Hello, CaptionBreakers,
Occasionally, a web streaming service will update its server in a way that “breaks” the closed caption display. Streaming service providers can be reluctant to admit that:
A. There is a problem with online closed captioning.
and that
B. That they have any role in the caption display problem occurring on their platform.
– Streaming Service: Well, everything is fine leaving here. It’s not us. It’s you!
– Captioner: C’mon, buddy! Step up!
To help the streaming service to acknowledge that its platform broke the closed caption display,
I like to run that same caption file through as many other software applications, media players, and streaming platforms to check and verify that my caption file is fine leaving every other caption player used in the marketplace.
At this point, the streaming service may respond, “Nuh-uh. It’s not us.”
Or, they may not reply to my email.
Or, they may step up and be the streaming service caption heroes that they are meant to be!
Whatever their response, they can count on me to be in a committed relationship with them, consistently emailing them a friendly reminder every few days until they find their greatness, own their issue, and stop their platform from breaking captions.
Yours verbatim,
CaptionBreaker
Online Closed Captioning User Experience (UX) Evaluation / Troubleshooting Log
Test Platforms:
- Roku, iPhone, iTunes, Android, phone, JW Player, YouTube, Vimeo, Kaltura, Facebook, Amazon Prime, Amazon Web Services, NetFlix, Telestream Switch, Subtitle Edit, VLC, Windows Media Player, EEG Decoder, Broadcast TV, DVD Player
Caption File Formats:
- dfxp, mcc, Sami, scc 608, scc 708, srt, sub, svb, WebVTT, XML
Sample Pop On Caption Display Behaviors:
__Displays all lines of a Pop On caption correctly.
__Displays 1st line of a Pop On caption correctly, but doesn’t display caption lines 2 and 3.
__Loads Pop On CC Track 1 caption file, but doesn’t display any captions.
__Displays 2 Pop On caption lines simultaneously, but skips displaying alternate lines.
__Displays Pop On CCs fine underneath the video in the gutter.
__Displays Pop On CCs fine over the video near vertical bottom of the player widow.
__Displays all lines of a Pop On caption with correct vertical position at top or bottom of window.
__ ♪ eighth note decodes as a pound sign #
__Displays all lines of a Pop On caption, but text contains gibberish errors.
__Displays 1st line of Pop On captions over the video at the bottom of the window for a half-second, but then no subsequent captions are displayed.
__Other______________________________________________________________________.
Sample Roll Up Caption Display Behaviors:
__Displays all lines of a Roll Up caption correctly.
__Displays 1st line of a Roll Up caption correctly, but doesn’t display caption lines 2 and 3.
__Loads Roll Up CC Track 1 caption file but doesn’t display any captions.
__Displays 2 Roll Up caption lines simultaneously but skips displaying alternate lines.
__Displays Roll Up CCs fine underneath the video in the gutter.
__Displays Roll Up CCs fine over the video near vertical bottom of the player widow.
__Displays all lines of a Roll Up caption with correct vertical position at top or bottom of window.
__ ♪ eighth note decodes as a pound sign #
__Displays all lines of a Roll Up caption but text contains gibberish errors.
__Displays 1st line of Roll Up captions over the video at the bottom of the window for a half-second and then no subsequent captions are displayed.
__Other______________________________________________________________________.
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