Looking for a means of getting audio description through ear piece whilst watching Apple TV with sound on main surround system

Hi, I too am wondering if this could be done. Maybe this could be a suggestion we could all send to Apple for a future TV OS update? Just a thought.

Hate to say it but, it's not possible. I've looked for different ways of doing this and I don't think you can split off the sound since it's a voice overdub and it's all recorded on a single track.

Generally speaking, this can't be done since the film companies provide the audio description embedded in the film audio as a single track. However, if an app like Actiview was able to get a larger library of descriptive audio, and could allow that audio to be accessed for home releases as well as in theaters, that would accomplish what you're asking. As I understand, Actiview plays only the description track, and uses your phone's microphone at the start of the movie to sync up the track with the film. Unfortunately, the app's library is very limited at present. I expect the licensing costs to get access to the audio description for every major home release would be prohibitively expensive.

Don’t raise your expectations. I don’t wish to sound like I am being harsh on your comments, but I know someone who works in the audio description industry, and realistically they just find it hard to even get the film companies to do the bare minimum which is to include audio description at all. They regarded as an obligation and will do it at the minimum cost. I know that’s ridiculous, that they probably spend more on catering for a film then they do on the audio description but that’s just the reality of it. Only saying this because I would be very surprised if you get very far with it. Good luck though

What you're asking for could probably be done with a braille display and subtitles, but it seems no one likes a synthesized voice reading subtitles, therefore even what I like to call descriptive subtitles won't happen.

I think it's great that you can now read subtitles in iOS 11, but I also think it's under utilised.

I'd definitely use it, netflix has some pretty cool japanese shows, but the only way to read subtitles and not annoying people watching with you is to use a braile display, wether you cast to a chromecast, or use airplay, those subtitles won't come through to your phone.

Be very interested if this could work somehow with todays technology at HOME. will report back.

Let's not get into splitting out the AD only track, and just let me connect my AirPods to my Apple TV, and let me choose to send the full AD track to the AirPods whilst letting the standard audio track play through my TV....

I absolutely love AD - Thank you Apple and Netflix for having so much content these days!, but sadly the rest of my family think it's terrible and tell me it ruins their viewing experience. I tell them that being visually impaired ruins my viewing experience, but it's 4 to 1 in my house!!!

Another option may be to do some cool sync up using the new Apple TV app, so lets say we start watching a show on the Apple TV box, the app can sync to my iPhone and let me chose the AD track on the phone which allows me to use the phones audio output as I wish?...... (a similar suggestion was made in an earlier comment)

In the cases where you're using Netflix and the like and have an extra device, I find just synking two versions of the movie on two Netflixes to be easy enough. A little awkward sometimes, but the least amount of hastle. Unfortuantely if you're watching an actual movie, you might have to download the AD version from something like BlindMice. Again, easy enough to sync the tracks, but the problem with BM is for some strange reason, their movies play at a barely perceptible higher speed than the actual movie. Someone told me there's a reason for this, but I can't recall what it ias.

Hi. I have a home recording studio and am in the process of converting from stereo to surround sound. If you want to watch in surround sound, then you are using an AV receiver, which sends the Video to the screen and the audio to the surround speakers.

I am not familiar with the Apple TV, but I am familiar with my Mac and MacOS, which allows me to send voiceover to the Mac internal speakers while the stereo or surround signal is going to the audio interface (in my case) or your AV receiver (in your case). Thus split off from the movie sound track, my wife watches the movie on the Mac screen and listens to the sound track on the external speakers, while I can listen to voiceover through half a headphone. Not comfortable but effective.

Meanwhile, if you're AV receiver is using an IOS device for input, you might be able to split off voiceover directly to your made for iPhone hearing aids, if you have them, or you can try using bluetooth headphones if you don't have hearing aids. This last set up might work, and it might not, but it's worth a try. smile

Good luck!

Bruce

If the audio description is sent to a single output on the surround sound set up, it should be possible with an adapter to unplug that speaker and plug the speaker cable into a pair of headphones to play the analog sound. I'm guessing, though, that the description will be on the center speaker along with all the other dialogue.

Resurrecting an old thread that is solved with a new feature -- You can use Plex - the 'watch with friends' feature. If you play the movie off one account on your big screen, then the visually impaired audience member can be invited to 'watch with friends' on their device, say for example, an iPhone, they can put on headphones and select the alternate audio description track and watch along with everyone.
Basically because Plex lets each user select their own audio track, it lets you do what you want.

The iTunes Store has plenty of content with audio descriptions included.