Descriptive Video Service for the Visually Impaired- 1661
Estimated Reading Time: 1 MinutesIntroduction
Descriptive Video (DVS) is an audio service provided for those who are blind or visually impaired
- The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 reinstates the FCC's involvement in providing rules for video description
- Under the rules, only affiliates in the top 25 markets and the top five-rated cable networks must provide at least 50 hours of video described programming per week. This provision currently does not apply to syndicated programming
- Under the rules, only affiliates in the top 25 markets and the top five-rated cable networks must provide at least 50 hours of video described programming per week. This provision currently does not apply to syndicated programming
- DVS is not Available for all TV Shows and Stations
- DVS is controlled by the broadcasters, not Astound. We pass the signal through the cable services just like Closed Captioning
- DVS provides program content (dialogue, sounds effects and music) with descriptions of what is happening on-screen when there is no dialogue in the program audio
- DVS is typically carried over SAP (Secondary Audio Program), which can be selected on converter boxes in the home
- Use the link below for channel/market information:
Resolution Steps
Configuring Descriptive Video Service
- On Motorola converters* or TiVos, set the box to use SAP (Secondary Audio Programming)
- *All markets except California, Oregon, Texas and Washington - Some Motorola boxes have a "DV" function that does not currently function; SAP is the only option for any boxes
- *All markets except California, Oregon, Texas and Washington - Some Motorola boxes have a "DV" function that does not currently function; SAP is the only option for any boxes
- When present, customers can access it using the Alternate audio feed
- When not present, customers may hear the Spanish Audio if that’s what’s being carried on the Alternate audio feed