[blindkid] PBS Station Frustration

[Richard Holloway]

Penny,

Yes, we'll be at the convention and I'm still more than happy to talk with you on the phone as well.

I think I know what you may be seeing in the cable box and if I am right, what seems to be the right place is **not** where DVS actually appears which does seem pretty absurd as you'll see when you read on. (At least it doesn't work for us here for us.)

Let me explain:

On my Motorola Converter Box on the Comcast cable here, I go to:

Menu:
	Setup:
		Audio Setup:

Now the odd part-- there are two settings up top under "Audio Setup":

			Default Audio Track			
			Descriptive Video Service


Factory Settings seem to be what you would expect:

			Default Audio Track:		 	English	
			Descriptive Video Service:		Off

Here is the problem: when a valid DVS program is present, changing "Descriptive Video Service" to On has NO EFFECT.

Instead, select Espanol (Spanish) for Default Audio Track or select any Spanish Option you can find.

I just posted another reply with a little more info as well, but the key seems to be to look for Spanish feeds on stations like Nickelodeon, (Standard Definition), I do not believe their HIgh Definition feed has the same DVS content under Spanish (at least they did not this morning.) Just ignore "Descriptive Video Service" and deal with your Default Audio Track. It works for me the same way on the Comcast Box and with TiVo.

The real problem I'm having here now seems to be only that PBS and apparently CBS are not feeding their DVS programs to my market at this time on their local affiliates. I am finding some DVS programming on Nickelodeon (SD), TCM, TBS, and Fox so far, hopefully with more to come.

Also, remember some DVD's in stores have this option (even at places like Wal Mart and Target). I have also borrowed DVS DVD's for free from the local library and found some at Red Box for the usual $1 / day rental. The trick there is to see what has been released with DVS because Red Box doesn't lost that feature and many libraries are also unaware of DVS content. 

Please let me know if you have some better luck with this now and thanks again for your info as well!



On Jun 17, 2011, at 7:47 AM, Penny Duffy wrote:

> Richard,
> 
> I still haven't gotten it to work on my end. I have shows that are label dvs
> and I thought I turned it on at my cable box. Still nothing. I think one of
> the biggest issues with dvs is there is NO standard yet. Close captioning
> has had a standard for years.
> 
> Are you going to the convention Richard? Maybe we can talk about it.
> Regardless I am really interested and I imagine we can figure it out LOL.
> When we get it all figured out maybe we can write something up for other
> parents.
> 
> I have found that when the transition to digital happened that
> many channels lost the way the used to do it and there is a lot of
> confusion.
> 
> -- 
> --Penny
> ----------
> Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
> 
> On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 3:56 AM, Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>wrote:
> 
>> Could anyone who is finding DVS (audio described) programming on their
>> local PBS affiliate please email me (on or off list) and help me determine
>> at least what PBS affiliates / cities are actually broadcasting with DVS?
>> (Or if you are trying but can't find it on your local affiliate that would
>> be good to know as well.)
>> 
>> I finally got an answer about the "technical problems" with DVS in Georgia
>> from PBS. I learned today that Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) simply
>> turned off their DVS feeds for programming a while back. According to the
>> General Manager of GPB,  they "ran into a significant amount of confusion
>> among viewers who received it, didn’t want it, and didn’t know how to turn
>> it off..." so they "...eventually abandoned the practice of delivering DVS."
>> 
>> I'd really like to get a sense of whether this something that happened
>> mainly here in Georgia or of this is more widespread. I find it pretty
>> frustrating that their main concern is apparently the time and effort spent
>> by their engineers telling people who don't want DVS how to turn it off.
>> 
>> I am told they may look back into offering this again now that the delivery
>> is different (over digital TV), but first they need to determine "...what
>> the likely impact would be for viewers who don’t want it." Sounds like they
>> got very little response from people who wanted DVS when they turned it off,
>> but I think that is probably because so few potential users were even aware
>> the service had been offered.
>> 
>> Your feedback here on the list or directly would be really appreciated. I
>> would very much like to get DVS running here in Georgia on PBS again and if
>> this problem is widespread, to start addressing this on more of a national
>> level. As much as my daughter appreciated the DVS programs, I can't imagine
>> there would not me a lot more kids and adults who would benefit from
>> increased numbers of shows being broadcast with audio descriptions...
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Richard
>> rholloway at gopbc.org
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