TVGuardian: A possible key to broaden closed captioning requirements.

TVGuardian® technology may be what we need to get CC on streaming videos.

If you're deaf like me, you want closed captioning everywhere such as TV, DVD, Blu-Ray, Cable, Satellite, Cellphones (iPhones), and most importantly on the Internet. Broadcasters and Movie Studios have done pretty well with providing closed caption on most of their shows on TV and DVDs. But as we all are aware, they are moving more and more towards online streaming and download services like NetFlix, Hulu, and more recently, Blockbusters via TiVo and thats where we are being left out with no Closed Captioning.

Well, TVGuardian® may change all that. TVGuardian® is a patented, award winning technology that automatically mutes out offensive language... while you're watching your favorite TV shows or DVDs. Here's the exciting part, this technology works by reading the Closed Captioned data transmitted from the broadcasting station or video source such as DVD.

The FCC wants comments from the public on whether tools such as TVGuardian should be required in a wide spectrum of video products, such as: TVs, DVD Players, Blu-Ray players, cable, satellite, computers, the Internet, cell phones, iPods/Mobile Video Players, Gaming Consoles (Xbox/PS3/Wii), DTV converter boxes, and DVRs.

Yeah, TVGuardian® is designed to allow you to choose whether or not you want your kids to hear or read the 1034 "F" words in the movie Departed, thats neat. But if we want Closed Captioning to be made law on all video products then we better voice our support by clicking here.

This is where you can read the full FCC Notice of Inquiry.

Lance

Netflix's Watch Instantly now on Mac! Closed Captioned? Not!

Yeah, I was really excited about the Watch Instantly feature finally being available on the Mac when I first found out. It is currently in Beta so this is where I'll provide my feedback. A couple of things worth talking about:

Netflix computes your bandwidth and figures out which movie quality to send you. This is actually very nice, it sets your expectations on how good the video will look based on how fast your internet is. I have somewhat slow internet so I get the Basic Quality most of the time. Today my internet was faster so they streamed a higher quality video for me. This is determined automatically. The basic quality is pretty similar to the YouTube quality... well, maybe a little better.

The Watch Instantly library is pretty limited to several thousands of movies that no one really watches anymore. But give it time, the list will grow and Netflix struck some recent deals with television studios such as Starz.

While a lot of streaming movies and TV show web sites are adding Closed Captioned features, Netflix has pretty much ditched us Deafies on this. I understand that studios have the option of providing CC content for the internet and such but Netflix is responsible for providing the technology to allow CC to work on it's streaming video players. So Netflix, we all know you're pretty much the last to do this so pull some strings will ya?

Wait, the snapshop above has closed caption!? Yeah, I figured that while I wait for the CC to be implemented I'll just explore the foreign movies genre where most of them are English Subtitled anyway. I normally don’t watch foreign movies so maybe I’ll discover a newfound interest.

So for all you Mac users with a bit of free-time check it out!

Lance

Why I am voting this time.

Who will our next President be? Obama or McCain? Man, there's so much information out there, full truths, half truths, half lies, and all lies. Its tough to make a decision with all that crap out there. I wish the signs were more obvious like one wearing a Darth Vader outfit while the other dressed like Obi-Wan Kenobi then the choice would be obvious! Pew Pew!

Personally, I've never voted before, I never planned to. I figured, like more than half the rest of you, the majority will pick who they want and I'll go along for the ride. That strategy worked out pretty well so far in my life - you know how it is, when you're young Presidents don't really have any direct impact on your life so whoever ran the United States didn't matter as long as you could do whatever you wanted. Well that's one of the greatest things about being young. Now I'm almost 30 and have responsibilities and after seeing gas prices push me into the bus everyday, my home value dropping, banks failing, CEOs partying, watching my 401k take a nose dive, and then watching everyone panic! I feel like The Force isn't working with Bush anymore and it's time for a true Jedi to take his place. The worse part is I've actually been affected this time - now that I'm a responsible person.

Being deaf isn't so easy, I'm pretty lucky to actually have a job and can pay all my bills but if these problems keep up that luxury isn't gonna last. So this time I'm voting, maybe my finger on the button will make a difference, who knows. Maybe the person I'm voting for will screw up or he will succeed I can't predict that but at least I'm going to try.

So... (ahem) Go VOTE!

Just for fun I posted a Poll on the right - vote for who you think would be a good actor as Obama in some movie someday - I'll bet that regardless the outcome there will be a movie.

Lance