HDMI does not do Closed Captioning
Just a little Public Service Announcement for those who may be getting TVs for Christmas.
There are a number of connections you can make with your TV from many sources (Cable, DVD, HD-DVD, BluRay, PS3, X360, Wii, and so on forth). The list are as follows in order of lowest to highest quality:
- RF Connection – This is the cable connection you use by default. This is an analog and/or digital connection.
- Composite – You usually have 3 connections, 1 for video, 2 for audio. This is an analog connection.
- S-Video – Instead of a single connection, there are 4 small connections in a round cable. This is an analog connection.
- Component – There are three dedicated connections for video, each encoded for a specific color range. This is an analog connection.
- DVI – Digitial Visual Interface, a common standard for LCD monitors for computers. This is a digital connection.
- HDMI – High Definition Multimedia Interface. Not only does it carry video, but also sounds. This is a digital connection.
Closed Captioning, by US law, are provided within line 21 of an analog TV signal and is geared toward the hearing impaired. Unlike subtitles which are usually focused on dialogs only, Closed Captioning are intended to transcribe the audio effects, along with musical vocals (this aspect is due to licensing issues).
DVDs have carried and supported Closed Captioning. Some companies take it a step further and have a subtitle option for the hearing impaired which output the same information as a Closed Captioning option would but in a subtitle form. However, this is a voluntary option.
Unfortunately, HDMI connections does not currently have any way to transmit closed captioning as the standards called for it. There are apparently two separate standards, the Line 21 standard, and the more modern MPEG standards. The vast majority of televisions available today does not support the second standard over HDMI connection. Also, the vast majority of contents are using the older Line 21 standard, which can not be sent over HDMI connections.
So, if you are getting a nice new TV, and hook up your DVD player over HDMI to the TV, do not be shocked to see a sheer absence of Closed Captioning.
We need to push the FCC and Canadian’s CRTC to establish a digital high definition standard to support Closed Captioning. Having an established standard will encourage our manufacturers to fall in line, and give us what we need.
In the meantime, my suggestion is to use Component connections which is capable of doing 720p/1080i signals until the standards are established and better options are provided for us all.
It is disappointing that we dropped this digital ball — assuming that the status quo will still be there in face of changing technology. I am quite sure there were some of us who did spot this issue. Let’s start helping them push this forward.
Does anyone have a suggestion on how to grease the wheel?
Wow, thanks for the information. I appreciate that.
This was very helpful– thanks!
One thing that deaf or hard of hearing people can do now is to purchase DVD recorders with both NTSC (analog) and ATSC (digital) tuners as those DVD recorders should be able to decode the closed captions from any DVD they play, and then any video cable will transmit the now “open” captions. There may also be some DVD players with built-in closed caption decoding, but they’re hard to find. Another strategy is to play DVDs from computers since various DVD software can display captions from DVDs; if the HDTV has a VGA port for the computer, you can display the DVD at a pretty high setting. (Sometimes there are problems showing DVDs from computers, however; the video card from the computer may not be powerful enough to show the DVD on an external monitor.)
Note that current HDMI cables don’t transmit closed caption data, but if the captions have already been decoded by the DVD player or recorder, the visual images of the captions will be transmitted, just like all the other visual images from the DVD.
Dana Mulvany
Really?
I had HDMI cables at my old home…never had a problem with captioning (Comcast set up box). At my new home…HDMI doesn’t work with Time Warner’s set up box for some reason (still fiddling with it).
I bought a 42″ LCD 1080i about two months ago and hooked up with a new DVD Sony player via HDMI. Closed captioning did not work. However, if you select subtitle command, it will work. Happy Holidays!
for two years i have two hdtvs with comcast boxes via hdmi and the cc works just fine. you need to turn cc on on cable box. you can find one of few dvd players with hdmi that has cc feature on it. i can’t remember which one has cc, but i googled myself and found one – LG DN788 that has cc and hdvi. last year i saw some posts in deaf forums that they have no problem with dvd plaver runs cc through hdmi.
IF THERE IS NO CLOSED CAPTION ON DVD OR TV I TAKE IT BACK TO STORE EXPLAIN REASON SORRY I RETURN NO CLOSED CAPTION SAD NEWS . STORE GOT GASP ON ME AND GIVE ME MONEY BACK.
Have plasma 1080i/p 42″ and..
CC works extremely well via Tivo Series3 HD in your preferred font, size, color, et al. Really wonderful & I love it.
Newer cable box decoder especially those with HDMI outlet does come with the option to turn CC on. On most programs, caption are delayed by 2-3 seconds. Very annoying. Tivo Series3 HD answered my prayer! The best network that is truly perfect with CC is Discovery HD & Mojo HD (via Time Warner)
Both above were connected via HDMI. Got rid of cable box when I upgraded to Tivo Series3 HD with two CableCard. Way worth the investment. Why pay so much for HDTV when you got a poor or no CC?
In other word, a cheap spark plugs for a Hummer.. forget that. 
Zookie
Good luck “greasing the wheel”. Please note that component will not allow CC unless in 480i mode. I am posting a link to avsforum where the problem of CCs over HDMI has been discussed for months without any resolution ….
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=699933
ot just google “hdmi closed captions” and go for the first hit.
Yes, The world move to digital era which no matter that they must bring closed caption over any input same as picture and sound, they kick us out and focus hearing world. we have to fight to get it back.
I can’t hear well at all and I have a special needs child who wakes at the drop of a hat. Unable to use cc I hardly watch any tv at all other then subtitled dvd. Charter is clueless they only mentioned that someone thought they heard of a box you could turn cc on and off, “that one might work” they said………… Any clue as to a brand of box that this works on would help.
TIME WARNER CABLE GUY HDMI AND CC PROBLEMS
i’m not sure if this helps you or not, but you can turn on the cc on time warner cable’s box but you have to turn off your box to do it and the cc will stay on until you turn the box off again to turn the cc off, which is beyond annoying for obvious reasons-this will make sense in a moment. also, i suggest you call twc, they really helped me out a lot when i was hooking up my hdtv.
anyway, to get cc on your time warner cable box
ON YOUR REMOTE hit the cable button then power (seemingly turning the cable box off) then hit the menu or setting button and a white screen will pop up…
follow the directions from there. you might have to go into the more hdmi settings to find the cc, but it worked for me. this was on twc motorola cable box with hd. if it doesn’t work and you really want cc i really suggest you call twc. i’m in dallas, but they really bent over backward to help me… if this wasn’t your problem, sorry to have wasted your time!
ghypscee
I have an older Zenith connected to a SD cable box and have no problems receiving CC.
I bought a Plasma Panasonic that replaced an
older Mitsubishi not capable of CC. Only the
premium movie channels either flashed the Closed Captions and omitted part or all of them sporadically. The other SD and HD channel CC’s were OK. The TV uses an HDMI cable attached to a Motorola DCH620 cable box (set top)supplied by Charter.
After many hours spent with Panasonic and
Charter. Motorola suggested I could use a
SD cable box and eliminate my HDMI HD hookup with some picture degregation as
some at Motorola have done. Im happy I made
the change since I now have NO CC problems
and it was worth the picture quality tradeoff. If anyone can suggest a way I can
get the HD quality and channels without
the Closed Caption problems it would be appreciated as both of us have hearing problems.
I ran into the same problem and we should all protest. However, some of the above comments seem to confuse TV and DVD captioning. I have Time Warner and the closed caps work fine, but my new Sony DVD with HDMI connected does not display them. Also one comment said by turning on the subtitles they got the CC. I doubt it. Think they just got the subtitles on the disc. Some come with subtitles and CC too. So it is possible to have both running at once if you’re not on an HDMI connection.
MANY THANKS to Zookie for referencing the TIVO Series 3! We were in the midst of a great deal of headscratching about how to deal with the grayed-out captioning feature on our new LG47″ HDTV connected by HDMI.
We have the TIVO but hadn’t configured it for High Def in the Messages and Settings menu; boy were we relieved when we did! Not sure what technology enables the Tivo to pick up both standard and digital closed captions, but we highly recommend it!
I have HDTV, Blu-ray, HDdvd box and Dvd box..
Blu-ray box with HDMI no CC but can used Subtitles …
Dvd box in Component 1080i/720p used CC and Subtitles …
HD-dvd box Component, HDMI and Video not used CC but can used Subtitles ..
Don’t know why HDMI not used CC but can work on Subtitles …
Dvd upconverting HDMI box hook up on HDMI Tv.. NO cc but only used Subtitles..
Dvd upconverting box in component and video can work on CC and Subtitles..
Much thanks to the person who mentioned a lot of cable boxes with HDMI output have a CC option that needs to be enabled. I was given no manual with my cable box (Pace Miami series) and the cable company people were clueless. After Googling around, I found the manual for my box and discovered how to turn out closed captioning. I have a small child, and it’s helpful when she’s making a lot of noise. In addition to that, I sometimes have trouble distinguishing voices when people talk on shows (certain accents/types of voices much worse than others), even though I’m only 27, so I tend to watch with captioning on constantly. Thank you for bringing me out of four months of no-caption hell.
I live in Hong Kong and am looking for a DVD player with a built-in closed caption decoder for my hearing impaired son. Ordered 2 dvd players from World Gift-Import Center in USA. Neither worked. Sent them a dvd with closed captions (at their request) to try on 1 of their advertised dvd players that supposedly has a built-in decoder. No response even after that. Can someone help please. Nilmini
Closed captions with HD is the only problem I encountered. Have never had a problem with
subtitles on DVD movies either with a SD or
HD cable box.
Super-informative site! I am loving it!! Will come back again – taking you feeds also, Thanks.
My name is John. I have a new LCD Sharp TV.
I have been fighting the Closed Caption feature on the TV since I got it. Thanks to some of the Responses I have been able to lend some help to others.
The new Digital TV will not decode the Captions, however, if you have a Time Warner box, the you can still get Caption.
First, leave your TV on, and shut down the Time Warner Box. Then press menu on the “Time Warner Box Remote remote”, and a hidden menu will pop up. From their you can scroll down and enable the Closed Caption. Turn the Box back on and exit the menu if it is still on.
Next reset the “Input” on the TV remote to “TV”, and hit okay. Then press the “TV” remote menu button and to go “Options” scroll down to Captions. press okay, and adjust your caption options.
Remember. The TV remote is the one which came with the TV. The Time Warner Remote operates the Box.
Reverse the procedure to disable it.
JOhn
redrover11-13-2007, 01:03 PM
Well I stumbled onto the solution to my problem, finally, but no thanks to any of the tech at my cable company who provided me with my cable box or with the mfg of my LG LCD TV (Model # 42LB5D). I am amazed that these tech don’t know this stuff since it is such a big issue (to some people). Anyway, here it is. I’ll also post this under a new and more clear caption for anyone else who might have this problem.
My HD Cable service provider is Charter.
My TV is a LG LCT 42″ (Model # 42LB5D).
My cable box is a Motorola DCH 6416.
Solution to getting closed caption is to turn the tv on, the cable box off (it must be off). On the front of the cable box press the menu button (again box must be off!), and this will bring up the “user setting options) and among many is the closed caption option. My CC was set to off. I turned it on and now all is well. Also, there are other option available listed there to fine tune the HD reception.
I hope this is clear and of help to someone out there. It breaks my heart to read on Google all of the problems the hearing impared are having with this issue. The solution is simple once you find it . . . Isn’t that the way it always is. It is just too bad that when you go to the tech support who should be on top to this stuff they don’t have a clue.
1. On the DVR, there is a sub menu called “User Settings” (it is not part of the Main menu or Quick menu).
• To access the User Settings sub menu press Power and Menu simultaneously then release. ( Note: Sometimes Menu needs to be pressed a 2nd or 3rd time by itself afterwards)
2. The “User Settings” menu appears.
3. Using the up/down navigation arrows on the remote, place the cursor next to the “Closed Caption Disabled” line.
4. Press the OK/select button to change to “Closed Caption Enabled”.
5. Power Off to Exit.
• Close Caption (CC) should be set up.
Reminder:
• The CC function is not supported by all channels. Channels not supporting the CC function show a blank black box.
• Following these steps the Close Caption Feature will always be ON. The same steps need to be followed to turn OFF the feature, choosing appropriate selection for step #4.
HDMI blocks analogue, i.e., Line 21 captions, only. There is no workaround, as you explain, though not clearly.
“Licensing” has nothing to do with captioning.
There already is “digital” captioning. HDTV has its own captioning protocol. There are complex rules for inclusion of analogue captioning in digital signals. In any event, HDTV closed captions are almost always just analogue captions transcoded to HDTV.