Hi,
I'm back to trying to find a means of watching live TV with audio description here in the UK. This is likely to get a bit ranty, so be warned.
Free to air Digital TV, through the arial, does have audio description but is only available on TV sets which have rather clunky interfaces and, when it comes to services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, very little consistency in screen reader compatibility. Also, if one wants to watch premium channels, offerings from Sky, you're plum out of luck using Now TV which doesn't have audio description on its live channels. Kinda accessible, limited channel choice, free.
There is Sky Stream now, which has a screen reader which is okay, and I know they are trying to improve it but are limited by the hardware. Again, there is variation in accessibility across the offered apps though you do get audio description but, compared with Now TV, £10 a month, it is £28 for a 18 month contract, which does give you basic Netflix with adds, but is only available on one TV unless you upgrade to whole home for another £12 a month, making all this very expensive just to get a handful of channels that sighted folks could get for £10 a month, cheaper during deals. Kina accessible, very expensive.
There is EE TV which, apparently, has audio description on all channels including now TV channels and free view channels, but this too is expensive and requires changing broadband provider into the bargain. This has the advantage of being available on Apple TV too, but you only get one apple TV box that has the full experience, standard apple boxes don't offer the live channels. So, accessible, though expensive and highly disruptive.
These, as I understand it, are really the only choices, none of which meet our needs. I'd be totally fine with paying for the sky package if it had a quality and complete screen reader interface, but it's janky and, as yet, there is no audio description on it's catchup content, though fingers crossed this changes fairly soon.
Its just such a fragmented world of streaming for us that we end up having to buy several devices and subscriptions just to access everything and, if we can't afford it, well, we're limited.
What are other's thoughts? Are there solutions I've missed?
Comments
Tactile sport coverage
They talked about this a week or so ago on Double Tap - think they maybe were rerunning some coverage from one of the trade shows. I would love to try it but can't imagine I would have any idea of what's going on.
@Bingo
Truth be told, the only sport I ever really cared about was basketball. Used to play it as a kid and even into my teens, stop by the time I reached 18, but I used to watch it on TV back when I could still see. Since losing my site, I have tried to listen to games streamed or broadcast through one radio service or another, but I just struggle too much to really be able to follow what was going on and eventually gave up on it.
All these years later, and I have forgotten more about the game Than I can remember. 🤷🏻♂️
Sports
Yep, it's great that we're starting to see some sports with audio descriptive commentary. We don't have ITV here in Ireland, but Virgin Media are showing their games with the AD. In both cases I believe it is sponsored by a drinks company. RTE, who share the rights, don't have it for their games though; or at least they didn't last year.
I watched the Afcon final on Channel 4 in January and they had AD too, but took a different approach. Instead of being an alternative audio track, they had the main commentators, with an AD commentator added in, sometimes talking in the gaps, and sometimes talking over them.
Here's hoping it comes to Premier League coverage.
Dave
England v Scotland
The game was a hard watch. The result made me feel sick to the stomach with disappointment. No, that is no exaggeration. It cast a long shadow over what remained of the weekend to the extent that I took refuge in India v Pakistan in the T20 World Cup instead of Wales v France in the Six Nations the following day. I couldn't face it, so upset was I still at England's loss on Saturday.
And that, my friends, is what makes the Six nations the undisputed best tournament in any sport in the world. The emotional investment from beginning to end is unparalleled. I can just about bring myself to say: well done, scotland. you sent us English homeward, tae thenk again all right.
not described
although the rugby was meant to be described as they said on the ITV commentary use the red button why is this not on ITV x? again, inconsistencies.
Give them a chance
Inconsistencies, perhaps, but this is a relatively new service. If you have contacted accessibility@itv.com with your comments I imagine you'll be getting a response. If not, definitely do so as this is an important issue. As for the game, if you are an England fan it was probably an easier watch not described.
all on ITV
I don't recall our ever having had a notable disagreement, DullEye, but maybe my memory isn't very good? Anyway fear not, the Brussels Broadcasting Corporation couldn't afford to fork out for the England Six Nations games. They're all on ITV. England's summer tour is on Sky. The Autumn Internationals tend to either be on TNT Sports or Amazon Prime these days.