instead of Samantha, which is the default reading voice. You can change
the reading voice by opening the Voice Settings submenu, Reading Voice
submenu, and choosing Voice Selection.
Save to CD Format
Use this submenu to specify the format your documents are saved in when you save to
a CD using the Save to Media command from the File submenu. By default, documents
are saved to CD in OpenBook (OBX) format. However, if you or someone else needs to
access your saved documents on a computer that does not have OpenBook installed,
you can choose to have SARA save your documents in plain text (TXT) or rich text
(RTF) format which can be opened by most common word processing applications. You
can also choose to save your files in ARK format if you will be opening them in a version
of OpenBook prior to 8.0.
Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move to the document format you want, and
press the SELECTOR key. Once selected, any documents you save to a CD will be
saved in the document format you specified.

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 Save to USB Format
Use this submenu to specify the format your documents are saved in when you save to
a USB drive using the Save to Media command from the File submenu. By default,
documents are saved to USB in Rich Text (RTF) format. You can also choose to save
your documents in OpenBook (OBX) format, or plain text (TXT) format.
Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move to the document format you want, and
press the SELECTOR key. Once selected, any documents you save to a USB drive will
be saved in the document format you specified.
Autoplay Audio CD
Enabled by default, when you insert an audio CD, SARA automatically displays the list
of audio tracks, if it is a music CD, or a list of titles if the CD contains DAISY audio. If
you choose to turn off this option, you must open the File submenu and select Play
Audio in order to play a file. Refer to Listening to an Audio File on page 17 for more
information on listening to audio.

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Contracted Braille
If you are using SARA with a Freedom Scientific Focus braille display or PAC Mate™
Portable Braille Display, enable this option to have text sent to your display in
contracted Braille. By default, this setting is off, which means text is displayed in
computer Braille. In computer Braille, each character is represented by a single Braille
cell. In contracted Braille, certain combinations of letters are combined into a shorter
form, and more information is displayed at one time.
Note: Contracted Braille is only available in English documents.
Power Management
This submenu contains the following options for configuring power management:
• Automatic Sleep Mode - enabled by default. If SARA has not been used for 30
minutes, it will automatically go into Sleep Mode. Pressing any key will resume
normal operation. Disable this setting if you do not want SARA to automatically
enter Sleep Mode. You can manually put SARA into Sleep mode by pressing the
POWER button and then DOWN ARROW.
• Wake on LAN - disabled by default. When enabled, SARA will resume from Sleep
Mode if a special network message is received.

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 Restore Factory Settings
Select this option to reset all of SARA's settings to their factory defaults. Any settings
you have modified such as voice settings, function key assignments, file saving options,
power management options, as well as scanning and visual settings are reset to the
way they were when you received your SARA. When you select this option, you will be
asked if you are sure you want to reset to factory defaults. Press the SELECTOR key to
reset or the LEFT ARROW key to cancel. You will receive a message confirming that
SARA has been reset to factory defaults.

Updating SARA
This command lets you add updated information from Freedom Scientific for your SARA
using either an update disc or a USB drive. If you receive an update, insert the disc into
the slot on the front of SARA, or connect the USB drive containing the update into one
of the USB ports on the back of the unit. Press the MENU key, and then use the arrow
keys to move to Update SARA, and press the SELECTOR key. SARA will ask you if any
files need to be saved and will then perform the update. When the update is complete,
the unit will turn itself off and restart on its own. When you hear, “Welcome to SARA,”
the update is complete. If you updated from a disc, press the Eject button to the left of
the drive to remove the disc.

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 Attachments for SARA
Using a Headset or Speakers with SARA
There is a headset jack on the front panel on the far right. Just plug in the headset
that comes with SARA to enjoy listening to SARA read without disturbing others in
the area. While the headset is plugged in, the speakers are turned off. You can also
connect external speakers using the audio out jack on the right of the back panel of
the SARA next to the power plug.

Using a Monitor with SARA

You can connect a monitor to SARA so that you can see the text you are reading. You
can change the font, size, color, and spacing of the displayed text in the Visual Settings
submenu.
If a monitor is connected and SARA has not been used for 15 minutes, the external
monitor will automatically go into Sleep Mode. To turn off Automatic Sleep Mode, press
the MENU key, navigate to the Advanced submenu, navigate to the Power
Management submenu, and press the SELECTOR key on Automatic Sleep Mode to
turn off this option.

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 To connect a monitor to SARA, do the following:
1. Turn off the power for both the monitor and SARA.
2. Turn SARA so that the back of the unit is facing you.
3. In the bottom row of connections, the second connector (square and protruding a
bit) is a blue port for a typical computer monitor. Connect the monitor display
cable to the blue monitor port.
Tip: If the cable connector does not seem to fit well, turn the cable connector over.
4. Tighten the screws on the connector. The monitor is ready to use.

Using a Braille Display with SARA

You can connect a Freedom Scientific Focus braille display or PAC Mate Portable
Braille Display to SARA so you can receive tactile access to the text you are reading.
Controls on these Braille displays allow you to navigate through documents and menus.
To connect a Braille display to SARA, plug the USB cable that came with your display
into one of the USB ports on the back of the unit next to the blue monitor connector. It is
not necessary to turn off the power before doing this. SARA automatically detects the
display and you can immediately begin using Braille.

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 By default, text is displayed in computer Braille. To read in contracted Braille, open the
Advanced submenu and select Contracted Braille.

Optional Keyboard Covers

A basic and advanced set of keyboard covers is sold separately. The covers allow you
to conceal certain, non-essential SARA buttons to help users focus on basic
functionality. To order these keyboard covers, contact Freedom Scientific Sales at (800)
444-4443 or e-mail Info@FreedomScientific.com.

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 Warranty Information
Freedom Scientific, warrants that the magnetic media the software is recorded on, the
product's Documentation, and any hardware provided by Freedom Scientific, are free
from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. Freedom Scientific
warrants that the product performs substantially in accordance with the specifications
set forth in the Documentation, and processes a specific sample data (the "Recognition
Test Image") with the specified standard of accuracy. Some documents may be
processed with a high degree of accuracy. However, poor quality documents, certain
typefaces, complex layout, or lower resolutions may make it difficult or impossible for
the product to process pages with satisfactory accuracy. As a result, Freedom Scientific
performance warranty is based on the system's handling of the Recognition Test Image.
Duration of the Warranty
The warranty described above is made for a period of one (1) year from the date the
products are delivered to you as the first user.
Repair or Replacement
Freedom Scientific will repair or replace any hardware, software, documentation, or
magnetic media that proves defective in materials, workmanship, or must be corrected
to achieve warranted performance, without additional charge, on an exchange basis, as
described below.
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Final Remedy
If Freedom Scientific is unable to replace defective hardware, documentation, or
defective media, or if Freedom Scientific is unable to make the product perform to its
specifications within a reasonable time, Freedom Scientific will either replace the entire
package with a similar product or refund the purchase price of the package.
Exclusions
Freedom Scientific does not warrant that the product will meet your requirements or that
its operation will be uninterrupted or error free. The warranty does not cover a
component or part of the product that has been subjected to damage or abuse, or that
has been altered or changed in any way by you or others. Freedom Scientific is not
responsible for problems caused by changes in the operating characteristics of the
computer hardware or operating system, or any upgrades or modifications to these
items that are made after the delivery of Freedom Scientifics’ product to you.
Warranty Limitations and Freedom Scientific Liability
Any implied warranties, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
particular purpose, are limited to the term of this express warranty.

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 FREEDOM SCIENTIFIC shall not, in any case, be liable for special, incidental,
consequential, indirect or other similar damages arising from any breach of these
warranties even if Freedom Scientific or its agent has been advised of the possibility of
such damages.
Your Obligations
You may call the Freedom Scientific Technical Support Department for assistance or
authorization to return any defective item to Freedom Scientific during the warranty
period. Technical Support hours are 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM Eastern Time, Freedom
Scientific holidays excepted and the telephone number is (727) 803-8600. Collect calls
will not be accepted. The Technical Support representative will help you diagnose and
correct any apparent problem. You may be asked to run certain diagnostic tests.
If a Freedom Scientific Technical Support representative is unable to correct your
problem by telephone, you will be given a return authorization number and an address
for returning the defective item for warranty service or replacement. You must include
proof of your purchase date such as a copy of your receipt or invoice. Also, you are
responsible for any shipping and insurance costs associated with returning the defective
item.

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 Other Warranty Conditions
The warranties set forth above are in lieu of all other warranties, whether oral, written,
express, or implied, and the remedies set forth above are your sole and exclusive
remedies. Only an authorized officer of Freedom Scientific may make modifications to
this warranty, or make additional warranties binding on Freedom Scientific. Accordingly,
additional statements such as advertising or presentations, whether oral or written, do
not constitute warranties by Freedom Scientific and should not be relied upon as such.
This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that
vary from state to state.

Technical Support
Our Technical Support staff provides assistance for the initial setup of SARA and other
Freedom Scientific products. Ongoing Technical Support is available for those users
who purchase and register SARA. Before calling Technical Support, please visit our
Web site at http://www.FreedomScientific.com or e-mail us at
Support@FreedomScientific.com. Our Technical Support phone number is (727) 803-
8600. When calling Technical Support, please have your SARA serial number ready.

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Web Site
Freedom Scientific has an Internet Web site that has additional sources of technical
support and information. You can use your computer to download software programs,
technical bulletins, and product updates from these sources. You can find the Freedom
Scientific Web site at www.FreedomScientific.com.
SARA has a 30-day money back guarantee and a standard one year warranty against
manufacturers defect from date of receipt.
Please call Technical Support at (727) 803-8600 and talk to a specialist who will assist
you in troubleshooting any problem.

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Keyboard Layout Diagram for Creating Tactile Images

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