What a stream can carry
| Type | What it is | What your player needs |
|---|---|---|
| Audio tracks | Alternative languages, audio description or a different sound format for the same channel or film | An audio track menu |
| Teletext subtitles | Subtitles carried as teletext pages in broadcast-style streams | Teletext subtitle support |
| DVB (bitmap) subtitles | Subtitles sent as images rather than text | DVB subtitle support |
| Closed captions (CC) | Captions embedded in the video stream | Closed-caption support |
| Text subtitles (SRT, VTT) | Text files or tracks, common with films and series | Nearly every player |
Player listings show how varied support is. Sparkle TV lists subtitles in cc, dvbsub and teletext formats, and GSE Smart IPTV lists embedded bitmap subtitles, including DVB teletext and DVB subtitles, as well as external SRT files.
How to switch subtitles and audio
The controls are always in the player, during playback:
- Start the channel or film.
- Open the on-screen menu: press OK or the menu button on a TV remote, or tap the screen on a phone or tablet.
- Choose Audio (or a speaker icon) to change the audio track, or Subtitles / CC (or a speech-bubble icon) to pick a subtitle stream or turn them off.
On desktop VLC, use the Audio and Subtitle menus. See IPTV in VLC.
Set your preferred languages
Many players have settings for a preferred audio language and preferred subtitle language. Set them once and the player picks the right track whenever a channel or film offers it, instead of the default track.
Surround sound and the audio track
Some channels and films offer both a stereo track and a surround track, such as Dolby Digital. If you hear nothing on one of them, your TV, soundbar or player may not be set up to pass that format through. Try the other audio track first, then check the audio output setting (passthrough or PCM). See no sound on IPTV.
When subtitles are missing
- Check another channel or film. If subtitles work elsewhere, the stream simply doesn’t carry them.
- Try another player on the same channel. If they appear there, your first player doesn’t support that subtitle type.
- For films and series, look for an option to load an external subtitle file or search online. UHF, for example, can search subtitles through OpenSubtitles.
For channels in other languages, see IPTV by language.