[Electronics-Talk] Audio description on streaming TV

[Peter]

Hello Rick and everyone,

Having the ability to turn AD on or off and to be notified whether a
particular program includes AD simply by asking your device's PDA to do this
would be a big time-saver. No need to fumble through settings just to turn
AD for a particular program on or off assuming you must do so for everything
you watch. Turning AD on or off globally is also a big time-saver. This is
big for those with limited use of their hands making using a tv remote
difficult. It's not just the blind that would benefit from being able to
control AD and other accessibility settings via their voice.

	Disney appears to be going back and adding audio description to
their productions. I was surprised to learn that some of the True Life
Adventures now include AD as does their Disney Nature Series. I watch the
Disney Nature Program Crimson Wings several years ago without AD. There were
long gaps of no dialogue. The addition of AD allows a blind viewer to know a
lot more of what the flamingos are doing in this documentary. We watched it
with AD last night. What a difference! Now to see if National Geographic is
doing the same with their programs. Many of the newer ones include AD.
Savage Kingdom is a yearly must watch. The later seasons included AD. Now to
see if National Geographic has added AD to their older programs. All the
best.

Peter Donahue


	 

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of
Rik James (MT) via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Saturday, April 6, 2024 1:21 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances'
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: rixmix2009 at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Audio description on streaming TV

Tracy and everyone,

I took a plunge and subscribed to a bunch of these streaming services over
the last year. 
It is sort of how I tried to evaluate which one or two that I Might choose
to keep.
So if it helps anyone, I will pass along this report.

I am using the Amazon Fire Stick 4K, the latest one that came out last fall.
If someone uses the Roku, I would like to anyone who can compare them.

On some of these platforms, once you turn ON Audio Description in the
Settings, the feature will remain ON your selected program. In other words
you will not have to go and turn them on for each film or show. 
Peacock TV, Apple TV, and MAX, they all do this, in my experience over the
past year. 

The balance of sound is not always the best. Sometimes the A D is too loud
and the dialogue is too soft, etc. But that is another rabbit hole. I will
say that Apple TV and MAX do have the best balance of sound on my Fire
Stick.


Paramount+, on the other hand, I need to go and turn on the A D nearly 
Paramount+each
time.  At least each time I log on. 
Netflix, also seems to always need to be turned ON. 

But even so, there is the rare incidence when a show will not have it, the A
D, turned ON. And for each of these, the way to get into the Settings is not
always the same.  It takes some jiggering with the up and down and left and
right on the remote, to get there. But by now I have almost learned how to
do it on each.

It is also the case with both of these, that you will need to look at the
Menu on the program itself, to discover if A D is available for that
program. 

I had the HULU service for about six months. And as I recall, once you
turned on the A D feature, each program would have it turned on if it was
available.

In the MAX service setup, I like how easy it is to tell if a program has the
A D available. You can just up arrow and it is stated quickly in the program
description.

For me, it is now a strong factor, the decision whether to watch a show or
not, based on the availability of the A D feature.
It can take a lot of time to do what I am calling "Shopping," going through
the array of movies and films, and putting them in the Watch List,  

On some of these platforms, after wandering down through many many genres
and suggestions of what they suggest that you watch, you can find a category
just exclusively listing programs with Audio Description. This is dandy. But
like I say, I have not found a way to get to that list easily.

The two streaming platforms which are still quite falling short of having
very much A D, are AMC+ and SHOWTIME. Although some of the new original
programs on SHOWTIME are starting to provide it.
As a big fan of Mad Men, I really would like to put a bug in Matthew
Weiner's ear to get on it!

I have left out Disney+ and ESPN+. I had Disney+ long enough to see the
Peter Jackson film Get Back with The Beatles. But that is now several years
ago. At the time, their A D was good.

To any fans of the popular TV drama, Yellowstone, filmed in the state where
I reside, I can report, that Peacock TV has all five seasons now with Audio
Description. This was not so at first. So it is a pleasure to now view it
again, and hear much detail of the landscape and actions. The two
pre-Yellowstone programs, 1883, and 1923, also have A D, and are on
Paramount+.

Finally, one other thing, but not to do with the A D. It is that, I am
finding that more and more being a complete cord cutter, leaving cable and
satellite, is possible, if you are willing to wait 24 hours, to see some of
the news and talking head shows. NBC and MSNBC on Peacock, CBS on Paramount,
CNN on MAX, ABC on Hulu.  The only thing is that I guess that C-SPAN, C-SPAN
2, will likely not be on a streaming service, even though you can use their
app on a phone or on their website. Since this network is originally funded
by the cable system,  unlikely for it to be part of the streaming deice app
offerings. I hope that I am wrong. As a citizen who values this, I very much
advocate for it.


That is my report. I may have flubbed up on a point or two. But this is my
current working model of reality in the ever changing world of streaming.

Best of luck to all.
Rik James
  
  





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