Government researching need for switchover assistance

Friday, 13 August 2010 09:42

The Dept of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources today issued a request for tenders for research into the current geographic and demographic television reception mechanisms in Ireland, with particular emphasis on analogue terrestrial.

They intend this research to inform their switchover policy, in particular concerning the provision of "supportive policy interventions/options". Among the questions the research should answer are:

• socio-economic circumstances of analogue-only TV households;
• the ability of these analogue-only TV households to upgrade to a digital television service;
• the number and location of TV households where some form of assistance may be required in the upgrade to digital;
• the type of assistance that such houses may need to upgrade to a digital service.

We hope the results of this research will create an accurate picture of the need for practical and financial assistance among older, disabled and/or people on low incomes.

Talking set top boxes released in UK and Spain

Wednesday, 07 July 2010 09:29

The first commercially available Freeview DTT set top box with spoken output of menus and EPG information has gone on sale in the UK. Currently available only through the RNIB shop for £85, the Goodmans Smart Talk box features a fully talking Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), spoken output of all menu settings and one-click access to audio description through a specially developed remote control.

Read more: Talking set top boxes released in UK and Spain

RTÉ call for students to help make RTÉ Player accessible

Tuesday, 06 July 2010 13:31

As reported last year by TV Access, the RTÉ Player was inaccessible to blind viewers using screen readers. Since then, RTÉ have been making efforts to rectify the situation, although these have only been partially successful and access to the Player remains a cause for concern among blind TV viewers. To boost their continuing efforts, RTÉ have teamed up with the NCBI Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT) to support a student project in making the Player accessible. Interested students or their supervisors are urged to apply.

Read more: RTÉ call for students to help make RTÉ Player accessible

TV online falls short on accessibility

Thursday, 03 December 2009 14:29

In recent judging for the eircom Golden Spider web awards, entries from RTÉ and TV3 failed to meet the shortlist due to their lack of accessibility. In the standards and accessibility assessment carried out by NCBI CFIT, the TV3 website was seen to be missing important structural markup, the RTÉ Player was found to be incompatible with assistive technologies (as previously reported here) and the navigation menus on RTÉ's Young Peoples website did not appear in response to keyboard activation, therefore excluding kids and teens with motor and visual impairments.

Read more: TV online falls short on accessibility

DTT switchover progress report: No progress

Thursday, 26 November 2009 11:21

In written answers to Dáil questions and in a face-to-face meeting with TV Access representatives, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, has confirmed that there will be no further movement on the DTT rollout until the conclusion of the commercial contractual arrangements between the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, RTÉ and the OneVision consortium.

Read more: DTT switchover progress report: No progress

RTÉ’s new catch-up TV player not accessible to blind viewers

Friday, 01 May 2009 12:00

Following on from the success of the BBC iPlayer, RTÉ has introduced its own version – the RTE Player, allowing broadband users to catch up on programmes they missed, up to 21 days later. However, visually impaired viewers have found that the new player is not accessible to them.

Read more: RTÉ’s new catch-up TV player not accessible to blind viewers

New audio description standard will make access easier

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 16:29

Differences and limitations in the way audio description (AD) is broadcast have, until now, made it difficult for digital television receivers to provide a user-friendly way for viewers to access it. Digital Video Broadcasting, the international industry consortium, has devised a new standard that will overcome these difficulties.

Read more: New audio description standard will make access easier

Argos £15 digibox proves low cost of audio description

Friday, 17 April 2009 14:56

A Freeview receiver sold by Argos in the UK for under £15 features audio description. This shows that cost can no longer be considered a barrier to the inclusion of audio description functionality in all DTT receivers.

Read more: Argos £15 digibox proves low cost of audio description

TV Access representatives present to Oireachtas Communications committee

Friday, 17 April 2009 14:20

Representatives of the TV Access coalition appeared in front of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications on April 2nd, outlining the need for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) services and consumer equipment to be made affordable and fully accessible.

Read more: TV Access representatives present to Oireachtas Communications committee

European standardisation plan prioritises accessible digital TV

Monday, 23 February 2009 11:18

The European Commission’s Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General has published its draft 2009 work programme for ICT standardisation. One of the areas prioritised for standardisation is accessibility of digital television.

Read more: European standardisation plan prioritises accessible digital TV