Glossary A–ZLetter S
Subtitles
Subtitles are lines of text at the bottom of the picture that reproduce the spoken words and important sounds of a video.
On screens in public spaces, they make films understandable that run without sound.
Most screens in shops, lobbies, waiting areas or canteens run silently. A video that conveys its message through speech is lost there without subtitles. A distinction is made between subtitles burnt into the picture, which are always visible, and subtitles as a separate track in a separate file, for example in SRT or WebVTT format, which a player can show or hide. For digital signage, burnt-in subtitles are usually the safe choice, because many players do not display separate subtitle tracks.
Operators should keep subtitles large, high-contrast and short so that they can be read from a distance and in passing. Subtitles must not fall into areas covered by a ticker or a frame. Rather than a long film with dense subtitles, a video that works without words and needs only a few text overlays is often better. Subtitles also help people with hearing impairments and make multilingual content easier.