Another option now exists for online movie rentals. Netflix just released the Netflix Player by Roku, another black box, only this one streams movies over the Internet onto the TV. But guess what? Surprise, surprise, it doesn't have captions or subtitles.

What is surprising is that the company that manufactures the Netflix Player was unaware of existing Internet video streaming services with closed captioning. When approached about the issue, Tim Twerdahl, Roku's Vice President of Consumer Products, was under the impression that the standard codecs used for streaming video over the Internet do not support closed captioning. I provided him with links to Apple and Google, which both support closed captioning in their streaming products. These are only two examples. Twerdahl said he would look into it more.

I was also referred to Netflix, which encodes the files. Steve Swasey, Vice President of Corporate Communications, had this to say: "Of course as we develop new technology, such as the streaming functionality, there are limitations. You cite an example."

The streaming media format and copy protection (DRM) solution Netflix uses as approved by the studios and content providers does not support the "overlay" of text on the video stream the way it does on a DVD, Swasey says. "At some point, I'm sure you will see the streamed content to be on par with DVDs with previews, director's commentary, chaptering, CC text and other special features," he adds. "As we're now in the early stages of this new way to watch movies, we're encoding and streaming just the content itself." It may be new, but Apple's existing competitive product, AppleTV, has closed captioning capability and some titles are appropriately encoded.

Unfortunately for Netflix, this lag -- inexcusable given current technology -- may turn off potential customers who are unable to benefit from this service. As Damon Timm wrote in a Massachusetts listserv, "It's amazing that purchasing the newest technology...takes us back to the dark ages of captioning. It's really sad: this is the digital age."

The set-top box - which sells for $99 - allows subscribers to view a movie in their queue without waiting for it to arrive in the mail. There are downsides, of course, such as the limited video selection. While the negatives may make consumers like us feel better about this product's exclusivity, they don't erase the fact that we should be able to judge for ourselves whether or not we like it.

If you want to make your opinion known, you can call Roku (888-600-7658) and Netflix (888-638-3549), and file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission by e-mailing them at fccinfo@fcc.gov.

© Copyrighted material, used by permission. This article can not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without the express written consent of the author.

View Comments  |  Add Comment  |   Email this Article