Why are subtitles so unreliable on TV?

[Outdoorsman]

Subtitles don't join up and there are long gaps in sentences.

This is very bad when you're hard of hearing. I like the Planet Earth type documentaries, but I can't make out what the commentator is saying because of the background music/noise. I end up just switching off the sound.

The subtitles are OK on DVD's like Inspector Morse or Kavanagh QC.

I'm really fed up...Roll on Summer, so that I can get out and about!

[Brend-O-Tron]

Subtitles work by taking a BITC (Burnt In TimeCode) copy of the programme, then matching up what's being said onscreen to corresponding timecode on the tape (timecode is an indiviual number given to each frame of the video). Sometimes if the signal stength through your aerial is poor it can affect the subtitles, as this is how they are transmitted. Hope that helps!

[Outdoorsman]

Thanks for that Brend-O-Tron. That also explains the good quality DVD subtittles...

And here's me thinking it was all worked out by chimpanzees!!