Audio description

Category: accessible Devices

Post 1 by bea (I just keep on posting!) on Monday, 16-Jul-2012 12:26:11

I only have antenna TV. Don't listen to enough TV to get cable. Have a remote for my high def TV, but can't figure out how to get audio description if it is on a program. What button on the remote would I push to maybe get audio description? Or, because I don't have cable TV, am I not going to be able to get audio description. Thanks for any thoughts on the subject. When I called a TV person who put this TV in, he had no clue about what audio description was, and I guess from what was said elsewhere, that is the norm. Folks don't know about audio description.

Post 2 by Smiling Sunshine (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Monday, 16-Jul-2012 15:30:06

I'm not sure about your specific TV but see if someone can help you in the settings turn on a feature called Secondary Audio Program. Good luck.

Post 3 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Monday, 16-Jul-2012 19:28:55

I've been dealing with this same issue lately. My brother, who is sighted, played with the remote and went to the on screen menu and tried various settings to turn it on, but it doesn't work. After calling my cable company and explaining the problem, I finally found out that because I have a very old analog TV, this service will not work unless I get a new digital TV. I have a feeling you might have the same issue.

Post 4 by bea (I just keep on posting!) on Tuesday, 17-Jul-2012 8:27:59

Nope. It's a new high def TV, 18 inches or so. I was toled the networks only put on the narration when they feel like it. In other words, we will have no clue if narration will be on or not. So much for equal access.

Post 5 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Tuesday, 17-Jul-2012 11:52:37

I use Newsline for the Blind sponsored by NFB for not only reading newspapers but for checking the TV lineup each day. Any show that has audio description says so in the TV listings following the description of the particular episode of that show. So the regular TV guide or newspaper TV listings also probably mention which shows are audio described if you have a way of accessing that information.

Post 6 by bea (I just keep on posting!) on Wednesday, 18-Jul-2012 8:58:03

I use that too, and look for narrated programming. Have had sighted help pushing all buttons on the remote. Still no luck. I wonder if the networks are adhering to this audio description stuff. Somebody told me at the ACB convention, the TV sets from the United Kingdom are very accessible. You can have the remote talk, the TV channel guide talk, etc. Find myself wondering if that will even happen here in the US.

Post 7 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Wednesday, 18-Jul-2012 14:08:54

Ask your cable company. Since the networks are now providing audio description for some shows, it doesn't make sense that it would be their fault if it doesn't work for you. It must be something about the TV. My cable company told me they will have to send out a technician to do something. But that was before they found out I have an old analog TV set with an old fashioned picture tube. If I get a new TV, supposedly the cable company can set it up so the audio description will work.

Post 8 by Binary solo (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Tuesday, 19-Feb-2013 17:47:55

Does any one know where you can download audio described movies and tv shows from, on here?

Post 9 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 19-Feb-2013 20:21:05

Becky, b said she had OTA TV, so it isn't cable.
i guess you missed that one at the beginning.

Post 10 by mat the musician (Help me, I'm stuck to my chair!) on Monday, 25-Feb-2013 16:00:26

Gunslinger,
There are two resources that I know of, Blind Mice Mega Mall (requires a free membership and uses sendspace for file downloads) and SamNet (a subscription-based service which offers dvs as well as radio drama and news online)