What does Closed captions mean?
Closed captions are a selectable timed-text presentation intended to convey dialogue and relevant sound information. They can include speaker identification, music cues and other audio details needed to understand the programme without relying on sound.
Why it matters
They differ from open captions embedded in the image and from dialogue-only translations, although application labels are inconsistent. A compatible player may allow size, colour and background changes for separate text tracks. Availability does not guarantee accuracy or completeness, so inspect a revealing scene and report specific omissions rather than treating a CC badge as proof of perfect coverage.
A practical example
An off-screen doorbell or a change in music can matter to the story even when nobody speaks. A useful caption track represents that information. Merely selecting an English subtitle language does not establish that those non-speech sounds are included in the chosen track.
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Related terminology: Chroma subsampling, Codec level.
For practical setup and troubleshooting, browse the journal or support guides.