Add Captions

Captions for video and audio files are crucial to accessibility. Whenever possible, captions should coincide with the dialogue and on-screen activity. Transcripts are an alternative, although less preferable, approach.

MAGpie (Media Access Generator)

MAGpie is a free caption application that enables you to add captions to the three most common protocols: RealMedia, QuickTime and WindowsMedia. For a copy go to the NCAM website and download the Magpie application (ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie/index.html). Judging by comments on the listserve for MAGpie, it is not unusual to have installation problems. Be sure to read the documentation for MAGpie 2.0 (http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie/magpie_help/) before you install MAGpie. In addition to MAGpie, it is necessary to install Java Runtime Edition (JRE) on a PC, and use QuickTime 4.1.2 or higher with QuickTime Java enabled. Links to download the software are contained in the documentation.

PC

MAGpie for Windows supports Windows Media Player, QuickTime and RealPlayer, although Windows Media Player will not read captioning.

Macintosh

Magpie 2.0 can only add captions to QuickTime files in OS X at this time. It is unnecessary to install JRE, however, since it is bundled in OS X.