{"id":15253,"date":"2023-03-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/whats-the-difference-subtitles-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-sdh-v-closed-captions\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:17:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T15:17:14","slug":"whats-the-difference-subtitles-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-sdh-v-closed-captions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/whats-the-difference-subtitles-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-sdh-v-closed-captions\/","title":{"rendered":"SDH vs. CC: What&#8217;s the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-dark alignfull p-post-header has-global-padding is-content-justification-center is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained has-background is-style-dark--1\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);background-image:url(&#039;\/wp-content\/themes\/core\/assets\/media\/backgrounds\/hero-wave-blog.svg&#039;);background-position:50% 50%;background-size:cover;\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aligngrid has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligngrid is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-ghost is-style-reversed is-style-ghost--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/blog\">Blog<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity aligngrid\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);margin-bottom:0\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center aligngrid is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-008400e6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);margin-bottom:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div style=\"padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;\" class=\"is-style-category wp-block-tribe-terms\"><ul class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__list\"><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><span class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Captioning<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h1 style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"alignwide wp-block-post-title\">SDH vs. CC: What&#8217;s the Difference?<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9116416d wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/author\/3playmedia\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">3Play Media<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-date has-10-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2023-03-06T00:00:00+00:00\">March 6, 2023<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"alignfull alignfull wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-vs-CC.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"border-radius:1rem;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-vs-CC.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-vs-CC-300x107.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-vs-CC-1024x366.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-vs-CC-768x274.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/go.3playmedia.com\/wp-ultimate-guide-to-subtitles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Ultimate Guide to Subtitles: Different Types, How They Work, and When to Use Them [Free Ebook]<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to media accessibility, one of the most common questions from television viewers revolves around the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/closed-captioning-vs-subtitles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">differences between subtitles and closed captions<\/a>. But between the rise of streaming content and the global use of the term \u201csubtitles\u201d versus \u201ccaptions,\u201d the answer has become complicated.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the lines between subtitles and captions continue to blur, perhaps none has become more confusing than the difference between subtitles for the d\/Deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) and closed captions (CC).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The issue of SDH vs. CC has been compounded by the availability of both options on certain streaming platforms. Adding further confusion, there\u2019s also the matters of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mixed usage of terminology\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different interpretations of what makes a timed text file SDH or CC<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General misinformation on the purpose and function of SDH vs. CC files<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This widespread confusion is precisely why we\u2019ve decided to tackle SDH vs. CC in this blog. We\u2019ll review the key differences between subtitles and closed captions, closely examine SDH subtitles, cover each of their respective roles and use cases, and explain why some streaming services are moving towards offering both options to viewers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>Looking for a described version of this video? <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/H4JiqTVoQik\">We\u2019ve got you covered!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defining Subtitles and Captions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before fully understanding the difference between SDH and closed captions, it is helpful to first understand the basic differences between subtitles and captions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29104 size-medium alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Subs-vs.-CC-basics-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Person sitting between two boxes that read &quot;CC&quot; and &quot;sub&quot;.\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How are they alike?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both subtitles and captions are timed text files synchronized to media content, allowing the text to be viewed at the same time the words are being spoken. Captions and subtitles can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/open-captioning-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">open or closed<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How are they different?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the United States and Canada, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/closed-captioning-vs-subtitles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">subtitles are intended for hearing viewers<\/a> who do not understand the language. Traditionally, subtitles show the spoken content but not the sound effects or other audio elements. They are often used to refer to translations (think: subtitles for a foreign film.) In <a href=\"https:\/\/go.3playmedia.com\/wp-uk-brief\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">places like the UK<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the term \u201csubtitles\u201d is used to describe both subtitles and captions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closed captions are designed for d\/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. They communicate <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> audio information, including sound effects, speaker IDs, and non-speech elements. They originated in the 1970s and are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/learn\/accessibility\/accessibility-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">required by law for most video programming in the United States and Canada.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are Subtitles for the d\/Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH)?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to note that there are a few different types of subtitles. The most frequently used types are known as: SDH, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/sdh-subtitles-non-sdh-subtitles-when-to-use-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">non-SDH<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/what-are-forced-narrative-subtitles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">forced narrative (FN)<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH stands for subtitles for the d\/Deaf and hard of hearing. These subtitles assume the end user cannot hear the dialogue and include important non-dialogue information such as sound effects, music, and speaker identification. In the United States and Canada, SDH traditionally assumes the end user cannot understand the language being spoken, whereas<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> traditional subtitles (also referred to as non-SDH) assume the viewer can hear the audio but doesn\u2019t know the spoken language.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH often emulates closed captions on media that does not support closed captions, such as digital connections like HDMI or OTT platforms. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent years, many streaming platforms, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/217350977-English-Timed-Text-Style-Guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Netflix<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have been unable to support standard broadcast Line 21 closed captions. This has led to a demand for English SDH subtitles styled similarly to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/fccs-new-quality-standards-closed-captioning-video-programming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FCC-compliant closed captions<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH can also be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/platform\/subtitling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">translated into foreign languages<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to make content accessible to d\/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences who speak other languages.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"su-box su-box-style-default\" style=\"border-color: #b3003c; border-radius: 5px;\">\n<div class=\"su-box-title\" style=\"background-color: #e6006f; color: #ffffff; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px;\">Translation<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-box-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px;\">Translation is often cited as a major difference between subtitles and captions. But can\u2019t captions also be in other languages?\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Yes! It\u2019s common in the United States and Canada to find closed caption offerings in Spanish and French, along with other languages. The FCC even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/spanish-subtitles-vs-spanish-closed-captions-whats-the-difference\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">requires Spanish CC<\/a> for all Spanish television programming in the US. There are limitations with translated closed captions, however. Because of CC\u2019s line limits and lack of extensive international character support outside of Western languages, SDH subtitles are preferred to get the most accurate translations for d\/Deaf and hard of hearing viewers across languages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn-blue-blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/MjJLBrjWLIc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">3Play Media Explains\u2026 SDH vs. CC \u2013 Watch the Video \ud83d\udc40<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Deep Dive into SDH vs. CC<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH subtitles and closed captions are closely related, and there\u2019s often confusion between the two. One of the main reasons? Preferred jargon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term \u201cclosed captions\u201d has dominated the vernacular for nearly half a century in North America. The term \u201csubtitles\u201d has encapsulated any timed text format in the UK and other parts of the globe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in recent years, rapid developments in streaming content and the globalization of media has shaken up the popular nomenclature across the world. This has left viewers and users of these accessibility services scratching their heads and wondering how SDH and CC are different.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appearance<\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_29106\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 510px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29106 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH-mimic-captions.jpg\" alt=\"Example of SDH subtitles styled to closely resemble closed captions. Text reads &quot;I'm street smart...&quot; in white text on a semi-transparent black background.\" width=\"500\" height=\"207\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29106\" \/>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-29106\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SDH subtitles styled to closely resemble closed captions: white text with a semi-transparent black background.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH subtitles have a lot of flexibility in terms of appearance. They can be customized by professional captioners to look exactly like closed captions, or styled to match a customer\u2019s request or platform\u2019s specifications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_29108\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 510px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29108 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/SDH.jpg\" alt=\"Example of SDH subtitles styled to a standard subtitling appearance. Text reads &quot;I'm street smart...&quot; in white text, black outline, no background.\" width=\"500\" height=\"208\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29108\" \/>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-29108\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SDH subtitles styled to a standard subtitling appearance: white text, black outline, no background.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH subtitles\u2019 appearance can sometimes be determined by a video player or platform, which sets the appearance independently of the original captioner. Occasionally, SDH can also be customized by the end user, but this varies based on the player or platform\u2019s customization options.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"mceTemp\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_29105\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 510px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29105 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/CC.jpg\" alt=\"Example of closed captions. Text reads &quot;I'm street smart...&quot; in white text on a black background.\" width=\"500\" height=\"208\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29105\" \/>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-29105\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Default closed captioning style: white text on an opaque black background.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By default, closed captions are displayed as white text on a black box, with placement that is customized on the captioner\u2019s end. This has changed over the years with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/difference-cea-608-cea-708-captions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">introduction of digital television and 708 captioning standards<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which allows for user customization.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"su-box su-box-style-default\" style=\"border-color: #b3003c; border-radius: 5px;\">\n<div class=\"su-box-title\" style=\"background-color: #e6006f; color: #ffffff; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px;\">User Customizations<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-box-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px;\">When customization options are available to users, they can choose from a variety of font, sizing, and color options for SDH or CC. Customization options vary depending on the television, video player, or OTT platform capabilities.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Placement<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH subtitles and closed captions are both capable of supporting placement. Viewers often find SDH and CC are placed in the bottom center, with movement to the top to avoid lower thirds. Some styles of CC may include horizontal placement to indicate speaker changes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH can theoretically be placed anywhere on the screen if they are burned-in. As a best practice, SDH are typically centered for readability and ease in the translation process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caption placement is usually implemented by a captioner and cannot be adjusted by the user unless the captions are formatted to 708 standards. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/go.3playmedia.com\/wp-fcc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FCC rules<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, captions must be positioned in such a way to avoid covering important lower third graphics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, SDH and CC positioning is dictated by the file type being used, or by the requested formatting specs from a platform or television network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"su-box su-box-style-default\" style=\"border-color: #b3003c; border-radius: 5px;\">\n<div class=\"su-box-title\" style=\"background-color: #e6006f; color: #ffffff; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px;\">Why are SDH and CC often centered?<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-box-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px;\">Many streaming platforms and networks are moving towards center placement for both SDH and CC files for readability. It\u2019s still common to encounter CC positioning to indicate speakers, but current trends point to left-justified, center-aligned SDH and CC.\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Streaming services that follow this trend include <a href=\"https:\/\/partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215758617-Timed-Text-Style-Guide-General-Requirements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Netflix<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/videocentral.amazon.com\/home\/help?topicId=GBKB422Q9GYC7DWE&amp;ref_=avd_sup_GBKB422Q9GYC7DWE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encoding<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The move from analog television to high-definition (HD) media over the last 20 years had major implications for the encoding of closed captions and subtitles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/difference-cea-608-cea-708-captions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">608 closed captions<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are transmitted via Line 21 as a stream of commands, control codes, and text. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/difference-cea-608-cea-708-captions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">708 closed captions<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are transmitted <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">via MPEG-2 video streams in MPEG user data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subtitles, on the other hand, are often encoded as bitmap images \u2013 a series of tiny dots or pixels. And this method of transmission is a lot more compatible with newer digital media methods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HD disc media, like Blu-ray, does not support traditional closed captioning but is compatible with SDH subtitles. The same goes for some streaming services and OTT platforms. SDH formats are increasingly used on these platforms due to their inability to support traditional Line 21 broadcast closed captions. That being said, some classic captioning formats, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/what-is-an-scc-file\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SCC<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have proven to be versatile across television and digital formats.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SDH vs. CC: At a Glance<\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Features<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>SDH<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Closed Captions<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Timed text synced to video<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can be turned on\/off<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In source language<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaker Identification<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sound effects<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation options<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\u2713<\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limited<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Text appearance<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varies; often white text on black or semi-transparent background to mimic captions<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually white text on black background<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On-screen placement<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varies; typically centered at the bottom, with movement to the top for lower third graphics<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varies<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encoding<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supported through HDMI<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not supported through HDMI<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Do Streaming Platforms Sometimes Include Both SDH and CC?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While many streaming and OTT platforms only offer one timed text option for viewers to use, some have started offering <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">both<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> SDH and CC options when available.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.macworld.com\/article\/546627\/what-do-the-accessibility-symbols-in-apple-tv-and-tv-apps-mean.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple TV+ is one of such platforms offering a wide array of accessibility choices<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for viewers on select programming. Depending on the program chosen, a viewer could find themselves choosing between CC and SDH. So why offer this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29103 size-medium alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Timed-text-choices-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Person thinking with text in a thought bubble: &quot;English CC, English SDH, English non-SDH.&quot;\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer can be different depending on the platform, but by offering both options, viewers are able to choose the format that they prefer. In situations where there is no distinction made between CC and SDH, the file could be considered one in the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When both options are available to select, it\u2019s often likely that the captions originate from a true CC file and are formatted to match that style; whereas the SDH could be a simpler timed transcript in the source language that was intentionally designed for translation into other languages. The difference between the two isn\u2019t always clear when both are offered on a platform, but usually comes down to how each is displayed.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-dotted\" style=\"margin: 10px 0; border-width: 4px; border-color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height: 20px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closed captions and subtitles for the d\/Deaf and hard of hearing are like siblings: closely related, with similar mannerisms, yet each has their own unique traits and appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like many media accessibility services, <strong>CC and SDH are nuanced and tricky to definitively declare as being one specific solution designed for one specific purpose<\/strong>. In the greater scheme of timed text files, either solution offered by a television network or streaming platform will provide an accessible experience for viewers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neither CC or SDH will ever fit neatly into one box, and it\u2019s possible that defining them may only get more complicated as digital video evolves. But one thing remains certain for CC and SDH: they will always serve the d\/Deaf and hard of hearing community first and foremost.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/go.3playmedia.com\/wp-ultimate-guide-to-subtitles\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-29679 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Subtitles-CTA.jpg\" alt=\"The Ultimate Guide to Subtitles: Different Types, How They Work, and When to Use Them. Download the eBook\" width=\"1000\" height=\"286\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog was originally published by Lily Bond on May 21, 2014 as \u201cHow Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) Differ From Closed Captions.\u201d <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog was updated on August 24, 2021 by Elisa Lewis and has since been updated again for comprehensiveness, clarity, and accuracy.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" style=\"margin-bottom:0\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c28011a wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0\">Filed under<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);\" class=\"is-style-pills wp-block-tribe-terms\"><ul class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__list\"><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/tag\/blog\/\" class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Blog<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/tag\/captioning\/\" class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Captioning<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/tag\/media-entertainment\/\" class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Media &amp; Entertainment<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/tag\/translation-subtitling\/\" class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Translation &amp; Subtitling<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-dda23514 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0\">About the author<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);\" class=\"wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__avatar\"><img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/077af0eed48d15985c692daeff79eaff223726049f53bd6ef9a51ffb76629ed1?s=96&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/077af0eed48d15985c692daeff79eaff223726049f53bd6ef9a51ffb76629ed1?s=192&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-96 photo' height='96' width='96' \/><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/author\/3playmedia\/\" target=\"_self\">3Play Media<\/a><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__bio\"><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe217b39 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0\">Share this page<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe217b39 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-normal-icon-size has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-95ca00fe wp-block-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\"><li style=\"color: #767676; 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margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-auditing-budgeting.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"person typing on calculator\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-auditing-budgeting.png 600w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-auditing-budgeting-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);\" class=\"is-style-category wp-block-tribe-terms\"><ul class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__list\"><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><span class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Legislation &amp; Compliance<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__link wp-block-post-title\">A University Guide to Budgeting and Auditing for ADA Video Compliance<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<a class=\"p-card-post__link a-link-cover wp-block-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/ada-video-compliance-budgeting\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: A University Guide to Budgeting and Auditing for ADA Video Compliance<\/span><\/a><\/article>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-15026 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-legislation-compliance tag-accessibility-laws tag-ada tag-blog tag-wcag\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group p-card-post l-clearfix is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:0\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%; margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"393\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-video-requirements-hero-e1762464429188.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"person at laptop with judge&#039;s gavel\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-video-requirements-hero-e1762464429188.png 600w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ada-video-requirements-hero-e1762464429188-300x197.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);\" class=\"is-style-category wp-block-tribe-terms\"><ul class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__list\"><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><span class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Legislation &amp; Compliance<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__link wp-block-post-title\">Everything to Know About the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Video Compliance<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<a class=\"p-card-post__link a-link-cover wp-block-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/ada-video-requirements\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Everything to Know About the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Video Compliance<\/span><\/a><\/article>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-15201 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-dubbing category-subtitling tag-blog tag-video-accessibility\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group p-card-post l-clearfix is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:0\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%; margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/subs-v-dubs-hero.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"couple watching tv\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/subs-v-dubs-hero.png 600w, https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/subs-v-dubs-hero-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);\" class=\"is-style-category wp-block-tribe-terms\"><ul class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__list\"><li class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__term\"><span class=\"wp-block-tribe-terms__link t-category\">Subtitling<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"p-card-post__link wp-block-post-title\">Subtitling vs. Dubbing: Which is Right for Your Audience?<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<a class=\"p-card-post__link a-link-cover wp-block-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3playmedia.com\/blog\/subtitling-vs-dubbing\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Subtitling vs. Dubbing: Which is Right for Your Audience?<\/span><\/a><\/article>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2022 The Ultimate Guide to Subtitles: Different Types, How They Work, and When to Use Them [Free Ebook] When it comes to media accessibility, one of the most common questions from television viewers revolves around the differences between subtitles and closed captions. But between the rise of streaming content and the global use of the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":3186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[133,140],"tags":[8,23,28,64],"industry":[],"resource_type":[92],"class_list":["post-15253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-captioning","category-subtitling","tag-blog","tag-captioning","tag-media-entertainment","tag-translation-subtitling"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>SDH vs. CC: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this blog, we dive into the differences between subtitles for the d\/Deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) vs. closed captions (CC).\" \/>\n<meta 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