Screen Magnifiers

[MachineCode]

Microsoft's and 99% of the other screnn magnifier programs out there don't qualify as assistive technology.
And yes, from a user viewpoint you can tell the difference between the "toys" and the "real" products.

Out of curiosity, what sort of requirements do you have for a magnifier? What is considered a "toy"?

[GWarner]

I wonder if something like a 30" would help you work without the use of magnifying tools. That sounds like an unpleasant burden for you.

I had initially thought of that but even with a larger screen I'd still need to turn down the resolution.

The problem with larger screens for me is that my close vision or reading distance is only six to nine inches so bigger isn't necessarily better for me unless I switch to using distance vision and then the monitor would have to be huge for me to read it.

Based on some calculations I've done, I'd need at least a 24 inch 4:3 or 5:4 monitor running at 800x600 to eliminate the need for a screen magnifier. I already have to do a lot of head moving back and forth and up and down to read a 22 inch widescreen, but at least it's physically doable. I don't think a 24 inch 4:3 or 5:4 monitor would be.

The screen magnifier does take getting used to but after a short while you forget that it's there.

[MachineCode]

You didn't answer my questions.

I'm curious as to what you mean by "screen magnifier". Does it split the screen like the Microsoft one and ZoomText? Or do you like to view the entire desktop and only zoom where the mouse is, like a real magnifying glass? I'm really keen to hear.

[GWarner]

You didn't answer my questions.

Ooops! Sorry.

ZoomText actually can work three ways.

1. Full screen, it used the entire display to display a magnified portion of the screen. As you move the mouse or the insertion carret towards the edge of the display, the display scrolls to keep the mouse or insertion carret within margins you can set. With the mouse this allows you to get to any part of the display even if it's outside the currently magnified area. This is the mode I use.
2. It can also do split screen like the one that comes with Windows but unlike the one that comes with Windows you can split the screen horizontally or vertically and can choose which side of the split shows the magnified view.

3. The third mode is called Windowed mode. Here an adjustable window that keeps the mouse or insrtion carret centered in it displays the magnified view.

I hope that answers your question, if not give me a more specific question.

[MachineCode]

Thanks for answering, GWarner.

I hope that answers your question, if not give me a more specific question.

I'm curious as to how mode number 1 works... are you able to link to a screenshot showing it? I can't imagine the concept.

[GWarner]

In mode one, imagine that your actual display image is larger than your monitor can show all at once, so it only shows what will fit on it. To see the rest of the display image you move the monitor screen around by moving the mouse near one of the edges, ZoomText senses this and start scrolling the screen to bring the part of the display you want to see into view.

Probably easier just to see it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEukZezeQQ

This is a promotional video by AI Squared, the authors of ZoomText, but it does give you a good feel for how ZoomText works and looks. This demo also shows both the screen magnification and screen reading parts of ZoomText. You can get ZoomText without the screen reader portion which is what I did. Getting the screen reader would have raised the price to about $600. I'll do my own reading and save the extrat $200 the reader costs.

[MachineCode]

I get it now. Sort of like how a large desktop on a small monitor can be scrolled at the edges when the mouse is moved there, but with ZoomText, it's also magnified. Thanks for explaining.

[Mistrel]

I don't know when this was introduced but I just found out (by accident) that Windows 7 can zoom in natively. Just hit the key combination Win '+' or Win '-'.

[GWarner]

Possibly Windows Vista at the earliest, it's not in Windows XP which is what I'm running.

[infratec]

Hi,

why not use a PB solution

http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtop ... ur&start=0

With the stuff inside, you can build your own solution.

If you have 2 monitors, put the loupe on the smaller one, than you can magnify each area on the other one.
(only an idea)

Bernd

[GWarner]

If I had found that a month ago when I needed it, I might have, but since I needed it be able to work, my employer was willing to buy the software for me so we went with ZoomText which appears to be the most popular screen magnifier software that qualifies as assistive technology.

[IdeasVacuum]

Too late but I just found a free cross-platform magnifier which works rather well:

http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/

Rook already posted a link to this one, so perhaps it's improved since then. It can be sized as required.