5 ms·

I don't understand why in the current era we don't have videos just post-processed by the media player / TV. That seems like it would increase accessibility whi

I don't understand why in the current era we don't have videos just post-processed by the media player / TV. That seems like it would increase accessibility while not irritating folks who do not have epilepsy. I tried to search to see if something like a plugin existed for VLC, and I didn't find anything. Seems like it should be solvable at least if the media can be parsed ahead of time or with some delay for a live feed.

MBCook 2y ago
I’ve wondered about that too. My immediate suspicion is liability fear. If you add that feature, even if it helps a tons of people, someone will sure you when it doesn’t help them/their family member.
- zeta0134 2y ago
  I'd just market it as a comfort feature rather than a safety one. I don't have epilepsy but I also don't particularly like strobing flashing screen effects, especially in older games. Having an option to turn them off increases my enjoyment, even if it doesn't really affect my safety.
xahrepap 2y ago
Similarly, I would love if videos/blurays/streams/etc had a way to adjust volumes separate from each other. So many movies have such loud music and quiet dialog. So I'm constantly adjusting the volume between different scenes.
wizzwizz4 2y ago
The software to do this doesn't exist. We have some software to assess the "epilepsy-safety" of a given piece of media, but it's proprietary and afaik not realtime. There was a bounty to make an open-source replacement, but I've lost my link. I've still got the WCAG info sheet, though: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/three-flashes-or-below-threshold https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/three-flashes-or... if anyone wants to have a go. (I'd suggest making a standalone application, plus something that works with GStreamer.)
- NavinF 2y ago
  That is incorrect. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42130656 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42130656
dalbin 2y ago
There is a feature called "Dim Flashing Lights" available on iOS, and the algorithm with multiple implementations is on Github : https://github.com/apple/VideoFlashingReduction https://github.com/apple/VideoFlashingReduction
- koshergweilo 2y ago
  That's actually pretty cool, props to Apple for open sourcing it
devnullbrain 2y ago
That pushes the onus onto the disabled person to avoid places and rooms with TVs that haven't had the setting enabled, repeatedly asking the same questions and revealing their health history to feel safe in public.
- alternatetwo 2y ago
  But do you honestly expect humanity to only create content for this miniscule populace? That sounds horribly limiting.
  - hunter2_ 2y ago
    There is a place for unbounded creativity, and I think I'd argue in favor of it, but I can't imagine an easier argument against it: We try to only create websites with sufficiently high contrast for interactive elements, only create public buildings with ADA features, etc. -- even if aesthetics suffer as a result. It's just aesthetics. To be clear, I'm discussing only that which the public is invited to enjoy. No rules when it's just for you and yours.
    - hiatus 2y ago
      Isn't art the place for unbounded creativity?
      - hunter2_ 2y ago
        Yes. But when you invite the public to subject themselves to art incompatible with schizophrenia, then is it that much different from inviting the public to a website incompatible with visual impairments or to a brand new store incompatible with wheelchairs? Again I do lean on the side of art in this case, but I also find the argument against it to be pretty solid.
        deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
    - 2y ago
munificent 2y ago
> while not irritating folks who do not have epilepsy. From the article: "However, photosensitivity is not just connected to seizures! Photosensitivity also affects those who are visually impaired, and those who have migraines, amongst other conditions." ... "And these non-epileptic seizures are exactly what occurred during “Electric Soldier Porygon.” 76% of those who had seizures during the event had never experienced a seizure before, and of those who had, most had never had a seizure provoked by TV before."

MBCook 2y ago

I’ve wondered about that too. My immediate suspicion is liability fear. If you add that feature, even if it helps a tons of people, someone will sure you when it doesn’t help them/their family member.

zeta0134 2y ago
I'd just market it as a comfort feature rather than a safety one. I don't have epilepsy but I also don't particularly like strobing flashing screen effects, especially in older games. Having an option to turn them off increases my enjoyment, even if it doesn't really affect my safety.

xahrepap 2y ago

Similarly, I would love if videos/blurays/streams/etc had a way to adjust volumes separate from each other. So many movies have such loud music and quiet dialog. So I'm constantly adjusting the volume between different scenes.

wizzwizz4 2y ago

The software to do this doesn't exist. We have some software to assess the "epilepsy-safety" of a given piece of media, but it's proprietary and afaik not realtime. There was a bounty to make an open-source replacement, but I've lost my link. I've still got the WCAG info sheet, though: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/three-flashes-or-below-threshold https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/three-flashes-or... if anyone wants to have a go. (I'd suggest making a standalone application, plus something that works with GStreamer.)

NavinF 2y ago
That is incorrect. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42130656 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42130656

dalbin 2y ago

There is a feature called "Dim Flashing Lights" available on iOS, and the algorithm with multiple implementations is on Github : https://github.com/apple/VideoFlashingReduction https://github.com/apple/VideoFlashingReduction

koshergweilo 2y ago
That's actually pretty cool, props to Apple for open sourcing it

devnullbrain 2y ago

That pushes the onus onto the disabled person to avoid places and rooms with TVs that haven't had the setting enabled, repeatedly asking the same questions and revealing their health history to feel safe in public.

alternatetwo 2y ago
But do you honestly expect humanity to only create content for this miniscule populace? That sounds horribly limiting.
- hunter2_ 2y ago
  There is a place for unbounded creativity, and I think I'd argue in favor of it, but I can't imagine an easier argument against it: We try to only create websites with sufficiently high contrast for interactive elements, only create public buildings with ADA features, etc. -- even if aesthetics suffer as a result. It's just aesthetics. To be clear, I'm discussing only that which the public is invited to enjoy. No rules when it's just for you and yours.
  - hiatus 2y ago
    Isn't art the place for unbounded creativity?
    - hunter2_ 2y ago
      Yes. But when you invite the public to subject themselves to art incompatible with schizophrenia, then is it that much different from inviting the public to a website incompatible with visual impairments or to a brand new store incompatible with wheelchairs? Again I do lean on the side of art in this case, but I also find the argument against it to be pretty solid.
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
  - 2y ago

munificent 2y ago

> while not irritating folks who do not have epilepsy. From the article: "However, photosensitivity is not just connected to seizures! Photosensitivity also affects those who are visually impaired, and those who have migraines, amongst other conditions." ... "And these non-epileptic seizures are exactly what occurred during “Electric Soldier Porygon.” 76% of those who had seizures during the event had never experienced a seizure before, and of those who had, most had never had a seizure provoked by TV before."