[Electronics-talk] TV with Easily accessibleAudioDescribedprogramming.

Sat Sep 21 22:11:48 UTC 2013

and in many respects it's gotten much better. 10 years ago I didn't have 
a cell phone. Five years ago, I had a cell phone where I could access 
the cell phone's features, the PIM applications and a few other 
applications to boot. Now I have a cell phone where I can access all of 
the phones functions, plus all of the PIM apps as well as hundreds of 
additional apps, such as accessible apps I can use to control my DVR and 
my home theater receiver.

I have many more options now when it comes to MP3 players and book 
readers than I did a few years ago. A lot of this can be attributed 
directly to the fforts of the NFB.

It used to be that the only computer I could access was a PC running 
Windows. Now I can use a Mac or a PC running Linux as well.

They don't talk to me, but I can use my microwave, clothes washer, 
dryer, dish washer and stove top.

I don't think any of the items you mentioned below are covered by any 
accessibility legislation or enforece by any agencies like the FCC.

I'm sure there are a few areas for me where accessibility has taken a 
step backwards, but I can't think of any, and I definitely don't dwell 
on them. Maybe I'm just fortunate though.

On 09/21/2013 12:59 PM, Gerald Levy wrote:
>
> 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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-- 
Christopher (CJ)
chaltain at Gmail