Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH)

Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH, often called closed captions) don’t just transcribe the dialogue. They also identify the speaker when they’re off screen, describe sounds that matter to the scene (“[phone rings]”, “[laughter]”) and sometimes the music or tone.

Spain has a technical standard from AENOR for this kind of subtitling, UNE 153010, covering presentation, character identification and speed; other countries and broadcasters have their own guidelines. If a client or public body asks for accessible subtitles, ask which standard or criteria they require.

• Speaker identification (with labels or colours).
• Relevant sound effects and music, in brackets.
• A comfortable reading speed.

Echo creates dialogue subtitles with timings and reading rules, and breaks them when the speaker changes. Sound descriptions and speaker labels are something you add yourself in the subtitles editor: Echo doesn’t detect them on its own or certify compliance with any standard.