What’s The Most Accessible TV For A Blind Person?

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into the accessibility of modern televisions with guest and longtime listener Elliot Stonhill. The discussion begins with an unexpected detour into smart speakers, as Elliot shares insights on Sonos’ voice assistant limitations and the JBL Authentics range, which supports both Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously. The conversation then shifts to accessible television, a recurring topic on the show.

Steven and Shaun express frustration with sluggish TV interfaces and inconsistent screen reader support across different brands. Elliot offers his experience with Fire TV, praising its ability to be set up from scratch with VoiceView but acknowledging its limitations in third-party app accessibility. The hosts explore other TV options, including Samsung, Sony, and LG, noting that while accessibility features exist, they vary significantly in responsiveness and third-party app support.

The discussion highlights a broader issue: Who is responsible for ensuring accessibility—the TV manufacturer or the app developer? The trio compare the experience to Apple TV, which consistently delivers accessible apps thanks to Apple’s well-structured framework. They also discuss the frustrating lack of audio description for live TV on streaming platforms and the restrictive requirements for EE’s accessible TV service in the UK.

For those seeking the best accessibility, Elliot suggests pairing a budget-friendly Fire TV with an Apple TV for the best experience. The episode closes with a shared sense of frustration at the lack of industry-wide accessibility standards and the difficulty in finding reliable information before purchasing a TV.