To add to this, if you're trying to learn a language, not being able to watch video in the original audio language AND with subtitles in that language is also problematic, as people don't have perfect pronunciation.
Heck, Americans watching British or other historically commonwealth shows turn on the subtitles half the time just to deal with the unfamiliar-to-them accents.
Frequently subtitles are available for every language except the original on many services... which seems insane.
>Frequently subtitles are available for every language except the original on many services... which seems insane.
I didn't even bother bringing up accessibility, since it's so laughably broken (if not outright ignored) with all current streaming services. It is, at best, an afterthought.
None get even close to matching the functionality of a plain old DVD.
Or, since we are in 2024 - an MKV file with multiple audio and subtitle tracks, which the pirates care about providing, and the streaming services do not.
_______
PS: if you're trying to learn a language, US companies often refer to subtitles in the language of the audio track as "closed captions" rather then "subtitles"[1], with the target audience being hearing impaired people.
Look for the "CC" button, or "accessibility" options, and you may find what you look for.
YouTube provides automatically generated subtitles for many videos (of varying quality) with the [CC] button in the video controls.
Heck, Americans watching British or other historically commonwealth shows turn on the subtitles half the time just to deal with the unfamiliar-to-them accents.
Frequently subtitles are available for every language except the original on many services... which seems insane.