HI Terry: Plese, if you could, share with us your tips. Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Terry Clasper Sent: 16 November 2008 17:48 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: FW: A letter I wrote to sky. Well I got sky pluss around 2 weeks ago and find it very usable with a bit of imagination and learning. Actually I've enjoyed more TV programs in the last few weeks becasue I can reliably record them. A fantastic piece of kit in my humble view. Terry Clasper. MSM: terry.clasper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Skype: terryclasper Private E-Mail: terry.clasper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Work E-Mail: terry.clasper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "martin wilsher" <m.wilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 5:40 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: FW: A letter I wrote to sky. > HI Jackie: > > I do not understand your reference to k alan, but guess this person was > someone to do with sky. And while I agree with you here in part re the > digi > box, if blind people do not face the challenges of inaccessible services > and > flag up the inaccessibility, they will be left behind in the digital > revolution. I believe using sky plus to the best of our abilities and > flagging inaccessible parts of this service will force sky to do something > about it in the end. Though I completely understand your standpoint > ttoo.-----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf > Of > Jackie Cairns > Sent: 16 November 2008 17:18 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: FW: A letter I wrote to sky. > > Hi Martin > > Firstly, it's why I won't buy a Sky Plus box to replace my eight-year-old > original Digibox, because I can't access the facilities the Plus offers. > > Secondly, bring back Kay Allen. She was excellent, even if she couldn't > implement everything we'd like to see happen. > > Jackie Cairns > Braille Support Adviser > Email: jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sight and Sound Technology Welton > House North Wing Summerhouse Road Moulton Park Northampton > NN3 6WD > Tel: 01604 798024 > Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf > Of > martin wilsher > Sent: 16 November 2008 16:04 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] FW: A letter I wrote to sky. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: martin wilsher [mailto:m.wilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] > Sent: 16 November 2008 12:45 > To: 'access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx' > Subject: A letter I wrote to sky. > > HI all. Having just got sky plus installed, I have had no end of issues > with the remote record service, so this, along with other issues I found, > prompted me to write the following letter to sky which I enclose for your > discussion. > > "Dear Sir/Madam: > > My Name is Martin Wilsher. Having recently upgraded to sky plus in an > attempt to enhance my sky experience, I am generally impressed with the > operation of the sky plus system. Though, as one of your disabled > customers, I am totally blind, meaning I cannot see the sky EPG to operate > the system properly, I need to find alternative methods of programming the > box to my liking. Now, to this end I use accessible sky TV listings, and > would use remote record, but this is broken, so I cannot use the service, > even though I am subscribed to use it. the only way I can control the box > is to send texts at twenty five pence per time from my mobile phone, this > is > excluding network charges, so in the two days I've been using this system > I > have unbilled usage of £10 excluding VAT on my mobile bill due to > controlling the sky box. I have spoken to accessible customer services > regarding this matter, and that of the remote record, so I will not > continue > the discussion of my current problems here. My main concern is the lack > of > accessibility for totally blind people when using sky plus. There are no > indications when moving up and down the menus for example, so pressing up, > down, select, or left or right arrows does not cause a beep or any audible > tone for the blind user. This means blind users cannot adequately use the > menus. I feel that key clicks to tell a user when they have pressed an > arrow key, or the select key would be a small enhancement to the sky plus > menu system which, in the interim between today, and the day when we > finally > get a talking EPG, which I believe is in the pipeline, would be of great > help to blind customers, as would accessibility services set to on by > default. At present, a blind customer has to get assistance with setting > up > audio description and the beep to tell when AD is available on a channel. > I > believe this is a sorry state of affairs. Accessibility should be a right > straight out of the box, not a privilege, as it is at the moment. If a > blind user cannot get sighted assistance, and is not competent with use of > the remote control while someone on the end of a phone line talks them > through key presses where little feedback from the box, Is given, the > blind > user is stuck with a box they cannot use, as there is no talking EPG at > the > present time. While sky provides AD for its blind customers, I believe > with > the revenue streams sky gets from loyal customers, that access for blind > users should be, and could be much improved. At the moment I am finding > my > use of sky plus a very expensive experience, but I hope this, with the > rectifying of the remote record problem, should come down to the normal > costs experienced by sighted users of the sky plus system. I must say > that > I am very technically minded, and will work through technical issues, but > with an aging population, and possible growing numbers of people with > moderate to total sight loss, coupled with the imminent switch to digital > television for all, sky need to urgently address all access issues to a > greater degree than they already are. I like my sky plus box, but am not > totally uncritical as my letter to you shows. I am young, technically > minded, and have a fair knowledge of computers and of the menu systems sky > employ, if explained to me. Some older people might not have this > advantage. So this letter is a plea for accessibility for elder folk as > well as me as a blind sky user. I feel key clicks could be implemented > quickly and should be accelerated to the top of your to do list. I > understand the talking EPG is in development, but Key clicks could be > implemented quickly and put into a software upgrade to the current sky > plus > boxes. I currently use the box by remembering the key presses I make on > various keys, but am not totally sure if the box has accepted all presses, > so it's still pot luck. I believe the implementation of key clicks is as > important as the highlighter bar on the menus. If sighted users of sky > plus > suddenly found the highlighter gone from their menus, they would not be > able > to find their way around the sky planner and other services. This is how > it > is for blind users. Yes we have the sky music which plays when in menus, > but that is all. There are no other cues as to where we are in the menus. > I believe, in the days of the disability discrimination act, and the so > called right of disabled people to be treated equally when accessing > services, blind people deserve a better deal from sky, as sky continue to > innervate. Please, please do not leave blind people out of the digital > revolution. I believe blind people are given very little consideration > when > new services are implemented, and feel this is morally as well as legally > wrong. I also wish to express my disappointment in the sign up process > for > my sky. This implements a visual graphical test for registrants which > entail the completion of a form by entering text into the box. This is > not > accessible to screen reading software. An alternative audio system should > be provided for blind and visually impaired customers so they can sign up > independently. Registration for remote record via sky plus box is not > accessible either, which I feel could be improved by the use of the > website > to tell the box what to do. Access to sky services needs to be > drastically > improved for blind users. Thank you for reading." > > Hope this provokes discussion. > > Hope to hear from you soon. > > From Martin. > > Please email me at: > > m.wilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Thanks > > > Please visit my website: > > www.martin-wilsher.com > > > > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. > For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email > ______________________________________________________________________ > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus > signature > database 3615 (20081115) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > > http://www.eset.com > > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > __________ NOD32 3615 (20081115) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 3615 (20081115) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq