Netflix Debuts Dialogue-Only Subtitles

[henryhbk]

The same thing happens with English productions that were native to begin with. Netflix is the absolute worst out of all the streaming services for truncating or altering subtitles.

English Audio: "You never showed for our date that I had planned."
English Subtitle: "You missed our date."

Drives me crazy. Nothing takes you out of the moment like altered subtitles that barely match the intent of the spoken dialogue. And it's rude to people who are actually deaf. Why shouldn't they get the entire script as intended?

I can't decide if subtitlers are trying to be nice by limiting the characters read or if they're just being lazy. I'm guessing the latter. Pretty much anyone who's moderately literate can read faster than people can speak.

What surprises me is I assumed this was speech-to-text, not human transcription

 

[M-5]

Ehh, I’m still going to watch with the extra info displayed. I suppose if you’re watching a film in a theater, the conversational audio is alright (except for something like The Dark Knight Rises”.) And whenever I would watch film in my old thin-walled apartments on streaming services, I’d constantly have have to change the volume from low or high based on if it was just dialogue or lowed action sequences. It’s very annoying. But I love subtitles in every aspect, especially if you’re watching a film with someone else who doesn’t share the primarily language…. You’re still able to communicate and share the experience

 

[InTeCredo]

I would prefer that Netflix includes SDH for every language that is shown in the serials or films. It's hassle of watching the show with subtitles in German but no audio cues or indications who's speaking. Sometimes, the subtitles in English aren't shown when the character speaks in English, especially those nordic mystery/crime/detective shows. That is why SDH for every language should be included.

 

[OGdrknight]

Hopefully, this resolves the issue when captions are hardcoded into the film and appear as [Speaking Spanish] right over the hardcoded caption, making it annoying and extremely difficult to read or follow along!

 

[Earendil]

I agree. It is the sound system that you have[or don't have] connected to your TV. I have a very much more expensive system than you and have none of the audio problems that others have complained about here.

I mean, that’s not entirely it. I have more than my three matched speakers up front, but I still require boosting that mid channel for my average 40 year old ears.

This was not a problem 20-30 years ago.

Maybe if you go full atmos 9.x no adjustment is required? Even then, there is no reason (besides money) to have dialog unintelligible in a 2.x and 3.x mix.

This does a good job of explaining at a high level many of the complications pretty well.

 

[chenks]

so encode the black bars for 16x9 tvs...

it would add so little to the file size. it doesnt change between frames.

and for those that aren't using a 16:9 tv?
you've came up with a horrible solution for a problem that doesn't need solved.

 

[zoomp]

Ding. Winner.

Multichannel audio is the worst for dialogue and now even kids cartoon shows are in Atmos or whatever.

On my big sound system, I let the system balance itself to proper levels, then manually crank the center speaker up because despite the room being balanced, the mixes are so bad you can’t hear people talk.

On TVs without external speakers I try to select the sound setting for boosting dialogue which helps on most TVs but some don’t have it.

I think you need to upgrade your center speaker.

 

[zoomp]

Funny how US is so different from the rest of the world. We’ve always had both english subtitles tracks everywhere and since forever… as long as Netflix launched in my country.

 

[wbeasley]

and for those that aren't using a 16:9 tv?
you've came up with a horrible solution for a problem that doesn't need solved.

who in 2025 isnt using a 16:9 tv?

many Netflix shows are in 16:8 and plenty of room to put subtitles below the picture.

and dont say you have an ultrawide 21:9 or 32:9. monitor.
that's minority group who would struggle with most video formats and side black bars or lost vertical imagery

 

[wbeasley]

I think you need to upgrade your center speaker.

frankly multichannel audio has always been a problem.

some use so little of the available channels.
some still mix very little to the rear surrounds.

and some sound engineers seem to like muffled dialogue.

i have discs i can play where everything is well balanced and clear and then i put something else on and it's all over the shop with the exact same settings. it's not the speakers or the amp. it's the mix.

 

[chenks]

who in 2025 isnt using a 16:9 tv?

well done on totally misunderstanding the point being made.
yes all TVs are generally 16:9. but there are other ways of using an appletv.

as said, the black bars are not part of the video stream.
having to suddenly reconvert every video to make it a 16:9 stream just to facilitate being able to put subtitles slightly lower is absurd.

that's minority group who would struggle with most video formats and side black bars or lost vertical imagery

i would suggest it's a minority that would care to want to have the subtitles slightly lower.
do subtitles need some work, yes. is forcing all content be in a 16:9 container the solution, no.

 

[HighwaySnowman]

well done on totally misunderstanding the point being made.
yes all TVs are generally 16:9. but there are other ways of using an appletv.

as said, the black bars are not part of the video stream.
having to suddenly reconvert every video to make it a 16:9 stream just to facilitate being able to put subtitles slightly lower is absurd.



i would suggest it's a minority that would care to want to have the subtitles slightly lower.
do subtitles need some work, yes. is forcing all content be in a 16:9 container the solution, no.

Encoding the bars in the video stream is stupid.

Not being able to display subtitle text in the bars outside of the video stream is ALSO stupid. It's a failure of the captioning protocol if it can't be done.

 

[wbeasley]

Encoding the bars in the video stream is stupid.

Not being able to display subtitle text in the bars outside of the video stream is ALSO stupid. It's a failure of the captioning protocol if it can't be done.

encoding the black bars used to happen on DVDs...

and because it doesnt change it take very little storage.

more annoying is placing text on top of content you want to view.

if you lived with someone who has hearing issues and relies on subtitles and hearing aids and still struggles to enjoy content you might understand why these assistive technologies have a huge quality impact (in a positive way) for many people.