Everyone likes to watch television, including blind and partially sighted people. This is certainly not always easy because sometimes things happen on the screen that are impossible to follow because they are very visual. In addition, many television programs are broadcast in another language and not every visually impaired person understands this. Fortunately, there are a number of adjustments such as subtitles read out and audio description, so that blind and visually impaired people can enjoy inclusive TV. And thanks to a TV additional screen, visually impaired people are better able to view the screen.
- App ?? Subtitles ??: Spoken subtitles for the TV
- App ?? Earcatch ??
- Audio description
- KomFox Innovision
- Orion Webbox
- TV cover screen
App ?? Subtitles ??: Spoken subtitles for the TV
The Subtitles app works with Android devices. All Dutch and almost all Flemish channels appear on the screen. The user can also set the delay so that the spoken subtitles play synchronously with the texts on the TV. The user can also set the color and adjust the text size.
App ?? Earcatch ??
The free app Earcatch (https://www.earcatch.nl) immediately provides audio description (AD) when a visually impaired person watches a film or series. The AD can be listened to via headphones so that it does not disturb anyone else. The app was developed by the blind aftercare work Bartiméus Sonneheerdt in collaboration with Soundfocus. The app works for both Android and Apple devices. The user must first download new AD on his mobile phone via the Internet. The recent offering with AD titles is in the app. After that, the smartphone no longer needs an internet connection. When the user starts the app in the middle of a series or movie with AD, the app will immediately pick up where to start with AD in the series so that the blind or visually impaired user can immediately follow. AD describes characters, situations, storyline developments, facial expressions and so on that are necessary to understand everything properly. This naturally happens in between dialogues.
Audio description
Some series and films are released with audio description. A narration voice clarifies the passages that otherwise can only be understood visually. Of course this happens between dialogues so that a visually impaired person does not have to miss anything. With a simple setting on the television, blind and partially sighted people are then able to follow everything on the screen well. Consequently, he does not need an additional device for this. Every year, various DVD boxes with audio description appear on the market.
KomFox Innovision
This compact device is only intended for reading subtitles from the television to blind and partially sighted people. For this, a scart cable is used that is connected to the TV or digital receiver. The device also bases itself on the teletext page 889. If there is no text here, the KomFox does not speak anything. Due to the rapidly evolving technology, the KomFox may not work with all televisions, digital receivers and TV providers. The supplier is always looking for possible solutions to these problems.
Orion Webbox
Reading
With the Orion Webbox, someone who is blind or partially sighted is able to listen to all kinds of radio plays and texts (books, newspapers and magazines) at a chosen moment. Blind and visually impaired people can subscribe to various Flemish and Dutch newspapers. With the Webbox, the user navigates through the newspaper websites via the menu and it is very easy to have this read aloud. The visually impaired or blind person must take out a subscription to be able to work with the Webbox. This is done via adaptedlezen.nl, the Christian Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBB) and via the daily desired newspapers. Belgians can contact Kamelego or Transkript.
Radio
The Webbox also has an option on board to listen to any radio station, ranging from public, commercial to even an internet channel. The user does not have to search for the frequency, but simply selects the name of the radio station from the menu.
Subtitles
In addition, ?? looks ?? The visually handicapped person (listens) to the television because thanks to the Webbox he gets spoken subtitles. This works flawlessly for all Dutch and most Flemish channels and also works with any kind of television set. This is of course a true outcome for blind and partially sighted people as they no longer depend on others to read the subtitles or have to helplessly follow a documentary, film or series without knowing what is happening.
Options
The device requires an internet connection via wired or WiFi and power. The easy to operate device is ideal for users without computer skills and for people with a visual impairment. It only has one large rotary knob with four embossed keys, so that operation is done entirely by ear and touch. The compact device thus speaks the menus and the user can then confirm the choice with one press of the OK button. Adjusting the volume and speech speed is also possible. The Webbox also contains a remote control and associated cables.
price
It costs a lot of money to buy such a device. Under certain conditions, an Orion Webbox is largely or fully reimbursed by the health insurance company (the Netherlands) or the Flemish Agency for Persons with a Disability (VAPH) (http://www.vaph.be) in Flanders.
Mailgroup Komfox webbox
Users of the Komfox and the Webbox, devices that enable blind and partially sighted people to read subtitles from the television, have come to the right place at the Komfox webbox email group. All kinds of tips and experiences can be exchanged via this forum. This forum works through Yahoogroups and is simple for blind and partially sighted people. You can make some interesting settings regarding the e-mails by sending an e-mail to a specific address. For example, the user can set that he does not want to receive emails (no mail), or he can receive one email every day in which the summary of the emails of that day appears (digest). The deregistration and registration system is also user-friendly.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/komfox-webbox/info
TV cover screen
A TV additional screen enlarges the image up to 50%. This is very easy to install and takes up almost no space. The visually impaired user places the special plastic magnifying glass in front of the screen at a distance between 30-50 cm. The TV attachment screens are available in various models, depending on the size of the TV.
