I Can't Access Closed Captioning on My Samsung HDTV

Samsung's high-definition televisions offer bright, clear pictures, but due to technological limits in 2010, closed captioning is not available in high-definition mode through the television itself. If you want to see closed captions, you'll need to use an external source.

Technology

Samsung's high-definition televisions use High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) technology to deliver high-definition audio and video through a single cable. Closed caption signals use an older format that is incompatible with HDMI and can not be transmitted through the cable.

Considerations

A Samsung troubleshooting guide notes that only coax (RF) and AV (composite) inputs will display closed captions. Other inputs, including HDMI, do not carry the closed captioning signal, so the television can not display the captions while using HDMI as the video and audio source.

Alternatives

You can still view closed captions on your Samsung HDTV, despite the fact that the HDMI source for Samsung HDTVs can't provide closed captions. You can turn on closed captioning through external sources, such as a set-top box or DVR. You can also change the source from HDMI to the coax (RF) or AV (composite) inputs. These sources will offer diminished picture and sound quality.

References

• HDMI: What is HDMI?
• Samsung: The Closed Captioning Feature Is Greyed Out (Cannot Be Selected)
• SF Gate: How to Bypass TV's HDMI for Closed Captions