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The following talking VCR review message is from the 01-1-99 issue of Phil
Scovell's Blind Internet Phone Book. One may learn more about Phil Scovell's
Blind Internet Phone Book by visiting Phil's web page located at,
http://www.redwhiteandblue.org
Start of message.
ITEM #30: Subject: Zenith Talking VCR
Note. You can purchase the Zenith Talking VCR from Disability
Specialties. They also offer the manual on audio cassette. Call
toll free: 888-892-7878 in West Virginia.
Shopping for a VCR finally becomes a pleasant experience.
By Karyn and Ray Campbell
OK, so the old VCR conked out and it's time to buy a new one. What unit
should you get? Should you get a stereo VCR, a VCR that you can hook
your
camcorder up too, a VCR that is cable ready? What is your price range?
There are just a lot of choices out there in the world of VCRs. But for
me
and my wife, Karyn, one thing has remained true. All of these VCRs and
other electronics for that matter have on-screen menus. You have to use
the menu to set all of the functions: clock, program recording, ETC.
The
frustration is constantly there for us because as people who are totally
blind, we can't read the menu and can't access the settings we need. We
cannot use these products independently, until Now.
Zenith Electronics has introduced a new line of VCRs with the "Speakeasy
Menu." Yes, this is just what the name implies, an on-screen menu that
speaks.
Here's how it works. You turn on the VCR and television set it is
connected too. On the remote control, you press the second button from
the
bottom in the middle row. The sound from your TV disappears, and after a
couple seconds, you hear the sound of independence. A voice welcomes you
to the Speakeasy Menu and says: "To set the clock, press 1. To set
programming, press 2. To set tuner and VCR features, press 3. To set
audio features, press 4." You get the idea.
OK, let's say you want to set the clock. So, you press one. The voice
says: "Use the number keys to enter the month, then press enter."
Now, you have a keypad that looks exactly like a telephone keypad which
is
located just below a set of five buttons arranged in a circle on the
remote
control. This makes it very easy to find.
Back to our clock. Let's say you want to set the clock to February 1,
1999, 12:00 p.m. When we last left our Speakeasy Menu, we were being
prompted for the month. So, you enter the number 2 (no 0 is necessary
before it) and press the enter button. The enter button is on the left
side of the remote control, in a row of small buttons. It's two below
the
power button which is in the top left corner.
After pressing enter, Speakeasy says: "Use numbers to set the day, then
press enter." At this point, you'd punch 1 and press enter.
Speakeasy says: "Use number keys to set the year, then press enter."
Punch
in the year, 1999, and press enter.
Speakeasy says, "Use number keys to set the time, then press enter."
Punch
in 1200 and then press enter. Speakeasy says, "For AM press 1. For PM,
press 2." Select 2 and press enter.
Speakeasy will now respond: "The clock is set."
At this point, if you didn't want to set any more functions, you could
hit
the quit button to exit. Quit is to the right of the menu button, second
button up from the button in the right hand row of the remote control.
OK, let's say you make a mistake in the middle of all of this. Just
press
the quit button. You'll hear TV sound again just as you do when you are
done setting something. Then, press the menu button again and you're
right
back at the start of the Speakeasy Menu.
Speakeasy doesn't repeat each key as you press it, but it's easy enough
to
locate the number pad and once you've practiced a few times, it's
something
you probably wouldn't need anyway.
We've only had our VCR with Speakeasy for a few days now, but we love it.
It's exciting to me that Zenith has designed this product and that,
whether
by accident or purpose, it was designed to be accessible to and usable by
people who are blind or visually impaired. Contact your local Zenith
dealer to see this VCR for yourself. I have written to Zenith already
and
asked that they make this Speakeasy menu available on other products and
that they look at producing their manuals in Braille, large print and
cassette.
We believe that after you see this VCR, you will fall in love with it
too.
We must encourage this kind of development with accessibility in mind
from
all manufacturers of products we use. It's what grass roots advocacy is
all about. Find out more by visiting Zenith's web site at
http://www.zenith.com. You might also express your appreciation for this
product by contacting Mr. Jeffrey P. Gannon, President and Chief
Executive
Officer, Zenith Electronics Corporation, 1000 Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview,
IL 60025
End Of Document
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