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Looking for a Freeview alternative
- 11 Jan 07, 10:51 PM
With the switch from analogue to digital TV coming ever nearer, it seems almost counter intuitive for the only Freeview set-top box to offer audio description to be pulled from the market, yet that is what has happened.
First developed by Netgem, and subsequently taken over by BT, the iPlayer was the only Freeview set-top box to offer audio description on the market, so this leaves something of a void to fill.
Alternatives then, are thin on the ground, as an exact replacement service is not available. We spoke to Jill Whitehead, Broadcasting and Talking Images Officer, at the to see what the options are.
More set-top boxes should become available later in the year, but one possibility available now is . All their packages provide audio description, including a no-subscription service. One feature of the system is that it can be configured to bleep when you come across a programme with audio description 鈥 a really useful function when indulging in a spot of channel hopping. Sky can also supply an inclusive remote control as well as providing their various magazines in alternative formats to print.
NTL/Telewest offer a limited service, both geographically and in terms of the number of channels offering audio description. An enhanced set-top box and service is expected later in 2007, however.
A very different proposition comes from Portset. The is like a 鈥淭V radio鈥 that doesn鈥檛 display a picture, simply transmitting the sound from TV programmes including Freeview channels. On the plus side, this means you don鈥檛 have to pay a license fee. The not inconsiderable downside is that it is very expensive. I couldn't find a price on the website, but anecdotally, it is between (gulp) 拢800 to 拢1,000. Talk about less is more.
The major issue for all of these technologies, however, remains the accessibility of the interface itself. As Jill said, 鈥淲hen watching Sky, how do you know what channel or programme you are watching? You don鈥檛.鈥 Developing a more inclusive way of determining the channel you are watching and navigating menus would be a great leap forward.
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Although i am registered blind i do still have a little sight. i have set my computer so that i have a black background with yellow text and my browser set so that it ignores all colours and fonts on webpages.
this enabeling them to be viewed with a black background and yellow text, you can increase and decrease the text size by holding down the ctr key and scrolling the wheel on the mouse.
. i find this extreemly usefull the only problem is that most info menues do not expand the text, this also applies to the completing of text boxes such as this one.
if anybody knows how to overcome this it would be most please let me know.
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This is/was the big plus of the iPlayer it announces most channels as you change to them. Unfortunately seeing as
Netgem has seen fit to drop updates of the box's software it is not aware of new channels and does not announce those.
If Netgem can no longer justify support this box perhaps they could consider open sourcing the firmware so that their might be the possibility of further improvements to this box.
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