# When watching TV, do you usually have closed captioning on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133 "2016-12-19T14:16:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/1 "2016-12-19T14:16:11Z")
I do, even though there’s nothing wrong with my hearing (yet). I don’t know why, I just enjoy the stuff better with it being on. Just so I know exactly what’s being said at all times. : p Not to mention, sometimes some interesting stuff and info is found in them, like the names of songs that start playing, the names of characters that you don’t know the names of, who is saying a line if you can’t see a group of people…stuff like that. It’s very little things, but I find it helps add to the experience. Plus…there have been times I’ve always thought something was being said just to learn I was mishearing the line and it wasn’t really what I thought was being said. What about you? How often do you use CC? All the time, like me? Only sometimes, like when you’re alone, lest others think you weird for it? Or do you never use it? ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/2 "2016-12-19T14:28:17Z")
Most of my TV watching is streaming English-language stuff with Finnish subtitles. I figure that’s basically same as using closed captioning. I could probably understand 95% of what’s being said even without subtitles but sometimes the actors mumble or use slang or technical terms and I see no point in not having subtitles shown. Always fun to play the “spot the translation mistake” game too. They don’t pay the people doing the translation/subtitling work much and it shows quite often (but still beats dubbing 10-0 IMO). ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/3 "2016-12-19T14:30:33Z")
I don’t but (for whatever reason) my kids usually do. Kids are weird. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/4 "2016-12-19T14:35:51Z")
Not when watching TV (though sometimes I will rewind and turn it in this to catch what was said, but I do have it on for DVDs or Netflix) Brian ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/5 "2016-12-19T15:15:32Z")
If I’m eating something crunchy, like potato chips, I’ll turn on the CC. Likewise with a new episode of my Must See TV…I want to make sure I don’t miss anything. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/6 "2016-12-19T15:25:28Z")
I said sometimes, but not for myself (my wife likes it), but there is an exception. I recently discovered Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge is more enjoyable when you can’t hear Steve Austin so put CC on and mute it. And fast forward through everything but the challenges. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/7 "2016-12-19T15:27:39Z")
My hearing is going, and I now have hearing aids. I do have it on for the TV in the bedroom. Even with hearing aids, I need the TV kinda loud. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/8 "2016-12-19T15:35:15Z")
I switched it on when my kid was learning to read. I then never bothered to switch it back off. My kid’s reading scores are _terrific_. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/9 "2016-12-19T15:40:50Z")
Only when watching British stuff. I like to know what they are saying. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/10 "2016-12-19T16:06:27Z")
Once in a blue moon I do it, but my teenage daughter always watches TV with CC on. Her hearing is fine, she just likes it. Kids is weird. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/11 "2016-12-19T16:16:30Z")
I’m surprised so many people use it, if even just sometimes. I’ve never used it in the house, never been to anyone else’s house who was using it and only ever see it on in public places like bars or restaurants. But I guess my experiences aren’t typical judging from the results so far. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/12 "2016-12-19T16:25:01Z")
I always have it on, and get annoyed when it’s not available. I don’t know why I enjoy it so much, because my hearing is fine, but I do. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/13 "2016-12-19T17:26:44Z")
Always, unless football’s on (it gets in the way, and I don’t generally listen to the game anyway). I’m hard of hearing since birth, and I remember when my dad brought home the first caption decoder I’d ever seen. Changed my life. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/14 "2016-12-21T12:41:47Z")
> [@SuperNelson](#): > > Always, unless football’s on (it gets in the way, and I don’t generally listen to the game anyway). I’m hard of hearing since birth, and I remember when my dad brought home the first caption decoder I’d ever seen. Changed my life. This just reminded me of my dad. He would watch football on TV, but have it muted and listen to the radio. Parents are weird. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/15 "2016-12-21T13:19:13Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > My hearing is going, and I now have hearing aids. I do have it on for the TV in the bedroom. Even with hearing aids, I need the TV kinda loud. Same here. I’m so used to it being on, I even use it watching Netflix on my iPad with headphones. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/16 "2016-12-21T13:21:01Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > This just reminded me of my dad. He would watch football on TV, but have it muted and listen to the radio. > > Parents are weird. Back in the day, Pittsburgh baseball fans _always_ muted their TV and listened to Bob Prince radio play by play. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/17 "2016-12-21T13:31:13Z")
No, I find it too distracting. Instead of watching the show, I’m reading the text. I have no difficulty with hearing or with accents. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/18 "2016-12-21T13:34:34Z")
Only on DVDs when I’m listening to a commentary. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/19 "2016-12-21T13:41:30Z")
I used to all the time. It let me take in more of the show, I felt I missed much less. Since Ms. Cups and I have been together I stopped for her sake. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133/20 "2016-12-21T13:49:51Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > My hearing is going, and I now have hearing aids. I do have it on for the TV in the bedroom. Even with hearing aids, I need the TV kinda loud. > [@SuperNelson](#): > > Always, unless football’s on (it gets in the way, and I don’t generally listen to the game anyway). I’m hard of hearing since birth, and I remember when my dad brought home the first caption decoder I’d ever seen. Changed my life. Another hearing aid wearer here, and yes I have it on most of the time except for sports. My wife doesn’t wear hearing aids (yet!) but she likes having it on too. One thing I do like about it is that if a show is using popular music in a scene, the CC will show you the artist and song (and often the lyrics, if they don’t get in the way of any conversation in the scene). So if I hear a song I like, I know who did it and can go find it later on the internets. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-watching-tv-do-you-usually-have-closed-captioning-on/775133.md?page=2)