Caption Commander 2.1

Caption Commander 2.1 is an easy-to-use Windows application that allows you to caption/subtitle your broadcast masters and produce burnt-in previews without having to go back to tape.

It works the same way as a regular SDI-based inserter, but operates on broadcast MPEG-2 files instead of requiring a manual dub or re-ingestion.

You can choose to output either closed captions (teletext is inserted into the designated line of the VBI) or open captions (characters are "burnt-in" to the output video) in broadcast-quality MPEG-2 up to 50Mb/s 4:2:2 Profile or preview-quality (MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 DVD bit rate).

Features Benefits
 
  • Compatible with Main and 4:2:2 Profile MPEG-2 files up to 50Mb/s
  • Works with the most common broadcast MPEG-2 file formats providing superior picture quality
  • Accepts EBU standard subtitle interchange files
  • Compatible with the majority of subtitle authoring software vendors
  • User-selectable insertion lines
  • Adaptable to any 625-line regional teletext specifications
  • User-selectable VITC lines
  • Adaptable to any 625-line regional vertical interval timecode specifications
  • Option to insert "dummy" captions
  • Allows for "continuous" or "bursty" teletext insertion (more info)
  • Option to repeat each caption
  • Provides redundancy and compatibility in regions which prescribe repeated captions
  • Option to output "burnt-in" or open captions
  • Allows for easy previewing of what the viewers would see on a teletext decoding television
  • Option to output draft quality MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 DVD quality
  • Useful for providing "confidence" copy to the author or client
  • Command-line tool
  • Easy integration/automation with existing systems
  • As used in many broadcast solutions
How Does it Work?
You supply CaptionCommander with the filenames of your source MPEG-2 file and your source subtitle file along with any optional parameters. CaptionCommander will then open your source MPEG-2 file and create a new output MPEG-2 file with exactly the same encoding parameters (bit rate, chroma, GOP structure, etc).

The subtitle file contains caption data aligned with SMPTE timecode. CaptionCommander uses this information and the VITC timecode in your source MPEG-2 file to determine where to place the captions in the output. CaptionCommander will step through each frame of your input file and if a caption is required, the relevant teletext data will be encoded into the selected line of the VBI in the output file.

Finally, the audio elementary stream is extracted from the source program stream and remuxed with the captioned video elementary stream to produce the final output MPEG-2 program stream file.

Caption Commander flow chart
Screen shot
Screen Shot
Screen shot
System Requirements

 

Evaluation Version

Click here to download an evaluation version

For installation instructions, click here to download the User Manual.

The evaluation version is fully functional except that a Limeboy Software logo is inserted in the bottom right-hand corner of the frame. The evaluation version can be upgraded to the full version and the logo removed by clicking here to purchase.