[access-uk] Panasonic Viera smart TV with Voice guidance
- From: "Gary Robinson" <gary.r30@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 17:13:13 -0000
Hi all,
yesterday I had a chance to have a lookat the new Panasonic Viera smart TV
range which includes voice guidance and audio description as mentioned on this
list and on Insight radio last month.
On the plus side, you can choose male/female voice, set voice rate and volume.
The voice is good, it sounded better than my Goodmans Smart talk box and more
responsive.
IT speaks the channel, programme you are on and works within the programme
guide, but sadly doesn't work within the various settings menus.
Ironically therefore like audio description on DVDs you probably won't be able
to turn on the voice guidance without sighted help.
Sadly therefore and very frustratingly given the sheer amount of functionality
and connectivity these TVs have (Internet, wifi,DLNA,USB,SD etc) most of the
functionality will be wasted so far as a visually impaired user is concerned.
There is a Viera remote control App for Apple devices, but i don't think this
will help in providing access to the multiplicity of set up menus which
controlmost of this very flexible TV's features.
The full price of the 32" model is around £499 though it will probably be
available cheaper if you look around.
whilst Panasonic are probably to be commended on including voice guidance as
standard across the range, it is nontheless very frustrating to be in effect
short changed by the limitations of what they have provided.
I am going to try to speak to someone in panasonic technical department and see
if there is any way of getting the set up screen information output to an
external device which might give a way of getting more access to these
otherwise very impressive TVs.
Gary
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