[Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes

Fri Jun 22 21:37:46 UTC 2012

Well, I've taken a proactive approach.

I call Comcast, who is my cable provider, and had them walk me through getting to the SAP setting.  they did a fairly good job considering they didn't even know about what was happening on July 1st.  

the other thing was that I had just enough vision to tell her what square was highlighted, so it was a little easier to manage.  Had I not had some vision, as little as it is, I think we wouldn't have been able to do it.  But not for lack of trying on the party of the Customer Service Rep.

I also asked her if she could escalate the issue of a non-accessible cable box for the blind and that since this descriptive video thing was going to get more and more prominentt, that we needed to have some other options to be able to switch our cable boxes to SAP, if not make them accessible.

The representative told me that she would indeed escalate the issue, and to ask all that have con cast, and all that didn't, to call and escalate the issue too so that we could make some real noise with the company.

Just an update and have a great weekend.

Jenny 
On Jun 20, 2012, at 8:42 AM, Larry Wayland wrote:

> what would you all per pose we do?
> Larry
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of cheez
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 12:08 AM
> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes
> 
> Right on, Gerald!  My sentiments exactly.
> Vince
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gerald Levy" <bwaylimited at verizon.net>
> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 6:21 AM
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes
> 
> 
>> 
>> I've got news for you.  All the work that went into passing this law is
>> probably for nothing, because, from what I can determine, this law has no
>> teeth.  Oh sure, you can file complaints with the FCC starting in 2013,
>> but will that really change anything?  There is nothing in this law that
>> applies criminal penalties for failing to make cable boxes, cell phones
>> and the like accessible to the blind.  The manufacturers and purveyors of
>> these products will simply pay  nominal fines for violating the provisions
>> of the law and pass these costs on to their customers.  My cable bill is
>> already outrageously high.  If my cable company is forced to pay a fine
>> for failing to make its equipment accessible and then raises my cable bill
>> to cover it, how does this benefit me?  Everyone likes to think that
>> making converter boxes accessible by adding speech output is a simple
>> task,but until the cable companies agree on universal standards for their
>> boxes, they will never be made accessible, no matter what the FCC
>> mandates. Besides, consumers have been complaining to the FCC for years
>> about the outrageously high cost of cable TV.  Have they ever investigated
>> the cable industry's pricing practices?  Of course not, because the cable
>> companies are absolute monopolies with friends in high places. For all
>> intents and purposes, the FCC, like the SEC, is a Mickey Mouse agency with
>> no real authority to do anything.
>> 
>> Gerald
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Larry Wayland" <larry.wayland at arkansas.gov>
>> To: "'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'"
>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 8:22 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes
>> 
>> 
>>> The law gives developers and manufactures two years to get tooled up to
>>> start producing accessible equipment.  If after October 2013 we find that
>>> there is not accessible cable boxes, cell phones, ect. We had better file
>>> complaints. If we don't, all the work that went into passing this law
>>> will be for nothing.
>>> Larry
>>> Larry
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>> [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Levy
>>> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 4:26 PM
>>> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes
>>> 
>>> 
>>> So we can file complaints with the FCC in 2013.  Whoopee! That ought to
>>> scare the bejeebers out of those greedy cable company executives.  If a
>>> certain Republican candidate wins the presidential election, it won't
>>> matter
>>> anyway, because this individual would like to dismantle a lot of
>>> government
>>> agencies and reduce federal regulations which he claims hurt the economy.
>>> So the FCC could wind up even more ineffective than it already is.
>>> 
>>> Gerald
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Larry Wayland" <larry.wayland at arkansas.gov>
>>> To: "'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'"
>>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 5:12 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/setup boxes
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010
>>>> (2010;
>>>> I think the above act will help with the problem you are discussing.
>>>> If I remember right  the companies have until October 2013 to come into
>>>> compliance. Then consumers will be able to file complaints with the FCC.
>>>> Larry
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>> [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Levy
>>>> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 3:07 PM
>>>> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/settop boxes
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> No, the cable companies will carry the SAP signal.  But the problem is
>>>> that
>>>> most of us won't be able to turn it on or off because their converter
>>>> boxes
>>>> are not accessible,  and their remotes have no dedicated SAP button, a
>>>> problem the cable companies have absolutely no interest in addressing.
>>>> So
>>>> for all intents and purposes, it won't make any difference whether or
>>>> not
>>>> the cable companies carry described audio programming on the SAP channel
>>>> because without sighted help, most of us  won't be able to access it.
>>>> 
>>>> Gerald
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Brett Boyer" <bboyer202 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>>>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 2:52 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/settop boxes
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> Wait a minute. So you mean we'll still have to fight to get s A p
>>>>> carried
>>>>> through the greedy cable companies? When nbc and fox and everybody
>>>>> roles
>>>>> out this supposed new thing the cable companies will have to be
>>>>> persuaded
>>>>> to carry the signal too? If that's the case than that is going to be an
>>>>> uphill battle.
>>>>> I really hope thats not the case.
>>>>> bb
>>>>> 
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
>>>>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>>>>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 4:20 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/settop boxes
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Now that's interesting that you should mention that about their Iphone
>>>>>> app.  When I tried it, it was an accessibility disaster.  I could see
>>>>>> that I had recorded shows but couldn't read the titles to save my
>>>>>> life.
>>>>>> This was around March of 2010.  Maybe I'll have to give it another
>>>>>> look
>>>>>> then. I have tried and tried to pursuade AT&T U-verse to pass  through
>>>>>> the SAP channel for my locals but the only one they will do that for
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> channel 12, my local PBS.  Ain't given' up though.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> It, however, is true that one can turn on SAP with relative eas using
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> AT&T U-verse remote.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Skype name:
>>>>>> barefootedray
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Jun 18, 2012, at 12:43 AM, Brett Boyer wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> es! And thanks to barefooted Ray. The way to turn sap on and off with
>>>>>>> at&t u-verse remote. Not to mention that there i-phone app is 70
>>>>>>> perdent
>>>>>>> accessible. Enough to view and record shows. It's not perfect butt
>>>>>>> maybe
>>>>>>> with a letter to the developers it could be.
>>>>>>> Anyway just throwing this one out there.
>>>>>>> bb
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenny Keller"
>>>>>>> <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>>>>>>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 3:01 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Cable/settop boxes
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Just for anyone's knowledge.  Comcast has it to where you can
>>>>>>>> program
>>>>>>>> your DVR and watch on demand programs on the computer, also, if you
>>>>>>>> have an iPhone, and you have a compatible box for the xfinity ap,
>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>> can do the programming of the DVR, and control your TV and voiceover
>>>>>>>> works with that.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Just for people who didn't know that.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> It doesn't do me any good to have the ap on my iPhone, cause I don't
>>>>>>>> have a compatible box, but I use the on demand thing if I miss a
>>>>>>>> show
>>>>>>>> or something.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I don't know about with JAWS or window eyes, but I know that the
>>>>>>>> site,
>>>>>>>> I believe it's xfinitytv.net, or you can just call comcast itself to
>>>>>>>> ask what the site name is to get to on demand is, and it's very
>>>>>>>> accessible with voiceover.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Jenny
>>>>>>>> On Jun 15, 2012, at 6:55 AM, from tim aune wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> If you have comcasts converter boxes for older tv's, they have an
>>>>>>>>> SAP
>>>>>>>>> button on the supplied remote.  I think that the boxes for HD tv
>>>>>>>>> boxes
>>>>>>>>> make you go into the menue to get to the SAP service.
>>>>>>>>> Tim Aune
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: John Riehl
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 6:42 AM
>>>>>>>>> To: 'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'
>>>>>>>>> Subject: [Electronics-talk] Cable/settop boxes
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> I just read the announcement re more descriptive audio being
>>>>>>>>> available
>>>>>>>>> soon.
>>>>>>>>> That's great!
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> I'm curious what the status is of the cable companies and TV
>>>>>>>>> manufacturers
>>>>>>>>> providing accessible settop boxes. I've tried contacting comcast
>>>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>>>> can't
>>>>>>>>> find a contact info; I'm not sure where to start with Verizon. What
>>>>>>>>> are NFB
>>>>>>>>> and orgs like AFB doing in this regard?
>>>>>>>>> I'm tired of paying for services I  can't use, much less not being
>>>>>>>>> able to
>>>>>>>>> navigate my tv's menu. I know about the talking Panasonic tv's
>>>>>>>>> being
>>>>>>>>> available in Great Britain; are they available here in the US?
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Thanks for any info anyone has!
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Panasonic
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> John Riehl
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>> 
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>> 
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