Subtitling and voice-overs
STN offers DVB multi language subtitles without any restriction on the languages and voice-overs.
STN can offer multi-language DVB subtitling services as an add-on to the playout service. The DVB standard (EN 300-743) defines a bitmap based subtitling format. Subtitles are generated as a graphical bitmap and then encoded and compressed into the DVB delivery format. The subtitle data is multiplexed with the video, audio data and possibly other subtitle languages and then transmitted as part of the station's output transport stream to the viewer's decoder. Once a decoder receives the data the subtitle is re-constructed in the decoder's memory. A user can select whether to display subtitles or not and, if available, which one of several languages. At the appropriate time the decoder will then display the subtitle on-screen. Because the subtitles are delivered as a graphical bitmap, unlike the character code based Teletext and US style Closed Captions formats, there is no restriction on the languages that can be supported. This is an advantage when new or special characters need to be added such as the Euro symbol or new Chinese characters.
Apart from the DVB subtitling services STN can also offer voice-over services for various applications, from live sports broadcasts to documentaries and other productions where localization is needed to further adapt it for a "local" audience.