YouTube gets closed captioning support

Alex

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In a move to make videos easier to understand without volume or for the hard of hearing, YouTube has given users the option of embedding closed captions that show up as semitransparent overlays. Caption files that have text dialogue synced up to the proper timestamps can be uploaded during the time of upload or afterwards, and YouTube has provided multiple language support to let viewers swap between different languages of a single video without having to leave playback.

Videos with closed captioning have it as an option in the lower right-hand corner menu; a part of the user interface that also houses the toggle to turn video annotations on and off. Even with the inclusion of closed captions you can continue to keep annotations enabled, although the two may overlap if annotations have been ledged on the bottom of the screen.

For now closed captions can only be seen on YouTube. Embeds do not yet have the option to have them toggled on, just like annotations are not yet available.

Also, no news yet on if this feature will be making its way to mobile versions of the site, particularly the iPhone application which does not yet have support for YouTube's warp or on-screen annotation features. Considering that the iPod Touch does not have an external speaker built-in, having closed captions on the go could make for a much richer mobile experience.

There's already a small handful of content providers including closed captioning in their videos, including CNET, MIT, and the BBC. Of the bunch I think the most useful is for video lectures, although for non-native language speakers, seeing a video in your own language (if available) is pretty darn useful. If you want to see it in action go check out this episode of Blassreiter which is entirely in Japanese--and awesome.

YouTube gets closed captioning support | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET
 
Awesome! I always watched CNET vlog with CC somedays. But need to use cc for CNN, ABC, NBC, etc. We may write complaint letter to FCC or ADA if necessary.
 
That is really awesome of YouTube to add on a feature to embedding Closed Caption. It is going to be useful.
 
That's good. Unfortunately, you will see probably 1 out of 1,000 that have CC available. It's up to the individual who willing add CC. It's more like we shall see most ads as promotional to put target. My guess.
 
good good! so now how to do that? where i would click that on youtube? or what.... let me know! cool!
 
Whoo! But, there's a small problem is... should be not exceed over
5 minutes of these videos? What up with them, but
PAH! to youtube! Kudos to Youtube! Sweet! It's about the time!
 
Whoo! But, there's a small problem is... should be not exceed over
5 minutes of these videos? What up with them, but
PAH! to youtube! Kudos to Youtube! Sweet! It's about the time!

Yes, I just learned the same thing! Had to repeat while remind myself to limit it at 5 minutes. lol

But at least you can upload few more videos within 5 minutes limit on each.

I played around with the annotations on a videoclip... easy to insert texts. Cool

Later I will test using captions by using a video editing software of my own (not YouTube's) that supports .srt files.

Yet it would be much cooler if YouTube could automatically caption the videos someday in the future.
 
Yeah I notice about cc on webmd video but c.c is not working right now. I was wondering about youtube c.c. since I saw homemade videos from computer that put up texts on it while singing. Text with singing people was working hard. I hope c.c. on youtube is happened. then maybe webmd with c.c. will work right after youtube may be successful only if someone know how to fix c.c. online options. It is just the same with television and computer program with multimedia players that has c.c. option. I guess that's all I can say.
 
When you upload videos, there is a CC option available for you to upload the subtitles, if you want to. It is on the right side of the page when you view the video.
 
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