I have been using RWC and CaptiView for the last few years in Canadian movie theaters. (Toronto's ScotiaBank Theatre, as well as the SilverCity in Ottawa).
Summary:
- I now prefer CaptiView, now having used both
- CaptiView theaters have more captioned movies than RWC theaters.
- CaptiView is brighter; CaptiView has bigger text (in terms of angular vision coverage); compensates for the refocussing requirement
- On a per-screen basis, CaptiView is cheap to install, if the cinema is already digital projection (especially if Doremi equipment). For one screen, RWC may be cheaper, but for equipping a whole digital multiplex...
- You have to refocus while driving anyway: car road vs car dashboard
RWC is easier for focussing (especially if you strategically sit exactly between the screen and the LED marquee at the rear wall of the theatre).
However, the text on the CaptiView system is much bigger and brighter than RWC so that compensates. I can speedread at a glance, so the focus burden is pretty low. Sometimes I can even read the text without refocussing. The CaptiView display is on a bendable arm. My tactic is to bend the CaptiView display to be as far away from my face as possible (about 2 feet away) so that refocussing between the screen and the CaptiView is not a hassle at all. Once adjusted properly, it just like driving on the road (focussing on driving) - and refocussing on the speedometer dash or GPS (focussing inside car). Try not to adjust CaptiView closer than about two feet in front of your face, it will greatly eliminate eye strain for most. It also helps if you're sitting in the middle of the theatre, rather than the rear of the theatre; the focal plane is closer, so less refocussing effort.
Generally, I now prefer CaptiView because it is flexible: The display can be carried to any movie theatre, and is cheaper to install than the RWC system. Most theaters that have CaptiView have it functional in more cinema rooms than RWC, so there's more choice of captioned movies. Cheaper to install means more theatres can support the captioning system. You only need a few caption displays per multiplex (unless the whole deaf university goes to the theatre all at once -- uh oh). I like CaptiView better because CaptiView theaters have more captioned movies!!!
CaptiView works over a Bluetooth-like wireless signal, so make sure that when theaters install CaptiView, their transmitting antenna is very well located. And users adjust CaptiView with a clear line of sight to the rear of the room (Where the antenna probably is located). I've had reception problems if I held the CaptiView low, it always worked better when the CaptiView was raised very high above and/or forward. I've gotten 5 free movie tickets from my complaints about CaptiView problems, but these days it is now working very reliably. (I left the movie room in the first 20 minutes of the movie to demand adjustment). I must've been a guinea pig, but the 5 free movie tickets make me happy. Anyway, AMC has the burden of ensuring that the CaptiView radio reception is reliable, by properly positioning the central antenna in an optimal location; it will make a huge difference. There will be glitches during the first few months of testing, expect them. When you run into problems, write down a notes and report to customer service (preferably step out of the theater early in the movie), so that they can eventually get people to make adjustments to reliability as well as replace defective CaptiView units. (I have fond memories: Captiview unit #05 at ScotiaBank Theatre was a dreaded dud unit for a few months -- but it was always a free-movie-ticket earning machine until they finally fixed the defective CaptiView unit #05)
Overall, I like Captiview for the potential to cheaply add captioning; and its potential to eventually allow almost all movies at all screens at the theater to become captioned. CaptiView is also fully 3D compatible, too.
