[nfb-talk] another front in the access battle

[Steve Jacobson]

Laura,

I am not an expert on this, but HD TV supports a substantial number of extra audio streams within each HD channel.  
These extra streams are sometimes not used at all or could be used for completely separate programming.  They are in 
addition to what we commonly think of as SAP.  As I recall, there was some work to try to reserve one of these streams 
within each channel for descriptions.  I haven't heard any more about it for a while.  When I said "audio channel" 
before, I meant a specific audio channel within each HD channel so each channel could have its own.  Of course, one 
HD channel can have multiple programs as well.  Again, maybe someone else here knows more about 
this.  If we were still using all analog signals, I fear that there would have been significant pressure on the SAP channels 
to broadcast in other languages since the demand is so much higher now.  Even if something works out, though, we will 
still have the problem of whether we can find the description channel on most tv receivers.  You might poke around on 
the WGBH web site to see if there might be something on all this there.  And of course, the fact that we have to deal 
with cable, over-the-air, and satellite systems makes this more complicated.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson


On Sat, 1 May 2010 09:43:07 -0500, qubit wrote:

>Again, what will they do if there are 250 channels and 40% of them have SAP 
>requests, and a large percentage of those request DVS?
>Unless the DVS channel is an on-demand, customer specific channel like 
>pay-per-view, I don't see this working.
>Oh well. Perhaps there should be a set of channels for use only by the 
>visually impaired???  That would have its problems too.
>--le


>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; "qubit" 
><lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 10:05 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] another front in the access battle


>Laura,

>There is probably little chance that SAP converters on analog signals will 
>be modified to support two SAP channels.
>However, I think there was some work being done to find space within an HD 
>signal for a description channel.  I haven't
>heard must about it for a while.  Then, the trick will be to be sure that we 
>can select that audio source on most TV's.
>Maybe someone else here is more familiar with that work.

>Best regards,

>Steve Jacobson

>On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:10:30 -0500, qubit wrote:

>>Hi all --
>>I just read a thread on the blind-l list about the difficulty getting DVS 
>>on
>>local SAP channels.  The problem is that with immigration, the secondary
>>audio program is being used for spanish translation which preempts DVS.
>>I know this was mentioned as a problem with DISH network and DirecTV as
>>well.
>>My question is, can the 2 blind organizations perhaps try and motivate the
>>TV networks to support multiple secondary audio tracks rather than one?
>>This would require modifying hardware to a certain extent, but the result
>>would make it possible to offer a program in a variety of languages as well
>>as DVS.
>>How difficult would it be to lobby for such a change?
>>First thing needed would be a cost assessment.
>>I'd be willing to volunteer to work on this problem in some capacity, with
>>the restriction that I am unable to travel without an aid as I am in a
>>wheelchair. Perhaps someone who is more mobile could do the leg work.
>>Or has someone already been working on this problem?
>>Ideas?
>>--le






>>_______________________________________________
>>nfb-talk mailing list
>>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org