I don't know how to use my Captioning results

CaptionSync produces a wide variety of output file formats, including "side-car" caption files and encoded outputs. These files can then be used to watch captions in video players. In this article, we describe the most common ways to use captioning results.

"Side-car" caption files:

The most typical format generated for a Captioning request is a "side-car" caption file that is picked up at play time by players that support closed captioning. The different players and platforms have different requirements when it comes to displaying captions. The most simple method for desktop players like VLC entails placing the caption file in the same folder as the media file, and with the same basename. This allows the users to watch captions by simply toggling them on and off in the player.

Video Platforms:

Online video platforms are useful when a large amount of files needs to be delivered at the same time, or the video needs to be streamed with captions to a variety of devices, since both the media and the caption files can be kept locally, and then streamed to multiple devices at the same time. The different platforms have different requirements when it comes to displaying captions, but it usually entails uploading a "side-car" caption file against the entry, which is then kept locally. This allows the users to watch captions by simply toggling them on and off in the player, using a browser or application. Examples include YouTube, Vimeo, and other Video Platforms and Lecture Capture systems.

CaptionSync is integrated with multiple online video platforms and lecture capture systems. With these integrations, the caption file is automatically associated with the entry, and kept locally. This allows the users to watch captions by simply toggling them on and off in the player, using a browser or application.

Smart Player:

CaptionSync also has an online video player (Smart Player) that be used to display captions for media files located online, for example, on YouTube or Dropbox. Captions are made available for the media file on the Smart Player, and then you just need to share the URL to the player with your audience. The Smart Player also provides a number of enhancements over regular players, like an interactive transcript, among others.

NOTE: The Smart Player is not available for Translation results.

Video Encoding:

Another method to use captioning results is to encode the captions into the media file. Captions can either be added to the media file as a separate text track, thereby allowing the user to toggle them on and off on a player (Subtitles); or, they can be embedded into the video, in which case they cannot be turned off (Open captions). Video encoding is useful for players that only support the display of encoded subtitles, or that don't support closed captioning (only open captioning).
CaptionSync has a Video Encoding service available for .mp4, .mov, .m4v, or .f4v video formats, where we can generate either a subtitled or an open captioned video.

NOTE: Video Encoding is not available for Translation results.

Additional Notes:

• If you have a complete submission but didn't request the caption files you need, you can use our Redo feature for free (for 6 months after the original request) and generate a new set of outputs.