Streamfab 7: Apple TV – Audio tracks with audio description are missing

steffen011279

Hello,

I am visually impaired and rely on screen reader software and the keyboard to operate my device. Unfortunately, Streamfab 7 is no longer accessible.
But first, let’s talk about Apple TV:
Audio tracks with audio description are no longer displayed here. Apple TV is also only loaded at 44 kHz and no longer at 48 kHz.
V6263 is the last version where audio description is still displayed and downloading works.
Video link:
This affects all movies and series on Apple TV.

Regarding my problem with screen readers, I know that it is very specific and that no one else here is likely to have it.

Previously, I could use the tab key on my keyboard to select the checkboxes for the episodes in the download dialog and activate them with the space bar. Now I only see one checkbox for the entire season, but no longer for the individual episodes.
The “My Account” button is also no longer accessible via the keyboard.
In the settings, checkboxes are also no longer identified as such, e.g., for descriptive audio.
This still worked in V6267.
I suspect that the newly added elements are not identified as such in the object properties and are therefore not recognizable by the screen reader.

Nevertheless, I hope that Streamfab will become accessible again, as I enjoy using it every day, especially for audio films.

Thank you for your support.

Stan001

@Wilson.Wang you and developer may want to look into this.

steffen011279

Hello,

I have tested V7001. The audio tracks with audio description on Apple TV are available again. Thank you very much for that.

When using the downloader, I can only access the checkbox for the entire season using the keyboard, but I cannot activate or deactivate individual episodes as I could in V6.
I suspect that if the object properties of these checkboxes are displayed in the same way as in V6 or as with the checkbox for the entire season, it could be accessible again. I also cannot read the names of the episodes because I cannot focus on them.
Thanks to the developers for taking another look at this.![

steffen011279

Hello,

I noticed that you are working with PyQt?
I am not very familiar with it because I am not a programmer, but perhaps I can provide some tips to make it usable for me again.

A screen reader reads out the information contained in the markup fields. Such texts are stored in the input fields and the button using setAccessibleDescription.
Code example:
self.font_size_button = MyPushButton(‘Settings’)
self.font_size_button.setAccessibleName(“Settings”) # Set the accessible name

It is important to assign labels correctly. (Screen readers read labels and widgets together.)
E.g.: label.setBuddy(checkbox)

Meaningful tab order
QWidget.setTabOrder(widget1, widget2)

Signal status changes
Qt automatically reports status changes to screen readers.
Use setChecked() and setEnabled() correctly.

Also implement QAccessibleInterface.

Perhaps these tips will help me to use Streamfab properly again soon with my keyboard and screen reader.

Thank you very much for your efforts.

steffen011279

Thanks @Germania for editing.

Unfortunately, it is still unchanged in V7.0.0.2. Incidentally, this affects all downloaders, not just Apple TV.

When I click on a series, one episode is selected by default. I can still see this checkbox and can activate it with the space bar. Then all episodes are selected or deselected.
Perhaps it would help the developers to look at the properties of the field and, if other accessibility properties are stored there, transfer them to the other checkboxes?
I can only try to give some hints.

Thank you for your help.

gamulation.123

Another screen reader user here. I made a topic yesterday about some accessibility issues I have with the program, but the episode dialog is weird, it is a check box that screen readers say is half checked, if you check it it select every episode.

steffen011279

@Ggamulation.123 Interesting, that’s exactly what I mean. If you activate this checkbox, all episodes are selected or deselected.
Up to the latest version V6, the episodes were still visible with checkboxes and could be activated. The NVDA screen reader still recognizes with Navigator a tree structure where the times of the episodes can be read, but no longer recognizes any labels.

gamulation.123

steffen011279 Ah, that is interesting. I got this program just a few days ago. Can I ask how you select which service to use? I have all services, however NVDA doesn’t speak which one you’re on, and I have to OCR to check as well as doing some mouse emulation to activate them. It would be so much easier if they just made it so an enter press did the trick.

steffen011279

gamulation.123 My English isn’t very good, but I’ll try to explain.
I enter the URL in the search field on the home page. Once you’ve activated the home page, press Shift+Tab twice and you’ll be in the “Visit website” input field.
For Apple, for example, enter: tv.apple.com and confirm with Enter.
When you press Tab, you will be in the virtual document, i.e., on the provider’s website. Browser navigation works the same way as in Chrome.
As you said, going through the providers with OCR is difficult.
NVDA only recognizes list entries.
I suspect that elements such as list fields or checkboxes are not identified as such in the accessibility properties and NVDA or any other screen reader cannot focus on them.

steffen011279

It’s a shame that Streamfab V7.0.0.2 hasn’t been improved and is still not accessible. However, I hope that attention will still be paid to this issue.

steffen011279

@Germania Unfortunately, I cannot customize the theme as Streamfab 7 user interface has become inaccessible for visually impaired users
@Wilson.Wang and developer I also opened a support ticket on the topic of Streamfab 7 accessibility and included comments on how it could be solved at the programming level. The response from the support team was a bad joke: reinstall Streamfab.
Ticket ID: WC1766852779T0239
Starting with version 7.0, the checkboxes for episodes are no longer accessible with the keyboard, especially in the Downloader dialog for seasons; only the checkbox to select either everything or nothing is accessible.
Even with a screen reader, I cannot see the names of the episodes because the lists and checkboxes are no longer displayed in the object properties.
I have been able to use Streamfab relatively barrier-free for the last 5 years, and even though there may be few visually impaired users and other things take priority, I would be very grateful if at least the accessibility of version 6.2.6.7 could be restored.
In the downloader dialog, I was able to jump to each episode using the tab key and activate/deactivate the checkbox using the space bar.

Thank you for your really good work.

gamulation.123

steffen011279 They just told you to re-install? The hell? Those issues won’t be fixed by that.

Wilson.Wang

steffen011279

The dev is working on it.

Wilson

steffen011279

gamulation.123 Exactly, you said it. I don’t think they actually read the support request; they just sent a standard reply.

steffen011279

Wilson.Wang I received a trial version yesterday via the support ticket and have already sent feedback. Thank you and the developer. It is not yet possible to track the status of downloads properly, but the problem with selecting episodes no longer exists in the trial version. It is much more accessible compared to versions 2.6.x. ☺️

gamulation.123

steffen011279 Yes I also got that one and I love it. I made a topic about improving the app for blind users, but not sure if we should talk about it there or here, as it seems it’s being talked about in both topics lol.