With the new web-app version 6.0.4, OneStream Live now offers an incredible new feature: open captions on live streams!
In this Article:
What are Captions?
Captions are the on-screen text descriptions that you see in running videos. They run parallel to the video image to grab the visual element of the video while reading through the video’s dialogues. That said, the users no longer only need to rely on the sound of the video.
Open Captions v/s Closed Captions
The primary point of differentiation between open and closed captions remains the ability to turn them off when desired. Also referred to as hard-coded or baked/burnt captions, open captions are a permanent video content feature. That is, they cannot be switched off. Closed captions, on the contrary, are on-screen text descriptions that can be turned on and off as desired. Often displayed as [CC], closed captions offer the flexibility to choose reading captions as per the situation requirements.
Benefits of Having Captions in Live Streams
- Videos can be easily accessed in noisy environments without having to worry about the hearing element.
- Captions help make the content more accessible to a broader audience, which means your message will come across more clearly and comprehensively.
- It is easy to follow along with a video with captions running alongside.
- Technical terminology and jargon can be better understood through captions.
- Captions allow higher chances of better user engagement and a wholesome user experience.
- They help overcome barriers such as strong accents, mumbling, and loud background noise.
- With captions, it is easier to watch videos in sound-sensitive environments such as libraries.
- It is easier to translate content to other (as several) languages using captions.
- It significantly reduces the likelihood of concentration fatigue.
- Captions facilitate easy access to related links and sources.
- Well-written captions contribute to an overall enhanced watching experience.
- Those with hearing impairment and learning disabilities can thoroughly enjoy the video content, thanks to captions.
Why Prefer Open Captions Over Closed Captions for Live Streaming?
Research suggests that almost 85% of videos watched on Facebook are silent. What deters the user from scrolling down past is having open captions displayed immediately. Other benefits of open captions include the following:
- It can be a hassle toggling between turning the captions on and off. Open captions are always ‘switched on’.
- It saves the streamers’ headache of maintaining a separate video file and a caption file. They both work together.
- Open captions do not need any sophisticated devices such as decoders to allow the ability to turn the captions on and off. This eliminates any inconsistencies that may occur due to the use of multiple devices.
It’s a Win-Win with OneStream Live
To wrap it up, open captions are the new feather in OneStream Live’s cap, yet another milestone towards delivering a wholesome and enriching live streaming experience to its diverse clientele. The new web app version 6.0.4 offers several other performance enhancements alongside hotfixes and bugs. However, open captions remain the star of the show!
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OneStream Live is a cloud-based live streaming solution to create, schedule, and multistream professional-looking live streams across 45+ social media platforms and the web simultaneously. For content-related queries and feedback, write to us at [email protected]. You’re also welcome to Write for Us!
