Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the main accuracy limitation of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) captioning?

It only works with English-language content
It cannot process audio faster than 100 words per minute
It struggles with accents, technical jargon, background noise, and multiple overlapping speakers (Correct answer)
It requires an internet connection to function

Correct answer: It struggles with accents, technical jargon, background noise, and multiple overlapping speakers

ASR accuracy decreases significantly with accents, specialized terminology, background noise, and simultaneous speakers.

Question 2: What does 'caption accuracy' specifically measure in quality assessment?

The percentage of words correctly transcribed compared to actual spoken words (Correct answer)
Whether captions are positioned in the correct screen area
The number of caption frames per second
How quickly captions appear relative to speech

Correct answer: The percentage of words correctly transcribed compared to actual spoken words

Caption accuracy is typically expressed as a percentage reflecting how closely the captioned text matches every spoken word in the audio.

Question 3: Which US federal law mandates closed captions on broadcast television?

The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 (Correct answer)
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Communications Act of 1934
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Correct answer: The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990

The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 requires all televisions with screens 13 inches or larger sold in the US to include built-in closed caption decoders.

Question 4: What is 'SDH' and how does it relate to closed captions?

SDH stands for Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; it is a form of closed caption that includes speaker IDs and sound effect descriptions (Correct answer)
SDH is a video encoding format unrelated to captions
SDH is a European-only caption standard
SDH refers to standard definition high-definition captions only

Correct answer: SDH stands for Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; it is a form of closed caption that includes speaker IDs and sound effect descriptions

SDH (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) combines subtitle-style formatting with full caption information including sound effects and speaker identification.

Question 5: What is the difference between captions and subtitles in US terminology?

They are identical terms with no distinction
Captions are only for online video; subtitles are only for broadcast TV
Captions include non-speech audio cues; subtitles typically provide only dialogue (Correct answer)
Subtitles are for domestic audiences; captions are for foreign language viewers

Correct answer: Captions include non-speech audio cues; subtitles typically provide only dialogue

In US terminology, captions include non-speech audio descriptions (sound effects, speaker IDs) for deaf viewers, while subtitles typically only transcribe spoken dialogue for hearing viewers.

Question 6: What is a 'translator's note' (TN) in subtitling and when is it used?

A credit for the subtitle translator at the end of the film
A brief on-screen note explaining a cultural reference or untranslatable term (Correct answer)
A comment added in the subtitle file for the editor only
A warning at the start of a film about subtitle quality

Correct answer: A brief on-screen note explaining a cultural reference or untranslatable term

A translator's note appears briefly on screen to explain culture-specific content that cannot be fully conveyed through translation alone.

Question 7: In what scenario would a producer choose open captions over closed captions for a web video?

When the video has no dialogue
When the file size must be minimized
When they want viewers to be able to turn captions off
When the platform does not support sidecar caption files (Correct answer)

Correct answer: When the platform does not support sidecar caption files

If a platform does not support separate caption file formats or the video will be shared across platforms where caption support is uncertain, open captions ensure accessibility in all environments.

Question 8: What term describes the delay between spoken audio and the appearance of corresponding captions?

Lag frame
Latency (Correct answer)
Offset
Drift

Correct answer: Latency

Caption latency refers to the delay between when audio is spoken and when the corresponding caption text appears on screen.

Question 9: Which U.S. federal law first mandated closed captioning for television broadcasts?

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 (Correct answer)
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Telecommunications Act of 1996

Correct answer: Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990

The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 required all televisions 13 inches or larger sold in the U.S. to include built-in closed caption decoders.

Question 10: What is 'caption drift' in the context of live broadcasts?

Gradual movement of caption position on screen
Variation in caption reading speed requirements
Changes in caption font size during a program
Progressive accumulation of delay between audio and captions over time (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Progressive accumulation of delay between audio and captions over time

Caption drift occurs in live broadcasts when small timing delays accumulate, causing captions to fall progressively further behind the audio.

Question 11: What background treatment is recommended for open captions to ensure contrast on light scenes?

Bright yellow background
No background
Semi-transparent black drop shadow or box (Correct answer)
Red outline around text

Correct answer: Semi-transparent black drop shadow or box

A semi-transparent black box or drop shadow behind caption text ensures readability regardless of the background scene brightness.

Question 12: What is the primary purpose of a caption encoder in a broadcast television workflow?

To display captions on the end viewer's television screen
To store caption files securely on a cloud server
To translate spoken words into text automatically using AI
To insert caption data into the video signal for transmission (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To insert caption data into the video signal for transmission

A caption encoder embeds caption data (such as CEA-608 or CEA-708 data) into the video signal so it can be transmitted and decoded by viewers' television sets.

Question 13: When a speaker is off-screen in a captioned video, how is this typically indicated?

Not indicated — treated the same as on-screen speech
Using italics or a speaker label like [Narrator] (Correct answer)
Using bold text throughout
By placing captions at the top of the screen

Correct answer: Using italics or a speaker label like [Narrator]

Italics are often used for off-screen speakers, and speaker labels like [Narrator] or [Voice over] help viewers identify the source of audio.

Question 14: In live captioning, what does CART stand for?

Captioned Audio Relay Transmission
Communication Access Realtime Translation (Correct answer)
Caption Automated Real-Time Technology
Computer Assisted Remote Transcription

Correct answer: Communication Access Realtime Translation

CART stands for Communication Access Realtime Translation, a live stenographic captioning service for real-time events.

Question 15: Which streaming platform requirement typically mandates closed captions as opposed to open captions for uploaded content?

Closed captions are never required for streaming content
YouTube, Netflix, and most major platforms require closed captions in a sidecar file format (Correct answer)
Streaming platforms only accept open caption burned-in video
Only government broadcasters require closed captions online

Correct answer: YouTube, Netflix, and most major platforms require closed captions in a sidecar file format

Major US streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix require closed captions delivered as separate sidecar files (e.g., SRT, VTT) rather than burned-in open captions.

Question 16: What is the main drawback of open captions for online video platforms?

They reduce video quality significantly
They cannot be turned off and may be unwanted by some viewers (Correct answer)
They are not supported by modern browsers
They are harder to read than closed captions

Correct answer: They cannot be turned off and may be unwanted by some viewers

Open captions are permanently embedded in the video, so viewers who do not want captions cannot turn them off, which may reduce viewer satisfaction.

Question 17: What is the SMPTE-TT format used for in subtitle standards?

An audio format for audio description tracks
A compressed video format for subtitle storage
A format for printing subtitle scripts on paper
A timed text format for professional broadcast and cinema applications (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A timed text format for professional broadcast and cinema applications

SMPTE-TT (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Timed Text) is an XML-based format for professional broadcast, cinema, and archive subtitle delivery.

Question 18: Which law extended closed caption requirements to online video content in the United States?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010 (Correct answer)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Correct answer: The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010

The CVAA (2010) extended FCC captioning rules to internet-distributed video that had previously aired on television with captions, closing the online video captioning gap.

Question 19: What does 'subtitle condensation' mean in translation?

Compressing subtitle files to reduce file size
Lowering the caption display speed
Shortening translated text to fit timing and line length constraints without losing essential meaning (Correct answer)
Reducing the number of subtitle lines per scene

Correct answer: Shortening translated text to fit timing and line length constraints without losing essential meaning

Subtitle condensation involves reducing the word count of translated text to fit within timing and character constraints while preserving the core meaning.

Question 20: Which caption format is embedded within MXF broadcast files commonly used in professional U.S. television production?

ASS within MXF
SRT within MXF
WebVTT within MXF
CEA-708 within MXF (Correct answer)

Correct answer: CEA-708 within MXF

Professional broadcast workflows embed CEA-708 closed caption data within MXF container files used in U.S. television production and post-production.

Question 21: Which of the following is not one of the BBC's main television channels?

BBC Three
BBC One
MTV (Correct answer)
BBC Two

Correct answer: MTV

MTV is an American-originated international cable television network owned by Paramount Global, known for music and youth-oriented programming. BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Three are all primary public service television channels operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the UK. Therefore, MTV is not part of the BBC's main channel lineup.

Question 22: Which WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) success criterion directly addresses captions for prerecorded content?

1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (Correct answer)
2.4.6 Headings and Labels
3.1.1 Language of Page
1.1.1 Non-text Content

Correct answer: 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)

WCAG Success Criterion 1.2.2 specifically requires captions for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media.

Question 23: What subtitle format is commonly required by Netflix for professional content delivery?

SRT only
PDF captions
TTML/IMSC (Timed Text Markup Language) (Correct answer)
Plain text (.txt)

Correct answer: TTML/IMSC (Timed Text Markup Language)

Netflix requires TTML/IMSC (also called DFXP) for professional content delivery because it supports precise formatting, positioning, and styling metadata.

Question 24: Which WCAG criterion requires audio description or a media alternative for prerecorded video content at Level A?

1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Correct answer)
1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)
1.4.2 Audio Control

Correct answer: 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative

WCAG Success Criterion 1.2.3 (Level A) requires that an audio description or a full media text alternative be provided for prerecorded synchronized media.

Question 25: What is 'spotting' in the context of subtitle production?

Identifying which language a subtitle file uses
Checking for spelling errors in captions
The process of marking the in and out timecodes for each subtitle entry (Correct answer)
Converting subtitles to a broadcast format

Correct answer: The process of marking the in and out timecodes for each subtitle entry

Spotting (also called 'cueing') is the process of watching the video and marking the precise start and end timecodes for each caption or subtitle entry.

Question 26: What software feature allows captioning tools to clearly identify and label different speakers within a program?

Volume normalization and audio leveling
Custom font and color styling options
Speaker identification and labeling (Correct answer)
Background noise reduction filters

Correct answer: Speaker identification and labeling

Speaker identification (or speaker labeling) allows captioners to tag different voices so viewers can distinguish who is speaking, which is especially important for accessibility.

Question 27: What is the '6-second rule' in captioning?

The minimum time before captions must appear after dialogue starts
The maximum allowed caption latency for live broadcasts
The required gap between program segments
The maximum recommended duration for a single caption block (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The maximum recommended duration for a single caption block

The 6-second rule states that no single caption block should remain on screen for more than 6 seconds to maintain viewer engagement.

Question 28: Under FCC rules, which type of video programming is generally exempt from closed captioning requirements?

New non-English programming that first aired before 1998 (Correct answer)
News programs aired in primetime
Programs with budgets over $3 million
Documentaries longer than 90 minutes

Correct answer: New non-English programming that first aired before 1998

The FCC provides an exemption for non-English language programming that first aired before January 1, 1998, acknowledging older content predating the rules.

Question 29: What is the recommended maximum gap between the end of one caption and the start of the next?

No more than 5 seconds
No more than 2 seconds (Correct answer)
No limit as long as no speech occurs
No more than 10 seconds

Correct answer: No more than 2 seconds

Best practices recommend gaps between captions not exceed 2 seconds to avoid confusing viewers about when speech resumes.

Question 30: What is 'subtitle latency' in live captioning?

The time it takes to export a subtitle file
The delay between speech being spoken and the caption appearing on screen (Correct answer)
The file size of subtitle data
The gap between two subtitle entries

Correct answer: The delay between speech being spoken and the caption appearing on screen

Subtitle latency refers to the unavoidable delay between a live speaker's words and when the corresponding captions appear on screen.

Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC)

The CRC certification exam tests professional knowledge of broadcast and CART captioning standards, caption formatting, accessibility and legal requirements, and the technical captioning environment. It is administered by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

70%

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