A partially-sighted computer programmer has developed a service that turns the text from programme guides to online streaming TV into real time speech.
The Talking TV Guide was developed by Ian Sharpe, who is a member of web accessibility group W3C, to convert listings from web TV guides into speech.
It allows users to select a channel, access programme descriptions and record featured listings. The Guide works on Macs, PCs, iPhones, Androids and tablets.
Most electronic programme guides are designed for sighted audiences, says Sharpe. The sliding timelines and tabular layouts are awkward to use with screen readers, particularly on mobile devices.
It’s also tricky to access related program information, often located in graphic ads or call-out boxes.
One of the project’s biggest challenges, he says, was to provide text-to-speech across a range of modern media devices.
“I found an altruistic firm in Poland called Ivona, worldwide leaders in automated speech software,” he said. “They have been brilliant by providing their services free while the project was being developed.”
At present, Talking TV Guide has only have channel and programme information for around 70 TV and radio channels, mostly on Sky.
Talking TV Guide also acknowledges there are problems with the quality of speech relayed over the net and conflicts between the virtual reader used by the service and users’ own screen readers.
Some mobile handsets also make it difficult to playback speech from the service.
“The Talking TV Guide is a work in progress,” says Sharpe in his blog on the site. “We are aware of a number of issues and limitations with the current service which we hope to resolve very soon and will be continually improving it over the coming months.
“In particular we will be adding the ability to:
• Set up programme reminders which will be sent via email.
• Set up your favourite channels to hear listings the way you want them.”
Talking TV Guide has approached TV companies with a view to integrate the service with their guides and to increase the number of channels
http://paintthemirrorblack.com/blogs/TalkingTVGuide/