[Nfbmo] Fwd: [nfbmi-talk] New Year, New Accessible Technology

[Fred Olver]

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Kane Brolin via NFBMI-Talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: January 5, 2017 at 8:05:06 AM CST
> To: NFB of Michiana Mailing List <nfbofmichiana at googlegroups.com>, NFB of Indiana Mailing List <nfb-indiana at yahoogroups.com>, NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List <NFBMI-Talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Kane Brolin <kbrolin65 at gmail.com>, ELeemreis <ELeemreis at gmail.com>, Jim Kuspa <harmlesstoall at fastmail.fm>, Samantha Dalton <SDalton16 at gmail.com>, dafawna at gmail.com, Vincent Cordone <Vincent_Cordone at hotmail.com>, Mary Kuspa <msmkuspa at gmail.com>, Paul Filpus <paulfilpus at gmail.com>
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] New Year, New Accessible Technology
> Reply-To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> 
> Greetings.
> 
> I was perusing my inbox this morning and I ran across a message in
> which one particular blind resident of Indiana--not a Federation
> member--described his success in dealing with the satellite television
> provider DirecTV to make his set-top box accessible to a blind person.
> He pointed out that if you are blind and if you are a current or
> potential DirecTV subscriber, you may phone 1-800-531-5000
> to set u[p an appointment in which a technician will come out and set
> up and/or configure your Genie Box so that it is accessible.  He did
> not say that this visit is free of charge; so some careful checking
> would be in order to prevent possible sticker shock from this
> installation service.
> 
> I followed this anecdote up with a small bit of research.  In so
> doing, I learned that accessibility for cable and satellite set-top
> boxes is not the
> exclusive province of DirecTV.  And it comes on the heels of federal
> government rule-making.  The following info comes from the
> American Council of the Blind:
> 
> "December 20 was the deadline for compliance with the  FCC's order for
> manufacturers of video devices to offer accessible user interfaces to
> visually impaired customers. Check out the  FCC Fact Sheet: Television
> and Set-Top Box Controls, Menus, and Program Guides.  Comcast ledd the
> way on this two years ago, and now it's everyone else's turn to
> comply.  Preliminary feedback is positive for Apple TV, AT&T DirecTV
> Genie, Comcast X1, Samsung TV, TiVO Roamio, Roku, and Verizon FiOS TV
> cable box, though quality may vary.   Check below for information, or
> contact your own cable or satellite TV supplier for 'what's available'
> and 'how to' information regarding Talking Guides or audio for
> remotes.  You can report findings on our forum, and you can report
> problems to us at advocacy at acb.org." http://www.acb.org/adp/tv.html
> 
> The Federal Communication Commission's fact sheet, containing some
> detail about these things, is available from the above-listed site.
> 
> It is not my intention to promote or to denigrate the Council.  But in
> this case they have done some good work to help ensure that one of the
> niceties most sighted consumers take for granted--programmable cable
> and satellite set top boxes, TEVO, DVR, etc.--is something we in the
> blind community now can benefit from as well.
> 
> Cheers and Happy New Year,
> 
> Kane Brolin
> 
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