Accessibility Services
- Click here to go to Accessibility Services Main Page
- Click here for Accessibility Services information for Wireline Phone
- Click here for information on Voice Carry Over and Hearing Carry Over
- Click here for information on Message Relay Service
- Click here for information on IP Relay Service
- Click here for Accessibility Services information for Wireless Phone
Television
Accessibility Features by Television Platform
TiVo Stream
TiVo Stream features a variety of assistive technologies, including screen reading, closed captioning, and video description, to assist the visually or hearing-impaired. If you have any questions regarding the accessibility features on your TiVo Stream set-top-box, please call us at 1-888-345-1111.
Screen Reader
When the Screen Reader is turned on, a voice reads aloud the TiVo Stream menu choices displayed on the TV screen.
To turn the screen reader on or off with TiVo Stream:
- Press and hold the ‘A’ button on your TiVo Stream remote for at least two seconds. You’ll hear a voice say either "Screen reader on", or "Screen reader off".
To adjust the volume of the screen reader:
- Use the VOLUME button on your remote – the vertical oval-shaped button on the left, between the arrow circle and the Pause circle. Or, if it is hard to hear the screen reader because of audio from the video being watched, pause the video by pressing PAUSE – the round button in the centre of your remote.
Closed Captioning
When Closed Captioning is turned on, the audio portion of a show is displayed as text on the TV screen.
To turn Closed Captioning on or off with TiVo Stream:
- Press and hold the ‘B’ button on your TiVo Stream remote for at least two seconds.
- Note: You can also turn Closed Captioning on or off from the Info Banner. Simply press the INFO button on your remote control and select the Closed Caption icon.
Described Video
When the video description track is turned on, a voice describes the action taking place on the TV screen during natural pauses in the audio. Not all shows include a video description track.
To turn on Described Video with TiVo Stream:
- While watching a program, press and hold the ‘C’ button on your TiVo Stream remote for at least two seconds. This will change the audio track of the show to the secondary audio track, which is often the Described Video track.
- If there are multiple audio tracks, pressing the C button for two seconds once again will cycle through all available tracks.
- This function will not work if any overlays are present, such as the Info Banner that appears over the video when you change channels, or the Status bar that appears when you pause, fast forward, or rewind video. If you press and hold the C button and do not get a response, try pressing CLEAR – the leftmost button on the bottom row of your remote – to clear any overlays. Then, press and hold C again.
Voice Control
To turn on Voice Control with TiVo Stream:
- Press and release the Google Assistant button on your TiVo Stream remote, then by speaking into the remote, say ‘enable voice control’.
TiVo
Screen Reader
To turn the screen reader on or off with TiVo:
- Press and hold the ‘A’ button on the remote control to activate Voice Guidance.
Closed Captioning
To turn Closed Captioning on or off with TiVo:
- While watching a program, press the ‘Info’ button to access the closed caption controls menu.
- Press ‘OK’ on the remote control to activate or de-activate Closed Captioning.
Described Video
To turn on Described Video with TiVo:
- Step 1: While watching the desired content (Live TV or Recording) press Info.
- Step 2: Scroll to ‘Change Audio Track’ and press ‘OK’.
- Step 3: If Descriptive Video Service (Described Video) is available for this content, you will see the option ‘Unknown - Dolby Audio or Unknown - Stereo (AAC)’
- Step 4: Select ‘Unknown - Dolby Audio’ or ‘Unknown - Stereo (AAC)’ and press ‘OK’, otherwise press ‘Back’.
Voice Control
To turn on Voice Control with TiVo:
- Press and hold the microphone button on your TiVo Stream remote, say ‘enable voice control’ into your remote.
Maestro
Screen Reader
To turn the screen reader on or off with Maestro:
- Go to Settings, select Voice Guidance, and select ‘On’.
Closed Captioning
To turn Closed Captioning on or off with Maestro:
- While watching a program, press the ‘Info’ button to access the closed caption controls menu.
- Press ‘OK’ on the remote control to activate or de-activate Closed Captioning.
Described Video
To turn on Described Video with Maestro:
- Step 1: While watching the desired content (Live TV or Recording) press ‘Info’.
- Step 2: Scroll down to ‘Audio Language’.
- Step 3: Press the ‘OK’ button on the remote.
- Step 4: Highlight the desired Audio Feed.
- DVS will appear in brackets if Descriptive Video Service (Described Video) is available for this content.
- Step 5: Press ‘OK’.
Voice Control
This feature is not available with Maestro.
iGuide
Screen Reader
This feature is not available with iGuide.
Closed Captioning
To turn Closed Captioning on or off with iGuide:
- Step 1: Turn off your digital receiver, while leaving the television on.
- Step 2: Wait 3 to 5 seconds, then press the ‘Menu’ button on your remote control. The Menu screen (white with black text) should appear on your TV screen.
- Step 3: Press the down arrow button on your remote control until you get to ‘Closed Caption’.
- Step 4: Press the right or left arrow button on the remote control to change Closed Caption to Enabled.
- Step 5: Press the Power button to exit the menu.
- Step 6: Press the Power button again to turn the digital receiver back on.
Described Video
To turn on Described Video with iGuide:
- Step 1: On your Eastlink remote control, press ‘Menu’ twice.
- Step 2: Scroll down to ‘Setup’ and press ‘OK’.
- Step 3: Scroll down to ‘Audio Setup’ and press ‘OK’.
- Step 4: Scroll down to ‘Descriptive Video Service’ (Described Video) and use the left/right arrow button and set to ‘ON’.
- Step 5: Press ‘Exit’ on the remote.
Voice Control
This feature is not available with iGuide.
Described Video Content
Described Video Content
Described Video Content enables those with vision accessibility needs to enjoy your television services through an audio reproduction of the video actions from the programming.
Described video (DV) is a narrated description of a program's main visual elements, such as settings, costumes, or body language. The description is added by some television networks during pauses in dialogue, and enables people to form a mental picture of the program. Described video uses a separate audio track that is available on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP). You can access the SAP using the instructions below.
Click here for instructions to activate described video.
Accessible Media Inc.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization serving more than five million Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or print restricted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s mission is to make accessible media for all Canadians.
For more information, please visit http://www.ami.ca/.
AMI Audio
AMI Audio is available to Eastlink Customers on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) of CBC News Network. This service is provided to anyone, especially those who cannot independently access newspapers, magazines or government documents due to vision or cognitive accessibility needs. AMI Audio is Canada’s only 24/7 reading service, broadcasting readings of full-text articles 24/7 from more than 600 of Canada’s newspapers and magazines.
You can access the SAP functionality in two ways:
- Your Television - Not all televisions have a SAP option. The directions for activating the SAP feature will vary by TV brand. Eastlink recommends that customers refer to the owner's manual that came with the TV to program the SAP feature (sometimes identified as the LANGUAGE setting).
- SAP Receiver/VCR - The SAP receivers are available through AMI Audio and provide users with independent access to the SAP. The receiver can be used on its own, or by attaching it to a television set.
- AMI Audio’s SAP receiver can also be used to access Described Video from TV networks that provide the service.
For more information on AMI Audio, please visit their website at :
http://www.ami.ca/
Accessible Remotes
Eastlink offers two accessible remotes for our customers:
Pulse:
The Pulse remote is a simple to set up and easy to use remote that can be used on most cable boxes*, including HD and DVR capable boxes. With fewer buttons, featuring enlarged print, this universal remote provides a simpler way to navigate your cable system.
*Not compatible with TiVo Stream, TiVo or Maestro cable boxes.
Champion:
The Champion remote allows for the ability to easily turn described video on and off. By clicking the ‘A’ button, described video is turned on and the ‘D’ button turns it off. The Champion remote is compatible with most cable boxes.*
*Not compatible with TiVo Stream, TiVo or Maestro cable boxes.
