The comcast digital cable boxes, you can still do that and I'm sure that's 
all they'll use on comcast. You can still enter channels directly, in fact, 
with all the channels out there, any company that doesn't do that, should be 
ashamed of themselves.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terri Pannett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 1:18 PM
Subject: digital TV, DVDs


> Dear List,
>
> I know these things are off topic, but we've been discussing them and I 
> have
> some comments and questions.
>
> Firstly, I live in a senior apartment complex which provides free Standard
> cable to each apartment.  Right now, the cable is analog.  From what you
> say, analog will disappear in 2009.  That means, whether we like it or 
> not,
> we will be switched to digital.  Comcast will probably have to provide 
> each
> resident with a converter box.  Now, most of the people here love TV but
> their minds find new technology difficult to learn.  There are no young
> eyeballs around here to teach us anything.  I was hoping all you had to do
> was plug the box to the TV and the cable outlet and use my analog TV with
> the remote control to access the channels.  Presently, to watch cnn, I 
> press
> 29 on my remote control.  Is my understanding correct that even with the 
> box
> it will not be possible to access channels using my remote control?
>
> Most people here watch the news, sports channels, channels like Hallmark,
> KOFY TV 20, TVland which show all the good old programs we enjoyed way 
> back
> when plus a&E, the History channel, PBS and Animal Planet.  One solution
> would be to buy dvd's of the old programs and watch them using a dvd 
> player
> or a computer, both of which would turn off most people here but I'm open,
> if the adaptive folks produced an accessible dvd player or if I could read
> the menus using WindowEyes Windows Media Player and my PC.
>
> But news and sports are another thing: people must be able to receive 
> those
> from their TV's.  So how can seniors and the blind work with these 
> converter
> boxes?
>
> Another thing I can't understand:  If a person uses a cd player, they can
> skip from one track to the next by pressing the forward button on the
> remote.  Why can't a person do the same thing with a dvd player?  I know
> they're menu-driven, but isn't there a way to move forward or back on a 
> dvd
> without having to read the menus?
>
> If that's not possible, then can a person play dvd's using their PC's?
>
> What about dvd decrypters--would it be feasible to rip dvd's to the hard
> drive and use the screen reader to navigate the movies or programs?
>
> Perhaps some of you can answer my questions and comments.  Thanks in
> advance.
>
> Terri Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA.
>