Freeview - switching off sign language

T

Tentenths

Guest
Have just gone digital via Freeview set top box. Some channels e.g. BBC News 24 seem to incorporate a character in the bottom right hand corner of the screen providing a sign language translation of the programme. Excellent idea if you're hard of hearing but, fortunately, I'm not.

Is it possible to switch the service off - is so how? I've been through all the onscreen menus in an effort to do so, but to no avail so far.

TIA
 
I dont know what STB you have, but there should be something in the setup menu.

Oh and enjoy your new viewing choices :)
 
andyMallion said:
I dont know what STB you have, but there should be something in the setup menu.

Oh and enjoy your new viewing choices :)

Thanks for your input Andy.

I've got an Echostar T101 Plus. Any ideas where to look in the Menu? I spent most of yesterday evening trawling through what I thought was every page of the Menu - obviously not!
 
I don't believe it is possible to switch it off. There has been some rather bad-tempered discussion about this on the Digital Spy forums. One of the posters reports that the BBC is said to be developing switchable signing. Are you sure you've seen it on News 24 via Freeview? I watch that a lot and have never seen it.
 
Yes, definitely on BBC News 24* this morning. Have also seen it on other channels too - but can't remember which off the top (ITV2 or 3?).

Just to add to the mystery - when I was trying to decide whether to buy the Echostar or a Panasonic TU-CT30 I had one of each connected up at the same time. I was then switching between the 2 in an effort to decide which was the best overall. One of the things that put me off the Panny was the "signer"!

Somewhat bizarrely, when viewing the same channel/programme etc using the Echostar feed he did not appear - and this was despite switching back and forth several times. At the time I concluded that it was something to do with the Panny STB - recent events suggest that this was incorrect!


* In fairness, the first time I'd seen it on there.
 
And this signing is on all the time and not just selected programmes? Some digital channels do have the signer for certain programmes (see Hollyoaks on Channel4 on Sundays) and I know News 24 has it for some strands BUT not all the time. If this is the case it's part of the programme, not an optional setting.
 
No, just at certain times on certain channels.

OK, I don't have to watch the channel, and if I really want to I can switch back to the analogue feed (which rather defeats the object of going digital!).

Interestingly, I found a website yesterday which had surveyed those with hearing difficulties as to whether they preferred sub-titles or signing. Ironically, almost all found signing distracting and preferred ordinary subtitles.

What I don't understand is why signing cannot be turned on & off as per subtitles. Also the apparent anomoly between STB as mentioned in one of my previous posts in this thread.
 
Subtitles is just data contained in two lines which are not visible to the viewer and then decoded by your TV. The amount of data is relatively small whereas you are talking about an image which is updated twenty five frames per second and is a completely different kettle of fish. As as ball park figure I'd say 98% of digital programming is free of a signer, and a lot the signing programming is shown in non-primetime slots.

Personally I applaud the BBC for providing signed programming to the section of the public that prefer it to subtitles, such are the benefits of Public Service Broadcasting.
 
nathanhill69 said:
Personally I applaud the BBC for providing signed programming to the section of the public that prefer it to subtitles, such are the benefits of Public Service Broadcasting.

So do I - but I'd still like the option of being able to switch it off :)

As you are clearly quite knowledgeable about these things any clues as to the discrepancy between the Panasonic and Echotar stbs I mentioned before?
 
Sometimes if the program is being broadcast on multiple channels then one of them is signed. i.e Breakfast on News24 may be signed but on BBC1 it is clear.
 

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