SDH & CLOSED CAPTIONS
Accessible captions for every viewer.
SDH and closed captions with speaker IDs, sound effects and accessibility formatting — meeting European Accessibility Act standards in 48 languages.
OVERVIEW
What are SDH and closed captions?
SDH captions (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing) and closed captions are accessible text overlays that include not just dialogue, but also speaker identification, sound effects and important audio cues. Unlike standard subtitles that assume the viewer can hear, SDH captions provide the complete audio experience in text form.
Our SDH and closed captions services support streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector clients and educational providers across 48 languages. Every caption is professionally formatted with speaker IDs, sound effect descriptions and accessibility compliance meeting European Accessibility Act 2025 standards and platform requirements.
Accessibility isn’t optional anymore — it’s a legal requirement across Europe. As a TPN Gold certified production partner, DIGI MEDIA delivers SDH and closed captions that meet EAA standards, WCAG guidelines and platform-specific compliance — produced by native linguist teams from our Riga production hub.
WHAT WE CAPTION
Accessible captions for every audience
From streaming series to public sector announcements, our SDH and closed captions cover every format where accessibility matters.
Streaming & Films
SDH for streaming platforms, films and premium content with full accessibility compliance.
TV & Broadcast
Closed captions for TV channels meeting broadcast and EAA standards.
Public Sector
Government services, ministries and EU project captions for inclusive communication.
Education & E-learning
Accessible course captions for online learning platforms and educational content.
Live Events
Live event SDH captioning and post-event accessibility delivery.
Corporate Content
Internal videos, training and brand content with full accessibility features.
WHY US
Why SDH captions need a specialist studio
Accessibility isn’t optional anymore. Native linguists, full SDH formatting and TPN Gold-certified content security make every project EAA compliant and platform-ready.
OUR PROCESS
How SDH captioning works at DIGI MEDIA
Five accessibility-focused steps from video file to EAA-compliant caption deliverables.
01
Source Intake & Audio Analysis
Receive video, identify speakers, sound effects and audio cues for captioning.
02
Caption Creation
Native linguists write captions with speaker IDs, sound descriptions and dialogue.
03
Timing & Reading Speed
Frame-accurate timing optimized for reading speed and accessibility standards.
04
EAA & Platform Compliance
QC for EAA compliance, WCAG guidelines and platform-specific caption rules.
05
Format & Delivery
Export in SCC, CEA-608/708, WebVTT or platform-required formats.
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
Subtitles vs. closed captions (CC) vs. SDH — which one does your content need?
Not all on-screen text is the same. Subtitles translate dialogue for hearing viewers who don’t speak the language. Closed captions (CC) transcribe dialogue for hearing-impaired viewers. SDH combines both — dialogue plus sound effects, speaker IDs, and audio cues — the accessibility standard required for EAA compliance and platform certification.
| Criteria | Subtitles | Closed Captions (CC) | SDH (for Deaf/HoH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialogue Text | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Speaker Identification | ✗ No | ⚠ Sometimes | ✓ Every speaker labeled |
| Sound Effects | ✗ No | ⚠ Basic only | ✓ Full [door slams], [music playing] |
| Music Cues | ✗ No | ✗ Rarely | ✓ Every music cue described |
| Non-verbal Audio | ✗ No | ⚠ Limited | ✓ All audio cues included |
| Target Audience | Hearing viewers (translation) | Muted playback viewers | ✓ Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers |
| Accessibility Standards | ✗ Not compliant | ⚠ Partial | ✓ Full EAA / WCAG compliant |
| Language Options | Multi-language | Same language | ✓ Multi-language SDH available |
| Platform Requirements | Basic | Netflix/YouTube CC standards | ✓ EAA + platform-specific SDH |
| Turnaround | 2-5 business days | 3-5 business days | ✓ 2-6 business days |
DECISION SUPPORT
Are SDH & closed captions right for your content?
A quick self-check to confirm SDH accessibility captions fit your video content — instead of standard subtitles or basic closed captions.
✓ This service is right for you if
- Content must comply with European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 requirements
- WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines apply to your video content
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers are part of your audience
- Streaming platforms require SDH for content licensing
- Public sector, government, or education content requires accessibility compliance
- Multi-language SDH is needed across international markets
🎙️ Typical projects we handle
- Streaming platform originals and licensed content requiring SDH per market
- Broadcast TV series and films with EAA-compliant captions
- Public sector video content (government, EU projects, ministries)
- E-learning courses and educational content with accessibility requirements
- Corporate videos and internal communications with inclusive captioning
- Live event recordings and post-event accessibility captioning
Not sure if SDH and closed captions fit your project? Send us your video, target languages, and compliance requirements — we’ll return a specific approach and quote within 24 hours.
WHO WE HELP
Trusted by streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector, and education providers worldwide
From global streaming platforms meeting EAA compliance requirements to national broadcasters delivering accessible programming and public sector organizations serving inclusive audiences — our SDH and closed captions services deliver full accessibility standards across 48 languages for every video where inclusion matters.
Streaming Platforms
Global streaming services and OTT platforms delivering SDH captions for original series, licensed films, and catalogue content — meeting major streaming platform and EAA compliance standards per territory.
National Broadcasters
Public and commercial broadcasters providing closed captions and SDH for TV programming, documentaries, factual series, and daily broadcast content meeting national accessibility requirements.
Public Sector & Government
Government agencies, ministries, and EU project managers delivering accessible captions for public information videos, citizen communications, and EU-funded content with EAA compliance.
Education & E-Learning
Universities, schools, and e-learning platforms delivering accessible captions for course videos, lectures, training modules, and educational content meeting WCAG accessibility guidelines.
Healthcare Providers
Hospitals, health authorities, and medical education providers delivering accessible captions for patient information videos, training content, and public health communications.
Corporate & Enterprise
Corporate teams delivering SDH captions for internal training, employee communications, brand videos, and DEI content to ensure inclusive workplace access for all employees.
Live Event Producers
Conference organizers, webinar platforms, and event producers delivering live captioning and post-event SDH for on-demand content ensuring accessibility across all attendee experiences.
Documentary & Factual
Documentary producers and factual content creators delivering EAA-compliant captions for streaming distribution, broadcaster licensing, and international content deals.
Cultural Institutions
Museums, cultural organizations, and heritage sites delivering accessible captions for exhibition videos, cultural content, and public information materials with full accessibility compliance.
LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES
SDH captions across 48 languages
Native linguists creating accessible captions across 48 languages and 63 regional versions — meeting accessibility standards for every market.
SEE IT IN ACTION
Inside a Digi Media SDH captioning workflow
Every SDH and closed captions project runs through our accessibility ecosystem — from audio analysis and speaker identification to caption creation, EAA compliance QC, and platform-ready delivery for streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector, and education providers across 48 languages.
CREDENTIALS
Certified, compliant, secure — global accessibility operations
Enterprise-grade certifications and accessibility frameworks that streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector, and education providers require from their captioning partners.
Network of native accessibility linguists
SDH specialists · 48 languages
EAA 2025 Compliant
European Accessibility Act standards
GDPR + ISO 27001
EU data protection · information security
FAQ
SDH and captioning questions, answered
Everything streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector and education teams ask before partnering with us on accessibility captions.
What's the difference between subtitles and SDH?
Standard subtitles assume the viewer can hear and only need dialogue translation. SDH (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing) includes everything — dialogue, speaker IDs, sound effects, music cues, and audio descriptions — designed for full accessibility. SDH is required for EAA compliance and platform certification on major streaming platforms and broadcasters.
Do you meet European Accessibility Act standards?
Yes. Every SDH and closed captions project meets European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 requirements and WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. This includes reading-speed compliance, contrast standards, positioning rules, speaker identification, and complete audio cue coverage. We also meet platform-specific accessibility standards for Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and major broadcasters.
Which caption formats do you deliver?
We deliver SDH and closed captions in all major formats — SCC, CEA-608/708 (US broadcast standard), WebVTT, TTML, DFXP, and STL (European broadcast standard). Every file follows platform-specific standards for reading speed, positioning, character limits, and encoding. Custom formats available on request for proprietary broadcaster or streaming platform requirements.
How long does SDH captioning take?
Standard turnaround is 2-6 business days depending on video length, target languages, and content complexity. SDH takes slightly longer than standard subtitles because of the additional layer — speaker IDs, sound effects, music cues, and non-verbal audio all need identification and formatting. Multi-language SDH packages across 48 languages run on coordinated timelines.
Do you provide live captioning?
Yes. We offer live captioning for events, webinars, conferences, and broadcast programming with real-time or near-real-time captioning workflows. Post-event, we deliver polished SDH captions of the recording with full speaker identification and sound effect descriptions for on-demand accessibility. Live captioning is available across our 48 core languages.
What's your pricing model?
SDH and closed captions are priced per finished minute of video — the industry-standard pricing model. Rates depend on target languages, content complexity, format requirements, and turnaround. Multi-language packages and volume discounts available for large content libraries or full series. Send us your video and target languages for a specific quote within 24 hours.
Which languages do you provide SDH captions in?
We provide SDH and closed captions in 48 languages and 63 regional versions, across Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, with a native linguist for every target language. You can see the full list on our Languages page.
Can you re-caption existing subtitle files as SDH?
Yes. We can convert existing subtitle files (SRT, WebVTT, etc.) into full SDH by adding speaker identifications, sound effect descriptions, music cues, and non-verbal audio annotations. This is faster and more cost-efficient than creating captions from scratch — ideal for existing content libraries that need EAA compliance upgrades or accessibility certification for streaming platforms.
Do you handle multi-language SDH packages?
Yes. We coordinate SDH production across all 48 languages simultaneously with terminology consistency, accessibility standards per market, and coordinated delivery timelines. Multi-language SDH packages ensure consistent quality and simultaneous availability across international content launches — critical for streaming platforms and broadcasters distributing across multiple territories.
What quality control process do you follow for SDH?
Every SDH project follows our 5-step accessibility workflow: source video intake with audio analysis (identify speakers, sound effects, audio cues), caption creation by native linguists with speaker IDs and sound descriptions, frame-accurate timing optimized for reading speed, EAA and WCAG compliance QC (positioning, character limits, platform rules), and format and delivery in required formats (SCC, CEA-608/708, WebVTT, or broadcast formats).
RELATED SERVICES
Complete your accessibility & video localization
SDH and closed captions work best alongside subtitles, audio description, and translation services. Explore the connected services that streaming platforms, broadcasters, public sector, and education providers combine with SDH for complete accessibility delivery.
Related services: Subtitles · Audio Description ·Translation · Localization · Public Sector Accessibility · Lip-Sync Dubbing · Course Localization
LET'S TALK
Ready to make your content accessible?
Tell us about your video, target languages and accessibility requirements — we'll respond within 24 hours with an SDH plan and quote.
Response within 24 hours · Confidential · No commitment