Using Tubi TV with
NVDA
What is Tubi?
Tubi TV is an online streaming platform which has
thousands of movies/shows which you can watch for free.
Where do I go?
You can watch the offerings from Tubi by going to
their website at https://tubitv.com/home
You can also download the Tubi app for your Android and Apple
device which can be used easily with either the Talkback or
VoiceOver screen reader.
There is no audio described content on Tubi, but there are plenty
of shows you can follow quite easily and know what is happening on
the screen.
You do not need an account to watch the movies/shows on the
website, but if you want to cue them (to watch later on) you will
need to register an account. This can be done via email or
Facebook.
On the Tubi website, most single letter navigation keys can be
used, however you will use H for headings and K for links, and
more to navigate the website.
Most graphics are not spoken out. There are some labelled buttons
and a few that are not.
There are some sections on the page (which when the Enter key is
pressed), will bring up other information.
You might have to play around to see what some of the buttons
and/or clickable links do.
Tubi TV now has audio
described movies/shows
Tubi TV is an online video streaming platform. It
can be accessed on a variety of devices such as mobile phones,
smart TV's and computers etcetera. For a list of devices that Tubi
can work on, or to find out how to enable audio description within
the Tubi TV player, please go to https://tubitv.com/help-center/Accessibility/articles/15056366740763
Tubi TV now has over 35 audio described movies available, with
more to come. If you wish to find out which movies are audio
described for the web version, please visit https://tubitv.com/category/audio_description
All buttons on the Tubi TV player - which are used to watch the
movies - are labelled correctly. To enable the audio
description track within the player, you will need to go to
Captions... English Audio Description...(and enable it). You do
not have to sign up for a Tubi account to watch any movies.
However, for your settings to be saved on Tubi TV, for audio
description (after it has been turned on in the player), or to add
movies to your watchlist, you will need to sign up for a free Tubi
TV account.
If you wish to watch Tubi TV on the web, and want a full list of
categories available, please go to http://www.tubitv.com
Tubi TV now has audio described movies on their platforms
Tubi TV is an online streaming platform for movies and shows. They
are free to watch and there is a wide selection to choose from.
You can watch any of the shows/movies on a variety of devices. To
turn on audio description in the player, you will need to locate
the captions button, then open it and a drop down menu will come
up. You will then need to locate the English audio
description menu, then save it as a preferred audio language. At
present, there are 35 titles that are audio described.
The main website can be found at https://tubitv.com/home
The buttons within the player are now also labelled on the web
version. The Tubi TV app on the Samsung TV works well with
VoiceGuide (the built in screen reader) and Talkback (the screen
reader for Android) on an Android phone. The Apple version works
as well.
Once set correctly, the audio description channel should stay on
for all audio described movies/shows.
You will need to set up a free Tubi account to do this, before it
can save your settings. There is a section called audio
description where the movies can be found easily.
For more information about turning on audio description in the
player and locating the audio described shows, please go to the
following page at https://tubitv.com/help-center/Accessibility/articles/15056366740763
* Please note
The player can be accessed in the web version from the top of the
screen, then by tabbing until you hear the name of the buttons
etcetera. The player for the Android version can be accessed when
the phone is in landscape mode, then by double tapping, then
swiping on the phone to the button you want.
Searching for a movie/show
You can search for movies/shows to watch, but if
you want to add them to your cue, you must be signed in.
Please note
If you are using the web version of Tubi on the
page where the movie is:
Use the letter O for embedded objects to bring up the player. Do
this from the top of the webpage. When you tab you should hear the
different buttons being spoken out (play, pause etcetera). These
are all labelled correctly.
When you get the movie/show playing (if you have a multimedia
keyboard), you might be able to pause/play the show after it has
started. On the keyboards that can do it, you usually use the
function key + a media key. You may have to see what works on your
keyboard.
In Mozilla Firefox and the Google browser, the movies will
automatically play and you can not really interact with the
player.
In the new Microsoft Edge (after you have picked a movie/show),
locate the heading of the movie, then arrow up once until you hear
graphic clickable. Press the Spacebar or Enter key to start
playing the movie/show. This seems to be the play button - but is
not spoken out. This way might work in some other browsers -
if you hear the word clickable just above the heading of the
movie/show - to start it.
If you can, please contact Tubi support and also say about
unlabelled buttons on the site. The player is not really
accessible with a screen reader. Hopefully these might get fixed
in the future.
Tubi has been approached to add shortcut keys to the player, so it
can be used with a keyboard.
Using a browser to start your
movie/show
Some movies will play automatically (depending
upon the browser that you are using). Some movies will need to be
activated by pressing Enter on the heading of the movie. If not,
arrow up once and press Enter. (This is a play button which is not
spoken out). When the player does appear, some parts will let you
interact with it (like screen resolution). The player is not fully
accessible.
When you do go and pick a movie (and go into the page to read all
about it before you play it) you will hear the following:
The length of the movie, how far along you are in it, who the
actors are, what the movie/show is about, the rating of the movie,
and which category it is in.
It seems in the web version you can still continue watching your
show or add the show to a cue when signed in.
Account settings
Under the account settings section is where you
can make some changes such as PROFILE. This is where you can
change your age, gender, email and password details, and delete
your account.
PARENTAL CONTROLS is where you can limit the age of people
watching certain shows.
NOTIFICATIONS is where you can get a weekly email from Tubi.
HISTORY & QUEUE is where you can delete your history of the
shows that you have watched, and also delete the cue of
movies/shows.
Please note
When you pick a section, press the Enter key on
it to open it, then arrow down the page.
It should say the name of the section first, then let you edit
after it.
For example, if you choose your profile, you can edit your name,
age etcetera.
Signing out of Tubi on the website
If you do decide to sign out of Tubi on the
website, locate your profile name, then press the Enter key on
your profile name and a menu will appear with the following... for
example Jim...Account Settings...Help Center...Activate Your
Device...Sign Out.
Arrow down the list, then press the Enter key on sign out. If you
want to continue watching on that machine again, you will have to
sign back in.
Apps for your TV or mobile device
They also have apps for either your Android or
Apple phone. It is very usable with either the Talkback screen
reader or the Voiceover screen reader on those devices. The app
for the TV is also very usable with a screen reader. On a Samsung
TV there might not be some sections spoken out (as in the
movie/shows section) but it can be accessed via the Genre section.
This seems to be the same for the app version on your phone.
Registering a new account or
signing in on another device
You do not need an account to watch any of the
shows on Tubi. Any of the shows you pick on the device you are
using will show in a history area and can be deleted later on.
When you are navigating the vast amount of movies/tv shows
etcetera you will find various movies of interest. If you
registered for a free account, it will then let you cue your
show/s so that you can watch them at a later date. This will only
be on the one device.
It is a matter of finding the show you want, then locating the add
to cue button, and pressing the Enter key to add it. At a later
date you can use your touch gestures on your mobile device to find
the show to watch in the cue.
In the same section it will also let you continue where you left
off in the movie/show. These can also (at a later date) be deleted
out. You will find these under the genre section. This is on a
mobile device or the TV app.
Activating Tubi on another device
such as a TV
If you have another TV in the house with the Tubi
app; to get it to finish playing your show on the new device, it
will give you a code - which will need to be entered into a
browser on another device. For example, if the code is on your TV,
use the browser on your phone to enter the code. After it has been
verified, it will let you continue to watch that movie/show on
another device. This only happens once. Do not sign out of Tubi
either.
If you are using a computer, you will need to sign in with your
account details that you signed up with, then move to that
section. On a computer it will let you continue watching the
movie/show.
Casting to a Chromecast type device
If you decide to download the app to your Android
or Apple device, and want to watch it on a bigger screen, you will
need a device like a Chromecast by Google. If your device is
supported on your phone, there should be a cast button.
It is easier to locate the show you want to watch first, then
locate the cast button. It will ask you which device you wish to
cast it to - like your living room Chromecast or bedroom
Chromecast etcetera. Locate the one that you want, and start
casting to that device. It will start playing it on your device
(such as your mobile), then it will go from your mobile device to
the big screen. You will be able to play/pause, rewind, fast
forward etcetera using the screen reader on that device.
Casting from your browser
If your browser supports casting to a Chromecast,
it is pretty much the same idea.
If there is a cast menu in your browser (like Google Chrome),
locate the movie that you want to watch on your computer/laptop,
then press the Alt key to bring up the file menu; then go down to
the cast menu, then press the Enter key. If you have Chromecasts
named throughout the house, (as in living room, bedroom, office
etcetera), pick the one that you want (by tabbing through them),
then press the Enter key on the one you wish to watch the show on.
Shortly after it should appear on the big screen.