This desktop Windows software makes listening to podcasts as easy as possible for those who are blind or have low vision. QCast has been designed to work well with screen-readers. Everything is done through simple interface elements. This is commercial software and you will need to purchase a license to unlock it. However, there is a free trial period to see if QCast meets your needs. Click here to visit the QCast download page.
Useful keys for QCast:
- CONTROL+S: conduct a search
- ALT+A: add or subscribe to a podcast (within the search box)
Shortcuts within the player window:
- ALT+A: share podcast episode with social media
- ALT+E: player speed; change with arrows
- ALT+J: jump to time
- ALT+O: p[odcast position; change with arrows
- ALT+P: play/pause toggle
- ALT+S: stop playback
- ESCAPE: exit the player window
How To Subscribe:
- After opening QCast, perform the following shortcut to get to the search box: CONTROL+S.
- You will now be in an edit field where you can enter the name of a show such as Live from Studio 5. Type it and press "Enter" to perform a search.
- You will be placed in the list of results found by your search. Use the "Up" and "Down" arrows to find the correct show. Once you've found it, press the ALT+A shortcut to add the podcast. Tab to the “Close” button and press "Enter."
How To Play:
- You will now find yourself back to the main screen of QCast. You will be placed in the list of podcasts you have subscribed to. Use the "Up" and "Down" arrows to navigate the podcast list. Press "Tab" to get to the list of episodes. QCast checks for new episodes automatically when run, provided you're connected to the internet. Use the the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys to go through the list of episodes. Press "Tab" to access the description of the episode. SHIFT+TAB back to the episode title when you’re done. Press "Enter" on the episode title to start playback.
- While an episode plays, you'll be in the playback screen which contains controls letting you pause, jump to time, share and alter the speed of what you hear. "Tab" and SHIFT+TAB through these options using "Enter" or the Space Bar to activate them. You can also refer to the list of useful shortcut section within this blog entry to quickly access these controls. When finished listening, the "Escape" key will return you to the rest of QCast.
Final Notes:
If you prefer to use a menu to navigate QCast, just press the ALT key to access the program menu and use the arrow keys to move around. Within that menu is the "Options" window. Visit it to check out useful settings that you can modify.
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