[Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessibleAudioDescribedprogramming.

Sat Sep 21 17:54:52 UTC 2013

I think I can safely say, Gerald, and others, would like to see things 
progress at a faster rate.  Lip service is tiresome.  I see no reason why 
the blind community, can't live in a microwave world, like the sighted 
community does.
Vince

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christopher Chaltain" <chaltain at gmail.com>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2013 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] TV with Easily 
accessibleAudioDescribedprogramming.

> and your solution, other than just throwing your hands up in the air and 
> giving up because it's impossible, is what exactly?
>
> Where is Comcast going to start if it doesn't start with a prototype? How 
> can this not be seen as a step in the right direction? Should comcast not 
> be investing in this technology because Time Warner doesn't have a 
> solution for you on the shelf right now? How do you know time Warner 
> doesn't have any such plans?
>
> I don't think the FCC is as inept as you think, and the fact is that there 
> are more laws on the books right now than there has ever been in the past. 
> Obviously, execution and implementation needs to catch up, but again, I 
> don't see how having these laws on the books isn't a good idea and a step 
> in the right direction.
>
> Obviously your doom and gloom predictions are going to come true 
> sometimes. For me, I'd rather look at how my accessibility right now is 
> greater than it's ever been and keep working hard to make sure it keeps 
> getting better and the areas where it's lacking get addressed through 
> awareness and legislation.
>
> On 09/21/2013 12:02 PM, Gerald Levy wrote:
>>
>> 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
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
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>
> -- 
> Christopher (CJ)
> chaltain at Gmail
>
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