Quick Answer: Subtitles and audio tracks come from the stream itself. If subtitles are missing, or the wrong language plays, the cause is usually that the source carries only one track, or that the track is selected but not displayed. Check the source against another player first, then adjust the subtitle and audio settings in TiviMate and on the device.
Where Subtitles and Audio Tracks Come From#
TiviMate plays what the stream delivers. A channel or file may embed multiple audio tracks, such as English and Spanish, or multiple subtitle tracks in several languages. It may also carry none, or only burned-in subtitles that cannot be turned off. Before changing anything, confirm what the source actually contains by playing the same stream in another player.
No Subtitles Showing#
- Confirm the source has a subtitle track at all; if the stream has none, no setting will create one.
- Check whether subtitles are turned on in TiviMate's playback settings for the current stream.
- Verify that the device does not have a separate system-wide subtitle toggle overriding the app.
- If the subtitles are burned into the picture, they cannot be disabled; that is a property of the source.
Wrong Subtitle or Audio Language#
When several tracks are present, the default selection may not be the one you want. Open the in-playback audio or subtitle menu and pick the desired track. Some players remember your choice per channel, others do not, so you may need to select it again on a different channel. Preferred-language settings, where available, can help but cannot select a track the stream does not include.
Subtitles Out of Sync#
Timing problems usually come from the source or the track itself, not from TiviMate. If subtitles drift in TiviMate but are correct in another player, the built-in player's timing is the difference. Adjusting subtitle delay, if your setup offers it, can help. If they are wrong everywhere, the source's track is at fault and only the provider can fix it.
No Audio or Wrong Audio#
- No sound on one channel: the source's audio codec may not be supported by your device. See no sound troubleshooting.
- Wrong language by default: select the correct audio track in the playback menu.
- Audio present but silent track: some streams default to a commentary or secondary track; switch tracks.
- Audio and video drift apart: this is a sync issue rather than a missing track; see audio out of sync.
Device Output Settings#
The device and TV also affect audio. A TV set to the wrong input, a soundbar on standby, or an HDMI passthrough mode that your equipment does not support can mute or distort sound even when the stream is fine. If subtitles show but audio fails only on one output route, the route is the problem. Confirm the device's audio output matches your speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Can TiviMate download external subtitle files?#
TiviMate works with the subtitle tracks contained in the stream. It is not a general subtitle-download tool, so missing tracks usually cannot be added from the app.
Why do subtitles work on one channel but not another?#
Because the two sources differ. One carries a subtitle track and the other does not. The app can only show what the stream includes.
How do I change the default audio language?#
Use the in-playback audio menu to pick the track. If the stream only offers one language, no setting can produce another.
How to Check What a Stream Contains#
The quickest way to know what a source offers is to play it in a player that lists its tracks. If that player shows one audio track and no subtitles, the stream simply lacks the options you want, and no TiviMate setting can create them. If the tracks exist there but not in TiviMate, the difference lies in the player rather than the source.
Subtitles, Audio, and the Device#
- Codec support. A device that cannot decode a stream's audio codec may play video with no sound. See no sound.
- Output routing. Wrong HDMI or passthrough settings can silence audio on some channels only.
- Text rendering. Some devices render certain subtitle fonts or formats less cleanly.
A Step-by-Step Approach#
- Confirm the stream has the track you want, using another player if needed.
- Select the desired track in the in-playback menu.
- Check device-level subtitle and audio toggles.
- If timing or sync is the issue, treat it as a sync problem rather than a missing track.
- If it works elsewhere but not here, try an external player as a diagnostic.
Per-Channel vs Global Preferences#
Some setups remember the audio or subtitle track you choose for a channel and reuse it next time; others reset per stream. If your choice does not stick, that is usually a property of the source or the player rather than a fault. Choose the track when you open the channel, and set any preferred-language options that your app offers as a fallback.
Why One Channel Behaves Differently#
- It may carry different tracks than the others.
- Its audio codec may be less supported on your device.
- Its subtitles may be burned into the picture.
- It may use a different source feed than a sibling channel.
A Fast Diagnostic#
- Note the exact symptom: missing, wrong language, or out of sync.
- Test the same channel in another player.
- If consistent everywhere, the source is responsible.
- If it differs, adjust the player, then the device output.
Keeping the symptom specific stops you from changing settings that were never the problem.
Sources#
See the TiviMate listing on Google Play for the app. For background on subtitle tracks, see subtitles and captioning on Wikipedia.
Related Guides#
See TiviMate no sound, audio out of sync, and external player.