Accessible Police Scanner App for Windows

[ComputerRob]

Hi. I am currently developing a Windows-based application that is accessible to screen reader users. It will allow blind and visually impaired users the ability to listen to all Broadcastify feeds without having to go to the Broadcastify website. It will have a menu bar, full keyboard navigation, and keyboard shortcuts, for things like playing and stopping feeds. In the future, you will also be able to do things like programming various police scanners, and looking up scanner frequencies, using an accessible, clean interface. I've asked for a Broadcastify API key from support, but they aren't offering any at this time. I explained to them what I planned to do and I have been working at this for days. I've had a lot of errors building this, and I was wondering, if I can't get a key, if somebody already has a key, they can start forking a version of the app? I am making this free and open-source on GitHub. I don't know anything about programming, or much about GitHub, so I only have a ReadMe up there. I'm not trying to be difficult, but I'd like to get this out, because for me, as a blind user, using Broadcastify with a screen reader can be a little tricky. If anyone can get back to me on this, I'd really appreciate it. You can find my GitHub page at GitHub - RobFarabaugh/9-1-1-Scanner-Suite: This is an accessible police scanner application where you can listen to all Broadcastify feeds, as well as manage various scanner tasks, including programming various police scanners, and looking up scanner frequencies.. Thanks for reading this, and I look forward to reading the comments.

 

[ComputerRob]

There's also a Blind Digital Scanner users group on groups.io. They are looking for sighted individuals to help them make scanners more accessible to blind people. You can find them at bdigitalscan groups.io Group. Thanks.

 

[ComputerRob]

Hi @blantonl, As you know, I'm trying to develop an accessible police scanner app for Windows that works well with screen readers. The Broadcastify website can be a little tricky for a blind person who uses a screen reader to get around. I have developed this on Github and I think it would be a huge benefit for the blindness community. I've been interested in radio scanning pretty much since I was 6 or 7 and I have been wanting an app for Windows. I bought an app a long time ago that would do the same thing my app will do, like selecting a feed in the System Tray, but I never got it in my email. It was a total waste of money. It was called PC police Scanner. The site isn't up anymore, and there's really no scanner app that has all keyboard access and that will do what my app will do. Not only will you be able to listen to all Broadcastify feeds, but you will be able to program various police scanners and also look up scanner frequencies from within the app using the RR Database API. This would really mean a great deal if I got an Audio Catalog API key, so I can complete this. I don't even have an installer file up yet, and I don't know anything about computer programming. I just programmed it with ChatGPT and Copilot. So, if you'l reconsider this, I'd really appreciate it. You can also find me on a group on groups.io which is called Blind Digital Scanner Users. The groups website is bdigitalscan groups.io Group. My project page is at GitHub - RobFarabaugh/9-1-1-Scanner-Suite: This is an accessible police scanner application where you can listen to all Broadcastify feeds, as well as manage various scanner tasks, including programming various police scanners, and looking up scanner frequencies.. I'd invite you to work on the code. If you're familiar wit C# programming, the code is up there. Thanks a lot for reading this. I'd like to make this more accessible for everyone.

 

[BinaryMode]

I wouldn't expect people to compile the code themselves... I never do. Planning to release a binary?