Is the TV On?

One of the daily challenges that I face is this one:  How can I tell whether or not the TV is on when I first turn it on?  Well, it's totally by trial and error and several of my friends use different techniques but here's mine for what it is worth.  My first job is to find the correct on/off button to press and after I have done so, the next thing is to ensure that I press it in the right way.  One task done and one more to go.

 

If I hear sound immediately then I know that I have pressed the right button to turn it on and now it's time for me to find my channel of choice.  I have to ensure that I know the locations of the following buttons before I can do anything else; the numeric keypad to select the channels, the up and down selector key, and the volume up and down keys.  If I do not make sure to familiarize myself with these keys then I am in huge trouble if I have any hope or expectation of being able to use my TV effectively. 

 

If I do not hear any sound when I press the on/off button, then there are three things for me to consider:  First I have to make sure that I have pressed the right button.  Second, if I am sure that I have pressed the correct button I then have to move to step two and that is to determine whether or not the cable is working or whether or not electricity is on. I will stress that it is important for me to know this because if after I am sure that I have turned on the TV I do not hear any sound, then there are two things for me to investigate. 

 

First I need to make sure that cable is working and I can do this by flicking from channel to channel.  If I hear a static sound as I travel from channel to channel this will tell me that there is nothing on the screen on the various channels and I will know that cable is not working and I have to wait for it to return.  If I do not hear that tell tale static sound then I have to check to see if electricity is on or off and I can do this by checking other appliances to see if they are receiving electricity.  My radio, stove, fridge, microwave, and so on. 

 

If electricity is there, and I am very sure that I have turned on my TV, then I can assure you that trouble awaits me.  Yes, you probably guessed it!  My TV is not working. 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and learn more about how blind persons function on a daily basis by visiting www.independentliving.com.