Audio description or Voice guidance

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Stelr
Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
in TV Equipment

I am watching a series on Spectrum TV via XUMO, and for some reason a voice describes everything I am watching on the screen. Extremely annoying. I double checked to ensure that the voice guidance option under accessibility was turned OFF, but it does not stop the issue. Interestingly, all the previous episodes work fine with no disembodied voice telling me what I'm looking at; just the latest episode. I tried unplugging the power for several minutes to the XUMO box to reboot it (2 times), but the problem persists. I have two other XUMO boxes, but the problem appears on all three boxes. Is there another hidden setting, I'm missing?

Answers

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Welcome to the Community @Steir!

    To further investigate this issue, Spectrum needs to know:

    1.) The name of the series and network on which it is showing?

    2.) The season (s) and episode number(s) on which it occurs?

    3.) Do you have Cloud DVR connected to this XUMO?

    4.) Does the narration occur on all episodes and seasons of the series? Or just one in particular? Can you test three episodes of this series for sample data collection?

    5.) Does the narration occur on live TV? On Playback if you have Cloud DVR? What about On Demand?

    6.) When did this issue begin?

    7.) Do you have a regular cable box or DVR to see if this reproduces the narration problem?

    7.) What is your city, state, and zip code? This can help mods to check and see if this is a localized problem or not.

    Satch

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    Thanks for responding Sach. Below are answers to your questions.

    1.) The name of the series and network on which it is showing: Series/Resident Alien; Network: SyFy

    2.) The season (s) and episode number(s) on which it occurs: S3E7

    3.) Do you have Cloud DVR connected to this XUMO: No

    4.) Does the narration occur on all episodes and seasons of the series? Or just one in particular? Can you test three episodes of this series for sample data collection: So far it only happens on the latest episode: S3E7. I partially rewatched S3E4, S3E5, and S3E6 and confirmed that they played normally, without the narration. S3E8 will not be available until Wed night.

    5.) Does the narration occur on live TV? On Playback if you have Cloud DVR? What about On Demand: The narration does not seem to occur on any live TV shows. I do not have Cloud DVR. I watch this series via On Demand. That is where it has occurred.

    6.) When did this issue begin: I first noticed it when I watched S3E7 this past Sunday, 31 Mar.

    7.) Do you have a regular cable box or DVR to see if this reproduces the narration problem: No

    8.) What is your city, state, and zip code? This can help mods to check and see if this is a localized problem or not: I am located in West End, NC 27376

    Hope the above info helps.

    v/r

    Stel

  • del461
    del461 Posts: 1 Newcomer
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    we’re having the same problem with the same show. Everything related is turned off yet this show it’s still active

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Update,

    To isolate this problem for any CATV subscriber who does not have an XUMO Box, but has a regular DVR box instead, please test On Demand Season 3, Episode 7 of Resident Alien on SyFy channel. Actually, if you have a non-DVR regular box, see if this happens with this show On Demand.

    This isolation test will let us know if this is a problem related to the XUMO and this particular show, or this particular show regardless of the device used by a Spectrum Cable TV subscriber.

    Hey, I thought of another idea just as I was keying this. Watch this episode online or through the Spectrum TV app and see if the above still happens.

    I am going to check this on my DVR.

    Report back.

    Satch

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Update:

    It's not the XUMO. I just tried it on my regular DVR (Arris 210.) There is narration that can not be turned off on Resident Alien SYFI Channel Season 3, episode 7. On Demand.

    Location 53045. Metro-Milwaukee Wisconsin.

    Spectrum should report this to the SYFI Channel.

    Satch

  • Ktabel
    Ktabel Posts: 1 Newcomer
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    We are also having this issue with this episode. We stream the Spectrum app on our Samsung tv, so it’s obviously an issue with the episode itself.

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
    edited April 5
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    Here is SYFI channel's website:

    https://www.syfy.com/

    Social media contacts are at the bottom of the page. (Right hand side.)

    Satch

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    Sach,

    Two additional pieces of info that may be of interest in helping to isolate the problem.

    1. I used a Firestick to access the NBC app on my TV (not using XUMO). On this they also have the SyFy channel on demand and I watched S3E7. There was no Audio Description issue using this app, so unlikely it is the SyFy channel itself.
    2. I just watched S3E8 using the XUMO box and it played problem free; no Audio Description.

    Hope the above info helps.

    v/r

    Stel

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Sach,

    Two additional pieces of info that may be of interest in helping to isolate the problem.

    I used a Firestick to access the NBC app on my TV (not using XUMO). On this they also have the SyFy channel on demand and I watched S3E7. There was no Audio Description issue using this app, so unlikely it is the SyFy channel itself.

    I just watched S3E8 using the XUMO box and it played problem free; no Audio Description.

    Hope the above info helps.

    That could help!

    It could be the way in which Spectrum is getting that episode from SyFy channel itself. Someone working at SyFy Channel accidently, at the master control switch, might have put the narration on that Season 3, Episode 7 showing of Resident Alien by default.

    Hey, here's an idea. If you watch Season 3, episode 7 of Resident Alien with Guide Narration turned on, (instead of off, for your Spectrum device) does that make the episode's narration go away? If you test this, make sure you switch Guide Narration back off again when done, so that other programs are not affected.

    Satch

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    I tried rewatching S3E7 again, but this time turning the narration ON. Unfortunately, it made no difference. the narration was on regardless of the settings.

    Additional info:

    The issue has now gotten worse. This problem of the guide narration being on regardless of settings has popped up on other channels, including LIVE TV. I watched 47 Ronin on the SyFy channel and the narration stayed on; but when the next movie came on (Blade), it was off again. Then I browsed through a few other channels and the problem appeared on several of them; all on LIVE TV, including TBS (The Big Bang Theory), USA (Chicago Fire), and my wife told me the same problem appeared on TCM (Dark Victory).

    I'm thinking, I'll need to schedule a technician to come to my home to figure this out. I'm out of ideas.

    v/r

    Stel

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Hey Steir,

    I think getting a tech out might be a good idea, although I don't know exactly what he/she is going to do. I think this is a system-wide problem. Show the tech the responses from this forum to illustrate that this is a widespread issue. We know that this is an issue affecting both CATV Xumo and traditional cable box subscribers. But now that it is spreading to other networks. I would get someone out to get a ticket on this.

    Has anyone been able to reproduce this error watching On Demand through Spectrum.net? This would be online viewing.

    Satch

  • red_64
    red_64 Posts: 18 Participant
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    I don't have a Xumo, and I was noticing the voice/sound out of sync couple days ago while watching Harry Potter on the SyFy channel. I think the commercials were actually ok, so it could just be the programs.

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    Maybe, but since it's happening on other apps and Live TV networks besides SyFy, I think more likely it something in the Spectrum service itself.

  • Tobiezzz
    Tobiezzz Posts: 1 Newcomer
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    Have same audio description problem yesterday with Resident Allen S3E7 on demand thru both the Spectrum cable box and Spectrum app on Roku. I don't think this warrants a visit from a tech. Got to be a problem with the source stream

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    I tend to agree, but since I can access the same show using a Firestick and it plays without an issue, it needs analysis by techs at Spectrum. The only way to document it and elevate this to a community level issue is o have a tech come over and actually see for him/herself what is happening.

    Interestingly, it also happened on a commercial for the first time that I have seen. And, now I am having random channels, not designated Hispanic channels, playing in Spanish even though I confirm English in my settings. Very weird.

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,321 Contributor
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    Yes,

    Set up that service call, Steir, and post back what the tech says.

    Satch

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    Service call is for Tues, 9 Apr. I'll post back results. The tech I spoke with on the phone told me that even though the Audio Description was "OFF" in the app, there was another similar Accessibility setting on the basic Spectrum app, but when he guided me to it, it was not there. He checked at his end and on one of the boxes it appeared (just next to Parental Controls), but on another it didn't. Puzzling.

  • Stelr
    Stelr Posts: 9 Participant
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    Update: Prior to the service call today (Tue, 9 Apr), within the last 48 hrs, all the channels/networks having issues with "audio description" being randomly on/off regardless of settings, have disappeared, with one exception: the show it started with, S3E7 of Resident Alien.

    I demonstrated the problem for the tech when he arrived and briefed him on the gist of the info in this string. He checked all connections inside and outside the house, then replaced the XUMO box with a new one. When doing this, I got to go through the entire setup again as if this was the first installation, so all the settings and preferences were redone with the tech verifying that audio description was off. No change. The problem persisted. There was a small issue (unrelated) with the new box, so I had him re-install the old box.

    He documented the issue and said he would have to pass it to higher for resolution.

    Since it only effects that one episode of one show, it's no longer a pressing issue for me. Not sure if the problem disappeared for everyone or not, but it still should be looked into to ensure it doesn't reoccur.

    v/r

    Stel

  • William_M
    William_M Posts: 1,097 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator
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    Thanks for following up @Stelr. Please let us know if you notice it return with any other shows.

  • sPdMoNk
    sPdMoNk Posts: 1 Newcomer
    edited April 20
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    I tried to watch that exact same resident alien and mine's also doing the narration with it all turned off everywhere. You're telling me it's something on your end but they sent a tecj to the person's house 😐 because other people said they had the same issue too with nobody reading the old messages.

    Yes I have been watching them on the Syfy app but their app doesn't work either because every time my commercial comes on the sound gets out of sync with the people's mouth and you got to keep leaving the show and resuming where you left off after every single commercial. I've already reported that to Syfy but I'm pretty sure it's on the bottom of their list

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