Closed caption: what is it and what is it for?

Closed caption It is a feature that is becoming increasingly popular.

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This is especially due to the modernization of smartphones, which favors accessibility.

But, after all, what is closed captioning? What is the function of this resource? How to activate?

These and other questions will be addressed throughout the following content.

So, if you want to learn about this function, don't miss the content below! 

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What is closed captioning?

You've certainly heard of closed caption at any moment.

In general, this expression appears as a differentiator in device marketing.

Thus, among the innovation promises of that device, the closed caption is part of the list.

But, after all, what is this?

Closed caption is the English term for “Hidden Caption, and in practice, this is a function that favors accessibility for people with different degrees and types of hearing impairment.

This is because closed captioning produces instant captions based on the programming being broadcast on the device.

Therefore, when watching a film on a device with this technology, it will not be necessary to activate subtitles, as closed captioning does this automatically.

This is an interesting feature, as it produces subtitles for any type of content, and they do not need to be part of the programming.

Furthermore, closed captioning transcribes not just voices, but the sounds that appear in the scene.

This includes footsteps, whispers, tense atmosphere and many other important perceptions for the integration between the viewer and the plot.

Therefore, we can consider this to be a more modern, more efficient and inclusive version of traditional subtitles.

Closed caption vs conventional subtitles: what's the difference?

By now you already know what closed captioning is, and understand that this is a modern scene transcription resource.

Therefore, the “hidden caption” transcribes everything that is happening in the scene automatically.

But, we know that this description can generate many doubts, after all, what is the difference between this feature and common subtitles? 

As for functionality, there isn't much difference, as the subtitles describe what is being said, and some even describe the scene.

But the difference with “closed captions” is that this is an automatic feature.

Subtitles require programming, that is, they need to be included intentionally and manually.

As a result, it is not always possible to use subtitles, especially for live programming.

In closed captioning, this is not necessary, since the idea is to produce something dynamic, therefore, the subtitles are created automatically, over the scene reproduced on the screen.

Therefore, we can consider this innovation to be a more practical and modern version of the traditional version.

However, it is worth saying that the closed caption may not be as accurate since the audio is transcribed.

This means that very specific terms or muffled sounds can make understanding difficult, and consequently generate errors in the subtitles.

This does not occur in common subtitles, which are made in more detail.

Therefore, if you are looking for the practicality of closed captioning, it is important to know that in some specific cases it may not be as accurate in transcription.

However, this is for very specific things, so overall it is a very efficient feature.

How to activate closed captioning on your device?

If you came into this material without having the slightest idea what it is closed caption, now this is no longer a problem.

This is because, already knowing what this resource is for, and what its differences are to common subtitles.

Therefore, we need to explain about activation, because the feature is not usually activated on devices.

The reason for this is because, in general, the closed caption is used by people with hearing impairments, so it is part of the accessibility features.

However, if you want, it is perfectly possible to use CC, but it is worth remembering that it will apply to all videos and sound reproductions on your device.

This means that if you hear a audio on whatsapp, or watch a video on Instagram, automatic captions will appear.

Therefore, this feature applies to the use of the device as a whole, and not just to specific apps or content.

But, it's worth saying that you can activate and deactivate the feature whenever you want, so it's up to you.

So, now see how to activate the closed caption on different devices.

Television 

Television is one of the main devices in which closed caption it is very useful.

However, it is worth mentioning that for activation to be possible on this type of device, this feature must be included in its settings.

This means that not all television models will have closed captioning, and this applies especially to older equipment.

To check if your TV has the feature, just go to settings and search for “closed caption“.

If the option appears, click on it, and then look for the “activate” or “turn on” option, this varies depending on the device model.

After activation, the feature will start working and create subtitles based on the screen broadcast.

To disable the feature on your TV, it's as simple as activating it, just go back to settings > closed caption > “deactivate” or “off”.

This will stop the function and the closed captions will be turned off.

Mobile device 

Finally, on mobile devices this feature is very necessary.

When we talk about mobile devices, we refer to cell phones, tablets, and many other similar devices.

As for activating the feature, it is as simple as on TV, but it also requires that the device is compatible with the technology.

So, go to your device settings and search for “closed captioning”.

When you locate the function, click on the option, and then go to the “activate/deactivate” button.

Set the button to “activate”, and then the automatic subtitles will appear.

It is worth saying that these subtitles apply to audio functions.

Therefore, music, videos with sound and even voice messages will receive automatic subtitles.

To deactivate, just go to settings and disable the closed caption, using the same procedure performed during activation.

Finally, now that you know everything about the topic, you can access this resource whenever you need! 

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