[Electronics-Talk] Altice One cable box

[Andrews, David B (DEED)]

Yes, several companies do have set-top boxes that talk. I have used the one from Comcast -- I think it is the X-1.

With large companies -- you can't always believe what customer service people say, or don't say. It is hard for a company to get a large workforce to deliver a consistent, and accurate message to customers.

They only know what they are told, or what is on the screen in front of them -- which isn't much.

Dave


Dave



David Andrews | Chief Technology Officer
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development 
State Services for the Blind
2200 University Ave West, Suite 240, St. Paul MN 55114
Direct: 651-539-2294
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-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2018 10:34 AM
To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances' <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: [Electronics-Talk] Altice One cable box

We were supposed to get a new cable box, with a remote that you can talk to, and, much more important, "voice guidance" that guides a blind person through the menus.  

The cable company website says:

Altice One: Audible UI

Altice One offers an audible UI (User Interface) that enables customers with visual disabilities to interact with the platform to discover and enjoy content.

How Voice Guidance Works

Voice Guidance "speaks" what's on the screen and includes details such as program descriptions and navigational instructions to help customers navigate the user interface decide what to watch.

Using your Altice One remote, you have the ability to independently change channels, search for shows, enable closed captioning and more by using voice commands. 

 

But all the tech people know about is talking to the remote.  They all insist that nothing will talk to me.

Do other people have some similar cable box, possibly with a different name?
Can anyone advise me? Are the tech people just ignorant, or is this yet another accessibility lie?

 

I was all excited to finally have something that actually is usable, but no.
I'm so disappointed.  My cable company's "accessibility" is a bad joke, and I'm not laughing.

Tracy