For our August edition of Whiteboard Wednesday we explain how you can use CaptionSync to caption videos without a digital file, for example when you only have a DVD or VHS tape. This is particularly helpful to libraries and companies with archived videos. You can also use this service if you have a MP4 or digital file but would like your video and captions in a DVD format. To learn more, watch this video with our CaptionSync Smart Player or read the video transcript below.
Video Transcript
Hi this is Courtney with AST, and for this white board Wednesday we will be discussing what to do if you don’t have a digital file for the video you need captioned.
If you are unable to submit your content electronically to our system, our DVD or MP4 Transfer service allows you to mail in video DVDs or even VHS tapes and have them returned as captioned DVD media or an electronic MP4 file.
Once received, we will digitize your material to obtain the caption files, then author the captions and subtitles to a DVD and mail it back to you.
Or, if you want a digital copy, we’ll send you a subtitled MP4 video file created from your videotape or DVD. This puts your media in a modern web-viewable format, and eliminates the delay and expense of shipping.
You can also choose to receive both the authored DVD and the MP4 video.
If you already have an electronic copy, we can also use that to create a captioned DVD for you.
You can learn more about this service by contacting AST through our online chat, by phone or contact form.
How To Resources
If want to know more details about how to add closed captioning to a DVD or VHS tape, or if you need to create a closed captioned DVD from a digital file, you can read about CaptionSync’s DVD/MP4 Transfer Service on our support site.
This is interesting. I have a season one of Mutant X and I would love to have it in caption. How can I get that done?
We have several articles on our support site about how to add captions to DVDs: https://support.automaticsync.com/hc/en-us/sections/200458585-DVDs-MP4s
Note that we cannot add captions for you unless you have permission from the copyright holder to do so. Anything that aired on television should already have captions, so you can always ask the publisher/distributor for a captioned version.
What is caption sync how does it differ from closed caption?
CaptionSync is just the name of our tool/online platform that provides captioning and other accessibility services.
Hello,
I have been frustrated that the second series of Twilight Zone in 1985, does not have captions in Season 1 DVD but the rest of Seasons (2 & 3) have captions. I tried to contact the insiders (CBS, the copyright owner and Image Entertainment, DVD and packaging rights including captions) and all I got from them is that they will let person in charge know about it and sometimes no response from them at all. I did the contact via email and several times by phone. Matter of fact that all of the original Twilight Zone DVDs and the third series Twilight Zone DVD have captions. I don’t understand why only one Season of 1980’s Twilight Zone does not have captions and this has been that way since 2004 when their first batch came on the market along with two different DVD box sets in 2014 and 2017. I do not know if you can help me with this but your advice will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi William, that is frustrating. You are right to be contacting them directly. Good luck!
Hi. I have a counselor that makes dvds about various topics and then publishes them with no option for closed caption. My wife is hard of hearing so i asked him if he would consider adding closed captioning as a option on his future dvds that he sells. He said that he does not know how to do that and asked if i would check into that for him. So he would need to have his dvds where you can turn the captions off and on in the menu of the video like you do with any movie that has closed caption. He would then have a bunch of his videos made and placed for sell on his website and in his office. Is this something you can do for his future videos so that the dvds that he sells will then have closed caption for people like my wife? His videos are often 1 to 2 hours long.
Hi Tim, Yes, captions for DVDs is definitely something we can help with. Have your counselor contact us via any of the methods here: https://www.automaticsync.com/captionsync/contact/contact-us/