TVs are enjoyed in many ways such as catching up on your favourite TV shows, watching the news, casting from your phone, and playing video games. There may be some features or aspects which may seem difficult to experience due to potential barriers to access. In this article, we look at the common accessibility settings found on TVs that can make a significant difference in operation and viewing.
Please note, not every TV will have all the settings highlighted in this article. For more information about what settings your TV has, please refer to your user manual or consult the relevant support team for your product.
Subtitles
Subtitles are a well-known setting that allows the viewer to see the on-screen text with content. This can be adjusted for language preferences, if available, to provide a translation. This setting can also be found on inbuilt apps on smart TVs so that this can still be accessible via streaming services as well as standard Freeview.
Audio Description
Audio description is a setting that provides narration of key visual elements to a video. This is a useful setting that can allow users to access content who may not be able to see the visuals. This setting is usually found within both channel settings and smart app settings.
Dialogue Enhancement
Another useful setting on TVs is dialogue enhancement. This aims to make the spoken dialogue stand out louder and clearer than any background music and noises. This is helpful when viewing scenes which may have a mix of sounds as it makes it easier to distinguish exactly what is being said. This setting is normally found within the TV’s settings menu.
High Contrast
High contrast is a feature which increases the contrast of the image which in effect makes on-screen text easier to read. This is important to ensure you get a clear image of any menus or subtitles that you need access to so you can enjoy your TV experience. You may find this setting is prompted when first installing the TV to make it accessible from the get to, otherwise it can be found within the settings menu.
Magnification
Most TVs have a zoom feature for adjusting the aspect ratio. However, you may find your TV had a dedicated magnification setting. This allows you to magnify the screen and can also allow you to choose the part to zoom into depending on the operating system. For example, you can choose to magnify to zoom in on the top right, or bottom left.
There’s more...
Your TV is likely to have more options available alongside these to ensure you can comfortably enjoy your favourite films and TV shows. We suggest exploring the settings available to adjust to your preference. Don’t forget, there are other ways to make your TV experience more accessible through external devices. You can try connecting soundbars, pairing a hearing aid, or a set top box with even more features that you can use.