[access-uk] Re: Accessible Set-top Boxes
- From: tony scanlon <turrots@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:25:55 +0100
Also check out this link for a video demo of the new software
http://www.oceanbluesoftware.com/talkingtv-video-form.shtml
On 29 June 2010 10:36, tony scanlon <turrots@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> This post appeared on the Vibistro mailing list with thaks to Flor Lynch
>
> World’s first talking TV now a reality
>
> June 8th, 2010 - 13:36 UTC
> by Andy Sennitt.
>
> TVs that can talk to their owners are now a reality thanks to British
> high-tech company, Ocean Blue Software. Expected in UK stores by the
> end of the summer, the company’s low cost text-to-speech technology,
> dubbed “Talk@TV”, is being built into set top boxes from Korean
> company, Arion Technology, which will be branded and distributed by
> major retailers in the UK from August.
>
> The new set top boxes are like regular Freeview or satellite boxes,
> but will be able to talk to their blind or partially-sighted owners –
> advising, via speech technology, the TV programming schedule, for
> example what’s on and when. Owners will be able to adjust the speed
> and verbosity of the voice to suit their needs, choose to enlarge or
> reduce font sizes and change background and text colours. A
> re-designed and easy to use remote control will also be included.
>
> The technology has been developed in partnership with digital TV chip
> giant, STMicroelectronics, whose processors lie at the heart of most
> TVs and set top boxes. Phase two of the development will introduce
> voice activation technology to allow owners to talk back to their TV
> sets – “channel up”, “channel down”, “volume up”.
>
> “The digital switchover has multiplied the number of channels to 40
> plus, for UK consumers, making navigation very difficult for the
> visually impaired,” said Ken Helps, CEO of Ocean Blue Software. “This
> technology is a step forward to making digital TV accessible to all
> sectors of the community”.
>
> Ocean Blue’s Talk@TV will be available in different languages and
> dialects; the UK version supports both the Scottish Gaelic and Welsh
> language for example. The technology behind Talk@TV is a derivative of
> the pioneering work and development between the Royal National
> Institute for the Blind (RNIB) and Ocean Blue over the last three
> years. The development won an IABM Award for Excellence in Design and
> Innovation, was nominated for a Royal Television Society award and
> shortlisted for an IMS TV Innovation award in the USA.
>
> The Arion Talking set top box will be available in a number of UK
retailers.
>
> (Source: Ocean Blue Software/Arion Technology)
>
>
>
> On 29 June 2010 09:19, Long, Alison <Alison.Long@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> All I can say is check the RNIB website on Thursday!
>> Regards
>> Alison
>>
>>
>> Alison Long
>> Products & Publications
>> Royal National Institute of Blind People
>> Bakewell Road
>> Orton Southgate
>> Peterborough
>> PE2 6XU
>> England
>>
>> Tel: +44 1733 375178
>> Fax: +44 1733 375383
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of dudleym@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: 29 June 2010 09:07
>> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [access-uk] Accessible Set-top Boxes
>>
>> Hi Folks
>>
>> There was talk some time ago that there was going to be an
>> accessible solution to set-top tuners/recorders by adding speech to
>> the on screen menu'sfor such as EPG etc. I'm sure the RNIB member of
>> staff who used to send out e-mail bulitins of AD films etc. who's job
>> was sadly axed and she no longer works for them informed me that
>> something was to be launched in February/March of this year but as
>> yet I've heard nothing about it.
>>
>> Also I remember reading an article from someone called Brian Hartgen
>> regarding something along these lines, or maybe he was talking about
>> accessible TV's, but I'm sure the technology would be the same.
>>
>> So does anyone have any info on this subject please?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Martin
>>
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