CRI Real-Time Captioning Methods 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended maximum line length for real-time captions displayed on a television screen per the CEA-608 standard?
- Up to 72 characters per line
- Up to 32 characters per line (Correct answer)
- Up to 100 characters per line
- Up to 10 characters per line
Correct answer: Up to 32 characters per line
CEA-608 defines a 32-character-wide caption grid, making 32 characters per line the broadcast standard for closed captions.
Question 2: A CRI instructor notices a student's real-time output has correct words but poor sentence segmentation, making captions hard to read. What should the instructor recommend?
- Increase the student's steno speed drills only
- Revise the student's punctuation strokes and practice natural phrase breaking (Correct answer)
- Switch the student to a voice writing method
- Reduce the font size on the display screen
Correct answer: Revise the student's punctuation strokes and practice natural phrase breaking
Sentence segmentation and punctuation directly affect caption readability; drilling natural phrase-breaking and punctuation strokes addresses the root cause.
Question 3: Which term describes the practice of writing commonly occurring word combinations as a single steno stroke to increase real-time speed?
- Phrasing (Correct answer)
- Splitting
- Chunking
- Transposing
Correct answer: Phrasing
Phrasing is the steno technique of writing multiple words (e.g., 'I would like to') in one stroke to dramatically increase output speed.
Question 4: What is 'scopist-assisted real-time captioning,' and when might it be used?
- A system where a scopist edits the live feed simultaneously on a second terminal to improve caption accuracy (Correct answer)
- A post-session proofreading service for archived transcripts only
- An offline captioning workflow that requires two captioners in sequence
- A method where the scopist writes the primary feed and the captioner does QA
Correct answer: A system where a scopist edits the live feed simultaneously on a second terminal to improve caption accuracy
In some high-stakes live events, a scopist monitors and corrects the real-time feed on a parallel terminal, improving accuracy before it reaches the display.
Question 5: What does the term 'CEA-608' refer to in the context of captioning?
- A federal funding program for CART providers
- The technical standard for closed captioning encoding in analog broadcast television (Correct answer)
- An NCRA certification code for real-time reporters
- A software protocol for IP-based caption streaming
Correct answer: The technical standard for closed captioning encoding in analog broadcast television
CEA-608 (formerly EIA-608) is the technical standard that defines how closed captions are encoded and transmitted in analog television broadcasts.
Question 6: Why should a CART captioner avoid editing or correcting the live feed output during an active session without the consumer's knowledge?
- Editing increases lag and can cause the consumer to miss real-time content (Correct answer)
- FCC regulations prohibit any mid-session edits
- Editing requires a second certified captioner to be present
- Consumer contracts never allow corrections during a session
Correct answer: Editing increases lag and can cause the consumer to miss real-time content
Any editing or delay introduced mid-session increases lag, which can cause the consumer to miss time-sensitive spoken content.
Question 7: Which situation would most likely require a CART captioner to use a wireless audio receiver rather than relying on ambient room sound?
- A one-on-one tutoring session in a quiet room
- A large auditorium with poor acoustics and a distant speaker (Correct answer)
- A remote online meeting with no background noise
- A court proceeding with a dedicated stenomask feed
Correct answer: A large auditorium with poor acoustics and a distant speaker
In large venues with poor acoustics, a wireless audio receiver connected directly to the speaker's microphone feed ensures the captioner hears clear audio.
CRI Real-Time Captioning Methods 5
What is the recommended maximum line length for real-time captions displayed on a television screen per the CEA-608 standard?