Thread Subject: Re: possible addition to the table in 4-A

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From: Schomburg, Paul
Date: Fri, Aug 24 2007 2:45 PM

Geoff: A set-top box, Blu-Ray Disk, or other media player all use
software too. Even TVs handle closed caption decoding via software. I
don't see why a programmable IT device like a PC would require different
rules. Any media player software the government provides to employees
should be able to provide the same or equivalent functionality (e.g.
708) as other media players. The only exception we have agreed to
provide is for personal video display devices, which must do so only
where "readily achievable."

I think if we decide to lower the bar for software media players then
the same requirements should be applied to all "other digital video
source devices."

Thanks, Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Geoff Freed
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 10:27 AM
To: TEITAC Audio/Video Subcommittee
Subject: Re: [teitac-video] possible addition to the table in 4-A

> Aren't personal
> computers and other IT devices already covered by the requirements of
> "Other digital video source devices"?

I don't think software players are covered by this requirement. Item
#3 currently refers to hardware devices and 708 captions. We could
try changing it to cover software players, but I wonder if the
wording would have to be overly complex in order to accommodate both
hardware and software. Currently, item #3 says...
======

3. Equipment of this type:

Other digital video source devices including personal video display
devices
Uses this standard:

CEA 708 or functional equivalent (see end-note for definition of
functional equivalent)
To provide these functions:

Pass caption data, when available, to the caption decoding circuitry
of DTV displays
======

Software players, either now or in the future, might be able to
process 708 captions, so I'm not against mandating that they cover
this type of data. But today they process various text formats to
display captions so we should cover that, too. The provision above
refers only to hardware and 708, it seems to me. Keeping them
separate might be an easier route.

Geoff.


On Aug 24, 2007, at 9:44 AM, Schomburg, Paul wrote:

> Geoff: I don't have a hatchet handy but a question. Aren't personal
> computers and other IT devices already covered by the requirements of
> "Other digital video source devices"? I think this would require PC
> and other IT devices to use CEA-708 or a functional equivalent.
> Perhaps
> this section should be changed to clarify that software players
> that are
> installed in PCs need to comply as well?
>
> Thanks, Paul
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Geoff Freed
> Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 9:14 AM
> To: TEITAC Audio/Video Subcommittee
> Subject: [teitac-video] possible addition to the table in 4-A
>
>
> Gregg V recently pointed out that the table in 4-A, "Caption
> Playback," dwells on the playback of captioned material on hardware
> such as televisions, tuners and tuner cards, but not on software
> players, such as QuickTime, Windows Media Player, RealPlayer and
> Flash. This seems an oversight, no? I don't believe caption
> playback in software players is specifically covered anywhere in
> 508-- *content* is covered in section 6, but not the caption-display
> capabilities of the players themselves.
>
> With this in mind, below is a draft of language to add to the table
> (linearized for ease of reading). Software players would be item #4
> in the table:
>
> 4-A - Caption Playback
> Analog television, digital television and tuners, computer equipment,
> software players and other equipment must provide closed and open
> captions:
>
> 4. Equipment of this type:
> Software audio or video players on computers, personal video display
> devices or other devices which play digital audio or video
>
> Uses this standard:
> [[GF note: there is no prevailing standard for captions in this
> category. What should we say?
>
> To provide these functions:
> Display caption data, when available. Players must allow users to
> turn the caption display on and off at will, and the technology for
> doing so must be freely available to all users.
>
> Let the hatchets fly!
> Geoff/NCAM
>
>
>
>
>

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