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Introducing the PageBlaster Embosser

The American Printing House (APH) has partnered with HumanWare to bring an embosser to Quota for the first time ever. Meet PageBlaster: a powerful braille embosser for continuous fanfold paper.

PageBlaster’s tractor-fed design provides smooth paper handling and produces double-sided interpoint braille. Use PageBlaster to emboss PRN files from APH’s free online Tactile Graphics Image Library or create your own using the included Firebird tactile graphics software.

Detailed embosser set-up and other tutorial videos help make using your embosser in the classroom or at home as easy and efficient as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • APH’s PageBlaster increases use of braille in the classroom by providing a high quality, effective, and affordable embosser that is available on quota.

  • General education teachers with students with VI in their classrooms, TVIs, disability offices, and anyone who needs to make large amounts of braille quickly would benefit from having/using PageBlaster.

    • Is easy to setup and use due to user-focused documentation and customer support.
    • Includes APH branding.
    • Is available on Quota.
    • Includes links to training videos.
    • Integrates with Firebird graphics software.
    • Includes speech feedback, which makes it easy to use and accessible without reverting to a desktop computer or mobile device.

  • Weight: 16.72 lbs

    Height: 5.12 in.

    Width: 20.47 in.

    Depth: 10.24 in.

  • The PageBlaster shipping box dimensions are 13.75” W x 10.875” H x 23.25” L.

    • Integration and support of APH BrailleBlaster’s .BBZ files
    • Easy setup and use due to user-focused documentation and customer support
    • APH branding
    • Available on Quota
    • Links to professionally narrated and accessible training videos
    • Integration with Firebird graphics software
    • APH-branded PageBlaster USB flash drive
    • Formally field tested by TVIs, transcribers, and vision professionals in the U.S.
    • APH-branded shipping box
    • PageBlaster is faster, louder, and produces a more limited quality of tactile graphics than PixBlaster.
    • PageBlaster is ideal as a school’s work-horse embosser, churning out a lot of braille regularly. It can do graphics, but is limited to PRNs and lower quality images.
    • PixBlaster can do multiple dot heights. PageBlaster cannot.
    • PageBlaster has an easier to use hardware interface. Users are able to do a lot from an interface that is mostly familiar and easy to understand. They can emboss, change settings, and get updates. Getting updates is almost entirely automatic and pain-free, which is a rare quality in embossers.
    • Setting up wirelessly is easier on PageBlaster because you can access and hear the IP address directly from the embosser. The PixBlaster requires a monitor or plugging in the speaker and power cycling the unit.

  • Yes, PageBlaster is small, portable, and easy to set up. It is designed to produce a large amount of braille quickly, so it is ideal for teachers who may need to print a lot of braille but may not have a lot of extra time to do so.

  • Yes, PageBlaster is small, portable, and capable of printing large amounts of braille quickly, so it is ideal for college disability offices, churches, or even home offices.

  • https://www.aph.org/product/pageblaster

  • The QR code is located at the bottom of the Quick-Start guide, which is included in the box with your PageBlaster.

  • The PageBlaster User Guide is included on the flash drive, which is included in the box with your PageBlaster. It is also included on the PageBlaster shopping page at https://www.aph.org/product/pageblaster/.

    • PageBlaster embosser
    • North American power adapter cord (Type B)
    • 2 International power adapter cords (Types F and G)
    • Power supply
    • USB-A to USB-B printer cable
    • PageBlaster USB flash drive (includes driver, User Guide, and software)
    • Print and braille Quick-Start guides
    • Hardcopy tactile graphic/braille samples

  • Yes, if any damage occurred during shipping, the packaging is required to settle the insurance claim. The packaging materials are also required to ship the embosser for service. When packing the embosser, carefully wrap tape around the box to prevent the bottom from falling out during shipping.

  • The transport lock keeps the embosser’s parts in place while it is being shipped. It must be removed before you use your embosser. It must also be put back in place before shipping the unit, or the embosser’s ability to emboss braille could be compromised.

  • The flash drive contains:

    • The Windows printer driver
    • PageBlaster User Guide
    • Additional software (Firebird and BrailleBlaster)

  • Yes, 8.5″ x 11″ or 11.5″ x 11″ continuous tractor-feed paper is required.

    APH currently offers tractor-feed braille paper with Quota Federal funds (Catalog No. 1-04140-01).

    Also available from APH with Quota Federal funds are Braillable Labels and Sheets: 8.5 x 11 tractor-feed clear self-adhesive sheets and labels (Catalog Number: 1-08875-00).

  • In theory, PageBlaster handles an unlimited length of paper. However, for practical reasons, the Menu is limited to 24″ length. Paper is physically limited to 12.5″ width, with a minimum 4″ width. Between these parameters, all the combinations of length and width are available for use.

    PageBlaster embosser supports paperweight of 80-125 lbs.

  • Because of the web interface, any device that can access a webpage is compatible with this embosser.

    Windows XP

    Vista

    Windows 7, 8, and 10

    Printer driver for Mac and Linux

    Web interface

  • FireBird Tactile Graphics Suite 31.0 or later

    BrailleBlaster 1.25 or later

    Duxbury 12.5 or later

    Braille 2000 2.275 or later

  • Yes, PageBlaster also allows you to emboss BBZ files, made by BrailleBlaster, directly through the web interface instead of having to create a BRF.

  • Firebird is used to open, edit, and create tactile graphics. It is included on the PageBlaster flash drive that comes in the box when shipped.

  • 140 CPS

  • 15 DPI

  • Yes.

  • Remove the paper carefully from the front of the embosser and then the back. You may need to use a playing card, folded piece of braille paper, or other thin item as a shim to help remove excess debris.

    • Send an email to cs@aph.org; or
    • Call APH Customer Service at +1 (800) 223-1839.

  • Yes. PageBlaster has a PC and Mac driver; mobile devices can use the web interface.

  • USB

    WPS

    Wi-fi

    Wired network

    Bluetooth

  • Yes. It does have a section that relies on vision of lights, but you can access this information through the menu as well.

  • Yes.

  • For international sales, please refer to the Humanware website for the Index Basic-D embosser (https://store.humanware.com/heu/index-everest-d-v5-embosser.html).

  • The PageBlaster catalog number is 1-08075-00.

  • In addition to support material available on our webpage, you can contact American Printing House (APH) for your technical support questions.

    • Send an email to cs@aph.org; or
    • Call APH Customer Service at +1 (800) 223-1839.

  • Yes. HumanWare provides a warranty covering parts and labor on any part found defective through normal use of the Product within two years from the date the Product is shipped to the customer.

  • Yes, PageBlaster is compatible with:

    FireBird Tactile Graphics Suite 31.0 or later

    BrailleBlaster 1.25 or later

    Duxbury 12.5 or later

    Braille 2000 2.275 or later

    Braille note takers such as the Braille Note Touch and Braille Note Touch Plus.

    Any web interface that is compatible with most popular web browsers (i.e., Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc.)

  • Yes. PageBlaster uses Firebird software. It imports PRNs, which are low resolution graphics. For higher resolution graphics, which usually comes as PDFs, your best bet is to take a screen shot of the graphic, open it in Firebird, and make edits as needed.

  • Yes. To the far right of the Control panel is the speaker through which the text-to-speech (TTS) provides speech feedback. The speech feedback uses English mode by default and may be changed into other languages from the Control panel.

    PageBlaster embosser uses Acapela synthetic speech, which supports the following languages: English (India, U.K., U.S.), Arabic (UAE), Chinese (China), Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French (France), German, Greek, Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Caribbean, Colombia, Mexico, Spain), Swedish, and Turkish.