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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Closed Captioning
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 10-17-2014 01:11 PM
Oh what a can of worms this one is!
I can attest that BOTH of the systems you mention work and work as well as captions on the projector (subject to the same frailties as CineCanvas).
As a support person, I MUCH prefer the USL system because you can actually see, via their web interface, that it is working and what text it is putting out.
As for the display devices...if you ask those that want/need the captions...they almost all want open captions, period.
The problems with the glasses are that the captions move about with the head rather than stay put. And if you wear glasses, are watching 3D...it gets rather comical! The cup-holder and floor standing systems seem to be preferred. Note, problem I've seen with those, however, is that they tend to sag and are a bit bouncy.
I would not be worried about the Dolby/Doremi thing so much as what the DOJ may create as law. It is currently open for comment and I suggest all that are concerned (should be EVERY THEATRE IN THE COUNTRY) comment on it. I, for one, have taken the strong position that theatre should not have to provide ANY devices for either listening or viewing of captions...that they should only be required to provide a government protected signal for ADA use so that the patron may use their own device in not only theatres but any other like venue. The laws as they currently stand are as stupid as it would be to require theatres to provide glasses for nearsightedness. You provide the ramps, not the wheelchairs...etc. The goal of the ADA was to prevent discrimination by putting up barriers. Providing standardized signals would do that.
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Harold Hallikainen
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 906
From: Denver, CO, USA
Registered: Aug 2009
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posted 10-17-2014 03:15 PM
I designed the USL system, so if there's a problem, it's my fault! If you find some equipment it does not work with or some content it does not work with, please give me a call or email. I'll make it work! I've been on the SMPTE committees that established the standards for closed captioning and am on committees that are looking at updates to the standards (for example, a meeting on the timed text file format this morning). As Steve points out, I've left a lot of debug information enabled. You can get a streaming log to see all interaction between the captioning equipment and the server. Besides helping me in development, it has helped people in the field figure out what's going wrong.
The standards allow considerable leeway in the creation and playback of captions. For example, USL supports a character set of some 50,000 characters. Other systems may support fewer. There are also differences in how long lines of text are handled, how horizontal alignment is handled, etc. Because of this, I'm working with Sony and Doremi on an authoring guideline for ISDCF. This attempts to define what is in common on all the systems from an authoring perspective so the content will display properly on all systems.
Finally, on ease of installation, Doremi is very easy to install since it's just an IEEE 802.15.4 transmitter connected to the server over USB. You stick it in the port window, plug it in, and it's installed. The USL IR panel can be mounted in the auditorium, but to make installation easier, a window bracket is now available. The panel is installed in the port window in the booth, simplifying wiring.
For an overview of all this (from my perspective) see Accesibility Best Practices.
Also, as Steve notes, the DOJ does have a comment period open on proposed rules for the US. I've summarized the more than 200 comments filed so far. My summaries are here . As Steve recommends, I also recommend filing comments. I'm still working on mine.
Thanks!
Harold
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Jim Cassedy
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 10-18-2014 03:17 PM
I'm involved with an event this weekend that's ocurring at multiple locations
and requires adding an additional 'descriptive audio track' to non DCI programming
that will require two blu-ray players running 'in sync'. (I've already rehearsed
this and 'it works'- - there is some timing drift, but neither program is
very long and since the people using this service will be blind, the slight
mis-match between descriptive audio & on screen action is not an issue)
At my screening room, I had no problem interfacing the 2nd deck into our
HI system, which is a "Listen Tech" RF system. The transmitter has built-in
provisions to easily add a 2nd balanced or unbalanced audio source and
also mixing controls on the front to balance levels between the two sources.
The "other location" called me for advice trying to do the same thing with
their "Fideleo" system, which turned out to be nightmare. I'm sure the
Fideleo system works fine for what it was designed for, but if you ever
have the need to add an extra external audio source it's pretty much
impossible without major re-engineering of the audio system.
I really like the "Listen-Tech" systems that are installed in the screening
rooms at two different locations I work at.
These are both 'single screen' locations so the fact that
they are RF/FM systems is not a problem. They sound great, the receivers
dock in a charger overnight, so you never have to worry about changing batteries,
and they have a standard headphone jack, so people can use their own ear buds
if they want. We have over a dozen receivers, but only about 6 or 8 pairs
of headphones. If we ever need more in an emergency, we can pick up
a bunch of 'cheap' headsets at a store less than a block away.
The Listen-Tech transmitter has good LED VU meters, the ability to easily add
and mix in an "auxiliary" audio source as I've already mentioned and,
(my FAVORITE feature!) - >it has a built in 1K test-tone generator which makes
it really easy to check all the receivers & headphones without having fire up
the entire cinema system to get program audio to test with.
(It's also fun to push the 1k tone button during a show and watch all
the people wearing headphones jump in their seats) ![[evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
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