Having trouble with closed captions on certain channels

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

I started using Channels DVR a few weeks ago.
I am having trouble getting closed captions to display on the one TV show that I really need captions for. (Jeopardy) That show is on NBC in the local market.
Captions do not appear on NBC & ABC, but they do appear on CBS and the other local HD channels (MeTV, Heros&Icons, etc).

[ I am a converted Tablo user. The captions do appear if I look at the same recordings with the Tablo. ]

The screens describing the shows do show that captions are available, but the options for displaying captions do not appear on the options menu while watching the show.

I am running Channels DVR on an older PC using the HDHomeRun FLEX 4K. I will soon be transferring the data and running the system on a new Mini PC, Intel N150 system. All devices are connected to the network through Ethernet cables.

Thanks in advance for any help and/or recommendations.

#2

What is your system for playback? I reported a problem some time ago which got no response. My problem happened on some recordings when played back through an Android based device like a FireStick or my cell phone, but the captions came out fine when the same file was played on the Windows server, or on an Apple device.

#3

I am usind an Onn (Android) device.

#4

Try a different client, or the DVR web UI player, or VLC and see if the same recordings display closed captions.

#5

I have verified that my CC problem happens on ONN devices.

#6

No, the captions do not show up if I view the program using the web interface with Chrome or Firefox, and they do not show up if I use VLC.

#7

So no closed captions on ABC and NBC using a HDHR Flex 4K tuner as a source?
ARE you pulling in their ATSC 3.0 stations or ATSC 1.0 stations?

#8

These are ATSC 1.0 stations - 4.1 & 7.1

#9

Found an incredible fix!

On a whim I went into the HDHomerun loc web page and disabled the ATSC 3.0 channels. (those with channel numbers 100 and over)
The captions started appearing on the two channels where they were missing.
I cannot explain why I tried this or why it worked.

1 Like
#10

Channels DVR was most likely recording from the ATSC 3.0 channels (100+).
It prefers higher numbered channels over lower numbered channels.

#11

Captions in ATSC3 broadcasts are TTML, which is completely different to how they were done for ATSC1. Some stations broadcasting ATSC3 are sending both types of captions, which is why Channels can sometimes display captions from ATSC3 streams, and sometimes it cannot.

However, presently Channels does not support TTML captions, so captioning from ATSC3 feeds should not be expected.

#12

Well, that DOES explain. Thanks.

#13

I didn't know it would do that. I have set the recording to grab the program from only the correct channel.