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Blu-ray titles to get 'descriptive video service'

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is set to start including Descriptive Video Service features to upcoming Blu-ray Disc releases. DVS is an audio feature that can help those with vision problems with their viewing experiences by adding narration of important visual elements on screen, during times mainly where there is no dialog.

The DVS features that will be used are developed by WGBH Media Access Group, which focuses primarily on solutions to make mass media accessible for disabled people. The group estimates that around 12 million movie watchers have some form of vision problem.



The first Blu-ray title from Sony Pictures set to include this feature is The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, which is due to be released on November 3.

Other Sony Pictures releases that will include this feature are District 9, Julie & Julia and The Ugly Truth, none of which have had their release date revealed by the studio just yet.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 3 Sep 2009 19:51

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• 3 comments

• kyo28

  Seems like a nice extra feature for people with a visual disability. Hopefully other studios will follow.

  4.9.2009 03:31 #1

• Reinfallt

  This isn't really anything new. Sony has been doing this for some of their regular dvd's for years. For example, my copy of Spider-Man 2 has this feature.

  4.9.2009 03:49 #2

• blueboy09

  Yeah, now Grandma or Pops can watch 12 ROUNDS and actually understand what they are saying without touching the screen with their nose just to see the subtitles.

  4.9.2009 19:28 #3