Channels & viewing

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NotASpeckOfCere
Streaming Star

Re: Where the subtitles on the HBO max app?

Okay, I've logged details with HBO Support (they got back to me quickly after I first opened the ticket), with all troubleshooting and issue-reproduction steps.

One of their troubleshooting steps was to try it another device. I was quick to tell them that I had no other smart device connected to the internet, because I didn't want them to punt this issue with "Workaround: user has other device to view programming". 

Chris

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TheSparrow
Reel Rookie

Re: Where the subtitles on the HBO max app?

I also worked with HBO support to try to get subtitles working. I finally asked for a full refund on my subscription. They gave me back everything for the few months I’d been wrestling with it or using work-arounds by screen sharing from my phone.

However, unfortunately it looked like the official check box reason for my refund got marked as “not using service.” So I’m not hopeful it made a discernible impact. 

NotASpeckOfCere
Streaming Star

Re: Where the subtitles on the HBO max app?

NOTE TO ALL:

I patiently went through a few levels of support with HBO, finally ending up at an advanced level of support.

They gave me the following procedure to turn captions on within the HBO Max app. It works and it sticks (captions are still on after quitting the app and re-launching it).

However, when they called it a 'resolution', I made sure to correct them that this is a 'work-around', because a) the main HBO Max app settings still doesn't work as it should and b) It still also turns off the ROKU system accessibility settings (which is really bad behavior). Neither of those things happen after using their work-around though, so at least we can get back to watching programs with subtitles, even with their app still misbehaving.

Here is the work-around HBO support gave:

  1. Start watching something and then press the Play/Pause button on your Roku remote.
  2. Move down and choose the Audio and Subtitles button (speech bubble).
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Subtitles: Choose a subtitle language
    • Closed Captions: Choose English CC.
  4. Press the Back button to save your changes.

Chris

 

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SK2012
Newbie

Re: Where the subtitles on the HBO max app?

Workaround....you need to freshly load a show each time. If you are binging a show a lot of time I see subtitles for the first episode but not any others...or if you are watching a movie and stop it to start it uo again later the subs are gone. 

So every episode you need to let the ep start playing, then go back to shows page and click back on the ep you are watching. then hit the back arrow ( I do it twice) and there they are. I know this is a cruddy workaround but this worked for me through a binge of Westworld. 

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Irkshnoitz
Newbie

Re: Where the subtitles on the HBO max app?

Changing closed captions in either ROKU via Settings or (*) button AND HBOMax settings gives inherently inconsistent results. As a programmer and veteran Customer Support professional I can confidently state that all of the commenters on this thread are both correct and incorrect. That is, sometimes when I kick my cat, the captions start working. But when I leave the toilet seat up captions will stop! That said, there is no logical sequence of steps that guarantee captions to work with HBOMax And roku tvs. At best, those steps have yet to be documented.

This is an HBOMax issue.

Captions always work with all other streaming apps using roku settings. HBO code is interfacing with roku code, as one commenter posted, literally changing global settings on the roku tv. That’s not a feature, it’s a bug. I doubt HBO will ever fix it as one brand of tvs in hundreds is experiencing this problem.

I would normally say “suck it up”, but I still spend way too much time resolving the issue each time it happens. I literally pray that captions will still be on when I venture back to HBOMax. At this point it seems Thursday afternoons and Saturday nights are not good for watching HBO with captions on my Roku tv.