Anyone know when subtitles will become available on Youview boxes for the Now TV app?

[Anonymous User]

So I've discovered the Now TV app subtitles are not yet supported on a Youview box but can't find out why or when it will be available. Does anyone know? I'm quite surprised in this day and age that subtitles aren't readily available on some devices for things like Now TV, ITV Player etc. I find they're available just fine on my phone or tablet if I want the sound on low (or as some programmes/films appear to have dodgy sound quality where the music/sound effects are loud but the speech is low) but apps for TV are lacking. We have young kids so can't have the TV on too loud in the evenings but surely this is discriminatory for those who are hard of hearing?

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

Alas, there is no setting you can make to get subtitles on NowTV on YouView at the moment. And whether they are coming down the pipeline, and if so when, we haven’t been told.

What I would suggest that you do, if you don’t want to wait for NowTV on YouView to be upgraded, is invest £20 in a NowTV Stick*, plug it into a spare HDMI port on your TV, give it the same NowTV account details that you use on your YouView box, so there is no further cost, and watch on that at night.

Or maybe look and see if the TV you use with YouView is Smart, and has the NowTV app, and use that, which is what we do. At no cost at all, and not even taking up an HDMI port.

I wouldn’t call YouView discriminatory against the hard of hearing, though - there’s hardly a particular animus there, and YouView are very assiduous in providing all the accessibility features that they can, where they can. To call it a lack of accommodation would perhaps be fairer.

*Or £30 in a Roku stick, if you might like all the extra apps that brings.

[Anonymous User]

@RoyB

Many thanks for your speedy reply. Yes the Now TV stick is an option as unfortunately our TV is a Smart TV but Panasonic don't yet support a Now TV app (or a Disney+ app - but that's a grumble from the kids rather than me 🙂 ) although it does Prime, Britbox etc (and it's coming soon apparently when you goggle). But alas, I would have to still say that in this day and age of technology and the fact that subtitles are supported on other Now TV apps or through a stick/box, that they (could be either Youview or Now TV really) are excluding some people/not supporting people who are hard of hearing and that must be frustrating for them and it is discriminatory. If they're going to have the app, they should be able to provide what I would consider quite a simple feature really - subtitles. But that's just my opinion! We shall just have to hope it becomes a bit fairer soon, where all the same features exist no matter which device you're watching it from 🙂

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

Call it what you will, but ‘discriminatory’ to me implies a sense of antipathy, and to use it where no antipathy exists is to reduce its force in those cases where true discrimination exists.

I’m sure YouView are as unhappy as we are, if not more so, that they can’t bring us subtitles on NowTV at the moment.

Adjective: discriminatory

1. making or showing an unfair or prejudicial distinction between different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

[Anonymous User]

 Aaahh there is so much more to discrimination than that! Hence the many laws protecting people against the many areas, including disability discrimination, and the fact different types of discrimination: direct, indirect etc. If we're going to be technical with quotes, here's some info from a UK hearing loss charity (Action On Hearing Loss):

"Your rights when using public services

If you are Deaf or have hearing loss, service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments so you are able to access their services. Failure to do so could be unlawful discrimination.

Types of services included

Those providing services to the public include:

• cinemas
• cafés, restaurants and pubs
• museums and galleries
• television providers
• health services.

What to expect from service providers

If you’re deaf or have hearing loss, the reasonable adjustments you can expect service providers to make include providing listening equipment such as a hearing loop or infrared system, offering subtitled television programmes and cinema screenings, or turning loud music down or off."

I do feel we've gone a bit deep into my post but as youre sending me definitions of words, I felt I should back up my comment. I really only wanted to know if anyone knew when subtitles will be available on the Youview box Now TV app and that I'm surprised in this day and age, for all reasons that I mentioned, that it isn't already available. I appreciated your first reply, many thanks. I guess we shall just have to wait and see!

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

I must admit that the last time I went to the cinema was to see Avatar in 3D (and don’t get me started on about my work colleague whose severe strabismus prevents him from seeing 3D movies - is that discrimination?) but subtitled movies at the cinema? How does that work? Is it certain showings, or what?

But I am sure that if Action On Hearing Loss were to start pursuing NowTV and YouView on this, both would point to their heroic efforts to provide subtitles wherever possible, and no doubt refer to some technical difficulties they have to overcome before NowTV services on YouView can carry them.

[Anonymous User]

Apparently so! It seems, for example, the bigger cinemas like the Odeon provide some limited showings with subtitles apparantly especially for those who are hard of hearing... I'm pretty sure they don't do that at our little local cinema mind, lol.

But the subtitles feature on TVs, TV apps, android apps etc are pretty standard issue nowadays and I'm just surprised they weren't available on Youview for Now TV when you can get them on the other Now TV apps/devices and id got used to them (and if you record tv/films on the Youview box itself). As it's all connected to the Internet anyway, so you'd think you could just update the app really but hey ho, I'm sure you're right and there's some technical reason... or maybe Youview would have to pay more for the feature?

I did have to chuckle at "heroic" though 😄 we may need to agree to disagree there, lol. Now TV took a very long time to get ANY subtitles. I remember the struggle with the early seasons of Game of Thrones, groan, where the music and sound effects were loud but some of the actors mumbled. There will come a day when we don't have to turn the TV down when it's past 9 o'clock!