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5 November 2026 Qualify Release 2026.4.1

7 days ago by Encoding.com Product Team #3

QC Engine Version: 2026.4.1

New Features In This Release

  • Subtitle/Caption Spelling Mistake Detection
    New tests CC-130 and CC-131 detect spelling mistakes in embedded and sidecar caption/subtitle files (SRT, VTT, STL, SCC, IMSC, MXF). Each flagged error is reported with timecode and suggested orrection where available. Language dictionaries for English (US), French, Spanish, and German are supported, with optional custom dictionaries for brand names and proper nouns.
  • Detect Frozen Captions
    A new caption test (CC-132) detects caption text that remains frozen or stuck during video playback by comparing caption changes against audio activity. Affected caption time ranges and durations are reported. Captions that update normally during dialogue produce a passing result.
  • Audio Dropout
    A new audio dropout test detects sudden or sustained loss of audio by monitoring levels against configurable attack and release ratios, threshold, and duration parameters. Each detected event is reported per channel, and the test distinguishes between dropouts where audio recovers and those where it does not. EBU code: 0008B.
  • Additional MXF Tests Added
    Two new tests inspect MXF container metadata. The Dark Metadata test detects and validates the presence of non-operational (dark) metadata, with configurable rules to require its presence, require its absence, or report only, plus identifier (UL/key) allow/deny lists and occurrence thresholds. The Descriptive Metadata test inspects MXF header metadata for the presence and structural integrity of DM frameworks and schemes in a scheme-agnostic manner, with optional validation for null framework references, orphan frameworks, empty DM tracks, and declaration mismatches. Both tests return Not Applicable for non-MXF files. EBU codes: 0114W (Dark Metadata), 0113W (Descriptive Metadata).
  • Expanded Caption Word Detection to Cover Subtitles
    A new Subtitle Word Detection test (CC-129) checks subtitle tracks for configured banned words or phrases, mirroring the existing Caption Word Detection test (CC-107). Detection is case-insensitive and matches whole words and phrases only. Each contiguous occurrence is reported with the matched text and timecode range, with multiple separate alerts raised when a phrase appears non-contiguously.

Improvements

  • Caption Sync/Subtitle Sync – Additional Languages Added
    Italian and Dutch have been added to the Caption Sync and Subtitle Sync tests for AI-based synchronisation checking. These join the existing supported languages including English, French, Spanish, and German
  • Sidecar Source File Path Added to Report (where available)
    The PDF and JSON reports now include the file path of any sidecar media submitted alongside the primary asset (for example, subtitle files used in Caption Sync analysis). Previously only the primary source file path appeared in the Job Information section.
  • Add ability to set the report time to follow the server's time
    Qualify reports now support a configurable timezone via the report_timezone template property, using standard IANA timezone identifiers (e.g., "America/New_York"). Previously all report timestamps were displayed in UTC. The active timezone is shown alongside the test timestamp in both JSON and PDF output; invalid values fall back to UTC.
  • AI Language Detection – Language Order Corrected
    The Expected Language dropdown in the AI Language Detection test is now sorted alphabetically. Previously languages were displayed in an unsorted order, making specific languages difficult to locate.
  • Add Default Colour Space Dropdown to Telestream PSE Test
    The Telestream PSE test now includes a Default Colour Space option (BT.601, BT.709, BT.2020). When a source file lacks valid colour space metadata, the configured default is applied and an alert is raised to indicate this. Source file metadata always takes precedence when present.
  • Added Field Order, Aspect Ratio and Timecode in the Summary Section The PDF report summary section now displays Field Order, Aspect Ratio, and Timecode alongside the existing file metadata. These values were previously absent from the report summary.

Fixed In This Release

  • ARD ZDF XDF 01 False Positives
  • GOP Length Detection Failure
  • Harding PSE Aspect Ratio Failures (2026.1.1)
  • Indexer error with unsupported multiple audio bit rates
  • RGB Gamut / Luma Chroma Levels: EBU R103-2016 low-pass filter performance issues

** The Legacy PDF Report Design will be deprecated from this release onwards (2026.4). No action is needed as all templates will automatically move to the latest PDF Report Design.