Most 4th Generation Tablo apps can display closed captions when available on both over-the-air (OTA) antenna TV content as well as free streaming content. The exception is the 4th Generation Tablo apps for Samsung Tizen and LG webOS smart TVs. This article covers the reasons why.
Why Tablo Samsung and LG Apps Do Not Display Closed Captions on OTA Content
The player software Samsung and LG provide for third-party app creators like Tablo is very basic, and access to device-level functions on the television is limited for security reasons. It is also designed primarily for internet-based streaming apps. For that reason, the software doesn’t support the type of closed captions embedded in over-the-air TV (MPEG-2), nor does it support ‘real-time’ closed captioning in general since it was engineered to play on-demand content instead of live broadcast TV.
Why Can I See Closed Captions When My Antenna Is Connected Directly?
The broadcast TV tuner inside your Samsung or LG smart TV has full access to device-level functions and a different player software that third-party app creators cannot use. So, when you connect your TV antenna directly to your Samsung or LG TV, the path the video takes from your antenna to your screen is completely different than when it goes through the Tablo app. This level of access and direct pathway allows Samsung and LG to display the closed captions embedded in antenna TV broadcasts.
Why Tablo Apps for Samsung and LG Can Display Closed Captions on Streaming Content
As mentioned above, the built-in player software provided to third-party app creators is designed for playing internet-based content like the free streaming channels available on Tablo. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy closed captioning when watching content from those channels.
Alternatives for Enjoying Closed Captions on LG or Samsung TVs
If closed captioning is important to you, we suggest connecting a supported streaming device to your Samsung or LG television. Accessing the Tablo app through a supported streaming device instead of the native Tablo smart TV app will circumvent the Samsung/LG limitation and allow you to enjoy captions on all content.