[gui-talk] Fwd: more TV providers provide talking menus for blind subscribers

Wed Dec 28 17:17:27 UTC 2016

The talking guide that Direct TV has with their Geni receivers has been for a couple of years and I did not know of it until this week when I saw a post about it.  Thanks to the person to posted.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jen via gui-talk 
  To: 'Discussion of the Graphical User Interface,GUI Talk Mailing List' 
  Cc: Jen 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 12:10 PM
  Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: more TV providers provide talking menus for blind subscribers

  Hi everyone,

  This is a very enlightening discussion. In my opinion, it isn't a minority
  thing, it's about universal accessibility. Everyone, blind or not, has their
  own additional needs.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: gui-talk [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Doug Lee
  via gui-talk
  Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 11:42 AM
  To: Mike Arrigo via gui-talk <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
  Cc: Doug Lee <dgl at dlee.org>
  Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: more TV providers provide talking menus for
  blind subscribers

  "There is no difference between theory and practice, in theory; but there is
  in practice." --anon

  I agree with you in theory but, in practice, blind folks voting with dollars
  is like pebbles voting against an avalanch in progress. Legislation really
  is required to make things work for minorities sometimes, and we are one of
  those minorities. Of course, I prefer persuasion over force as well.

  On Wed, Dec 28, 2016 at 10:41:58AM -0500, Mike Arrigo via gui-talk wrote:
  I actually agree with less government regulation, right now we have so much
  regulation in this country that it's discouraging anyone from running
  businesses here. I'm not just talking about telecommunication, but in
  general.
  The best thing to do is to get these companies to realize that blind people
  are also consumers and that making their services accessible is the right
  thing to do, in short, they should do this because they want to, not because
  they have to. Of course, some companies will not do this no matter what, and
  in that case, you vote with your dollar and take your business elsewhere.
  Original message:

  >Well, you can essentially kiss the Telecommunications Accessibility Act
  >goodbye.  The current FCC Chairman, Tom Wheeler, whill be stepping down on
  >Jan. 20, and his successor, appointed by the incoming president-elect is
  >likely to favor less government regulationof the airwaves and minimal
  >enforcement of FCC rules. So there will not be any pressure on the cable
  >companies or TV manufacturers to make their products blind accessible.
  >Anyone who believes otherwise is living in a dream world.  So unless your
  >cable provider already offers accessible boxes, you will probably have a
  >very long wait to get one.  Spectrum Cable, which has been bombarding local
  >TV stations in New York City to introduce itself and proclaim ""a new day"
  >for cable TV service, still has absolutely no plans to offer accessible
  >boxes any time soon, and now there will be little pressure on them to do
  so.

  >Gerald

  >-----Original Message-----
  >From: David Andrews via gui-talk
  >Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2016 8:12 PM
  >To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
  >Cc: David Andrews
  >Subject: [gui-talk] Fwd: more TV providers provide talking menus for blind
  >subscribers

  >The area of accessible television is getting more
  >activity of late -- this information may interest you.

  >Dave

  >>From: Ray Foret jr <rforet7706 at comcast.net>
  >>Subject: more TV providors provide talking menus for blind subscribers
  >>Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2016 02:50:28 -0600
  >>To: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>

  >>Greetings,
  >>As we all know, the Federal Communications Commission has inacted the
  >>Telecommunications act which requires provision for talking menu and or
  >>talking guide structure for blind subscribers of TV providing services.
  >>The first link is critically important for it leads to a FAQ sheet in
  which
  >>there is information for filing complaints if necessary:

  >><https://www.fcc.gov/television-and-set-top-box-controls-menus-program-gui
  des-factsheet>https://www.fcc.gov/television-and-set-top-box-controls-menus-
  program-guides-factsheet

  >>Following is a list of TV providers who now provide some kind of audio or
  >>talking menu structure for blind subscribers.  Mostly, these providers
  >>require that the subscriber have the top of the line DVR box for this to
  >>work.  I must admit that I was quite surprised to see the TV satellite
  >>companies on board.

  >>Comcast:

  >><http://www.comcast.com/accessibility>www.comcast.com/accessibility

  >>Tivo:
  >><https://www.tivo.com/accessibility>https://www.tivo.com/accessibility
  >>Spectrum, (formerly Charter)
  >><http://www.charter.net/support/accessibility/talking-guide-spectrum-guide
  -support/>http://www.charter.net/support/accessibility/talking-guide-spectru
  m-guide-support/
  >>Direct TV:
  >><https://support.directv.com/equipment/talking-guide-faq>https://support.d
  irectv.com/equipment/talking-guide-faq
  >>and Dish Network:
  >><https://www.dish.com/accessibility/>https://www.dish.com/accessibility/
  >>Verizon Fios:
  >><http://www.verizon.com/about/accessibility/text-speech?pos=1>http://www.v
  erizon.com/about/accessibility/text-speech?pos=1

  >>Of course, Apple TV is accessible and that????????s always a plus too.

  >>Sent from my Mac, The Only computer with full accessibility for the blind
  >>built-in

  >>Sincerely, The Constantly Barefooted Ray,

  >>Still a very happy Comcast XFinity Voice Guidance, Mac, Verizon Wireless
  >>iPhone7+ and Apple TV user!
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  -- 
  Doug Lee                 dgl at dlee.org                http://www.dlee.org
  SSB BART Group           doug.lee at ssbbartgroup.com
  http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
  "A mailing list is a crude but effective cross between a
  chain letter and a shouting match."  -Andrew Kantor

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