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Captioning Solutions for Handheld Media and Mobile Devices
Device Comparison Chart


Note: Any device with a video player will play open-captioned multimedia regardless of closed-caption support.


Device Manufacturer OS Screen size/resolution Video player/format Mobile DTV Caption format Caption control Misc.
BlackBerry Bold 9700 Research In Motion BlackBerry 5.x 2.5"/320x240 BlackBerry Media Player/MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV, 3GP No Closed captions/TTXT format Yes: toggle on/off, customize font size, face, color, position Closed captions available in MP4 and 3GP only
BlackBerry Storm II Research In Motion BlackBerry 5.x 3.25"/480x360 BlackBerry Media Player/MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV, 3GP No Closed captions/TTXT format Yes: toggle on/off, customize font size, face, color, position Closed captions available in MP4 and 3GP only
BlackBerry Curve 8530 Research In Motion BlackBerry 5.x 2.5"/320x240 BlackBerry Media Player/MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV, 3GP No Closed captions/TTXT format Yes: toggle on/off, customize font size, face, color, position Closed captions available in MP4 and 3GP only
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8320 Research In Motion BlackBerry 4.x 2.5"/320x240 BlackBerry Media Player/MP4, H.263, WMV No open captions None
BlackJack II (SGH-i617) Samsung Windows Mobile 6 2.4"/320x240 Windows Media Player Mobile 10 Yes open captions None Has dedicated key for AT&T's CV service
EyeTV Hybrid elgato Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher n/a n/a Yes
  1. Desktop: EIA-608 and CEA-708 closed captions
  2. Mobile: SCC (Apple hardware/software only)
 System setting (desktop and mobile)
  1. Desktop app decodes broadcast captions.
  2. Exports video w/SCC captions, playable w/QuickTime Player, iPhone, iPod (touch/nano/classic), Apple TV
G1 HTC Android 3.2"/320x480 touch screen No native player; various players available at G1 app store/MP4 No open captions None Can play YouTube videos but permits no caption control.
iPhone (1G, 3G, 3G S, 4) Apple iOS 3.5"/480x320 touch screen H.264, MP4 Stream via PC w/tuner card using OrbLive; otherwise no Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting Can play YouTube videos but permits no caption control.
iPad 1 and 2) Apple iOS 9.7"/1024x768 touch screen H.264, MP4 Stream via PC w/tuner card using OrbLive; otherwise no Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting Can play YouTube videos but permits no caption control.
iPod Classic Apple n/a 2.5"/320x240 H.264, MP4 No Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting
iPod Nano
(8GB+; 4G and 5G) 		Apple n/a 2"/320x240 H.264, MP4 No Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting
iPod Nano (multi-touch)
 Apple n/a 1.54"/240x240 H.264, MP4 No Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting
iPod Touch Apple n/a 3.5"/480x320 touch screen H.264, MP4 Stream via PC w/tuner card using OrbLive; otherwise no Closed captions/SCC format Yes: toggle on/off; system setting Can play YouTube videos but permits no caption control
iPAQ 210/211 Enterprise Handheld PDA HP Windows Mobile 6 Classic 4"/480x640 Windows Media Player Mobile 10 No open captions None
iPAQ 510 Voice Messenger HP Windows Mobile 6 Standard 2"/176x220 Windows Media Player Mobile 10 No open captions None
LG DP570MH LG Electronics -- 7" WVGA LCD display ATSC M/H Yes CEA-708 closed captions Yes Mobile TV receiver; DVD player.
RCA DMT335R RCA -- 3.5" LED-backlit LCD display ATSC M/H Yes CEA-708 closed captions Yes Mobile TV receiver; also receives ATSC signals.
RCA DMT336R RCA -- 3.5" LED-backlit LCD display (ultra-bright) ATSC M/H Yes CEA-708 closed captions Yes Mobile TV receiver; also receives ATSC signals.
RCA DMT270R RCA -- 7" 800x480 LCD display (ultra-bright) ATSC M/H Yes CEA-708 closed captions Yes Mobile TV receiver; also receives ATSC signals.
Samsung Moment Samsung Android 1.78" x 3.2"; 320 x 480 ATSC M/H Yes CEA-708 closed captions Yes
SlingPlayer Mobile Sling Media BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian (also Windows and OS X) varies by device n/a Yes EIA-608 and CEA-708 closed captions Yes; system setting
  1. Desktop SlingPlayer decodes broadcast captions (Windows only).
  2. Also controls captions via set-top receiver.
Tivizen Valups -- none ATSC M/H Yes none No Mobile DTV receiver that relays broadcast signal to iPhone and iPod touch via wireless network
TubeStick hybrid equinux OS X; iPhone/iPod touch n/a n/a Yes (recorded) EIA-608 and CEA-708 closed captions Yes; system setting
  1. Desktop player decodes broadcast captions
  2. Will record and store video for mobile playback but captions are not recorded.