Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted on 4/11/2011 at 3:44 PM
by Joe Strechay

Joe Strechay

Our cable boxes might not be accessible, but the good news is that there is something we can easily navigate using built-in voiceover: Apple TV.

The second-generation Apple TV allows you to access iTunes (for movies, TV shows, podcasts, music, and more), Netflix (in an accessible manner), YouTube, Major League Baseball or National Basketball Association subscription services, and Internet radio. Note that you do have to subscribe in order to use Netflix (a basic streaming plan that includes movies and TV shows goes for about $8 a month), and iTunes also requires you to pay for most content.

Set up is relatively easy. With some assistance from my sighted fiancée, I had Apple TV up and running in five minutes. It took an extra minute or two to set up voiceover in the accessibility settings. The device requires the following: high-speed Internet access, a high-definition television/monitor, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cord, an HDMI port on your TV, and high-definition content protection (HDPC) enabled on your TV.

I have less than one percent of my vision. In using Apple TV for the first time, I felt some freedom and independence in navigating through movies, TV shows, music, and more. In fact, my family and I are purchasing one for my mother, who is also visually impaired.

The device is so easy to use that after spending a few minutes playing with Apple TV, I turned to my fiancée and asked, "Why can't the cable companies do this? And why haven't we heard much about this option?" My colleague, Darren Burton of AFB TECH, was one of the first people I had heard talking about Apple TV, and that had piqued my interest.

I decided more people needed to know about this option, so when presented with the opportunity to do a product evaluation on Apple TV for AccessWorld, AFB's free online magazine, I jumped at the chance.

You can find out more about Apple TV and many other products from AccessWorld. AccessWorld offers great articles and evaluations on everything from the iPhone, iPad, printers/copiers, assistive technology, websites, and the most accessible apps available. Become an informed consumer--read AccessWorld!

And if you're thinking about how to best access media, including print and electronic text, you might want to check out Senior Site's eLearning webinar, Reading Without Seeing.

I hope the cable companies are listening and learning from companies like Apple. It is time for us to take back the remote control!

Topic:: Assistive Technology

There are currently 14 comments

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 505634 on 5/26/2011 at 10:04 AM

Nice article. CCVIP is having a seminar today all about this subject.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 510075 on 5/26/2011 at 10:09 AM

I think it's for those who are interested and can afford all of the programs you need each month you need to fully enjoy it.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by techlynne on 5/26/2011 at 10:10 AM

the developers at Apple have taken great strides in accessibility and they are to be applauded for their efforts. I plan to purchase a system as soon as my bank account allows.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 510075 on 5/26/2011 at 10:10 AM

I think it's for those who are interested and can afford all of the programs you need each month you need to fully enjoy it.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by enuviague on 5/26/2011 at 10:12 AM

It sound pretty good to hear what it can. I must try it to fin

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 505635 on 5/26/2011 at 10:13 AM

I enjoyed learning about Apple TVI enjoyed learning the features of Apple TV. It is something I want to look in to. I also appreciated learning about Access World.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by techlynne on 5/26/2011 at 10:14 AM

the developers at Apple have taken great strides in accessibility and they are to be applauded for their efforts. I plan to purchase a system as soon as my bank account allows.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 510075 on 5/26/2011 at 10:14 AM

I think it's for those who are interested and can afford all of the programs you need each month you need to fully enjoy it.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 505634 on 5/26/2011 at 10:14 AM

Nice article. CCVIP is having a seminar today all about this subject.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by Joe Strechay on 5/26/2011 at 10:35 AM

Thank you all for reading and commenting. You are right about the cost of having each specific program, it could add up. I have reduced my cable to very basic and moved to utilizing the Apple TV with Netflix and streaming off the web otherwise. I am actually paying less a month than I was prior. But, it does cost money, going without cable and Apple TV is cheaper. You are right!

But, if you can afford it and want the ability to truly control and know more about what you are watching, the Apple TV is a great product for about $99 and $17 for a HDMI cord.

Apple is setting a great example for others and I expect other companies to try to follow suit.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,
Joe Strechay

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by traceyma1 on 6/5/2011 at 4:57 AM

Very Interesting and helpful sharing. Thanks

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by Joe Strechay on 6/6/2011 at 3:42 PM

Tracey,
Thank you for checking out the blog and I hope you check out the full article in the April issue of AccessWorld. You can find other great reviews in AccessWorld as well.

Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Joe Strechay

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by 505627 on 6/8/2011 at 11:06 AM

Good morning from a apple tv user. I've had my device forf 3 months very happy with it. I made the buttons a little easier using velcroe on them. enjoy everything the apple tv hs to offer.

Re: Apple helps you to take control of your TV!

Posted by Joe Strechay on 6/9/2011 at 11:04 AM

Donald,

Thanks for posting! Yeah, I would say the buttons could have been defined better -- very sleek and pretty remote. I could see some people having issues with it. Great idea to add the velcro to the controller, very easy fix. Thanks for sharing that with us!

Sincerely,
Joe Strechay