Netflix Watch Instantly adds closed captioning support for the PC, Mac

We'd like to welcome the hard of hearing to the internet delivered video party, now that Netflix has begun offering optional closed captioning on a limited number of Watch Instantly titles. Currently only available through the Silverlight player on Mac or PC, Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt promises it's in the works for other platforms and should arrive there around fall along with the long-awaited support for 5.1 surround sound. Of course we're also still waiting for HD streaming on the PC but we know this is a big deal for specific communities and situations. For now, you can test out the feature on seasons 1-4 of Lost, part of about 100 titles so far with others being filled in "over time." Now excuse us, we need to watch some old episodes with CC switched on and make sure our Lostpedia entries are correct before the finale.

[kevout Posted Apr 16th 2010 8:48AM]

So...a PC streaming service that only streams in SD is doing what on the Engadget HD site, exactly?

[samweber Posted Apr 16th 2010 11:41AM]

@kevout Because Netflix isn't just for the PC and they do stream HD.

[gamedude360 Posted Apr 16th 2010 12:09PM]

@kevout
because netflix streams hd on other devices and hd is coming to pc by end of this year along with 5.1 surround sound

[Snake Robot Podium Posted Apr 16th 2010 12:06PM]

Don't tell me what I can't caption

[tome0124 Posted Apr 17th 2010 2:09AM]

@Snake Robot Podium XD nice!

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Apr 16th 2010 12:23PM]

I wonder if they'll do English subtitles for the foreign movies. I have a few foreign ones in my queue that I wanna watch, but was hoping they'd implement subtitles. Also, major win with 5.1 (if available on all titles and not just the HD ones).

You should do a poll to see how/where people watch netflix streaming. PC (browser or WMC), Xbox, PS3, Wii, Roku, TiVo, Boxee, etc.

[RichardLawler Posted Apr 16th 2010 1:01PM]

@engadgetcomexcludeengadget foreign flicks on netflix streaming all have subtitles, I've watched a bunch of them. They're burned into the stream. The difference here is you can turn them on/off so they can do them for english language content.

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Apr 16th 2010 2:54PM]

@RichardLawler Good to know, thanks.

[glennS Posted Apr 16th 2010 1:20PM]

I'm still waiting for Netflix support on Linux. And I expect to be waiting a long time. I wish they would work on that. I can watch it using PlayOn, and now I can watch it on my Wii, but neither of those is an ideal solution.

[TacoMusic Posted Apr 17th 2010 11:03PM]

The zune streaming service should take notes.

[bounderboy Posted Apr 18th 2010 5:23AM]

Spoiler alert on pic!!!!!