[blindkid] Described Videos

Wed Jun 1 05:10:20 UTC 2011

Your point is well taken. I think there will be ongoing future changes that make these programs more accessible and useful for blind adults.

On a couple of DVD's that are fairly new, there are apparently "splash screens" which come up first and allow rather direct access to DVS audio. Hopefully that will be the start of a trend!

Obviously, this was a non-isue with Described VHS tapes when they were more popular because there was no alternative audio to select. There is one main audio track and the tape was ALWAYS described, but I don't think we'll find to many new movies being put onto DVD anytime soon...

On the Toy Story 2 DVD (which we watched tonight) and with an el-cheapo DVD player (I think I paid about $30 for this one at Target several years ago) all you have to do actually is press the "audio" button on the DVD player's remote repeatedly and it cycles from 5.1 Surround Sound, to 2 chan, then DVS, then Director's Comments, then back to 5.1 again (it loops through those 4 over and over). You can also get there with the setup features and then select from the menu but that is not required.

From what I read, there is apparently intent with TV broadcasts to make the alternate audio accessible with one button audio on all future sets. (I say "intent", I think it is a future requirement.) That used to be possible with many analog sets. I think the button on one I had was labeled  simply labeled SAP. It may still be possible that way. I'm using TiVo (a DVR with many extra features) here so I get to the audio choices that way (through TiVo settings), and yes, that is through a menu, but here's an interesting thing--

With TiVo, you can set the default viewing/recording language (yes, through a menu), but it can be set to always tune to Spanish (for example) if that language is available (if not it goes with standard English). So far, the little DVS I'm finding has all come up as "Spanish". I suspect I'm going to find a lot more when I figure out what shows to check and when they run. If this proves true, one could set the unit one time for Spanish and then record various shows every week and it would get the English DVS.

There is also a fairly direct menu path for any given show, but it is not one-button, by any means. (Info button, down, down, select, then down, enter, for Spanish (if present) or up, enter, for English). You could overshoot though and end up in parental locking and that could get messy.

I can see how even with menus, it might be possible to have fairly decent access to some of these programs if it can get set once and left alone, though no doubt, you'd end up with some actual Spanish (or just plain weird things) as well from time to time (including some shows with no audio-- see my earlier posts on that). The menus may be less of an issue for some of our kids-- speaking for myself, I don't want my 8-year-old, blind or sighted, messing with my TV and TiVo setups. That is not a vision issue, it is a "leave Dad's things alone" issue, LOL...  I suspect that a few years down the road this will have improved a lot for blind adults to access things as well.

On May 31, 2011, at 11:51 PM, Brandy W wrote:

> While much of this is awesome it isn't helpful at all if we can't get
> through the menus to turn all of this off and on. The resource I used to buy
> DVS movies on is no longer in business, and since TV is such a little part
> of our life I've given up. I'd be interested if it became easier to access.
> 
> Bran
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Richard Holloway
> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 8:36 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Described Videos
> 
> I have found this all very useful as well. I am wondering if we aren't all a
> good deal closer to more DVS than we may realize. First of all, it looks
> like quite a few current titles are coming out with DVS, so if you're buying
> current DVD's, check for the Description feature.
> 
> The other thing is that there are DVS simulcasts over the air and on cable
> fairly often, both for kids and adults. Seems like, they are pretty much
> undocumented (at least so far as I can tell). From what I read, I think
> current Sesame Street broadcasts over at least some PBS stations may be
> described now. Atlanta's PBS seems not to send out an alternative audio
> program, though the main Georgia station which covers the entire northern
> part of the state (Atlanta included) supposedly does. 
> 
>> From what I can gather, they aren't really sending things out properly and
> they didn't know it until now. I have been told an engineer is looking into
> the problem and they have asked for my contact info to give to the engineer.
> I suspect many areas actually do have PBS shows working with DVS. It may be
> must like what Crystal found with her Toy Story DVD; the audio is right
> there and just a menu selection away...
> 
> A day or two ago, I found that TBS was sending DVS over the alternative
> audio feed when I checked on a lark. They were running Blue Streak (Martin
> Lawrence)-- a bit of a mature theme for Kendra, but interesting to run
> across. with audio description... This morning on Nick, I happened across
> "Dora the Explorer" and checked. Sure enough, DVS was there too. Strangely,
> according to the TiVo and Comcast schedules, it wasn't supposed to be on at
> the time. While the show on TBS behaved normally, I was surprised to
> discover that nearly all the commercials on the Nick program were running
> with no audio (only when DVS was selected). No great loss for us though-- (I
> don't care for commercials much).
> 
> Later, also on Nick and with the alternate audio still selected, the kids
> asked where all the words went. I stopped and listened. Sure enough, no
> words, just music. No words in the opening theme and not in the program
> itself either-- only music and sound effects. We switched back to the main
> audio feed and all was normal.
> 
> What it comes down to is that what they used to call Separate Audio Program,
> or  "SAP" (and I tend to call it that still in case I use that by mistake in
> a post) which is now generally an alternative language selection with
> digital programming, can contain anything that the broadcaster wants to
> send. Sometimes it really is an alternative language, generally Spanish.
> Sometimes it is DVS, Sometimes the audio channel is not present, or it can
> be present but blank (silent). C-Span (in Atlanta at least) runs an
> unrelated audio program (maybe a radio rebroadcast?). One local station here
> used to rebroadcast "Weather Radio" on the SAP 24/7. If you're curious, look
> around under your audio menu on your TV or in other places like that (I get
> to mine best through a TiVo system).
> 
> One important note if you're using a DVR like TiVo. I suspect in all cases,
> but certainly with TiVo, if you record, you only get one audio selection--
> whatever is chosen as the show records. If you record with DVS, that is what
> you have after you're done. If there is unselected DVS options when you
> record, it is gone. If you record with Spanish running, you get Spanish...
> This apparently is to keep recordings as small as possible.
> 
> It is all a little complex, but I'm inspired and going to keep watching
> until I find a pattern and learn what shows are available on TV around here.
> Maybe I'll also figure out a list that's available somewhere of shows
> running with DVS and make this simpler.
> 
> I'd still love to hear what others are finding in their local cable and
> broadcast areas as fas as DVS either on or off list!
> 
> For now, I'll turn my attention back to the TV show running here. though It
> is family movie night again and we're watching Toy Story 2, with-- you
> guessed it, DVS.
> 
> 
> 
>> This has been a great conversation! I got my Toy Story DVD's out and found
> the "audio feature" which made them descriptive. Ben has watched these
> videos many times, but never with the audio description. He is absolutely
> thrilled!
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Crystal
>> 
>>> From: rholloway at gopbc.org
>>> Date: Mon, 30 May 2011 13:37:22 -0400
>>> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Described Videos
>>> 
>>> I found a few DVD's with DVS (Described Audio) at Target this weekend and
> am working my way through a lot of the info I came up with through this list
> and elsewhere. In our new effort for family movie fun, we started off with
> the three "Described" Toy Story movies as well as Disney's Princess and the
> Frog. I want to share with others on the list who may not have tried to deal
> with all of this audio described programming how much our blind daughter
> (age 8) seems to appreciate being able to participate in things like "family
> movie night" more fully now. She loves hearing what is going on without
> asking "what's happening???" every few moments. So, thanks to all for your
> help; we're making progress now!
>>> 
>>> A bit more info, if I may--First, the titles seem few and far between in
> stores. They are poorly and inconsistently labeled as well. Shows I fond
> with logos (not all even have a logo) now show a "D))))" on top of a little
> black square; presumably a frame of film? (It has little "sprocket holes" on
> both sides.) The logo is tiny! Some simply list "English DVS" (or similar)
> as a language option in small print on the back (no logo at all).
>>> 
>>> I finally heard back from Georgia's main PBS affiliate (WGTV) and have
> been advised that their Chief Engineer will be in contact to try and help
> resolve the technical issues I'm having. I'm pretty certain this is on their
> end since it is both through Comcast, AND over the air, especially since I
> can get an alternative audio feed from C-Span (unrelated SAP info they tend
> to send) plus, I found a DVS movie running today over TBS (Comcast 39 in
> Atlanta) that was working just fine. This makes me wonder how long this has
> been a problem, and why (apparently) nobody has complained enough to bring
> the problem to the right person's attention. Still, no matter where the
> problem lies, it is nice that they are trying to help...
>>> 
>>> I am wondering what others are able to get over the air (cable,
> satellite, etc.) with DVS around the country. Are others getting DVS over
> PBS with things like Sesame Street? How about Nick cartoons like Dora and
> Diego? I read these are available, but so far, no luck. "Grown up" shows
> like NCIS on CBS are also apparently sent with DVS, but right now all of the
> NCIS shows I find are on USA, which apparently does NOT send out any SAP
> feeds of DVS-- at least not of NCIS. I assume only newer NCIS shows have the
> descriptions. I wish I had thought to check before summer hiatus for NCIS.
>>> 
>>> Terribly sorry for all of the acronyms, I'd just love to get together
> some idea of what is actually going on with DVS for our kids and really
> anyone who can make use of the service through both packaged media like
> DVD's and broadcast services such as PBS, CBS, TBS, TNT (all of these are
> supposed to be offering some programming with DVS) as it seems to vary based
> on location.
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> 
>>> Richard
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