Subtitles and Caption Subtitles and Caption 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which type of business is required to provide closed captions for video content shown to the public?
- Only federal government agencies
- Places of public accommodation, including theaters and stadiums (Correct answer)
- Only television broadcasters
- Only educational institutions receiving federal funding
Correct answer: Places of public accommodation, including theaters and stadiums
The ADA requires places of public accommodation to make content accessible, which includes providing captions for video content shown publicly.
Question 2: What is the term for captions that are prepared and encoded in advance before broadcast or distribution?
- Real-time captions
- Offline captions
- Pre-recorded captions (Correct answer)
- Post-production captions
Correct answer: Pre-recorded captions
Pre-recorded captions (also called offline captions) are created ahead of time, allowing for higher accuracy than live captions.
Question 3: Which caption file format uses a .vtt extension and is natively supported by HTML5 video players?
- SubRip (.srt)
- WebVTT (.vtt) (Correct answer)
- TTML (.xml)
- DFXP (.dfxp)
Correct answer: WebVTT (.vtt)
WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks) uses the .vtt extension and is the standard format supported by HTML5 <video> elements.
Question 4: In subtitling, what does the term 'reading speed' typically refer to?
- How fast the captioner types
- The number of characters or words per minute a viewer can comfortably read (Correct answer)
- The frame rate of the video
- The download speed of the subtitle file
Correct answer: The number of characters or words per minute a viewer can comfortably read
Reading speed in subtitling refers to the rate at which viewers can read text, typically measured in characters per second (cps) or words per minute.
Question 5: What is the recommended maximum number of characters per line for subtitles according to most broadcast standards?
- 20 characters
- 32 characters
- 42 characters (Correct answer)
- 60 characters
Correct answer: 42 characters
Most broadcast standards recommend a maximum of 42 characters per line to ensure readability without covering too much of the screen.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'SDH' captions?
- Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing, including non-speech audio information (Correct answer)
- Synchronized Digital Hearing aids captions
- Standard Definition High-quality subtitles
- Software-Defined HTML captions
Correct answer: Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing, including non-speech audio information
SDH stands for Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing and includes non-speech sounds like [applause] or [door creaking] in addition to dialogue.
Question 7: When a subtitle or caption appears on screen is called its 'in-point.' What is the corresponding term for when it disappears?
- Exit-point
- Out-point (Correct answer)
- End-point
- Close-point
Correct answer: Out-point
The timecode at which a caption disappears from the screen is called its out-point, paired with the in-point when it appears.
Subtitles and Caption Subtitles and Caption 2
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which type of business is required to provide closed captions for video content shown to the public?