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Anonymous User
Not applicable
Status: Open

 Morning,

 

I think something missing!!!

Like other provider such as Netflix, they offer movies with subtitle at a lower price! 

Now TV should be able to offer that service for must of their movies and, this should normally help deaf people watching films...

 

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

491 Comments
DarylM
Legend 5
Legend 5

It would be interesting to know if there is an industry standard for providing subtitles with on-demand content.  i.e. do the iPlayer, ITVPlayer, All4, Netflix and Amazon all employ exactly the same method to provide subtitles?

 

If so, then content providers should all produce subtitles in the same format as a matter of course.

 

e.g. S2E5 of The Americans is currently available on Now TV and Amazon Prime Video.  On Amazon the episode has subtitles available.  If these subtitles are in an industry standard format then, theoretically, they should be available for Now TV to use if they so wished.

 

Whatever the difficulties of providing subtitles are, I'm sure that they will eventually be overcome.  If only because the lack of them must be losing Sky the custom of potential subscribers.

 

PS: @Anonymous User pressing "End" also maps to # for me when posting here.

 

 

DarylM
Legend 5
Legend 5

Interesting blog about subtitles here: https://iheartsubtitles.wordpress.com/

 

It includes quite a bit of detail about the difficulties of providing subtitles across VOD networks. 

 

Apparently the responsibility for providing subtitles (on TV, at least) is with the broadcaster and not the producer.  So it may be that subtitles produced for a show on Amazon won't necessarily be available to other distributors such as Now TV.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@DarylM: Thanks for the information. I'm surprised Ofcom don't make it a legal requirement to have subtitles for all on-demand video. Then the producers and broadcasters can fight it out amongst themselves about who pays for it.

 

@SJS87 @IanJonno @Tom-R

 

I was doing a quick search and it looks like there's already a free, open-source, cross-platform subtitle player for SRT files:

Penguin Subtitle Player

It seems to work fine with Now TV as well. 🙂

 

The SourceForge page mentions some kind of timing issue though, which I think I might be seeing on Windows (Penguin Subtitle Player's subtitles appear to start lagging more and more behind the video). If someone else has a chance would you mind trying it to see if you have the same issue? Seeing as its open source I could try to look at fixing it and submitting a patch to the author.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Really surprised this still hasn't developed at all.

 

Back in January 2013, one of Now TV's own team members wrote in this forum, "We do apologise for this and we are looking to implement this feature very soon."

 

Two and a half years later, I don't think any progress has been made.

 

Really not very competitive when the alternatives are offering every show with subs.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I have just joined NOWTV and am immediately disappointed that subtitles aren't available as my hearing is defective to the level that I nearly always need subtitles when watching televison. I notice that people have been complaining about the unavailability of subtitles when watching NOWTV for 2-3 years - is anything going to be done about this or are the NOWTV "people" of the large clan of service providers who don't take any notice of their customers ? (Otherwise NOWTV is useless as far as I'm concerned!)

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User There are at least 110 people and counting who share your disappointment enough to have voted up this "Idea" here, not to mention others who probably just gave up on Now TV and got a refund.

 

While it's not ideal, you can work around it by obtaining the subtitle file from another source, and using a separate application to play it on top of the video. I would recommend Penguin Subtitle Player because it is free and open source, and the developer was very fast when I reported an issue. Also, I can confirm that it does work with Now TV. 🙂

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Where are the subtitles? I cant believe this plattform dont have... !!! Im a new client but im afraid i have to leave Now TV if dont exist subtitles. Why?

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Subtitles are a must

 

I use them every night so as not to disturb my baby when I'm watching tv/movies. I can't understand why Now TV do not have this option. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Just another name to add to the list-please please please work on the subtitle possibility as soon as possible. That's the only thing missing in an otherwise great service.......


@Anonymous User wrote:

 Morning,

 

I think something missing!!!

Like other provider such as Netflix, they offer movies with subtitle at a lower price! 

Now TV should be able to offer that service for must of their movies and, this should normally help deaf people watching films...

 

 

Thanks,

 

Guy


 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Please, please provide subtitles. I didn't realise Now TV does not support subtitles when I bought the box, and now I'm going to have to cancel my entertainment pass. So disappointing