No Closed Captions on Computer, Only TV

[JimBarbasol]

I have an external Hauppauge HVR-1950 video capture card and use it with GBPVR. When I play back a DVD with video from the HVR-1950, the closed captions appear only on the TV. When I play the same DVD in Windows Media Player or a similar program, the captions don't appear, and there isn't even an option for captions. Any solutions?

Movie DVDs play with the closed captions in Media Player, and I also am able to view captions on both the TV and computer when I use the internal Hauppauge HVR-1600 as the capture source.

[usually_quiet]

Windows Media Player and Cyberlink PowerDVD both have the option to play closed captions. However you may need to use IFOEdit turn on both closed caption flags in the video's IFO (while on your HDD) in order to access them, and if I remember correctly they will only play on DVD Video, not ,mpg files. If you manage to turn on closed captions for these programs, and don't turn them off, they will display CCs for other self-authored discs, but not .mpg files, as I remember.

To use IFOEdit to turn on the flags, open the IFO for each video title, double click on the video, check both CC flags, and save. (Each title needs to be saved separately.)

[hunter99]

Hi:
I would say the flags are set otherwise the CCs would not play on the TV.
Don't know if Cyberlink PowerDVD can play CCs. I use InterVideo WinDVD 6,
and in its control panel under languages there is a CC button. I also have
WMP v10 loaded which I never use for DVDs, but just tried it and could not
find a CC switch.
Also have Hauppauge's WinTv2000 that came with my card and had to change a
Registry setting for that program, as the default was no CC.
If the disk shows CCs on your TV then its fine, the trouble is the player.

Good luck, George

[JimBarbasol]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I solved the problem. Here's how. I went into Media Player under tools, options, security, and put a checkmark beside "Show local captions when present." The odd thing is, though, I still need to put a store-bought DVD movie with captions in the computer first, choose closed captions from Media Player's lyrics, captions, and subtitles menu, then remove it and put in the DVD I created with video from the HVR-1950. If I don't, the captions won't appear.

So, quite a few steps, but at least the problem is solved. Thanks again, guys, for your replies.

[usually_quiet]

Hi:
I would say the flags are set otherwise the CCs would not play on the TV.
Don't know if Cyberlink PowerDVD can play CCs. I use InterVideo WinDVD 6,
and in its control panel under languages there is a CC button. I also have
WMP v10 loaded which I never use for DVDs, but just tried it and could not
find a CC switch.
Also have Hauppauge's WinTv2000 that came with my card and had to change a
Registry setting for that program, as the default was no CC.
If the disk shows CCs on your TV then its fine, the trouble is the player.

Good luck, George

The flags in the IFO appear to be used only when a (software or hardware) DVD player's closed captioning function displays the closed captions, rather than the TVs closed caption function.

In the case of the four different N, American model DVD players I have used in the past 4 years, as long as 480i output is selected, and the TV's analog closed captioning is turned on, analog closed captions (when present) are displayed on the TV, regardless of whether the flag in the IFO is set to indicate the presence of closed captioning or not.

When progressive output is selected, the line 21 data for analog closed captioning is not added to the signal (regardles of whether the CC flags in the IFO are set or not) and the TV's closed captioning function does not work.

To use closed captions with Windows Media Player select Play -> Lyrics, Captions and Subtitles -> On if Available ->Closed Captions However, you won't find that option available unless the IFO CC flags are turned on.

Most authoring programs I have tried don't look for the presence of closed cationing in the video and set the CC flags in the title's IFOs accordingly. That makes using IFOEdit a necessity to correct the oversight.

[JimBarbasol]

To use IFOEdit to turn on the flags, open the IFO for each video title, double click on the video, check both CC flags, and save. (Each title needs to be saved separately.)

How do I do this? I've never used the program before, but I've just downloaded it.

[usually_quiet]

This needs to be done after authoring and prior to burning the DVD. For discs that you've already burned, you'll have to copy them back to your HDD, set the flags, and re-burn to a new disc.

1. Run IFOEdit.
2. Click the "Open" button, and select the VIDEO_TS folder for the authored DVD stored on your HDD
3. Select VIDEO_TS.IFO and click the open button
4. Double-click on the first video listed under a titleset. There will be a black filmstrip icon beside it.
5. Check both boxes under "CC for Line 21" (in the upper-right corner of the dialog box)
6. Click the "OK" button
7. When you have done the same for every video title shown, click the "Save" button
8. Open all the IFOs for the other menus and titles using IFOEdit, and repeat Steps 4-7 for the video. You only need to change the ones that pertain to a title. The menus themselves contain video, but it isn't necessary to change the CC flags for those.

[JimBarbasol]

Thanks a lot, my friend! It worked like a charm.