Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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questions about watching TV (self.Blind)
submitted by WEugeneSmith
I have a Samsung smart TV that is about 6 years old. When I bought it, my vision was ok and I had no trouble navigating its features or watching.
This has changed, and I am having a very difficult time turning on audio captioning. Here is what I have done:
On the TV itself, a friend helped me to turn on audio description so that I can scroll through channels. The problems begin when I attempt to watch something on Netflix or Amazon (the only streaming services I have).
First, I can't easily find the icons for either of these services. The TV does not read them. If I am lucky (I have some sight), I can click on one or the other, but then I cannot read the menus.
My niece tried to help me, but in both services, you have to turn on audio descriptions in the program you want to watch. This is not intuitive (or at least it isn't for us two boomers), and even if we did figure it out (which we did on one Netflix program), I still would not be able to do it if I a was alone because there is no reader (that I was able to access) in these services for navigation.
Is there something we are doing wrong? Or is it that I need to buy a TV that is more accessible?
And, is there a remote that I can buy that is accessible?
Thank you.
This has changed, and I am having a very difficult time turning on audio captioning. Here is what I have done:
On the TV itself, a friend helped me to turn on audio description so that I can scroll through channels. The problems begin when I attempt to watch something on Netflix or Amazon (the only streaming services I have).
First, I can't easily find the icons for either of these services. The TV does not read them. If I am lucky (I have some sight), I can click on one or the other, but then I cannot read the menus.
My niece tried to help me, but in both services, you have to turn on audio descriptions in the program you want to watch. This is not intuitive (or at least it isn't for us two boomers), and even if we did figure it out (which we did on one Netflix program), I still would not be able to do it if I a was alone because there is no reader (that I was able to access) in these services for navigation.
Is there something we are doing wrong? Or is it that I need to buy a TV that is more accessible?
And, is there a remote that I can buy that is accessible?
Thank you.
IzzyReptilia 6 points 1y ago
Hey there , i wouldn’t spend money on a new tv, I’d suggest you buy a Google chrome cast media player . It’s important that you do know how Use voice over or talkback for this though .
You might need some help to set it up but once it’s done you can go on Netflix from your phone and send it to your chromecast device so that it plays whatever you want on your TV. you can control netflix from your phone as if it was a remote control
You might need some help to set it up but once it’s done you can go on Netflix from your phone and send it to your chromecast device so that it plays whatever you want on your TV. you can control netflix from your phone as if it was a remote control
synthpopolis 5 points 1y ago
Apple also makes a small set top box called Apple TV which is fully accessible and will give you access to most of those smart TV apps you are looking for. I’m blind and I use ours all the time with ease
WEugeneSmith [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Wow! I've never heard of this, but I will check it out. I just started learning voice over, which has been very helpful. I was not at all excited at the idea of buying a new TV, and was hoping to find an alternative.
TheLarkingCat 2 points 1y ago
Yeah, audio description is when there's talking during a TV show to explain what the characters are doing. Screen reader is "Text to Speech" or the thing that's going to read your TV menus. Maybe Google your TV model and how to turn on text to speech. Six years old? It might be too old to have full text to speech built in. We have an LG model that reads all the things. The trouble is that Netflix or other apps native to the TV are going to potentially be rougher with accessibility, not really built to read as well. It's a roll of the dice. We have an Apple TV hooked to the LG, and that's what we mostly use.
CosmicBunny97 2 points 1y ago
I know Samsung smart TVs have a screen reader, do you have that turned on? It would be different to audio descriptions. Although I like the suggestions of a Chromecast and similar things, you have to switch back and forth between HDMI and the TV, which I personally find impossible to do.
WEugeneSmith [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I do have the screenreader on. (I was using the wrong terminology). It does work well with navigation. But it stops working when I am trying to switch to Netflix or Amazon.
Can you elaborate on the difficulity in switching between hdmi and the regular TV with when using Chrome?
Can you elaborate on the difficulity in switching between hdmi and the regular TV with when using Chrome?
CosmicBunny97 1 points 1y ago
Oh that’s strange. My TV is a really old Samsung from like 2007”8 or so, it’s a case of knowing where the Source button is on the TV and remembering how many presses on the down button to do. I honestly don’t bother, it’s not my tv anyway (it’s my parents), just annoying if I want to watch stuff while home alone.
athennna 1 points 1y ago
Can you load the program on the app on your phone and then share it to the app on the TV? That’s what I do with YouTube videos (I’m sighted) so I don’t have to try to type in search terms using the remote.
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