All-IP Future Will Fix Video-Described Technical Hurdles, Comcast Says

Making more video-described content available in its VOD library can work, but Comcast warned the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs and Media bureaus that technical constraints are involved with video-described programming. An ex parte filing posted Friday in docket 11-43 said executives including Tom Wlodkowski, Comcast Cable vice president-accessibility, met with bureau representatives about video-described programming hurdles such as that digital signals can carry two audio tracks, with the second able to carry a foreign-language translation or video description, but not both: Video description of VOD would require a multichannel video programming distributor "double publish" the content, straining the storage capacity of the VOD platform and possibly confusing consumers. As cable migrates to an all-IP environment, the issue will fix itself, the company said, since VOD content can be stored with multiple audio tracks and the server can send only the specific video/audio track combo the viewer wants. NAB, Time Warner and NCTA (see 1607270060 and 1609200053) in recent months opposed expanding the video description rules as part of implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.