Customer Reviews

Carson Optical Ezread Visual Aide Magnifier

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this digital reader for my husband, who suffers from macular degeneration. He loves it, and was able to read for four hours the first day. We plugged it into a 27" TV that we don't use very often, and placed it in a room where it can be setup all the time. The only problem we noticed was the batteries need to be replaced frequently when using the reader for long periods of time. The batteries died around the third day. We plugged the reader into the wall outlet, and it works fine. The TV has to be plugged in anyway, so it's not like you don't have an electric cord to deal with anyway. I'd recommend this product to anyone that has problems reading, and the price is right.

I gave this to my Dad (who has just been certified as legally blind) as a birthday present, and after a very easy set up he was almost crying - because he could read his newspaper again. My Mom has told me that he brags to his buddies in the dialysis clinic about his "new eyes".

I can't recommend this highly enough. An absolute bargain, easy to set up, and easy to use.

You just need to know that you will need a TV that has a "video in" or "component" input. So older, analog TVs will probably not be usable, and you should consider that in your purchase decision. But even if you have to by a new TV it will still be less expensive than some of the other digital magnifiers which can run $500-$800.

I bought this for my dad, but my mom uses it more...and loves it.

Pros:
1. easy to set up and use. Uses AAA batteries to power the camera and its six LED lights or an included AC adapter.
2. reasonable price
3. sharp focus
4. output is standard definition 720x480 4:3 composite video that plugs into the yellow RCA composite input on any TV

Cons:
1. Its area of regard is only about 2-1/2" wide at a time. That's good for standard newspaper columns, but means you are dragging it across a book to read a line. You thus need to move it left/right over the text a lot.
2. It's not ergonomic. Old arthritic fingers need an easy-to-grab shape. Instead, it's tapered toward the top so that it tends to slip out of one's grip. I actually added textured gripper strips to it so it's easier to hold onto. It's like an oversized mouse that's not shaped properly.
3. Though it can be battery powered, it comes with an AC adapter that plugs into the back of the scanner next to the video output. It also needs the composite video output cable, of course, to get the video to the TV. That cable has a giant electronic choke attached to it on both ends. This makes the cable look like a snake that swallowed a giant rat. Now you have two cables to deal with. Both plug in and both can fall out as you use them, suddenly either losing power or video. They could have done it better.
4. The AC adapter and the video cables are too short. They need to be at least 10' long and should be attached together as a unit. You most likely will need to buy extensions for both the AC and the video cable, unless you want to sit five feet from the TV.

Bottom line, it's better to enlarge the text to your large screen TV using this miniature camera than to wear magnifying lenses and get closer to the book.

My wife found it in an ad in a magazine. There it was $160. I bought it on Amazon for $60. I have a very rare eye condition(IJRT) that destroyed my ability to read fine print.

It works very well. I have used it on books, magazines, flyers and other printed matter and they are all large and clear. I use it with a 19" flat screen TV on the kitchen table.

Two suggestions if the manufacturer is listening. First, the wires should plug into the top rather than the bottom of the unit. Second, there should be an indicator light to tell if it is off or on. You have to hold the button to turn it off and the only way you are sure is to turn it over.

Purchased this for my mother who has vision problems, glaucoma and
cornea problems, this was a Godsent. She is now able to easily read
any printed matter with no problem. If you, or anyone you know, has
vision problems that prevent them from reading, you must get this product. It does exactly what it says it will do at a very affordable price. 5 stars.

Great product. It helps my husband, who has macular degeneration in one eye, and sees mostly with the other. Up until this product, he has had a hard time reading the newspaper.

After reading other reviews, I was hopeful. My mom has macular degeneration and she really misses reading her own mail. Magnifying glass products have really not worked for her, and she was very discouraged. Although she's only had the EZ Reader a few days, she can't stop raving about it. Like another reviewer, we set it up on a separate TV, which my mom will now use primarily for reading things. It's working so well on her mail that she may try it on books--which really would change her quality of life for the better. I can't say enough, too, about the ease of set-up. We honestly had it going in less than 5 minutes, including battery installation. And although the seller might change, we got great service from Adorama Camera, who got the Reader to her in just two days the week before Christmas.

Purchased this for my friend who has ODG. He can now read the newspaper, and magazines. Can't even compare to glass magnifiers with ease of use. Highly recommended.

Purchased this for my Mother who already has a CCTV setup, but needed something in the kitchen to help with recipes. We purchased a LCD TV, plugged in the reader and placed it in a corner that was convenient for her to view. It is perfect!!! She is also using it to read prescription bottles, canned items, stove settings and anything else she needs to magnify. The pricing made this very affordable as an addition to her other reading aids.
Excellent product, excellent value!!!

Evaluation of the Carson DR-200 electronic reading aid: At the end of 2010, I purchased this device from Amazon for $65. It was easily connected to a 26" TV using the supplied AV connector (also known as composite or RCA connector). The lengths of the power cord, and TV input cord, allow the reader to be used at distances up to about 8 feet from the TV set. The reader is placed on, or can be held slightly above, the reading material. The ~2" x 3" image captured by the reader fills the TV display resulting in an overall magnification of about 7 times. This capture width suffices for newspaper columns, but requires moving the reader across the page when reading books. As the reader is moved, the refresh rate is fast enough to avoid any noticeable image lag. The six LED's built into the reader provide adequate illumination (though it would earn a full 5 stars with even more and brighter illumination). The clarity and quality of the displayed image are excellent. Color reproduction of illustrations is very good. Focus is remarkably good even when crossing from the left-hand page, across the spine, to the right page of a book. In sum, this device exceeded my expectations and is equivalent to closed-circuit TV systems costing far more.