[NJTechDiv] Accessible cable TV

Mon May 18 19:43:49 UTC 2026

HI B!
Hoping all is well with you.
Book Club was good. First time I read that author. I liked that it was about New Jersey Patterson, Teaneck, Alpine, Paramus.

Yes, you really have to be persistent with the cable company and also searching on their website.
I just don’t watch the TV anymore show the TVs are already set up the way they are and I couldn’t even tell her where the microphone button is on the remote I just know the on off.
 Also, I just know it does work.

> On May 18, 2026, at 3:37 PM, Beatrice Oliveti via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Lori, I had to set it up through settings. I don{t think I could do it with the button. Actually the cable guy set it up for me. I told Tracey she has to be persistent. How was Janie{s book club today_ I couldn{t go due to work.
> Warm Regards,
> Beatrice Oliveti
> National Federation Of The Blind
> Of NJ. Northeast Chapter
> Vice-President
> National Federation Of The Blind Of NJ. Braille Group Co-Facilitator
> Bayonne, NJ.  Lions Club Administrator
> Cell: 2019838124
> Email: beatrice.oliveti at gmail.com
> 
>> On May 18, 2026, at 3:13 PM, Lori Falk via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Yes, if you can also find the microphone button on the remote you can simply speak turn on voice guidance.
>> 
>>>> On May 18, 2026, at 2:43 PM, Tracy Carcione via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Bea says to go to Settings, then Accessibility, then turn on either Voice Guidance or Talkback, whichever it says.  Then she says it will say everything.
>>> We have an appointment for Wednesday morning, so we'll see. But Bea says that worked in March, so it should be good.
>>> Tracy
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NJTechDiv <njtechdiv-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Mario Brusco via NJTechDiv
>>> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2026 1:55 PM
>>> To: Tracy Carcione via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Mario Brusco <mrb620 at hotmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NJTechDiv] Accessible cable TV
>>> 
>>> Tracy, could you share what you told the cable guy to do in order to turn on accessibility? After it's on, what exactly can be spoken?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>> From: Tracy Carcione via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2026 at 1:06 PM EDT
>>> To: 'New Jersey Technology Division List' <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: carcione at access.net
>>> Subject: RE: [NJTechDiv] Accessible cable TV
>>> 
>>> I talked to Bea, and she says the Optimum box is accessible; the workers
>>> just have no clue.  She told me exactly what to tell the cable guy to do
>>> to turn on accessibility, so we made an appointment to try again.
>>> 
>>> NJTech comes through again!
>>> 
>>> Tracy
>>> 
>>> *From:*NJTechDiv <njtechdiv-bounces at nfbnet.org> *On Behalf Of *Beatrice
>>> Oliveti via NJTechDiv
>>> *Sent:* Monday, May 18, 2026 9:53 AM
>>> *To:* njtechdiv at nfbnet.org
>>> *Cc:* Beatrice Oliveti <beatrice.oliveti at gmail.com>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [NJTechDiv] Accessible cable TV
>>> 
>>> Hi Tracey. I remember you and I used to talk about this all the time! I
>>> can{t believe Optimum took away their accessibility options. I
>>> disconnected cable to save money. I do cable and an airial antenna now.
>>> But it was only a few months ago that I had cable. And I had a streaming
>>> box and it had the accessibility. Is your box a streaming box_ If you
>>> buy a smart TV it{s only going to read you the channels on the TV not
>>> the cable box. But you can use optimum through the optimum tv app on
>>> your phone. That will allow you to use your phone as a control and the
>>> voiceover will talk back to you. You can also watch your dvred
>>> programming on your TV. You might also consider switching to Hulu with
>>> live TV, Youtube TV, or Directtv. They{re very accessible on your phone
>>> and IPad. Hope this helps.
>>> 
>>> Warm Regards,
>>> 
>>> Beatrice Oliveti
>>> 
>>> National Federation Of The Blind
>>> 
>>> Of NJ. Northeast Chapter
>>> 
>>> Vice-President
>>> 
>>> National Federation Of The Blind Of NJ. Braille Group Co-Facilitator
>>> 
>>> Bayonne, NJ.  Lions Club Administrator
>>> 
>>> Cell: 2019838124
>>> 
>>> Email: beatrice.oliveti at gmail.com <mailto:beatrice.oliveti at gmail.com>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   On May 18, 2026, at 9:17 AM, Tracy Carcione via NJTechDiv
>>>   <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org <mailto:njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>   
>>> 
>>>   For a long time, we had software on our Optimum cable box that would
>>>   announce the channel and what was playing, and I could also use it
>>>   to access the DVR.
>>> 
>>>   Optimum doesn’t support it anymore, and their new cable box doesn’t
>>>   have any accessibility at all.
>>> 
>>>   They think that maybe a smart TV would have it, but I don’t know.
>>> 
>>>   If I buy a smart TV, and turn on Talkback or whatever it has, will
>>>   it tell me what’s playing on a channel and have ways to access the DVR?
>>> 
>>>   For instance, I was able to move through the shows on a channel
>>>   until I found the one I wanted to record, then hit record.  Later, I
>>>   could go into the DVR, scroll through the recordings, find the one I
>>>   wanted, watch it, then go through the menu to either keep it or
>>>   delete it.  Imagine that.  Can I get those same features on a smart TV?
>>> 
>>>   I have 0 interest in using Alexa.
>>> 
>>>   It’s extremely annoying that Optimum had accessibility, and then
>>>   just ditched it completely.
>>> 
>>>   Tracy
>>> 
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>> 
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