Category: accessible Devices
There hasn’t been an audio description on demand service that everybody could enjoy, even on an international scope.
The few audio described sources that are on the web are either geographically based, illegal, or have a limited number of content with audio description.
Today, a new audio description service has launched.
Introducing TalkingFlix.
The first global Audio-Described On-Demand entertainment service for the visually impaired is launching soon. We are excited to open TalkingFlix for pre-launch signups. Early adopters will get exclusive perks: deals on our subscription or premium movies and television shows, the option of becoming a beta tester, and the chance to start earning credits for referring friends. The sooner you sign up, the more referral credit you can collect before our launch. The price will be a competitive alternative to other on demand streaming services
Below is my referral link. Users can receive credits that they can use towards the service so that cash does not have to be spent – credits can be used instead...
http://talkingflix.com/signup.php?ref=33951
Don't forget to check out Crossway Media Solutions, the company behind TalkingFlix, at
http://crosswaymediasolutions.com
This seems very interesting. I will check it out. Although, it seems totally like a sale's pitch and I'm not sure I totally understand how a person can continulously earn credits.
I agree, everywhere I've seen this post it's practically the same thing.
The website doesn't really give you much information.
It would be interesting to see how they'll compeat with services suchas samnet.
So I guess the question is, what makes this service different?
What content will this service have that the other known resources have and how soon will they be available on TalkingFlix?
Samnet and Blind Mice Mart for example, put tv shows up once that particular season has ended.
I'm curious about something.
The post made it clear that this service is legal. Is it honestly legal for Blind Mice and Samnet to do what they do? I'm not sure, which is why I'm asking.
The reason this is important is because this is a paid service. So, let's say that a year or two down the road, the government shuts it down. It happens, think of the Megaupload fiasco and the six strikes policies and other similar file sharing crackdowns.
As I understand it, this wouldn't be a file sharing service per se, but when money is involved, one needs to be sure they're not throwing it into a project that is in danger of folding at any time.
that's a good point!
Also, I've never heard of samnet. what is it?
Samnet is short for System Access Mobile Network.
It's an online portle of content, from Serotek.
Think of it like AOL for the blind.
I guess, in a way that's what Talkingflix is going to be.
Serotek claim to buy the movies they've got listed, but who can say for sure?
Only a Serotek representative could tell you that.
SamNet has an audio disclaimer before all of their movies start: These files have been placed here for promotion only. if you intend to use these files with your family, please purchase them from legitimit sources or something like that. That's how they get around the legality factor. Blind mice doesnt have this. Also, samnet's system allows you to view the films and other content from a live stream only, while blind mice let's you download it to your computer. Samnet doesnt' allow that at all, so the content shared through them is never your own--therefore, it could be seen as promotional content. Therefore, blind mice are doing it illegally and samnet is, technically, not. Blind mice are, in fact, in hot water with the FBI because of this: They're being, or have been, searched by the FBI, but I'm guessing since they're still around nothing came of the search.
Don't you have to pay for samnet and blindmice you don't have to pay anything? I'm not sure...
You pay for samnet as a subscription, but a lot more ties into it than just the massive library of movies. You get email, a rmote server, a web browser, and a ton more.
Cool. Maybe I can get someone to make a described Cannibal Holocaust. Haha.
Thanks writeaway I appreciate that! I'll check it out.
Blind Mice mart is just the sound of the movie though, not the visual. Is samnet the whole thing? How about talkingflicks?
Good question! Especially if you have someone sighted watching with you
Samnet is the same as BlindMice, no visuals, just the audio of the movie.
As for TalkingFlix, guess we'll just have to wait and see.
But if I were to guess, I'd guess it'll be audio only.
I would also love to know how we get credits? Perhaps just the time spent watching a movie? just a wild guess, prob not right though.
I think it's interesting the original poster hasn't come back....
personally I don't see how great this service is especially since there are or have been services like this in the past. You have a free service like blind mice mart and a paid service like SamNet, how is talking flix going to be different and what more will it offer?
agreed with the last poster.
But blind mice sucks. They usually only have the crappy shortened European versions of movies.
It depends on how you feel about movie piracy; if it doesn't bother you then you probably won't like TalkingFlix. If you prefer to do things legally then TalkingFlix may be a good alternative, assuming it ever launches. NB: if it does launch it will be forced to rebrand itsself shortly after.
I've always wondered why sites like this & other blind places come down so hard on people for talking about pirating screen readers but turn a blind eye (no pun intended) to something like BlindMice. To me, using alternate methods to avoid paying £££ for a piece of assistive technology is much more understandable than pirating a movie from the mice given the low cost of DVD's these days. Of course this assumes that a pirate enjoys said movie and has enough funds to purchase it.
Also, can anyone confirm that blind mice are in trouble with the FBI?
If services like QuickFlix here in Australia haven't been rebranded, then I doubt TalkingFlix will.
As far as I can see, only one person is trying to spread the word of this service, so we'll see if it really is as good as all the hype.
I guess I don't watch a lot of movies, since I had no idea Blind Mice shorten their movies.
Then again, it is free, so you can't complain.
Does Samnet do the same?
It is subscription based after all.
No, blind mice doesn't shorten them, the directors do.
This post was on at least 2 of the mailing list I'm on, and if I remember
correctly it got dismissed pretty quickly because it was either off-topic, or
people got tired of hearing about it and the mods decided it needed to come to
an end. As for the pirating bit, I can see both sides of that, but then there's the
unfortunate issue of certain ones not being available on dvd.
I searched high and low for a copy of the jungle book, for example, and
apparently a descriptive version never made it to dvd, which I thought would've
been cool to show Hannah, (my 4-year-old,) who would eventually get bored to
death just listening to the audio portion of it, but have listened to the audio
portion on my own and love it, considering that I've watched it with her with no
description and at times couldn't watch heads or tails of.
I had that audio tape!!
You had it in dvd format? I didn't know you could buy those back then, thought
you could only rent them, or are we not on the same page.
I used to rent those right and left back in the day, but it was so hard at times
returning them, just like with talking books, sense I loved them to death, so if
the option to buy them was there, I unfortunately had no idea of it. The Rehab
center in Daytona beach had some, as well as FSDB, who had a boatload of
them, but of course we're talking about a licensed facility, who can get access to
material that's not always available for consumer use.
No, we're not. I said audio tape.
I understand that, but you could order those in dvd format as well, so had no
idea if the one you had was in dvd format.
Nopey, this was back when we were little.
so let me get this straight: This is exclusively for the visually impaired or totally blind? I find this concept very pointless. How is this not illegal? And I find it really irritating when people come up with things like this that shut sighted folks out, but when sighted folks do things like create new apps or whatever that leave us out of the loop because we can't use them without assistance, we throw a tantrum? can't have it both ways. I say somehow incorporate visuals along with the audio description so blind people can enjoy films with sighted friends or family members. Just a suggestion.
On a tengent, could someone give me an idea of how to get access to Blindmice? I've signed up but obvioiusly only get the clearance for a normal account and no access to the movie vault itself. Not sure who to contact to organise that bit.
log in with your email address and password, then look toward the bottom of the page for blind mice movie vault. Not sure if it works for folks outside the United States.
It does work for people outside the US, the movie vault is towards the bottom of the page.
I use NVDA and can just filter out links so it's easy to find.
Even though I signed up, I don't get the Movie Vault link.
I totally agree with post 30. Well said.
It's unfortunate netflix itself can't simply implement audio description into selected titles. I mean they have closed-captioning and language options; is description so far-fetched? For that matter, most movies these days come standard with alternet language tracks and closed-captioning. I'm surprised there isn't more effort being put into descriptive tracks also. I understand movie producers may need to contract companies to do this, just as they contract a company to do closed captioning. But it would certainly solve a lot of problems.
come on. this talking films service is clearly just designed to get enough interest that one of the big companies will buy it. It cannot be profitable on its own, that makes no business sense. Get some interest in dvs online film services, start a few people talking and maybe one of the big boys will come knocking at your door with an offer, you hope.