[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 190 (Friday, September 29, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58467-58477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24649]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 15 and 79

[ET Docket 99-254; FCC 00-259]


Closed Captioning Requirements for Digital Television Receivers

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document adopt technical standards for the display of 
closed captions on digital television (DTV) receivers. The Commission 
also requires the inclusion of closed captioning decoder circuitry in 
DTV receivers. The requirements contained herein will help ensure 
access to digital programming for people with disabilities. This action 
is taken to fulfill the Commission's obligations contained in the 
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990.

DATES: Effective October 30, 2000. The incorporation by reference of 
certain publications in this rule is approved by the Director of the 
Federal Register as of October 30, 2000.
    Compliance Date: July 1, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal L. McNeil, Office of Engineering 
and Technology, (202) 418-2408, TTY (202) 418-2989, e-mail: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3856555b565d5154785e5b5b165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="402e2d232e25292c002623236e272f36">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report 
and Order, ET Docket 99-254, FCC 00-259, adopted July 21, 2000 and 
released July 31, 2000. The full text of this document is available for 
inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, (Room TW-A306) 445 12th Street SW.,

[[Page 58468]]

Washington, DC. The complete text of this document also may be 
purchased from the Commission's duplication contractor, International 
Transcription Service, Inc., (202) 857-3800, 1231 20th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20036.

Summary of Report and Order

    1. By this action, the Commission amends Part 15 of its rules to 
adopt technical standards for the display of closed captions on digital 
television (DTV) receivers. The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 
1990 (``TDCA'') requires generally that television receivers contain 
circuitry to decode and display closed captioning. See Public Law 101-
431, 104 Stat. 960 (1990) (codified at 47 U.S.C. 303(u), 330(b)).
    2. The TDCA requires that ``apparatus designed to receive 
television pictures broadcast simultaneously with sound be equipped 
with built-in decoder circuitry designed to display closed-captioned 
television transmissions when such apparatus is manufactured in the 
United States or imported for use in the United States, and its 
television picture screen is 13 inches or greater in size.'' See 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 303(u). The TDCA 
further states that ``[a]s new technology is developed, the Commission 
shall take such action as the Commission determines appropriate to 
ensure that closed-captioning service continues to be available to 
consumers.'' See 47 U.S.C. 330(b). The Commission adopted rules to 
implement the provisions of the TDCA in 1991. The rules, in 
Sec. 15.119, provide standards for the display of closed captioned text 
on analog television receivers, the only receivers in use at that time. 
See 47 CFR 15.119. The introduction of digital broadcasting now 
requires the Commission to update its rules to fulfill its continuing 
obligations under the TDCA.
    3. The Commission's DTV proceeding incorporated an industry 
approved transmission standard for DTV broadcasts into its rules. See 
Fourth Report and Order in MM Docket 87-268, FCC 96-493, 62 FR 14006 
(1997), and 47 CFR 73.682(d). The standard included a data stream 
reserved for closed captioning information, however, specific 
instructions for implementing closed captioning services for digital 
television were not included. The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) 
has since adopted a standard, EIA-708, which provides guidelines for 
encoder and decoder manufacturers as well as caption providers to 
implement closed captioning services with digital television 
technology. In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), ET Docket No. 
99-254, 64 FR 41897 (August 1999), in this proceeding the Commission 
proposed to adopt a minimum set of technical standards for closed 
caption decoder circuitry for digital television receivers in 
accordance with Section 9 of EIA-708 and to require the inclusion of 
such decoder circuitry in digital television receivers.
    4. In response to the NPRM, sixteen parties filed comments. Thirty-
four parties filed reply comments. Commenters included advocacy groups, 
manufacturers of consumer electronic equipment, trade organizations 
representing broadcast and cable interests, private citizens, and 
caption service providers. Based on the comments received, this adopts 
the requirement of Section 9 of EIA-708, with the following 
modifications:

Decoder Operation

    <bullet> Decoders must support the standard, large, and small 
caption sizes and must allow the caption provider to choose a size and 
allow the viewer to choose an alternative size.
    <bullet> Decoders must support the display of eight fonts. Caption 
providers may specify 1 of these 8 font styles to be used to write 
caption text. Decoders must include the ability for consumers to choose 
among the eight fonts. The decoder must display the font chosen by the 
caption provider unless the viewer chooses a different font.
    <bullet> Decoders must implement the same 8 character background 
colors as those that Section 9 requires be implemented for character 
foreground (white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, magenta and cyan).
    <bullet> Decoders must implement options for altering the 
appearance of caption character edges.
    <bullet> Decoders must display the color chosen by the caption 
provider, and must allow viewers to override the foreground and/or 
background color chosen by the caption provider and select alternate 
colors.
    <bullet> Decoders must be capable of decoding and processing data 
for the six standard services, but information from only one service 
need be displayed at a given time.
    <bullet> Decoders must include an option that permits a viewer to 
choose a setting that will display captions as intended by the caption 
provider (a default). Decoders must also include an option that allows 
a viewer's chosen settings to remain until the viewer chooses to alter 
these settings, including during periods when the television is turned 
off.
    <bullet> Cable providers and other multichannel video programming 
distributors must transmit captions in a format that will be 
understandable to this decoder circuitry in digital cable television 
sets when transmitting programming to digital television devices.

Covered Devices

    <bullet> All digital television receivers with picture screens in 
the 4:3 aspect ratio measuring at least 13 inches diagonally, digital 
television receivers with picture screens in the 16:9 aspect ratio 
measuring 7.8 inches or larger vertically (this size corresponds to the 
vertical height of an analog receiver with a 13 inch diagonal), and all 
DTV tuners, shipped in interstate commerce or manufactured in the 
United States must comply with the minimum decoder requirements we are 
adopting here.
    <bullet> The rules apply to DTV tuners whether or not they are 
marketed with display screens.
    <bullet> Converter boxes used to display digital programming on 
analog receivers must deliver the encoded ``analog'' caption 
information to the attached analog receiver.

Compliance Dates

    <bullet> Manufacturers must begin to include DTV closed caption 
functionality in DTV devices in accordance with the rules adopted in 
the Order by July 1, 2002.
    <bullet> As provided for in the Commission's rules establishing 
requirements for the closed captioning of video programming adopted in 
a 1997 Order, programming prepared or formatted for display on digital 
television receivers before the date that digital television decoders 
are required to be included in digital television devices is considered 
``pre-rule'' programming. As stated above, this order establishes that 
date as July 1, 2002. Therefore, programming prepared or formatted for 
display on digital television after that date will be considered new 
programming. The existing rules require an increasing amount of 
captioned new programming over an eight-year transition period with 
100% of all new nonexempt programming required to be captioned by 
January 1, 2006.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    5. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (``RFA''),\1\ an 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (``IRFA'') was incorporated 
into the

[[Page 58469]]

Notice of Proposed Rule Making (``NPRM'') in this docket, ET Docket 99-
254.\2\ The Commission sought written public comment on the proposals 
in the NPRM, including comment on the IRFA. The Final Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (``FRFA'') in this Report and Order conforms to 
the RFA.\3\
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    \1\ See 5 U.S.C. 603. The RFA, see 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., has 
been amended by the Contract With America Advancement Act of 1996, 
Public Law 104-121, 110 Stat. 847 (1996) (CWAAA). Title II of the 
CWAAA is the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 
1996 (SBREFA).
    \2\ See ET Docket 99-254, FCC 99-180, 64 FR 41897 (1999).
    \3\ See 5 U.S.C. 604.
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A. Need for, and Objectives of, the Report and Order

    6. This Report and Order amends the Commission's rules to adopt 
technical standards for the display of closed captions on digital 
television (``DTV'') receivers. In 1990, Congress passed the Television 
Decoder Circuitry Act (``TDCA'').\4\ The TDCA requires that any 
apparatus designed to receive television broadcast signals, 
manufactured or imported for use in the United States, must be able to 
display closed captioned information if its television screen is 33 
centimeters (13 inches) or larger. The TDCA also instructs the 
Commission to ensure that closed captioning service continues to be 
available to consumers as new video technology is developed. The 
introduction of digital broadcasting requires the Commission to update 
its rules to fulfill its continuing obligations under the TDCA.
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    \4\ Public Law 101-431, 104 Stat. 960 (1990) (codified at 47 
U.S.C. 303(u), 303(b)).
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B. Summary of Significant Issues Raised by Public Comments in 
Response to the IRFA

    7. No comments were filed in response to the IRFA or specifically 
regarding small entities.

C. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to 
Which the Rules Will Apply

    8. The RFA directs agencies to provide a description of, and, where 
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities that may be 
affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.\5\ The RFA generally 
defines the term ``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the 
terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small 
governmental jurisdictions.'' In addition, the term ``small business'' 
has the same meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the 
Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632, unless the Commission has developed 
one or more definitions that are appropriate to its activities.\6\ A 
``small business concern'' is one that: (1) is independently owned and 
operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of operation; and (3) meets 
any additional criteria established by the Small Business 
Administration (``SBA'').\7\
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    \5\ 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3).
    \6\ See 5 U.S.C. 601(3).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 632.
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    9. Television Equipment Manufacturers. According to the SBA's 
regulations, television equipment manufacturers must have 750 or fewer 
employees in order to qualify as a small business concern.\8\ Census 
Bureau data indicates that there are 858 U.S. companies that 
manufacture radio and television broadcasting and communications 
equipment, and that 778 of these firms have fewer than 750 employees 
and would be classified as small entities.\9\ The Census Bureau 
category is very broad, and specific figures are not available as to 
how many of these firms are manufacturers of television equipment. 
However, we believe that many of the companies that manufacture 
television equipment may qualify as small entities.
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    \8\ 13 CFR 121.201, (SIC) Code 3663.
    \9\ U.S. Department of Commerce, 1992 Census Transportation, 
Communications, and Utilities, SIC Code 3663 (issued May 1995).
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    10. Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (``MVPDs''). The 
SBA has developed a definition of small entities for cable and other 
pay television services under Standard Industrial Classification 4841 
(SIC 4841), which covers subscription television services, which 
includes all such companies with annual gross revenues of $11 million 
or less.\10\ This definition includes cable systems operators, closed 
circuit television services, direct broadcast satellite services, 
multipoint distribution systems, satellite master antenna systems and 
subscription television services. According to the Census Bureau, there 
were 1,423 such cable and other pay television services generating less 
than $11 million in revenue that were in operation for at least one 
year at the end of 1992.\11\ The following provides a more precise 
estimate for the affected MVPD services individually.
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    \10\ 13 CFR 121.201.
    \11\ 1992 Census, supra, at Firm Size 1-123. See Implementation 
of Sections of the Cable Telecommunications Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992, Rate Regulation and Cable Pricing 
Flexibility, MM Docket No. 92-266 and CS Docket No. 96-157, 
Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 61 
FR 45356, August 29, 1996.
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    11. Cable Services or Systems. The Commission has developed, with 
SBA's approval, its own definition of a ``small cable company'' and 
``small system'' for the purposes of rate regulation. Under the 
Commission's rules, a ``small cable company,'' is one serving fewer 
than 400,000 subscribers nationwide.\12\ Based on our most recent 
information, we estimate that there were 1,439 cable companies that 
qualified as small cable companies at the end of 1995.\13\ Since then, 
some of those companies may have grown to serve over 400,000 
subscribers, and others may have been involved in transactions that 
caused them to be combined with other cable companies. Consequently, we 
estimate that there are fewer than 1,439 small entity cable companies. 
The Commission's rules also define a ``small system,'' for the purposes 
of cable rate regulation, as a cable system with 15,000 or fewer 
subscribers.\14\ We do not request nor do we collect information 
concerning cable systems serving 15,000 or fewer subscribers and thus 
are unable to estimate at this time the number of small cable systems 
nationwide.
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    \12\ 47 CFR 76.901(e). The Commission developed this definition 
based on its determinations that a small cable company is one with 
annual revenues of $100 million or less. Implementation of Sections 
of the 1992 Cable Act: Rate Regulation, MM Docket Nos. 92-266 & 93-
215, Sixth Report and Order and Eleventh Order on Reconsideration, 
60 FR 35854, July 12, 1995.
    \13\ Paul Kagan Associates, Inc., Cable TV Investor, Feb. 29, 
1996 (based on figures for Dec. 30, 1995).
    \14\ 47 CFR 76.901(c).
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    12. The Communications Act also contains a definition of a ``small 
cable operator,'' which is ``a cable operator that, directly or through 
an affiliate, serves in the aggregate fewer than 1 percent of all 
subscribers in the United States and is not affiliated with any entity 
or entities whose gross annual revenues in the aggregate exceed 
$250,000,000.'' \15\ The Commission has determined that there are 
61,700,000 subscribers in the United States. Therefore, we found that 
an operator serving fewer than 617,000 subscribers is deemed a small 
operator, if its annual revenues, when combined with the total annual 
revenues of all of its affiliates, do not exceed $250 million in the 
aggregate.\16\ Based on available data, we find that the number of 
cable operators serving 617,000 subscribers or less totals 1,450.\17\ 
Although it seems certain that some of these cable system operators are 
affiliated with entities whose gross annual revenues exceed 
$250,000,000, we are unable at this time to estimate with greater 
precision the number of cable system operators that would qualify as 
small cable operators under the definition in the Communications Act. 
Furthermore, of those cable system operators that may qualify as small

[[Page 58470]]

cable operators, only those that deliver digital cable programming 
would be affected by our rules. According to General Instrument 
Corporation, approximately 1,000 headends are currently delivering 
digital video signals. It is uncertain how many of these 1,000 cable 
operators fall under the definition of a small cable company based on 
the Commission's rules or the Communications Act, but in any event the 
number would be no greater than 1,000.
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    \15\ 47 U.S.C. 543(m)(2).
    \16\ 47 CFR 76.1403(b).
    \17\ Paul Kagan Associates, Inc., Cable TV Investor, Feb. 29, 
1996 (based on figures for Dec. 30, 1995).
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    13. Direct Broadcast Satellite (``DBS'') Service. The SBA includes 
DBS service in its classification of cable and other pay television 
services. Therefore, a small DBS service is defined as a company 
generating $11 million or less in annual receipts.\18\ As of November 
1999, there were four DBS licensees, one of which was not in operation. 
Providing DBS service requires a great investment of capital to build, 
launch, and operate satellite systems. Typically, small businesses do 
not have the financial ability to become DBS licensees because of the 
high implementation costs associated with launching satellites. Most 
recent industry statistics suggest that the revenue attributed to DBS 
subscribers for EchoStar was $682.8 million for the year of 1998 and 
$1.55 billion for DirecTV. We do not have similar revenue information 
for the third operating licensee, Dominion Video Satellite, Inc. 
However, we do not believe that any DBS licensees could be categorized 
as a small business.
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    \18\ 13 CFR 121.201.
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    14. Home Satellite Dish (``HSD'') Service. The market for HSD 
service is difficult to quantify. HSD owners have access to more than 
500 channels of programming placed on C-band satellites by programmers 
for receipt and distribution by MVPDs, of which 350 channels are 
scrambled and approximately 150 channels are unscrambled.\19\ To 
receive scrambled channels, an HSD owner must purchase an integrated 
receiver-decoder from an equipment dealer and pay a subscription fee to 
an HSD programming packager. Thus, those HSD users that subscribe to a 
programming package are similar to consumers that subscribe to cable 
and other pay television services. Accordingly, it appears that the 
definition of small entity under SIC 4841 (i.e., all such companies 
generating $11 million or less in annual receipts \20\) would be 
applicable to this service.
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    \19\ See Annual Assessment of the Stations of Competition in 
Markets for the Delivery of Video Programming, CS Docket No. 97-141, 
Fourth Annual Report, 63 FR 10222, March 2, 1998.
    \20\ 13 CFR 121.201.
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    15. According to the most recently available information, there are 
approximately 20 to 25 program packagers nationwide offering packages 
of scrambled programming to retail consumers. As of June 1999, these 
program packagers provide subscriptions to approximately 1,783,411 
subscribers nationwide.\21\ This is an average of about 90,000 
subscribers per program packager. This is substantially smaller than 
the 400,000 subscribers used in the Commission's definition of a small 
multiple system operator (``MSO''). Furthermore, because this is an 
average, it is likely that some program packagers may be substantially 
smaller. Therefore, this Report and Order could affect all 25 program 
packagers.
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    \21\ See Annual Assessment of the Stations of Competition in 
Markets for the Delivery of Video Programming, CS Docket No. 99-230, 
Sixth Annual Report, 64 FR 36013, July 2, 1999.
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D. Description of Projected Reporting, Record Keeping and Other 
Compliance Requirements

    16. The Commission's rules require television receivers to be 
verified for compliance with applicable FCC technical requirements. See 
47 CFR 15.101, 15.117, and 2.951, et seq. Documentation concerning the 
verification must be kept by the manufacturer or importer. The rules 
adopted in this proceeding require that digital television receivers 
comply with industry-developed standards for closed captioning display. 
However, testing regarding closed captioning display is not necessary 
because compliance with the industry-developed standards, and the 
associated Commission rules, can be determined easily during the 
equipment design process. The Commission may, of course, ask 
manufacturers and importers to document upon occasion how a particular 
television receiver or computer system complies with the closed 
captioning display requirements. This should be a nominal request, 
requiring no specific expertise or knowledge, and should be 
accomplished in a very brief amount of time.

E. Steps Taken To Minimize Significant Economic Impact on Small 
Entities, and Significant Alternatives Considered

    17. The RFA requires an agency to describe any significant 
alternatives that it has considered in reaching its proposed approach, 
which may include the following four alternatives (among others): (1) 
the establishment of differing compliance or reporting requirements or 
timetables that take into account the resources available to small 
entities; (2) the clarification, consolidation, or simplification of 
compliance or reporting requirements under the rule for small entities; 
(3) the use of performance, rather than design, standards; and (4) an 
exemption from coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, for small 
entities. 5 U.S.C. 603(c).
    18. Some commenters representing cable operators and cable 
equipment manufacturers are concerned that adoption of the proposals in 
the NPRM will render many cable boxes obsolete.
    They state that the boxes that are used to receive digital cable 
programming are unable to process EIA-708 data. These boxes only read 
closed captioning data which has been delivered through a cable system 
pursuant to the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers 
(``SCTE'') standard DVS-157.\22\ Many cable boxes that only receive 
caption data delivered via DVS-157 are already in customer's homes and 
are being used to view digital cable programming on analog televisions.
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    \22\ General Instruments developed DVS-157 in 1992-1993 as a 
means for delivering NTSC captioning data (formatted pursuant to 
industry standard EIA-608) within digital video signals.
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    19. Cable commenters propose that the Commission adopt rules that 
would require that digital closed captioning information be delivered 
in the DVS-157 format and would require that digital televisions 
(``DTVs'') contain decoder circuitry that responds to DVS-157. 
Alternatively, they state that the Commission could consider a ``dual 
carriage'' requirement wherein broadcasters would deliver captions in 
both the EIA-708 format and the DVS-157 format. The third option they 
suggest is that the Commission detail which advanced features are 
required, such as support for multiple character colors, and let 
manufacturers design receivers to accomplish these features using 
existing captioning standards and the digital television's built-in 
graphic processing capabilities.
    20. We disagree with these suggested alternatives to the proposed 
rules. We note that the comments and replies in this proceeding express 
an overwhelming support for adoption of the EIA-708 standard. Although 
commenters have raised some concerns regarding the amount of EIA-708 to 
include in our rules, most were in favor of adopting at least portions 
of the standard. Adoption of EIA-708 will supply manufacturers with a 
uniform set of rules to follow in providing closed captioning 
capability. Furthermore,

[[Page 58471]]

EIA-708 is the logical choice for delivering closed caption information 
to digital television receivers because DTVs have been designed to 
receive programming formatted pursuant to the digital television 
transmission standard, ATSC A/53. The transmission standard reserves a 
data stream for the delivery of caption information. EIA-708 was 
developed to fill that reserved space. In the NPRM the Commission 
proposed that manufacturers comply with the regulations within one 
year. However, to minimize the impact on businesses, including small 
entities, we have provided two years in order to comply.
    21. We note that SCTE, which is currently drafting its Digital 
Cable Network Interface Standard, has delayed modifying the closed 
captioning requirements in that standard, pending FCC action in this 
proceeding. SCTE notes that, ``Some have proposed that the references 
to the current practice of using DVS-157 to transport captions be 
removed. They want to be able to build portable receiving devices 
compatible with these specifications without the support to decode 
captions carried in the DVS-157 format.'' \23\ Therefore, it appears 
that the industry is already working to resolve this standards issue.
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    \23\ SCTE DVS/335, ``Report of DVS/313 Drafting Group on 
Outstanding Issues of DVS 313 Revision 1'', April 27, 2000.
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    22. The Commission will send a copy of the Report and Order, 
including this FRFA, in a report to be sent to Congress pursuant to 
SBREFA. In addition, the Commission will send a copy of the Report and 
Order, including FRFA, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Parts 15 and 79

    Communications equipment, Closed captioning, Incorporation by 
reference, Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Rule Changes

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR parts 15 and 79 as follows:

PART 15--RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES

    The authority citation for part 15 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302, 303, 304, 307, 330, and 544A.

    1. Section 15.119, the section heading is revised to read as 
follows:


Sec. 15.119  Closed caption decoder requirements for analog television 
receivers.

* * * * *

    2. A new Sec. 15.122 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 15.122  Closed caption decoder requirements for digital television 
receivers and converter boxes.

    (a)(1) Effective July 1, 2002, all digital television receivers 
with picture screens in the 4:3 aspect ratio with picture screens 
measuring 13 inches or larger diagonally, all digital television 
receivers with picture screens in the 16:9 aspect ratio measuring 7.8 
inches or larger vertically and all separately sold DTV tuners shipped 
in interstate commerce or manufactured in the United States shall 
comply with the provisions of this section.

    Note to paragraph (a)(1): This paragraph places no restrictions 
on the shipping or sale of digital television receivers that were 
manufactured before July 1, 2002.

    (2) Effective July 1, 2002, DTV converter boxes that allow 
digitally transmitted television signals to be displayed on analog 
receivers shall pass available analog caption information to the 
attached receiver in a form recognizable by that receiver's built-in 
caption decoder circuitry.

    Note to paragraph (a)(2): This paragraph places no restrictions 
on the shipping or sale of DTV converter boxes that were 
manufactured before July 1, 2002.

    (b) Digital television receivers and tuners must be capable of 
decoding closed captioning information that is delivered pursuant to 
the industry standard EIA-708-B, ``Digital Television (DTV) Closed 
Captioning,'' Electronic Industries Alliance (December, 1999). This 
incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal 
Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Digital 
television manufacturers may wish to view EIA-708-B in its entirety. 
Copies of EIA-708-B may be obtained from: Global Engineering Documents, 
15 Inverness Way East, Englewood, CO 80112-5704, http://www.global.ihs.com/. Copies of EIA-708-B may be inspected during 
regular business hours at the following locations: Federal 
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554, 
or the Office of the Federal Register, 800 N. Capitol Street, NW., 
Suite 700, Washington, DC.
    (c) Services. (1) Decoders must be capable of decoding and 
processing data for the six standard services, Caption Service #1 
through Caption Service #6.
    (2) Decoders that rely on Program and System Information Protocol 
data to implement closed captioning functions must be capable of 
decoding and processing the Caption Service Directory data. Such 
decoders must be capable of decoding all Caption Channel Block Headers 
consisting of Standard Service Headers, Extended Service Block Headers, 
and Null Block headers. However, decoding of the data is required only 
for Standard Service Blocks (Service IDs -6), and then only if the 
characters for the corresponding language are supported. The decoders 
must be able to display the directory for services 1 through 6.
    (d) Code space organization. (1) Decoders must support Code Space 
C0, G0, C1, and G1 in their entirety.


[[Page 58472]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR29SE00.000

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
    (2) The following characters within code space G2 must be 
supported:
    (i) Transparent space (<INF>TSP</INF>).
    (ii) Non-breaking transparent space (<INF>NBTSP</INF>).
    (iii) Solid block ( ).
    (iv) Trademark symbol (<SUP>TM</SUP>).
    (v) Latin-1 characters (S,  ), s,  ), Y).
    (3) The substitutions in Table 2 are to be made if a decoder does 
not support the remaining G2 characters.

                                    Table 2.--G2 Character Substitution Table
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                G2 Character                                           Substitute with
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Open single quote (`), G2 char code 0 x 31.  G0 single quote (`), char code 0 x 27
Close single quote ('), G2 char code 0 x 32  G0 single quote ('), char code 0 x 27
Open double quote (``), G2 char code 0 x 33  G0 double quote (``), char code 0 x 22
Close double quote (''), G2 char code 0 x    G0 double quote (''), char code 0 x 22
 34.
Bold bullet (<bullet>), G2 char code 0 x 35  G1 bullet (<bullet>), char code 0 x B7
Elipsis (. . .), G2 char code 0 x 25.......  G0 underscore (__), char code 0 x 5F
One-eighth (\1/8\), G2 char code 0 x 76....  G0 percent sign (%), char code 0 x 25
Three-eighths (\3/8\), G2 char code 0 x 77.  G0 percent sign (%), char code 0 x 25

[[Page 58473]]

 
Five-eighths (\5/8\), G2 char code 0 x 78..  G0 percent sign (%), char code 0 x 25
Seven-eighths (\7/8\), G2 char code 0 x 79.  G0 percent sign (%), char code 0 x 25
Vertical border (|), G2 char code 0 x 7A...  G0 stroke (|), char code 0 x 7C
Upper-right border ([), G2 char code 0 x 7B  G0 dash (-), char code 0 x 2D
Lower-left border (<tm-bond>), G2 char code  G0 dash (-), char code 0 x 2D
 0 x 7C.
Horizontal border (--), G2 char code 0 x 7D  G0 dash (-), char code 0 x 2D
Lower-right border (]), G2 char code 0 x 7E  G0 dash (-), char code 0 x 2D
Upper-left border (<bmbond>), G2 char code   G0 dash (-), char code 0 x 2D
 0 x 7F.
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    (4) Support for code spaces C2, C3, and G3 is optional. All 
unsupported graphic symbols in the G3 code space are to be substituted 
with the G0 underscore character (__), char code 0 x 5F.
    (e) Screen coordinates. Table 3 specifies the screen coordinate 
resolutions and limits for anchor point positioning in 4:3 and 16:9 
display formats, and the number of characters per row.

                               Table 3.--Screen Coordinate Resolutions and Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           Maximum     Maximum
     Screen aspect ratio         Maximum anchor position      Minimum anchor position     displayed   characters
                                        resolution                   resolution             rows       per row
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4:3..........................  75v  x  160h...............  15v  x  32h................           4           32
16:9.........................  75v  x  210h...............  15v  x  42h................           4           42
Other........................  75v  x  (5  x  H)..........  15v  x  H*.................           4          \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\H = 32  x  (the width of the screen in relation to a 4:3 display). For example, the 16:9 format is \1/3\
  wider than a 4:3 display; thus, H = 32 * \4/3\ = 42.667, or 42.

    (1) This means that the minimum grid resolution for a 4:3 aspect 
ratio instrument is 15 vertical positions  x  32 horizontal positions. 
This minimum grid resolution for 16:9 ratio instrument is 15 vertical 
positions  x  42 horizontal positions. These minimum grid sizes are to 
cover the entire safe-title area of the corresponding screen.
    (2) The minimum coordinates equate to a \1/5\ reduction in the 
maximum horizontal and vertical grid resolution coordinates. Caption 
providers are to use the maximum coordinate system values when 
specifying anchor point positions. Decoders using the minimum 
resolution are to divide the provided horizontal and vertical screen 
coordinates by 5 to derive the equivalent minimum coordinates.
    (3) Any caption targeted for both 4:3 and 16:9 instruments is 
limited to 32 contiguous characters per row. If a caption is received 
by a 4:3 instrument that is targeted for a 16:9 display only, or 
requires a window width greater than 32 characters, then the caption 
may be completely disregarded by the decoder. 16:9 instruments should 
be able to process and display captions intended for 4:3 displays, 
providing all other minimum recommendations are met.
    (4) If the resulting size of any window is larger than the safe 
title area for the corresponding display's aspect ratio, then this 
window will be completely disregarded.
    (f) Caption windows. (1) Decoders need to display no more than 4 
rows of captions on the screen at any given time, regardless of the 
number of windows displayed. This implies that no more than 4 windows 
can be displayed at any given time (with each having only one caption 
row). However, decoders should maintain storage to support a minimum 
total of 8 rows of captions. This storage is needed for the worst-case 
support of a displayed window with 4 rows of captioning and a non-
displayed window which is buffering the incoming rows for the next 4-
row caption. As implied above, the maximum number of windows that may 
be displayed at any one time by a minimum decoder implementation is 4. 
If more than 4 windows are defined in the caption stream, the decoder 
may disregard the youngest and lowest priority window definition(s). 
Caption providers must be aware of this limitation, and either restrict 
the total number of windows used or accept that some windows will not 
be displayed.
    (2) Decoders do not need to support overlapped windows. If a window 
overlaps another window, the overlapped window need not be displayed by 
the decoder.
    (3) At a minimum, decoders will assume that all windows have rows 
and columns ``locked''. This implies that if a decoder implements the 
SMALL pen-size, then word-``un''wrapping, when shrinking captions, need 
not be implemented. Also, if a decoder implements the LARGE pen size, 
then word wrapping (when enlarging captions) need not be implemented.
    (4) Whenever possible, the receiver should render embedded carriage 
returns as line breaks, since these carriage returns indicate an 
important aspect of the caption's formatting as determined by the 
service provider. However, it may sometimes be necessary for the 
receiver to ignore embedded line breaks. For example, if a caption is 
to appear in a larger font, and if its window's rows and/or columns are 
unlocked, the rows of text may need to become longer or shorter to fit 
within the allocated space. Such automatic reformatting of a caption is 
known as ``word wrap.'' If decoders support word-wrapping, it must be 
implemented as follows:
    (i) The receiver should follow standard typographic practice when 
implementing word wrap. Potential breaking points (word-wrapping 
points) are indicated by the space character (20h) and by the hyphen 
character (2Dh).
    (ii) If a row is to be broken at a space, the receiver should 
remove the space from the caption display. If a row is to be broken 
after a hyphen, the hyphen should be retained.
    (iii) If an embedded return is to be removed, it should usually be 
replaced with a space. However, if the character to the left of the 
embedded return is a

[[Page 58474]]

hyphen, the embedded return should be removed but NOT replaced with a 
space.
    (iv) This specification does not include optional hyphens, nor does 
it provide for any form of automatic hyphenation. No non-breaking 
hyphen is defined. The non-breaking space (A0h in the G1 code set) and 
the non-breaking transparent space (21h in the G2 code set) should not 
be considered as potential line breaks.
    (v) If a single word exceeds the length of a row, the word should 
be placed at the start of a new row, broken at the character following 
the last character that fits on the row, and continued with further 
breaks if needed.
    (g) Window text painting. (1) All decoders should implement 
``left'', ``right'', and ``center'' caption-text justification. 
Implementation of ``full'' justification is optional. If ``full'' 
justification is not implemented, fully justified captions should be 
treated as though they are ``left'' justified.
    (i) For ``left'' justification, decoders should display any portion 
of a received row of text when it is received. For ``center'', 
``right'', and ``full'' justification, decoders may display any portion 
of a received row of text when it is received, or may delay display of 
a received row of text until reception of a row completion indicator. A 
row completion indicator is defined as receipt of a CR, ETX or any 
other command, except SetPenColor, SetPenAttributes, or SetPenLocation 
where the pen relocation is within the same row.
    (ii) Receipt of a character for a displayed row which already 
contains text with ``center'', ``right'' or ``full'' justification will 
cause the row to be cleared prior to the display of the newly received 
character and any subsequent characters. Receipt of a justification 
command which changes the last received justification for a given 
window will cause the window to be cleared.
    (2) At a minimum, decoders must support LEFT_TO_RIGHT printing.
    (3) At a minimum, decoders must support BOTTOM_TO_TOP scrolling. 
For windows sharing the same horizontal scan lines on the display, 
scrolling may be disabled.
    (4) At a minimum, decoders must support the same recommended 
practices for scroll rate as is provided for NTSC closed-captioning.
    (5) At a minimum, decoders must support the same recommended 
practices for smooth scrolling as is provided for NTSC closed-
captioning.
    (6) At a minimum, decoders must implement the ``snap'' window 
display effect. If the window ``fade'' and ``wipe'' effects are not 
implemented, then the decoder will ``snap'' all windows when they are 
to be displayed, and the ``effect speed'' parameter is ignored.
    (h) Window colors and borders. At a minimum, decoders must 
implement borderless windows with solid, black backgrounds (i.e., 
border type = NONE, fill color = (0,0,0), fill opacity = SOLID), and 
borderless transparent windows (i.e., border type = NONE, fill opacity 
= TRANSPARENT).
    (i) Predefined window and pen styles. Predefined Window Style and 
Pen Style ID's may be provided in the DefineWindow command. At a 
minimum, decoders should implement Predefined Window Attribute Style 1 
and Predefined Pen Attribute Style 1, as shown in Table 4 and Table 5, 
respectively.

[[Page 58475]]



                                                                             Table 4.--Predefined Window Style ID's
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Scroll        Word     Display       Effect      Effect                    Fill       Border      Border
          Style ID #              Justify     Print direction      direction      wrap      effect     direction      speed     Fill color    opacity      type        color          Usage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................  Left........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  No....  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  (0,0,0)      Solid.....  None......  n/a.......  NTSC Style PopUp
                                                                                                                                Black.                                           Captions
2............................  Left........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  No....  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  n/a........  Transparen  None......  n/a.......  PopUp Captions w/
                                                                                                                                             t.                                  o Black
                                                                                                                                                                                 Background
3............................  Cntr........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  No....  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  (0,0,0)      Solid.....  None......  n/a.......  NTSC Style
                                                                                                                                Black.                                           Centered PopUp
                                                                                                                                                                                 Captions
4............................  Left........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  Yes...  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  (0,0,0)      Solid.....  None......  n/a.......  NTSC Style
                                                                                                                                Black.                                           RollUp Captions
5............................  Left........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  Yes...  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  n/a........  Transparen  None......  n/a.......  RollUp Captions
                                                                                                                                             t.                                  w/o Black
                                                                                                                                                                                 Background
6............................  Cntr........  Left-to-right...  Bottom-to-top...  Yes...  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  (0,0,0)      Solid.....  None......  n/a.......  NTSC Style
                                                                                                                                Black.                                           Centered RollUp
                                                                                                                                                                                 Captions
7............................  Left........  Top-to-bottom...  Right-to-left...  No....  Snap.......  n/a........  n/a.......  (0,0,0)      Solid.....  None......  n/a.......  Ticker Tape
                                                                                                                                Black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                               Table 5.--Predefined Pen Style ID's
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                 Foregrnd     Foregrnd    Backgrnd      Backgrnd
     Predefined style ID        Pen size      Font style         Offset      Italics   Underline    Edge type      color      opacity       color       opacity     Edge color        Usage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...........................  Stndr......  0..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  None.......  (2,2,2)     Solid......  (0,0,0)     Solid........  n/a.......  Default NTSC
                                                                                                                 White.                   Black.                                 Style*
2...........................  Stndr......  1..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  None.......  (2,2,2)...  Solid......  (0,0,0)     Solid........  n/a.......  NTSC Style* Mono
                                                                                                                                          White.                                 w/Serif
3...........................  Stndr......  2..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  None.......  (2,2,2)     Solid......  (0,0,0)     Solid........  n/a.......  NTSC Style* Prop
                                                                                                                 White.                   Black.                                 w/ Serif
4...........................  Stndr......  3..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  None.......  (2,2,2)     Solid......  (0,0,0)     Solid........  n/a.......  NTSC Style* Mono
                                                                                                                 White.                   Black.                                 w/o Serif
5...........................  Stndr......  4..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  None.......  (2,2,2)     Solid......  (0,0,0)     Solid........  n/a.......  NTSC Style* Prop
                                                                                                                 White.                   Black.                                 w/o Serif
6...........................  Stndr......  3..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  Unifrm.....  (2,2,2)     Solid......  n/a.......  Transparent..  (0,0,0)     Mono w/o Serif,
                                                                                                                 White.                                              Black.      Bordered Text,
                                                                                                                                                                                 No BG
7...........................  Stndr......  4..............  Normal.........  No.....  No.........  Unifrm.....  (2,2,2)     Solid......  n/a.......  Transparent..  (0,0,0)     Prop. w/o Serif,
                                                                                                                 White.                                              Black.      Bordered Text,
                                                                                                                                                                                 No BG
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*``NTSC Style''--White Text on Black Background


[[Page 58476]]

    (j) Pen size. (1) Decoders must support the standard, large, and 
small pen sizes and must allow the caption provider to choose a pen 
size and allow the viewer to choose an alternative size. The STANDARD 
pen size should be implemented such that the height of the tallest 
character in any implemented font is no taller than \1/15\ of the 
height of the safe-title area, and the width of the widest character is 
no wider than \1/32\ of the width of the safe-title area for 4:3 
displays and \1/42\ of the safe-title area width for 16:9 displays.
    (2) The LARGE pen size should be implemented such that the width of 
the widest character in any implemented font is no wider than \1/32\ of 
the safe-title area for 16:9 displays. This recommendation allows for 
captions to grow to a LARGE pen size without having to reformat the 
caption since no caption will have more than 32 characters per row.
    (k) Font styles. (1) Decoders must support the eight fonts listed 
below. Caption providers may specify 1 of these 8 font styles to be 
used to write caption text. The styles specified in the ``font style'' 
parameter of the SetPenAttributes command are numbered from 0 through 
7. The following is a list of the 8 required font styles. For 
information purposes only, each font style references one or more 
popular fonts which embody the characteristics of the style:

(i) 0--Default (undefined)
(ii) 1--Monospaced with serifs (similar to Courier)
(iii) 2--Proportionally spaced with serifs (similar to Times New Roman)
(iv) 3--Monospaced without serifs (similar to Helvetica Monospaced)
(v) 4--Proportionally spaced without serifs (similar to Arial and 
Swiss)
(vi) 5--Casual font type (similar to Dom and Impress)
(vii) 6--Cursive font type (similar to Coronet and Marigold)
(viii) 7--Small capitals (similar to Engravers Gothic)

    (2) Font styles may be implemented in any typeface which the 
decoder manufacturer deems to be a readable rendition of the font 
style, and need not be in the exact typefaces given in the example 
above. Decoders must include the ability for consumers to choose among 
the eight fonts. The decoder must display the font chosen by the 
caption provider unless the viewer chooses a different font.
    (l) Character offsetting. Decoders need not implement the character 
offsetting (i.e., subscript and superscript) pen attributes.
    (m) Pen styles. At a minimum, decoders must implement normal, 
italic, and underline pen styles.
    (n) Foreground color and opacity. (1) At a minimum, decoders must 
implement transparent, translucent, solid and flashing character 
foreground type attributes.
    (2) At a minimum, decoders must implement the following character 
foreground colors: white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, magenta and 
cyan.
    (3) Caption providers may specify the color/opacity. Decoders must 
include the ability for consumers to choose among the color/opacity 
options. The decoder must display the color/opacity chosen by the 
caption provider unless the viewer chooses otherwise.
    (o) Background color and opacity. (1) Decoders must implement the 
following background colors: white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, 
magenta and cyan. It is recommended that this background is extended 
beyond the character foreground to a degree that the foreground is 
separated from the underlying video by a sufficient number of 
background pixels to insure the foreground is separated from the 
background.
    (2) Decoders must implement transparent, translucent, solid and 
flashing background type attributes. Caption providers may specify the 
color/opacity. Decoders must include the ability for consumers to 
choose among the color/opacity options. The decoder must display the 
color/opacity chosen by the caption provider unless the viewer chooses 
otherwise.
    (p) Character edges. Decoders must implement separate edge color 
and type attribute control.
    (q) Color representation. (1) At a minimum, decoders must support 
the 8 colors listed in Table 6.

                   Table 6.--Minimum Color List Table
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Color                        Red     Green     Blue
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black........................................        0        0        0
White........................................        2        2        2
Red..........................................        2        0        0
Green........................................        0        2        0
Blue.........................................        0        0        2
Yellow.......................................        2        2        0
Magenta......................................        2        0        2
Cyan.........................................        0        2        2
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2)(i) When a decoder supporting this Minimum Color List receives 
an RGB value not in the list, it will map the received value to one of 
the values in the list via the following algorithm:
    (A) All one (1) values are to be changed to 0.
    (B) All two (2) values are to remain unchanged.
    (C) All three (3) values are to be changed to 2.
    (ii) For example, the RGB value (1,2,3) will be mapped to (0,2,2), 
(3,3,3) will be mapped to (2,2,2) and (1,1,1) will be mapped to 
(0,0,0).
    (3) Table 7 is an alternative minimum color list table supporting 
22 colors.

             Table 7.--Alternative Minimum Color List Table
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Color                        Red     Green     Blue
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black........................................        0        0        0
Gray.........................................        1        1        1
White........................................        2        2        2
Bright White.................................        3        3        3
Dark Red.....................................        1        0        0
Red..........................................        2        0        0
Bright Red...................................        3        0        0
Dark Green...................................        0        1        0
Green........................................        0        2        0
Bright Green.................................        0        3        0
Dark Blue....................................        0        0        1
Blue.........................................        0        0        2
Bright Blue..................................        0        0        3
Dark Yellow..................................        1        1        0
Yellow.......................................        2        2        0
Bright Yellow................................        3        3        0
Dark Magenta.................................        1        0        1
Magenta......................................        2        0        2
Bright Magenta...............................        3        0        3
Dark Cyan....................................        0        1        1
Cyan.........................................        0        2        2
Bright Cyan..................................        0        3        3
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (i) When a decoder supporting the Alternative Minimum Color List in 
Table 7 receives an RGB value not in the list (i.e., an RGB value whose 
non-zero elements are not the same value), it will map the received 
value to one of the values in the list via the following algorithm:
    (A) For RGB values with all elements non-zero and different--e.g., 
(1,2,3), (3,2,1), and (2,1,3), the 1 value will be changed to 0, the 2 
value will remain unchanged, and the 3 value will be changed to 2.
    (B) For RGB values with all elements non-zero and with two common 
elements--e.g. (3,1,3), (2,1,2), and (2,2,3), if the common elements 
are 3 and the uncommon one is 1, then the 1 elements is changed to 0; 
e.g. (3,1,3) <r-arrow> (3,0,3). If the common elements are 1 and the 
uncommon element is 3, then the 1 elements are changed to 0, and the 3 
element is changed to 2; e.g. (1,3,1) <r-arrow> (0,2,0). In all other 
cases, the uncommon element is changed to the common value; e.g., 
(2,2,3) <r-arrow> (2,2,2), (1,2,1) <r-arrow> (1,1,1), and (3,2,3) 
<r-arrow> (3,3,3).
    (ii) All decoders not supporting either one of the two color lists 
described above, must support the full 64 possible RGB color value 
combinations.

[[Page 58477]]

    (r) Character rendition considerations. In NTSC Closed Captioning, 
decoders were required to insert leading and trailing spaces on each 
caption row. There were two reasons for this requirement:
    (1) To provide a buffer so that the first and last characters of a 
caption row do not fall outside the safe title area, and
    (2) To provide a black border on each side of a character so that 
the ``white'' leading pixels of the first character on a row and the 
trailing ``white'' pixels of the last character on a row do not bleed 
into the underlying video.
    (i) Since caption windows are required to reside in the safe title 
area of the DTV screen, reason 1 (above) is not applicable to DTVCC 
captions.
    (ii) The attributes available in the SetPenAttributes command for 
character rendition (e.g., character background and edge attributes) 
provide unlimited flexibility to the caption provider when describing 
caption text in an ideal decoder implementation. However, manufacturers 
need not implement all pen attributes. Thus it is recommended that no 
matter what the level of implementation, decoder manufacturers should 
take into account the readability of all caption text against a variety 
of all video backgrounds, and should implement some automatic character 
delineation when the individual control of character foreground, 
background and edge is not supported.
    (s) Service synchronization. Service Input Buffers must be at least 
128 bytes in size. Caption providers must keep this lower limit in mind 
when following Delay commands with other commands and window text. In 
other words, no more than 128 bytes of DTVCC commands and text should 
be transmitted (encoded) before a pending Delay command's delay 
interval expires.
    (t) Settings. Decoders must include an option that permits a viewer 
to choose a setting that will display captions as intended by the 
caption provider (a default). Decoders must also include an option that 
allows a viewer's chosen settings to remain until the viewer chooses to 
alter these settings, including periods when the television is turned 
off.

PART 79--CLOSED CAPTIONING OF VIDEO PROGRAMMING

    1. The authority citation for part 79 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 613.

    2. Section 79.1 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(4) and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec. 79.1  Closed captionng of video programming.

    (a) * * *
    (1) Closed captioning. The visual display of the audio portion of 
video programming pursuant to the technical specifications set forth in 
part 15 of this chapter.
* * * * *
    (c) Obligation to pass through captions of already captioned 
programs. All video programming distributors shall deliver all 
programming received from the video programming owner or other 
origination source containing closed captioning to receiving television 
households with the original closed captioning data intact in a format 
that can be recovered and displayed by decoders meeting the standards 
of part 15 of this chapter unless such programming is recaptioned or 
the captions are reformatted by the programming distributor.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 00-24649 Filed 9-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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