[Electronics-Talk] Accessible TV

[carcione at access.net]

Thanks Gerald.  We have Optimum, or whatever they're calling themselves this month.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 9:41 AM
To: Tracy Carcione via Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Gerald Levy <bwaylimited at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible TV


No, the cable box still controls most of the functions of your TV, so it doesn't matter whether the TV itself has voice guidance capability, and buying a new set will make no difference.  I never even bothered to turn on voice guidance on my Samsung 32 inch TV, because all the important functions are controlled by my Spectrum cable box, which does not have voice guidance or speech output, which doesn't matter to me.  I am more concerned about the remote, and I use their big button remote to control both my TV and the cable box,because it is easy to navigate by touch. Spectrum claims that this particular remote is not compatible with their accessible cable box, the remote for which is a nightmare to navigate by touch. The only features controlled by the TV itself are the power on/of, volume up/down and mute, which are programmed into the big button remote.  Everything else is controlled by the cable box, including channel selection and onscreen menu options. So if you need a new cable box, be sure to request an accessible one from your cable company and insist that it be installed by one of their technicians, and be sure the remote is easy to navigate by touch and doesn't have a zillion buttons of similar size and shape.  After all, that's why you are paying their outrageous monthly fees in the first place.   Which cable company do you have?


Gerald



On 4/15/2025 9:08 AM, Tracy Carcione via Electronics-Talk wrote:
> Currently, my accessibility to my TV is built into the cable box, 
> which is getting pretty old, but I'm afraid to switch to the "latest and greatest"
> because the schmoes at the cable company can't tell me if the new box 
> is accessible.
>
> Am I right in thinking that, if I get a TV with voice guidance built 
> in, like a small Samsung, that it won't matter what cable box is 
> plugged into it?
>
> Or, alternatively, I see that Youtube TV has most of the channels I 
> want on it, and Youtube is built into Amazon Fire TVs, according to 
> the AccessOn podcast.  Can I play audio descriptions on Youtube TV?  
> If so, can I turn it on so they automatically play if they're available?
>
>   
>
> And if people have other remarks about TV accessibility, I'm interested.
>
> Tracy
>
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