Telestream is pleased to announce that MacCaption and CaptionMaker versions 6.4 are now available, with major advancements for both captioning and subtitling workflows. This is a free update for MacCaption & CaptionMaker owners with current support contracts.
Mac Users
For MacCaption 6.4, our priorities were providing additional internet captioning support, updating to Auto Time Stamp (ATS), and adding an option to export the new IMSC timed text format that will provide captioning for the new IMF (Interoperable Master Format) package standard. (Learn more about IMF.) Having the ability to convert standard caption files such as .SCC to the IMSC timed text format helps customers who are currently looking to test compatibility with their existing file based workflow.
New in Auto Time Stamp
The update to Auto Time Stamp includes better support and accuracy for auto timing text to media with fast paced audio dialogue. Auto Time Stamp is a time saver for customers who are creating captioning from scratch using a plain text transcript. The ATS module processes the audio and provides automatic synchronization of English text for closed captioning. This update helps customers who have video content that is fast-paced, such as news and sports material. The ATS update is available in both MacCaption and CaptionMaker 6.4. (Learn more about Auto Time Stamp).
Windows Users
On the Windows side, the release of CaptionMaker 6.4 marks a milestone for Telestream captioning products with the addition of OP-47 Teletext support and UHD subtitling. Up to now, development was focused on CEA-608/708 support for North American broadcasters who have accessibility requirements. With OP-47 Teletext read and write capabilities, the software becomes more versatile to international customers looking for a simple solution to meet accessibility requirements in Teletext subtitle and closed captioning workflows
Conversions between standard caption files to OP-47 Teletext are possible. When repurposing North American content for foreign markets, converting closed caption CEA-608 data to OP-47 Teletext had been a challenge. This is because North American video content typically has caption data set to 29.97 frames per second, while Teletext broadcast is 25 fps. CaptionMaker 6.4 has the ability to recalculate the 29.97 fps caption data and provide the proper timing for OP-47 Teletext media. The same is true going from Teletext back to CEA-608. MXF files containing SDP (subtitle distribution packets) with OP-47 Teletext are supported on import to verify the data, do edits, and conversions.
Burn-in Subtitles
Once the data is extracted CaptionMaker 6.4 can also create a subtitle overlay file for burn-in subtitles from the OP-47 data. This is critical for customers who need to create open subtitles for the video content for foreign markets. The subtitle overlay can be set to a specified output resolution up to Ultra HD to match the delivery specification.
Margin Adjustment
For Enterprise edition owners, automation in CaptionMaker 6.4 now provides a new subtitle margin adjustment parameter. This solves the problem of using generic subtitle files that don’t have correct positioning to create subtitles for letterboxed HD media. By default, subtitles that have bottom or top positioning may appear in the black bars of a letterboxed image. With the subtitle margins parameter, users can automatically create subtitle overlay files that will appear within the margins of the letterboxed picture.
Supporting Nexidia QC
Finally, CaptionMaker 6.4 can now import Nexidia QC reports that contain notes and markers showing where corrections need to be made in a caption project or .SCC file. This new feature is very helpful for video professionals who need to manually correct timing and text errors reported by the automated Nexidia QC module in Nexidia Illuminate within Telestream Vantage. Learn more about Vantage and Nexidia integration.
Product owners with current support contracts can download the update now.
Product owners without current support: speak to our sales team about getting the update.
Want to try MacCaption or CaptionMaker 6.4? Download the free trial.