On May 23, 2014, at 4:00 AM, "M. Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello Patti,
I've only just tuned into this thread but it sounds like you've been given
some excellent help.
You know, we, as technology consumers, take so many things for granted
these days. For example, I have my Apple TV connected to my big-screen
television along with a DVD player, a digital cable box receiver, etc. And,
when I want to switch from watching Cable to the Apple TV, I use the
television's input selector. I am fortunate enough to enjoy a level of
residual vision that allows me to do this comfortably.
As I began reading this thread I asked myself what I would do if I lost the
remainder of my vision and was totally blind. How would I reliably know
which input on the television was selected? This question returns me to the
statement that we technology consumers take so many things for granted. In
this instance, I am referring to the fact that many consumers assume that
using the television's input selector is the only way to determine what is
being streamed out to the television set. I guess this stems from the law
of conservatism. That is, most of us want to accomplish more and more tasks
while using less and less hardware.
This explains the ever increasing popularity of the universal remote control
versus device-specific remote controls, among sighted people.
As a low vision consumer, I find that the more devices I attempt to control
with an off-the-shelf universal remote, (1) generally requires more effort
and (2) results in less accuracy. Consequently, I prefer to use
device-specific remote controls so that I can commit their various layouts
to muscle memory.
I employ the same philosophy when purchasing office equipment. No
printer/fax/scanner combos here. Simply stated, my scanner can only scan,
my printer only prints and my fax, well you get the idea. The primary
benefit to me is that, since I only need to send a fax once or twice every
two months or so, the fax machine, being only a fax machine, has remarkably
few buttons. Therefore, even if I don't use the fax very often, all things
being equal, all I need to do is place a sheet of paper in the proper place,
dial the telephone number, and press the big button on the lower left. Get
it? If I were to use a combination printer/scanner/fax machine, unless I
faxed on a regular basis, it is highly unlikely that I would remember the
proper sequence of non-accessible hardware-panel soft-control commands
necessary to switch the device to fax mode.
What does any of this have to do with your new Apple TV?
Before all of these remarkably sophisticated digital televisions, with their
multiple input channels, were introduced to the market, we old-timers, who
wanted to view external media from remote devices such as VCR consoles,
gaming machines, etc through one television, used hardware video
switchboxes.
In fact, I used video switchboxes for over ten years in order to accomplish
what was then considered an amazing breakthrough in consumer consumption.
The most relevant aspect of this for those of us who are either blind or low
vision is that the switchboxes used good old-fashion hardware push-buttons.
Allow me to digress for just a moment:
At one time, I used a video switchbox along with an audio switchbox in
combination with my television and stereo in combination with my Cable box,
gaming console, and VCR recorder. The net result was that, among other
things, I could watch and record my video games while simultaneously
listening to the television broadcast of my choice, while at the same time
recording a second show and seamlessly switch between the various audio
and/or video, inputs, independently, with the press of one or at most, two
buttons.
Once, during that time, I had the cable company send someone out to my house
in order to repair an outside connection. When the cable guy came into my
living room and saw my setup, he offered to pay me to set his media center
up the same way. My setup looked like something you'd find in a
Frankenstein movie but it worked and it was the envy of all who saw it, back
then. I do so miss those days (smile).
Okay, getting back to the point.
Patti, should you choose, you can go to your local RadioShaq, or someplace
similar, and purchase a digital video switchbox which will allow you to use
hardware buttons to select the various input devices to your television set,
including your Apple TV.
I hope you find this helpful.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Sieghard Weitzel
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 9:42 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: apple tv
Yes, each time you want to watch cable or Apple TV you will have to select
the correct input.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Patti Johnson
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 9:07 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: apple tv
Oh rats. I didn't know all this, t hough I had heard earlier there could be
changes, but then nothing happened, grin.
I bought it from Best Buy and it was a few dollars off the regular price.
Well, I guess I'll just ha ve to have some one help me know which port to
use and change the menu on the tv.
So does this mean I ha ve to change the menu back when I want to watch my
Cable?
Thanks for everyone's help, I'm sure I'll get there with this thing.
Patti
On 5/22/2014 8:20 PM, Sieghard Weitzel wrote:
Hi Patty,
As Larry already pointed out, the Apple TV gives you access to iTunes
for renting and buying movies and if you are a Netflix subscriber then
it's probably the nicest and most accessible way to consume Netflix
content. It's also great for Youtube.
If your TV has multiple HDMI inputs you do have to be able to select
these depending on what you want to watch. For example, let's assume
you have your cable box connected to HDMI 1, a blueray DVD player to
HDMI 2 and your Apple TV to HDMI 3, then you do have to be able to
select your input on the TV depending on what you want to watch. Often
this is done via a single button which invokes a menu on the TV and
you then have to arrow to the input/source you want and select it.
This may not be the most accessible thing to do, but you would have to
maybe aska sighted friend or family member to help you with this.
Now, as for the Apple TV, had you posted to the list that you were
looking to get one I would have advised you to wait until Monday, June
2. This is when Apple will have it's world wide developer conference
and when iOS 8 will be introduced.
There are a lot of rumours according to which Apple may announce the
next generation Apple TV during this event and that it will be much
more advanced. There will most likely be an app store for the Apple TV
which means you can get apps for various services and maybe games and
so on and the talk is also that the Apple TV may very well become a
complete replacement for your current set top box.
There are also rumours that the Apple TV will have SIRI and that the
remote may accept voice commands.
Now, having said all this, they are of course rumours and I guess
we'll find out in a week and a half if any of them are true. Did you
purchase your Apple TV from Apple directly? If so you probably have
time to return it should something really cool be announced. If not at
least the apple TV only costs $99 which is not so much compared to
what most other Apple devices cost.
Regards,
Sieghard
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Patti Johnson
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 12:16 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: apple tv
Oh! I see. I did get the hdmi cable or howevery ou spell it; I have
3 ports on the tv to choose from, not sure which to use though.
I didn't think there was a battery in the remote but I got a sighed
friend to look at that and she said there is.
So given that there is one maybe I need to work with it some more.
I am still a bit confused a bout how it works on the tv in conjunction
with cable, does it overide the box, do I need to switch menus on the tv?
Patti
On 5/22/2014 2:57 PM, Larry Lumpkin wrote:
Hi. You don't need the remote app at all. The apple tv has its own
remote
which you can use to turn on voice over in the unit. I think it is
three clicks of the menu button but there is a good podcast on
techtalk
describing
getting the apple tv going. You go into wi fi settings on the apple
tv
and
turn it on and connect your network. You connect the little apple tv
box
to
your tv using an HDMI cable and setting
Your tv to play through this port. If you want sound through a
stereo receiver/sound system, you need a tos link or fiber optic
cable. We love ours and use it all the time to listen to KDFC
classical in san Francisco from here in Texas, smile.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Patti Johnson
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 1:02 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: apple tv
Hello. I just got mine yesterday. I hooked it up but not sure I did
it correctly.
I downloaded the remote app and it said to sync with your computer,
but
when
I did I couldnt' find anywhere on the Itues after hooking my phone up
to
the
computer anything about the remote or Apple TV.
I know there is a code to put in, it gave me one then another; so I
will
put
the first one in when I figure how. I just want to know how this is
supposed to work in con junction with a Cable Digital box.
Do I turn the box off?
I looked forr something to read on the setup and just found so much
to
wade
through I didn't know where to look or start.
Any tips please?
Patti
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