What is a caption board?
A caption board is an LED screen that displays the captions. It is a separate piece of equipment placed underneath, above, or beside the projection screen or video monitor. Caption boards come in a variety of sizes. The correct size is determined by the size of the room, the size of the screen and the distance between audience and screen. Some caption boards have built-in decoders, while others require a separate decoder. Many older theater installations utilize caption boards. However, the January 31, 2008 DOI Directive requires new programs to display captions (or Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) on screen at all times. This directive guarantees that the program is in compliance at all times, and reduces the cost of equipment and time spent troubleshooting and replacing equipment in the future.
