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Anonymous User
Not applicable

No subtitles on movies on demand

There are subtitles on movies when watching 'live' but when I try to watch 'on demand' there is no option for subtitles. Why can one way of watching allow subtitles and another not. Even with my hearing aids I need subtitles so this means I have to record every movie as I can't watch on demand. Why does Now still discriminate in this way and will it ever be resolved. I will be cancelling my subscription as I can no longer screen when I want. 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User @redchiz1 

Although they make a heroic effort to disguise the fact, BT TV is served up on YouView boxes, and on these, the Now app, where you watch On Demand, does not have subtitles.

(I’ve no idea why not, as every other app on YouView boxes supports subtitles perfectly well. Ask Now why not, I suppose).

But the live Now channels served up by BT TV on YouView boxes, and recordings made from them, do have subtitles.

From the link @redchiz1 @cited:-

FAQs

Closed captions for on-demand shows and movies are available on all supported devices, except for the BT TV Box and YouView box.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.

View solution in original post

14 REPLIES 14
redchiz1
Champion 2

NOW have closed captions rather than subtitles alone, further details and how to activate can be found here:

https://help.nowtv.com/article/can-i-watch-with-subtitles 

 

RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User @redchiz1 

Sorry, but the information in that link is largely incorrect 😢

In general, on most devices, subtitles don’t persist even if you set the global device setting to say they should do.

Our unvarying practice, across a range of Now app versions, on TVs and on Sticks, is:-

Pause the programme.

Look for the speech bubble icon.

Click it, and choose English.

Restart the programme with Play.

If at the end of an episode, you start the next episode directly, the subtitles may persist.

Otherwise, you need to repeat the above procedure.

I think it was 2017, maybe 2018, when I first complained about this, and not one solitary step towards making any global subtitle setting persist has been taken by Now since then.

Some steps have certainly been taken to make subtitles more available, but none that I can see to make them more accessible.

We need action here, not just handwaving 😢

 

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

The issue is that on many movies on demand subtitles are simply not available. They are if the movie is screened on TV but there is no option when watching on demand eg Lost City. I'm recording the next showing so I can  get subtitles. On demand there is no cc or s indicating they are available. This is so bad in this day and age that accessibility issues are not being addressed and Now and Sky Cinema do not cater for those of us who are hard of hearing across all platforms. 

redchiz1
Champion 2

I have just tried The Lost City on demand and subtitles worked fine for me. Perhaps it's a device-related issue? 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks Redchiz1

I was watching through BT TV but thought about what you wrote and installed the now app on to my TV. When I watched that way I got the option to have subtitles....super!!! I apologise to now.  Looks like it's an issue on bt TV. I'll watch via the app from now on.

Thanks once again 

RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User @redchiz1 

Although they make a heroic effort to disguise the fact, BT TV is served up on YouView boxes, and on these, the Now app, where you watch On Demand, does not have subtitles.

(I’ve no idea why not, as every other app on YouView boxes supports subtitles perfectly well. Ask Now why not, I suppose).

But the live Now channels served up by BT TV on YouView boxes, and recordings made from them, do have subtitles.

From the link @redchiz1 @cited:-

FAQs

Closed captions for on-demand shows and movies are available on all supported devices, except for the BT TV Box and YouView box.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks Lynda 

RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User 

Lynda?? 😛

Yes, the Now app on your TV, for watching On Demand, is the way round this.

Then my posting about how you turn subtitles on applies. What make of TV do you have?

I don’t know of any where Now reads the subtitles setting on the TV and applies it, so you have to keep turning them on, as I describe there.

One further advantage you will get with On Demand is that if you have Boost, you don’t have to sit through the ads. I know you can fast forward/skip through these on YouView, but not having them at all is even better.

Though on On Demand without Boost, you can’t skip the ads at all 😢

Roy

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi Roy

I missed a comma, thanks from me, my name is Lynda, nickname Looby

I've got subtitles on with the app on my TV thank goodness. 😊