Live and File-Based
This service is designed to help expand accessibility and meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA requirements.
CASTUS Captioning provides a complete, accurate on-screen text display of spoken dialogue to increase accessibility for people who are deaf or hearing-impaired.
We offer both Live captioning or File-based captioning for full flexibility in fulfilling accessibility requirements, dependent on your content and platform.
Both Live and File-based captioning are 100% cloud based and do not require any hardware. Caption with great accuracy (95%+) while captions are embedded on VOD programming, live streams, and OTT apps. This service even integrates with our playback servers so captions appear seamlessly on your cable channel. Easy, automated and affordable. Our caption services are reliable and provide captions for a fraction of the cost.
Meets WCAG 2.1 Guidelines: 1.2.2, Level A | 1.2.4, Level AA
How does CASTUS captioning work?
CASTUS live captioning operates by transmitting an audio stream from your CASTUS server (QuickRoll, QuickCast, or Mini) to the cloud. The cloud processes the audio to generate captions, which are then sent back to the CASTUS server for live display. These captions can also be recorded in formats such as .mcc, .scc, .vtt, and transcript files during your live broadcast.
CASTUS Cloud file-based captions work by analyzing the audio from your video file in the cloud. The system generates captions in .vtt format, which can be edited directly within the cloud interface. Once finalized, the captions are available for download and can be used on your server or during playback.
How accurate are the live and file-based captioning services?
The CASTUS live and file-based captioning services are 95%+ accurate, giving peace of mind and accuracy with minimal time and effort needed. Just upload, caption, and publish.
Though the captions are unlikely to require editing due to this high accuracy rate, you have the option through the built-in editor.
Can I edit my recorded captions for better accuracy?
Yes, if you recorded captions in the .vtt format, you can download the file and edit it using caption editing software.
What services are required for CASTUS captioning?
To use the CASTUS live caption service, a live caption subscription is required. You’ll need to create a cloud account to manage your subscription, but a live streaming or video on-demand subscription is not required.
To use the CASTUS file-based caption service, a file-based caption subscription is required. You’ll need to set up a cloud account to manage your subscription, but a live or video on-demand subscription is not required. If you do not have a video on-demand subscription, you will need to have a cloud storage subscription to host your files that you want to caption.
What Live Caption Packages Does CASTUS Offer?
CASTUS provides a variety of annual live captioning packages tailored to different usage needs. Our standard packages include:
In addition to live captioning, we also offer file-based captioning and translation services (both live and file-based). If your organization requires a custom package, we’re happy to work with you to configure a plan that meets your specific needs.
Can I record live captions for replay on my channel(s)?
Yes, live captions will be automatically recorded when you record your input with captions enabled. Depending on your input settings, you may receive either embedded captions or a separate sidecar caption file once the recording is complete.
Can caption file type or caption style (pop-on or roll-up) be changed?
Yes, you can change the caption file type easily from within the interface.
Can I change pop-on captions to roll-up captions or vice versa?
Yes, this option is available in software version 5.8.1 and higher. The caption style can be changed from within the live caption settings to either Rollup or Pop On, depending on your preference. This will record captions in the chosen style and ensure they play back in that format as well. If you are editing your .vtt caption files directly, it’s recommended to use the Pop On style to avoid duplicating lines unnecessarily. Rolling captions can create issues with certain systems, such as Granicus, so opting for Pop On ensures better compatibility and efficiency.
What caption type is needed to display captions on cable TV?
All available caption types are compatible with cable TV playback. The .scc, .mcc, and .srt formats are natively supported for cable, while .vtt captions can be converted during playback.
What are the differences between closed and open captions?
Closed captions are text displays of dialogue that viewers can enable or disable while watching TV or online videos. They provide accessibility by transcribing spoken words. Closed captions are the default.
Open captions are permanently displayed on-screen and cannot be turned off by the viewer. They are embedded into the video, ensuring that all viewers see them.
This new service is designed to help expand accessibility and meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA requirements.
Powered by CASTUS AI, Audio Descriptions provide clear, natural-sounding narration of on-screen actions, speakers, and key visual elements to increase accessibility for people who are blind or visually-impaired.
We offer both Standard Audio Descriptions and Extended Audio Descriptions, giving you the flexibility to meet a range of accessibility and compliance requirements depending on your content and platform.
Our streamlined, integrated workflow is compatible with any platform that supports SAP (CASTUS playback not required), making deployment simple, scalable, and cost-effective.
Closed captioning is a powerful tool and is required in today’s world of broadcast. Translation services allow you to translate English captions to 75+ spoken languages accurately and automatically in order to provide the same incredible content to a wider audience. The 100% cloud-based translation service is easy, fast, affordable, and accurate with CASTUS and does not require additional hardware or costly maintenance.
Closed Caption Dictionaries allow you to exceed the industry standard of 95% accuracy, giving you the ability to add names and more so they are displayed in captions accurately. Add committee names, street names, dates, abbreviations and more so your captions are accurate every time. There is no additional cost to use this incredible feature. Dictionaries are included with our File Based and Live Captioning services, saving you time and money.
Updating to the CASTUS technology allows more flexibility with quality and control of the channel’s signal. Many stations and networks are going over the top by offering apps for their programming and I am excited that our educational access channel is able to join with the other major content producers.
Katy, your training yesterday was perfect. You fielded the questions from Judy and myself with clarity, accuracy and honesty. Through past interactions with you – that has become your hallmark – excellent customer service!
It was so easy to add live captioning to our existing system. No expensive hardware or installs with this integrated cloud based service. CASTUS staff had us up and captioning quickly.
CASTUS has kept busy and constantly improving above and beyond. We knew when we first saw your product, many years ago now, that you had something special and you continue to not disappoint. When I recommend CASTUS…I always mention that you are always working on improving and making something already amazing even better.
Last night’s Zoom meeting coverage was live, and ACMi is receiving great praise from the Town.
“The customization of the Quickroll unit, specifically input/output configuration, was a big deal for our organization. It was easy to install and integrate…and is a huge leap forward from where we were with our previous platform. Training and support provided by both Grayson and Katy is top-tier and scaled to user knowledge and capabilities. CASTUS is very intuitive…simple enough for a novice user to learn quickly and robust enough for seasoned broadcast veterans to go all out with it. The interface is comfortably familiar and refreshingly modern. The fine details tell us TV people designed CASTUS rather than just IT folks who think they know what we all need… The ‘endless schedule’ feature is perfect for us… With this functionality, I can build two playlists with broad and diverse content for two distinct stations within 45 minutes. At least that is my record time, so far!
“I would absolutely invest in another CASTUS unit! One of the best investments we have made in our broadcast infrastructure.”
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