CLOSED CAPTIONING

NO CLOSED CAPS. ON NETFLIX/ROKU!!!!!!!! WHY? CANT SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS????? SINCE I HAVE A HEARING LOSS,AS DO MANY OTHERS, THIS COMPLETELY DESTROYS ONE`S ABILITY TO ENJOY THE NETFLIX/ROKU FORMAT. PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO RETURN ROKU TO MANUFACTURERS.P.S. I THINK THE ADVERTISING LITERATURE SHOULD CLEALY STATE THAT C.C. IS NOT AVAILABLE

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Spindaddydad on July 3, 2008 at 11:03am: Reuben, closed captioning is not available on most English language movies via Instant Watch. I'll bet that Roku will take back your box with no problem.

By the way, the main Roku page on the Netfix web site says that Closed Captioning is not available.

Also, just so you know, Typing in all caps is like screaming.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jampony on July 3, 2008 at 12:06pm: "I'll bet that Roku will take back your box with no problem."

Yep. I called about their 30-day money back guarantee (because I was concerned my internet connection would be too slow so I wanted to know if I could return it) and the CSR I spoke with said it's a no questions asked guarantee, so he shouldn't have any problems.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by The Real Uncle Bob on July 3, 2008 at 12:19pm: By the way, the main Roku page on the Netfix web site says that Closed Captioning is not available.

Only by choice, SDD.

The Roku folks have stated in their forum that the box is caption-capable, and that Netflix only needs to stream the data. At some point, the few percent that require this accomodation will become important enough for Netflix to bother, but that small market is insignificant to them at the moment.

Unless someone at Netflix can contradict me? (I wish they would!); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jlsoaz on July 3, 2008 at 12:28pm: "By the way, the main Roku page on the Netfix web site says that Closed Captioning is not available."

- From the link you provided, I was not able to find where it says this.

- If one raises this topic at the Roku forum site, one is often referred here, since this is a netflix matter more than it is a roku matter. It is apparently up to the content provider apparently to address this matter with the various licensors. Apparently Netflix hasn't been able to do this.

- Since (from what they say) the Roku device is not exclusively locked in to Netflix, but someday may be able to broadcast from other content providers, I'm looking forward to the possibility that they may be able to arrange for a content-provider who can broadcast closed-captions, subtitles, director's audio commentary, etc. Probably by then Netflix will have it, and that will be great, I'm just pointing out that maybe someone else someday will pull this off if netflix can't.

I wonder if TIVO can do it broadcasting Amazon.com and other content?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Spindaddydad on July 3, 2008 at 12:42pm: From the link you provided, I was not able to find where it says this.

On that page where it says, "Do these movies and TV episodes have subtitles or closed captions?" <--Click on that; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jlsoaz on July 4, 2008 at 11:53am: On that page where it says, "Do these movies and TV episodes have subtitles or closed captions?" <--Click on that

Hi:

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing it. There was no link in your latest response, so I still don't know where it is. I'm sure it exists as you seem to be quoting from it.

The link that you originally provided is here:

http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices?lnkctr=mhWNRD

I have simply not been able to find anything anywhere on the netflix website. If someone is able to find a link on the netflix website which makes clear to all that there are no closed captions in the instant watch feature, I would appreciate it.

I glanced at the Roku FAQ which seems like it has a lot of points, but nothing about closed captions, at first glance.

http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/frequently-asked-questions/

They probably also have something somewhere.

I guess the moral of the story, to my eye, is not to harp on any miscommunication we are having about where a link is, but for both Netflix and Roku to make it easy and up-front for potential subscribers and buyers to see that this service does not presently offer closed captioning. That would help avoid problems such as the one Reuben had, where it's really not an optional feature that he would like to see, but a necessary one that he needs in order to make use of the service.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by I'm Not a Turnip on July 4, 2008 at 12:11pm: From the page you linked, "Click here to learn more" (Circled in green.)

Then click on "Do these movies and TV episodes have subtitles or closed captions?" (Circled in green.); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jlsoaz on July 4, 2008 at 12:21pm: Thanks. Apparently there is something wrong with both of my browsers and their settings because I am able only to see the top half of that page, and not the FAQ. Thanks for helping me see what was going wrong. I wonder what's up with that. Here is what the page looks like to me (focused on the bottom half so you can see the FAQ is not there).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by I'm Not a Turnip on July 6, 2008 at 5:46am: I get the same results when I'm not logged in to Netflix.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Spindaddydad on July 3, 2008 at 12:50pm: Apple has built-in Closed captioning on its AppleTV units, however apparently only some of the movies actually provide the closed-captioning. They say it is up to the studios to provide the CC feed content. Adrian (here) said that the CC data is not embedded into the Netflix streams. I wonder if it is somethign that Netflix/Apple/etc. can pay extra to get, or is it just up to the studios to embed it? And will the studios see fit to provide it in the streams of older films?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Denver Dave on January 13, 2009 at 4:19pm: Lack of closed captions is the single biggest obstacle that we have to enjoying the Netflix / Roku viewing. Roku says they are ready, if and when Netflix provides.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jlsoaz on July 4, 2008 at 12:24pm: I was digging around, and this has been an issue raised by at least one deaf customer for more than a year. No evidence of any improvement in the situation since then:

http://blog.deafread.com/iwii/archives/17

Netflix’s “Instant Viewing” does not support closed captioning.

By jjpuorro | June 5, 2007; ▶ Reply to This