[Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessible AudioDescribedprogramming.

[Gerald Levy]

This podcast merely demonstrated a prototype of a possible future cable box 
design.  It did not demonstrate the features of a cable box that is 
available right now to Comcast customers, nor did it offer "proof" that the 
introduction of such a device is imminent.  Indeed, nowhere in the podcast 
did I hear the Comcast rep mention when this talking cable box would become 
available to any blind or disabled customer who requests one.  I can tell 
you that Time Warner, the cable provider that I am stuck with has no plans 
to offer such a talking cable box in the foreseeable future.  Nor will they 
be forced to do so.  Last month, they blacked out CBS for millions of their 
customers over a contract dispute despite the fact that the FCC "must carry" 
rule requires them to provide all local, over-the-air channels to their 
customers.  Was Time Warner punished for its egregious action?  Of course 
not, because the FCC is totally inept and ineffectual as a regulatory 
agency.  So if Time Warner and its other cable rivals fail to comply with 
the new FCC rules that require them to offer accessible cable boxes, what is 
going to happen?  Are they going to be fined?  Maybe, but not likely.  Are 
their executives going to face criminal prosecution for violating the civil 
rights of their blind and disabled customers?  Of course not.  So excuse me 
if you find my cynicism annoying.  Remember all the hoopla over the Insignia 
Narrator talking HD radio when it was first demonstrated last year?  I 
skeptically predicted that it would be discontinued within a year.  How did 
that work out?  Did Best Buy make any kind of concerted effort to find a new 
manufacturer for this product when the original one decided to stop making 
it?  I don't think so.  And Panasonic demonstrated a prototype of a TV with 
talking menus in Europe a few years ago, but it never became available in 
the US, and earlier this year  it announced plans to exit the consumer 
electronics market altogether. Have any other manufactures demonstrated TV 
sets with talking menus in this country?  I am not aware of any.   We blind 
consumers have been screwed over too many times before, so I see no reason 
to believethat things will be any different this time around.  Sorry, but I 
have to tell it like it is.  And if you find my messages annoying, simply 
hit the delete key on your precious Mac.

Gerald


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2013 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessible 
AudioDescribedprogramming.


> You are wrong, and, frankly, starting to annoy me!!!  In your message, you 
> say, in part:
>
> :The idea that accessible set-top boxes and TV's are coming soon thanks to 
> FCC rules adopted a few years ago is sheer fantasy.  It just ain't gonna 
> happen".
>
> Oh yeah?  Well, you are wrong.   here is proof!
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNTL-3fj6HI
>
> Your constant negativism is getting on my very last nerve.
>
>
> Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind 
> built-in!
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray
> Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user!
>
> On Sep 21, 2013, at 7:11 AM, "Gerald Levy" <bwaylimited at verizon.net> 
> wrote:
>
>>
>> This seems to be the Holy Grail of home electronic devices for blind 
>> consumers like us.  I have yet to find a flat panel LcD or plasma TV that 
>> has a dedicated button on the remote control for turning the SAP channel 
>> on and off.  They all require navigating through a bunch of onscreen 
>> menus to accomplish this, which, of course, requires sighted help.  And 
>> if you have cable or satellite TV like most of us, it doesn't matter 
>> whether the TV itself has an easy way to turn SAP on and off because the 
>> SAP channel is sent by the provider and controlled by the set-top box, 
>> which, again requires sighted help to navigate its onscreen menus.  The 
>> idea that accessible set-top boxes and TV's are coming soon thanks to FCC 
>> rules adopted a few years ago is sheer fantasy.  It just ain't gonna 
>> happen.  When I ask the customer service reps at Time Warner Cable when 
>> they will have a blind accessible cable box available, they just start 
>> muttering huh,and what's that.  So if accessible boxes ever become
> available , nobody at the cable companies will be aware of them anyway. 
> Such are the travails of being a blind consumer in the 21st century.
>>
>> Gerald
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Cassell" 
>> <ApolloSeven at Earthlink.net>
>> To: <Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2013 12:47 AM
>> Subject: [Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessible Audio 
>> Describedprogramming.
>>
>>
>>> I am looking for a new TV.  It must have a very easily accessible SAP 
>>> (second audio program) feature for being able to easily access audio 
>>> described programming.
>>>
>>> Does such a thing exist?  If so, what is it, and where can I buy it?
>>>
>>> Thanks for any help you can provide!
>>>
>>> -- George
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/rforetjr%40att.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/bwaylimited%40verizon.net