[Electronics-talk] descriptive TV

Wed Dec 12 19:37:39 UTC 2012

So what do you suggest? I think this is far better than just throwing up
our hands and giving up because it's too difficult. I think we're seeing
change, I think this is part of it and I think things will be better for
the blind in this area in the future. Of course, only time will show if
I'm right or not.

On 12/12/12 09:51, Gerald Levy wrote:
> 
> If this is true, then why does Time Warner, my cable provider, claim
> that it knows nothing about any legal requirement to offer accessible
> cable boxes? To be perfectly blunt, I think this law is a big waste of
> time, and absolutely nothing will come of it.  So what if the cable
> providers refuse to comply?  Are their executives going to be arrested
> and prosecuted for violating the civil rights of their disabled
> customers?  Of course not. Will the companies be fined?  Maybe.  And if
> they're fined, they'll simply pass the cost along to their customers in
> the form of higher monthly cable bills. And we blind customers will
> still be unable to access described programming. So file all the
> complaints you want with the FCC if it makes you feel better, but you
> can be sure that the fat-ass bureaucrats there will simply shrug them off.
> 
> Gerald
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Wayland"
> <larry.wayland at arkansas.gov>
> To: "'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'"
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 9:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] descriptive TV
> 
> 
>> I believe it is the Twenty first century communications and video  act
>> of 2010 that says formal complaints can be filed after October of
>> 2013.  The law was signed by the president in August of 2010 and
>> companies have  two years from that time to get their  equipment in
>> compliance.  My understanding the law includes all communications
>> equipment. It doesn't mean all models a company produces has to be
>> accessible, but they have to offer models that are.
>> Larry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Gerald Levy
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 6:12 AM
>> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] descriptive TV
>>
>>
>> So waht?  We still can't access this described programming because
>> there is no way to navigate the onscreen menus of most cable boxes and
>> digital TV's without sighted help to turn on the SAP channel that
>> carries the descriptive audio. And most remote controls no longer have
>> a dedicated SAP button, either.
>>
>> Gerald
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "A. Chew" <a1chew at hotmail.com>
>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 9:58 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] descriptive TV
>>
>>
>>> On August 25, 2011, the FCC was finally able to vote (unanimously) to
>>> reinstate video description, effective July 1, 2012.  ABC, CBS, Fox,
>>> NBC,
>>> USA, the Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon, and TBS are each required to
>>> provide 50 hours of video-described prime time or children's programming
>>> per calendar quarter.
>>>
>>> full text may be found at below link
>>> http://www.acb.org/adp/tv.html
>>>
>>> at the bottom of the linked page will be links to file a complaint with
>>> the FCC.
>>>
>>> I was surprised to received a call from Comcast a few weeks after
>>> filing a
>>> complain.
>>> issue is still open... (not resolved)  but Comcast claims they are
>>> working
>>> on it....
>>>
>>>
>>> A. Chew
>>>
>>> .
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ashley Bramlett"
>>> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 6:05 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] descriptive TV
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>> this is bad news. You're saying that time warner and
>>>> Comcast are not providing descriptive audio when its now the law.
>>>> I cannot speak for cox cable as I have not asked. But I suspect when I
>>>> do, they will have no clue.
>>>> what it is either.
>>>>
>>>> My parents can read the options on the screen and we never see
>>>> descriptive audio. So like
>>>> Mariea said, I suspect that descriptive tv doesn't exist either for me.
>>>>
>>>> If I cannot get it, is there a way to file a complaint with the FCC and
>>>> how?
>>>> Is there a way to download descriptive tv shows from online? even if
>>>> its
>>>> paid, I'd like to have old shows.
>>>>
>>>> Ashley
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Mariea Harris
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 7:04 PM
>>>> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] descriptive TV
>>>>
>>>> Time Warner Cable doesn't support audio description either. When I read
>>>> up
>>>> on audio description, it said that cable companies use analog and that
>>>> satellite uses something else, but I forget what. It seems that the
>>>> only
>>>> way
>>>> you can get audio description here in the states is via satellite
>>>> TV. We
>>>> turned on SAP on our TV and nothing happens. I doubt Time Warner has
>>>> any
>>>> clue what audio description is either, so I've not bothered asking.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Mariea and Valiant
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Electronics-talk mailing list
>>>> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Electronics-talk:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Electronics-talk mailing list
>>>> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Electronics-talk:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/a1chew%40hotmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Electronics-talk mailing list
>>> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Electronics-talk:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/bwaylimited%40verizon.net
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Electronics-talk mailing list
>> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Electronics-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/larry.wayland%40arkansas.gov
>>
>>
>> NOTICE:
>> The Arkansas Department of Human Services has determined that this
>> message may contain  confidential or otherwise protected
>> information. We have used transport encryption to help protect this
>> message while in transit to you. Please take all reasonable
>> measures to protect any protected or confidential data that might
>> be in this message, including the limitation of re-disclosure to
>> the minimum number of recipients necessary. Please report any
>> inappropriate disclosure to https://dhs.arkansas.gov/reporting or
>> as required by law.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Electronics-talk mailing list
>> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Electronics-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/bwaylimited%40verizon.net
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Electronics-talk mailing list
> Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Electronics-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/chaltain%40gmail.com
> 

-- 
Christopher (CJ)
chaltain at Gmail