A review by Paul Clayton
This service was reviewed in July 2011 and is a free service offered by the BBC.
About me
I am registered totally blind and have never had any useful vision, so I use JAWS to access the internet for both work and leisure pursuits. I have a wide range of interests including watching TV dramas and listening to the radio. It is for this reason that I agreed to review the BBC iPlayer.
Introduction
I only started using the BBC iPlayer a couple of years ago, having previously read mixed reports regarding its accessibility.
Therefore I was pleased when I heard the announcement that the BBC were planning to introduce audio description to the service and decided to investigate further. I was using Sky at the time, and as someone with no vision, I had no access to the onscreen menus or the Electronic Program Guide(EPG), so the prospect of being able to watch TV online without having to purchase a set-top box was quite encouraging.
I am currently using Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7. I have tried operating the iPlayer with Internet Explorer 8 but without much success, as I was prompted to download a player which I was unable to do without sighted assistance. I am planning to upgrade my PC in the coming months so very much hope that I can continue to enjoy access to this valuable service.
It is of course not without its faults and there is always room for improvement but generally, I find the iPlayer a valuable source for information.
Setting up and using the service
When I initially logged onto the system, I was presented with a vast amount of information which, at first glance, seemed quite confusing. The site has a large number of links to different programmes, but I couldn't find how to access the audio described section and so had to contact RNIB - the iPlayer help system was also quite tedious and difficult to use.
I couldn't see any reference to audio description in the frequently asked questions and there was no obvious link on the front page. I realised later that the user would have to click on categories, then audio described and signed section and finally, audio described section. It would have been easier if a direct link to audio described section had been incorporated - after all, the BBC has committed to 20% of programme output being audio described, but users won't use the service if the information is not readily available.
I consider myself to be fairly PC literate, but someone with less experience to computing could find access to the BBC iPlayer quite difficult.
Benefits and drawbacks
Navigation
Once I located the listings of audio described programmes, I was able to view a list of the currently available programmes along with information and their synopses. The links are easily defined and I welcomed the ability to search for programmes alphabetically or by most recent first. I was surprised to discover that nothing happened when I clicked on the link, but hadn't realised that clicking on the programme link only gave you the programme information and that you still had to use the play-pause button. This can be quite confusing for someone who cannot see the screen.
The ITV player doesn't currently offer audio description on demand, though you do start to receive the video stream once you click on the play link.
I would like to see better integration of information. Why should you have to go through several links if you know what programme you are looking for? The categories option is fine if you want to browse, but it would be much easier for example if I could search for Eastenders, click on the link and then have the option to select the episode to play, with or without audio description.
Recurring delays in making programmes with AD available
Whilst a programme is generally available immediately after it has been aired, the audio described version takes on average 24 hours before it is available in iPlayer. The BBC have been very heavily criticised in the way this service has been managed. There have been many incidents in the past where the audio described version of a programme was not available at all, or for just one day. I have noticed some improvements in this area in recent times, but I think more needs to be done to improve lead times.
Conclusion
The iPlayer is a very welcome resource and offers a the ability to access audio described programmes for people who are not sure whether they want to purchase a freeview or subscription based service. It does take some getting used to, and some people may require sighted assistance when they first use the it. The help system could be improved, as specific information isn't always easy to find. Perhaps they could add a 'contact us' e-mail link so that people can provide feedback directly.
Finally, if you don't have the correct player installed, you will need sighted assistance to download the right verison of the player.
Legal disclaimer
This review reflects the opinions of the author only. RNIB cannot be held liable for opinions expressed in this article.
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