After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
steve_niceguy
Newbie

after the Nov 22 upgrade I no longer have Closed Captions on most of the HD channels... my elderly mother can no longer watch TV. ( her only enjoyment in life) I could not find anyplace to e-mail verizon about this problem / complaint ...I'm now paying for something that I can't use... I could switch all my DVR shows from HD channels to SD channels but they used to work just fine ... lot of work to change them all and I HAVE HD... I shouldn't have too.... everything was fantastic before the Nov. 22 Upgrade. even all the shows that are on DVR in HD won't show the CC....... very unhappy with Verizon about this.

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
Justin46
Legend

I have a Motorola DVR with the 1.9.5 level of the IMG. The CC seems to work pretty much as it did previously (although I do not use it normally so I can't be sure). CC 1 works, none of the others seem to. CC seems to be available on a lot of the channels, but not all. There are now a lot of settings for CC in the menu that I don't think were there before:

Menu ==> Settings ==> System ==> Accessibility ==> Closed Captions ==>

There are 9 settings I believe to control font size, style, color, and opacity, the background color and opacity, and the window color and opacity.

If anybody has something specific they want me to try on 1.9.5, let me know.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9.5
Keller, TX 76248 (VHO 1)

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
mfizzy
Specialist - Level 1

FYI you do not pay for closed captions. The are federal regulated and must be there. Verizon did not remove them. Have you made sure they are still on? Star key or Options button while watching TV. Have you rebooted the box. Give more details and someone may be able to help you.

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
tlb7
Contributor - Level 3

>>steve_niceguy: after the Nov 22 upgrade I no longer have Closed Captions on most of the HD channels...

Which stb do you have? Is it a Motorola? If you let us know which stb you have, I may be able to give you some suggestions. How do you have your tv hooked to the stb--via HDMI, Component cable?

The display of closed captions works differently depending on the stb--Motorola or Cisco. The implementation of closed captions on the Motorola stbs is terrible while the implementation of closed captions on the Cisco stbs is infinitely better because closed captions display (for programs with captions) when using closed caption options CC1, CC3-CC6 (CC2 is reserved for Spanish language closed captions)--with Motorola stbs (using the 1.9.4 Guide version) only closed caption CC1 displays captions and I find the Motorola stbs CC1 display difficult to read (I use closed caption option CC3 on my Cisco stb).

I have a Cisco stb and need closed captions to make programming accessible. I was (somewhat) excited to see reports that the new Guide software version (1.9.5) is supposed to have changes to the closed caption options and I was hoping that finally, the implementation of closed captions on Motorola stbs would be fixed to display closed captions when using closed caption options CC3-CC6 but from your description it appears that Verizon has once again screwed things up.

Here is the Verizon closed caption issues email address: videoclosedcaption@verizon.com

Note that there is a section on your paper bill "Closed Captioning Questions and Concerns?" (on my paper bill it's on page 2) with other contact points--mailing address, fax number, etc.

If you do email them, get as detailed and specific as you can with info on which stb, which guide version (I suspect is 1.9.5), model of your tv, when it started, what settings you use. Don't expect them to do much if my experience is any guide.

You can also file an FCC closed caption complaint against Verizon either in writing or online:

http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/filing_a_closed_captioning_complaint.html

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
Justin46
Legend

I have a Motorola DVR with the 1.9.5 level of the IMG. The CC seems to work pretty much as it did previously (although I do not use it normally so I can't be sure). CC 1 works, none of the others seem to. CC seems to be available on a lot of the channels, but not all. There are now a lot of settings for CC in the menu that I don't think were there before:

Menu ==> Settings ==> System ==> Accessibility ==> Closed Captions ==>

There are 9 settings I believe to control font size, style, color, and opacity, the background color and opacity, and the window color and opacity.

If anybody has something specific they want me to try on 1.9.5, let me know.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9.5
Keller, TX 76248 (VHO 1)

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
tlb7
Contributor - Level 3

>>Justin: I have a Motorola DVR with the 1.9.5 level of the IMG. The CC seems to work pretty much as it did previously (although I do not use it normally so I can't be sure). CC 1 works, none of the others seem to.

Thanks for the info. I'm disappointed to hear that with the Motorola stb CC3-CC6 still do not display captions--this is basically a bug in the implementation of closed captions on the Motorola stbs--CC2 is reserved for Spanish language captions but not all programs have them.

The guide software rollout is always slower for the Cisco boxes and given what you've said about the caption options on the Motorola side, I'm beginning to get somewhat concerned that the 1.9.5 implemenation on the Cisco boxes will screw up the current Cisco stb closed caption implementation in which all the closed caption options (CC1, CC3-CC6--CC2 for Spanish captions) display captions for programs with closed captions--I use CC3 on my Cisco stb. The Cisco rollout was paused because there was a significant problem with 1.9.5 on the Cisco stbs where the remote didn't work.

>>CC seems to be available on a lot of the channels, but not all.

The (old) major broadcasters ABC, NBC and CBS caption 100% of any  primetime programming--daytime usually too but can be less than 100% and tv ads are not always closed captioned. Most other broadcasters' programming is also closed captioned but not all and if I'm testing captioning, I look at ABC, NBC and CBS and also PBS--because not all tv ads are closed captioned, PBS with no ads often allows for quicker testing because you don't have to wait for the (uncaptioned) ads to finish.

>>There are now a lot of settings for CC in the menu that I don't think were there before

No...those extra settings have always been there--from your list it doesn't look like they added any new setting options but they might have. These setting options are a function of digital closed captions (vs. analog). Digital closed captions were touted to those of us who need closed captions to make programming accessible as this wonderful, fabulous thing and in the end have not been so wonderful or fabulous--there is something hinky in the way that closed caption option CC1 has been coded because the setting options often do not work in the same way as they do for closed caption options CC2-CC6 and I find the CC1 display of captions on the Motorola stbs to be almost unreadable.

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
steve_niceguy
Newbie

thank you... I know I don't pay for the CC..... just saying I checked out Verizon before buying it and locking in for 2 years.... for 11 months I had CC on every channel..now I can only get them on Standard defination channels... but I'm locked into Verizon for another 13 months... paying the monthly verizon bill but can't watch HD TV without the CC... at least they kept them on the SD channels

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
steve_niceguy
Newbie

wow you really know your stuff, thank you.... my box is the motorolar but seeing it worked perfectly on every channel for the 11 months I've had Verizon before their upgrade I don't think it's the box... but I will e-mail them and hope for the best. again thank you for the info and the e-mail address... I wasn't really looking to put this on the forum but had no place to complain to Verizon... when I call tech support they tell me they have no control over that??? meaning verizon headquarters I guess?

so now I know where to e-mail... again thanks

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
tlb7
Contributor - Level 3

>>steve_niceguy: wow you really know your stuff, thank you....

You're welcome...I've done a lot of research and testing on this because I need closed captions to make programming accessible and Verizon's implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

>>my box is the motorolar but seeing it worked perfectly on every channel for the 11 months I've had Verizon before their upgrade I don't think it's the box...

I just had a thought. Is there any possibility that the closed caption options you had set were re-set to Off or some other odd choice of closed caption option settings by the new Guide software installation?

>>but I will e-mail them and hope for the best. again thank you for the info and the e-mail address...

You're welcome...I hope that the Verizon closed caption office will be able to get things sorted out for you and that your experience with them will be better than mine. If you don't get any satisfaction from them, then file a closed caption complaint with the FCC. It's pretty straightforward to file the closed caption complain online...see:

http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/filing_a_closed_captioning_complaint.html

>>when I call tech support they tell me they have no control over that???

In the best light, what they were saying is that closed captions originate with the broadcaster and Verizon just "passes" the captions along within the broadcast signal so, in a (very little) sense, that is a correct statement...BUT!!!!

In the more practical light of day, what you were told is an extremely poor answer ({word filter avoidance}. in other words if this gets past the forum sensor software). Whoever it was you spoke with is more than likely an entry level support person--and while I hesitate to say, {please keep your posts courteous}, well, it was a stupid answer--and you might have gotten a better answer if you'd asked to speak with either a supervisor or the next level of tech support up to tell them that the stb is not displaying the closed captions since the Guide update was implemented.

When you are testing--and when you email the Verizon closed caption office--and/or when you call tech support about closed captions, check the captioning on your local PBS station(s) because virtually everything on PBS is closed captioned during the day and during primetime (evening). With ABC, CBS and NBC if you are watching daytime programming that is national programming--like soap operas and stuff--you should see closed captions but local daytime programming (local news, local talk shows, etc.) may or may not be closed captioned. With ABC, CBS and NBC, all primetime (evening) programming will be closed captioned although tv ads may or may not be so when testing, wait for the ads to be over.

If you have more questions, please feel free to post again and I'll try and answer them for you. Report back if you can because I'm very curious about what the Verizon closed caption office has to say.

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
steve_niceguy
Newbie

THANK YOU EVERYONE

I've got it fixed

I noticed someone had said to try to change the CC1 or CC2 or CC3.... I used to be able to change them on my remote before the Novemver 22 upgrade... but now when I press the CC button on the remote it say's on or off on my TV screen .... it used to give me CC1 CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5 CC6 CC7 CC8 and I could pick one

so I thought I could not change it.

I did what one of you very helpful people said.... menu----settings---accessiblity--- Closed Captioning.... and I found it was on CC4 which works on most SD channels.... I put it on CC1 and now EVERY CHANNEL I have gets Closed Captioning....

thanks all I couldn't have done it without you.

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Re: After the Nov 22 upgrade no more Closed Captions on most HD channels
tlb7
Contributor - Level 3

steve_niceguy: I've got it fixed

YAY!!!! I'm so glad you got it fixed!

>>I used to be able to change them on my remote before the Novemver 22 upgrade... but now when I press the CC button on the remote it say's on or off on my TV screen .... it used to give me CC1 CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5 CC6 CC7 CC8 and I could pick one so I thought I could not change it.

Wow!!! What a stupid change!

I regularly use the "cc" button on the remote to switch which closed caption option I'm using--I have a Cisco stb so ALL the closed caption options display closed captions (with the exception of CC2--Spanish language captions if available for the program). For some reason, some PBS stations, the closed caption display works better with CC4 rather than the CC3 setting I usually use. I believe that there were only 6 closed caption options on Verizon systems--CC1-CC6--although Comcast has 8 options.

>>menu----settings---accessiblity--- Closed Captioning.... and I found it was on CC4 which works on most SD channels....

Interesting that CC4 works on the SD channels because when I was testing the closed captioning options on my sister's Verizon Motorola stb back in June (I was trying to decide if I would add FiOS TV to my FiOS broadband and phone), CC4 (and CC3, CC5, CC6) did not display closed captions for captioned programming on my sister's Motorola stb.

>>I put it on CC1 and now EVERY CHANNEL I have gets Closed Captioning.

I'm so glad that you played with this. On Verizon's Motorola stbs, CC1 has been (and apparently still is) the only closed caption option that displays closed captions for programming with closed captions. So...Verizon has not fixed the bug in the implemenation of closed captions on their Motorola stbs with the rollout of the new 1.9.5 version of the Guide software--I guess it was too much to hope that they would.

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