The RNIB Accord combination USB player and Bluetooth speaker is designed specifically for blind and partially sighted users, with easy-to-use tactile controls, easy-to-locate ports, bookmarking features, and chapter skipping function.

You can use this small and highly portable device to listen to Talking Books on USB and any other audio via Bluetooth – including music, podcasts, BBC Sounds, and Audible audiobooks.

If your RNIB Accord is not working as expected there are some simple steps you can take that will resolve the most common issues.

My player will not turn on or looks like it is not charging 

If you hear the battery low announcement twice, then you must charge the unit after the second voice prompt is heard. If the battery level drops below 3.3 volts, then the speaker will be muted until it is charged. Once the charger is connected the time will vary for the battery level to return to 3.3 volts or higher, and during this time the player may appear that it is not charging. 

Please follow these steps: 

  1. Plug the USB-C charging cable into the player. 
  2. Leave it on charge for at least 15 minutes. 
  3. Keep the charger plugged in, and press the power button to turn the player on. 

If the battery was completely drained, the player may need to be left on charge for up to 30 minutes before it turns on. 

The player still does not respond 

If the player does not turn on after charging for one hour try the following: 

  • Check the charger cable is firmly plugged in. 
  • Try a different wall socket. 
  • Make sure the power is switched on at the socket. 
  • Try a different USB-C charging cable. 

My USB memory stick is not playing any books 

If your USB memory stick is not working, it may need to be reformatted. This will remove everything from the stick. 

Important: Before you start, save your books on your computer. 

How to reformat a USB memory stick on a Windows PC:

  1. Put the USB stick into your computer. 
  2.  Open File Explorer. 
  3. Locate the USB stick from the list of drives and copy all files and place them on your computer in another location. 
  4. Move back to the USB drive in Explorer, then bring up the context menu options for the USB drive and choose Format. 
  5. Choose FAT32 (or exFAT if FAT32 is not shown). 
  6. Select Start and wait for it to finish. 
  7. Copy your files back on to your stick. 
  8. Remove the USB stick safely. 

How to reformat a USB memory stick on a Mac:

  1. Insert the USB stick into your Mac. 
  2. Open Disk Utility. 
  3. Select the USB stick from the list of available options and copy the files from the stick to another location on your Mac. 
  4. Move back to your USB stick and choose Erase. 
  5. Set the format to MS-DOS (FAT). 
  6. Select Erase and wait for it to finish. 
  7. Add your books back on to your USB stick. 
  8. Remove the USB stick safely. 
  9. Checking your reformatted stick is working 

Once your books are copied back on to the USB stick from your computer, insert the stick back into the RNIB Accord player. Turn the player on and check it plays as expected. 

Contact us for further support

If your player still does not work after following these steps, please contact RNIB for further help by calling 0303 123 9999 or emailing helpline@rnib.org.uk

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