Unwanted subtitles

[Rykster]

Recently, my T4 has developed a strange feature that I cannot override - it has started showing on-screen subtitles, without any input from me to do so.

Strangely, this is happening only on some channels (mainly Ch9, Ch10 and SBS) and affects both recorded, and live TV.

I've turned off everything I can find under Settings pertaining to subtitles/captions, and rebooted the PVR, but the problem persists - any suggestions? 

I've thought of doing a Factory Reset, but not sure of the implications in that regard.

[Rykster]

I guess from the lack of responses that no-one has experienced this issue?

What then, are the implications of doing a Factory Reset? What will I lose, change, etc.

[IanL-S]

It is not an issue that I have seen. I assume you have checked the subtitle (closed caption) settings and confirmed that there is nothing strange with the relevant settings. It is my understanding that most CC are internal, and not in an external file (for example teletext).

Reset to factory does what it says - it removes all settings (you may need to do a service scan I cannot remember full details for Beyonwiz). It will not delete your recordings (even if it did it would give you a warning).

You could also try reinstalling the latest T4 firmware (firmware can become corrupted) - it can be downloaded from a few places including https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qa2q7qq96zcsyfkm29vf7/beyonwiz-19.3-beyonwizt4-20211010_usb.zip?rlkey=67krk8nxb8ss3u2zekny6dj3v&dl=0

Ian

[prl]

Recently, my T4 has developed a strange feature that I cannot override - it has started showing on-screen subtitles, without any input from me to do so.

If you have enabled subtitles on a channel, then all recordings on that channel will have subtitles enabled by default.

If that's the cause, just switch to each of the channels that have subtitles in their recordings or when they are live, and press SUBTITLE on the remote, and make sure that the little popup says that subtitles have been turned off. It it says that they have been turned on, then press it again to turn them off, and that wasn't the cause of the problem on that channel.

For recordings that have already been made with subtitles enabled by default, you'll still need to turn them off in the same way when you start playing the recording.

If this is the cause a factory reset will not be required. A service scan or a settings restore will be needed after you do the factory reset.

As IanL-S says, broadcast TV programs' closed captions are text embedded in the recording file, not in a separate file. English subtitles on foreign language programs (e.g. on SBS) are part of the video of the program and can't be turned off.

[Rykster]

Thanks for the reply Peter.

To clarify, I probably should be talking about captions, rather than subtitles - my issue is not with embedded subtitles, as appear on foreign films.

Subtitles have been disabled everywhere in the settings pages, and I am not aware of any setting that permits them on specific channels. I only see the issue on channels in the 9 and 10 groups.

Yes, I can turn off the captions via the remote, but they only stay off for the duration of that particular viewing, and return as soon as I come back to one of those channels at a later date.

Any suggestions welcomed.

[blip]

I am not aware of any setting that permits them on specific channels.

I think that is what 'Menu/Setup/TV/Auto language/Prefer subtitles stored by service' does but I'm not completely certain.

[prl]

Subtitles have been disabled everywhere in the settings pages

I'm not aware of any setting that can do that. Can you be specific?

[Rykster]

Thanks Blip, I've turned off everything on that page - see the attached photos in my reply to Guru.

[Rykster]

Hi Guru, please refer to the photos below:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ejiu8hknwlupyuqqoxl0x/20260710_164403.jpg?rlkey=ydg1q7os2g4b8skqiv9r5xn73&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wqsbwrjff2dw67ubmefww/20260710_163432.jpg?rlkey=w6qbnl7ff9jc0h36mfxysv5ui&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i2av6jb89ezfhnt59ssip/20260710_163324.jpg?rlkey=tfc8b9i839vkf9m3rpc3sc3dq&dl=0

[Rykster]

Interestingly, this is now only happening occasionally - I haven't done anything further to cause this.

[prl]

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ejiu8hknwlupyuqqoxl0x/20260710_164403.jpg?rlkey=ydg1q7os2g4b8skqiv9r5xn73&dl=0

None of the options listed on that screen will prevent closed captions from appearing if the SUBTITLE button is used to switch on subtitles.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wqsbwrjff2dw67ubmefww/20260710_163432.jpg?rlkey=w6qbnl7ff9jc0h36mfxysv5ui&dl=0

That setting only affects subtitles stored in a separate file, which I think we all agree doesn't apply to broadcast TV or recordings made from it.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i2av6jb89ezfhnt59ssip/20260710_163324.jpg?rlkey=tfc8b9i839vkf9m3rpc3sc3dq&dl=0

That isn't the only place where closed captions are configured. There are also closed captions settings in "Auto Language" in the same settings list.

Have you tried my original suggestion of using the SUBTITLE button to turn off closed captions on the live TV channels that are showing closed captions? You didn't mention trying that. It won't change the closed caption "on" setting in any existing recordings, but it should stop it being set on any future recordings.

Guru's not my name. It's just a label the forum software tags me with because I've made a lot of posts.

[Rykster]

Thanks Peter (I know Guru isn't your name :) ), but I think we are misunderstanding each other here.

I posted the screen shots to show that nothing relating to subtitles is selected, not just the highlighted items.

I'm aware of the settings in the 'Auto Language' page and attached the screenshot showing that everything was deselected.

And I did respond to your suggestion of using the Subtitles button, making this comment:

"Yes, I can turn off the captions via the remote, but they only stay off for the duration of that particular viewing, and return as soon as I come back to one of those channels at a later date."

Thanks for your ongoing assistance and suggestions.

 

[prl]

I posted the screen shots to show that nothing relating to subtitles is selected, not just the highlighted items.

I know that. What I said about the settings that are shown still applies. What's not shown from that Auto language settings screen are the settings for "Subtitle language selection 1/2/3/4". If you've set one of them to "English", as you've done for "EPG language selection 1", then that will enable subtitles on any channel that has English subtitles. I suggest that if any of them are set to English, that you change them to None.

If the current channel was showing subtitles before setting any "English" subtitle languages to "None", then you need to change channels use the STBTITLE button to turn the current subtitles off for the settings change to take effect.

It's also not necessary to set "EPG language selection 1" to English. "None" will work just fine, but I don't think that having it set to English will cause any issues.

"Yes, I can turn off the captions via the remote, but they only stay off for the duration of that particular viewing, and return as soon as I come back to one of those channels at a later date."

Having one of "Subtitle language selection 1/2/3/4" set to "English" will cause exactly that behaviour.