[Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessibleAudioDescribedprogramming.

Sat Sep 21 17:59:48 UTC 2013

I don't see it that way,  Indeed, in many respects, accessibility has 
actually become worse for us blind consumers over the past few years.  There 
used to be a few different talking microwave ovens on the market, but now 
there is only one.  There used to be a few talking AM/FM clock radios on the 
market, but now there is only one, and even that model may soon become 
unavailable.  There used to be an audible battery tester on the market that 
could test hearing aid and button cell batteries, but it was discontinued a 
long time ago and now there is no way for those of us blind consumers who 
wear hearing aids to check battery status without using an expensive talking 
multimeter, if they are even still available, or getting sighted help.  . 
How is this a step in the right direction? You can enact all the laws you 
want, but what good are they if they lack teeth?

Gerald

----- 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 1:32 PM
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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>
> -- 
> Christopher (CJ)
> chaltain at Gmail
>
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