[samhevener]

Is overcompressing the cause of the somtimes unreadable closed captioning? I'm hard of hearing and use the service all the time. On some channels the CC is complete garble, on others 3 or 4 complete lines will be dropped every minute or so. Doesn't the FCC require X mumber of hours of "readable" closed captioning per day and does E* meet that requirement? I'm starting to get a little ticked off. Hard of hearing in Ohio

 

[ericmatz]

Is overcompressing the cause of the somtimes unreadable closed captioning? I'm hard of hearing and use the service all the time. On some channels the CC is complete garble, on others 3 or 4 complete lines will be dropped every minute or so. Doesn't the FCC require X mumber of hours of "readable" closed captioning per day and does E* meet that requirement? I'm starting to get a little ticked off. Hard of hearing in Ohio

You're not the only one. SD channels are fine but not the HD channels especially TNT HD, Discovery HD. CBS HD, and ABC HD. Sometimes, NBC HD and Fox HD cc goes too fast, or get way ahead. HDNET cc is very good. HDmovies is also very good depending on movies. I am keeping after Dish Advanced Group weekly. What more can I do? Yes you can write letters to FCC and get them involved.

 

[DishSubLA]

Yes, to confirm, the SD channels are good regarding CC.

 

[tnsprin]

Is overcompressing the cause of the somtimes unreadable closed captioning? I'm hard of hearing and use the service all the time. On some channels the CC is complete garble, on others 3 or 4 complete lines will be dropped every minute or so. Doesn't the FCC require X mumber of hours of "readable" closed captioning per day and does E* meet that requirement? I'm starting to get a little ticked off. Hard of hearing in Ohio

Its not overcompression. In general SD cc works correctly and is supplied by the originator, not Echostar, and usually converts well even with the MPEG2 encoding. HD uses a different standard. Apparently DIsh has had some trouble particularly on the MPEG4 channels where they have to take the original signal including CC and reencode it to MPEG4. For awhile none of these MPEG4 had CC but that seems to slowly be changing. The failure to have CC on these, particularly your LIL should be reported.

There is clearly also something wrong with some of the echostar receivers as well. CC for the same programming will show up better on some than others. Its been hinted that CC does exist on the previously mentioned MPEG4 channels, but that the receivers are not working correctly.

 

[samhevener]

Its not overcompression. In general SD cc works correctly and is supplied by the originator, not Echostar, and usually converts well even with the MPEG2 encoding. HD uses a different standard. Apparently DIsh has had some trouble particularly on the MPEG4 channels where they have to take the original signal including CC and reencode it to MPEG4. For awhile none of these MPEG4 had CC but that seems to slowly be changing. The failure to have CC on these, particularly your LIL should be reported.

There is clearly also something wrong with some of the echostar receivers as well. CC for the same programming will show up better on some than others. Its been hinted that CC does exist on the previously mentioned MPEG4 channels, but that the receivers are not working correctly.

My receiver is a 322 and not an HD receiver

 

[DishSubLA]

Well, then something may be wrong with the 322 or your TV. I use CC everyday, like you, and I have no problem watching any of the channels on Dish using any of my many boxes, including my 322's. The few problems I've ever experienced are usually the fault of the content provider or the incompetence of the CC typist.

First, try testing your TV by playing back CC from some other source such as VHS or DVD. If you come to the conclusion that it is your 322, Dish will replace it. However, please be certain that it is your 322 because you may go through the trouble of swapping out a box for nothing.

Best of luck, and let us know what happens.

 

[Spirit]

Is overcompressing the cause of the somtimes unreadable closed captioning? I'm hard of hearing and use the service all the time. On some channels the CC is complete garble, on others 3 or 4 complete lines will be dropped every minute or so. Doesn't the FCC require X mumber of hours of "readable" closed captioning per day and does E* meet that requirement? I'm starting to get a little ticked off. Hard of hearing in Ohio

I've noticed, though rarely, on some programming, the captioning is rediculous. The words are misspelled or even replaced by real words, but which are not the words the speaker spoke. In particular I noticed this on a couple religious broadcasts with a single speaker. I contacted them and found out they are using an automatic speech recognition device. Obviously, the device is not as capable as a real human. This could be a possibility.

The above instances were on Standard Def programming on a 211 receiver.

I was, however, told, that if you receive the video and audio, the CC information should be intact as well. In other words, the compression should not be the issue. However, there are issues with the Mpeg4 format broadcasts and CC's with the receivers decoding it.

Regarding HD Mpeg4 programming Closed Captions... yes, they have a real problem going on there. I am rather furious about it. I paid for it, the FCC made a ruling years ago that by Jan 2006 ALL new programming was to have CC's.

Here are the regulations by the FCC;

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/captioning_regs.html

Two relevant quotes from there;

(b) Requirements for closed captioning of video programming.
(iv) As of January 1, 2006, and thereafter, 100% of the programming distributor's new nonexempt video programming must be provided with captions.

(c) Obligation to pass through captions of already captioned programs. All video programming distributors shall deliver all programming received from the video programming owner or other origination source containing closed captioning to receiving television households with the original closed captioning data intact in a format that can be recovered and displayed by decoders meeting the standards of part 15 of this chapter unless such programming is recaptioned or the captions are reformatted by the programming distributor.

FCC's tips on filing complaints;
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/tips_on_filing_cc_complaint.html

I directly contacted Echostar technical department and a very concerned and helpful gentleman there (RF engineer) went to the desk of the person in charge of verifying that data is getting to the satellite. The specific complaint was that the 4 Local HD brodcasts I was given in my new package did NOT display CC's even though I could view the CC's on the SD version channel of the same station as well as an Off-Air channel from a different town broadcasting the same network on HD.

They confirmed that the CC's WERE being transmitted and they were viewing them there. All the problem channels are transmitted in the Mpeg4 format. He suggested that the programming on my receiver may be culprit, but was unable to help further (different department). When contacting the regular Dish customer care, apparently there are existing problems with CC's from Mpeg4 transmissions, but NO ETA for a fix, was given, and so I basically got the runaround.

We paid for it. It is an FCC regulation. Dish is breaking the law!