diff --git a/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.c b/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.c
index 9cb63f83..078d55bb 100644
--- a/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.c
+++ b/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 /**********************************************************************************************/
 #include "eia608.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -231,14 +232,16 @@ eia608_from_utf8_2 (const utf8_char_t * c1, const utf8_char_t * c2)
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-void
-eia608_dump (uint16_t cc_data)
+
+int
+eia608_to_text (char *buf, ssize_t size, uint16_t cc_data)
 {
   eia608_style_t style;
   const char *text = 0;
   char char1[5], char2[5];
   char1[0] = char2[0] = 0;
   int row, col, chan, underline;
+  int ret;
 
   if (!eia608_parity_varify (cc_data)) {
     text = "parity failed";
@@ -260,11 +263,9 @@ eia608_dump (uint16_t cc_data)
   } else if (eia608_is_norpak (cc_data)) {
     text = "norpak";
   } else if (eia608_is_preamble (cc_data)) {
-    text = "preamble";
     eia608_parse_preamble (cc_data, &row, &col, &style, &chan, &underline);
-    fprintf (stderr, "preamble %d %d %d %d %d\n", row, col, style, chan,
-        underline);
-
+    ret = snprintf(buf, size, "cc %04X (%04X) '%s' '%s' (preamble: row: %d col: %d style: %d chan: %d underline: %d)",
+        cc_data, eia608_parity_strip (cc_data), char1, char2, row, col, style, chan, underline);
   } else if (eia608_is_control (cc_data)) {
     switch (eia608_parse_control (cc_data, &chan)) {
 
@@ -352,6 +353,23 @@ eia608_dump (uint16_t cc_data)
     text = "unhandled";
   }
 
-  fprintf (stderr, "cc %04X (%04X) '%s' '%s' (%s)\n", cc_data,
-      eia608_parity_strip (cc_data), char1, char2, text);
+  if (text != 0) {
+    ret = snprintf (buf, size, "cc %04X (%04X) '%s' '%s' (%s)", cc_data, eia608_parity_strip (cc_data), char1, char2, text);
+  }
+
+  return ret;
+}
+
+void
+eia608_dump (uint16_t cc_data)
+{
+  char *text = NULL;
+  int bufsz;
+
+  bufsz = eia608_to_text (NULL, 0, cc_data);
+  text = malloc(bufsz + 1);
+  eia608_to_text (text, bufsz + 1, cc_data);
+  fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", text);
+
+  free (text);
 }
diff --git a/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.h b/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.h
index 668a6fd9..10cd0098 100644
--- a/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.h
+++ b/video/closedcaption/src/c/eia608.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+#include <stdio.h>
 #include "eia608_charmap.h"
 #include "utf8.h"
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -201,6 +202,10 @@ int eia608_to_utf8(uint16_t c, int* chan, utf8_char_t* char1, utf8_char_t* char2
     \param
 */
 void eia608_dump(uint16_t cc_data);
+/*! \brief
+    \param
+*/
+int eia608_to_text (char *buf, ssize_t size, uint16_t cc_data);
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/video/closedcaption/src/ffi.rs b/video/closedcaption/src/ffi.rs
index a59e87fc..b4145fa6 100644
--- a/video/closedcaption/src/ffi.rs
+++ b/video/closedcaption/src/ffi.rs
@@ -712,6 +712,13 @@ extern "C" {
 extern "C" {
     pub fn eia608_dump(cc_data: u16);
 }
+extern "C" {
+    pub fn eia608_to_text(
+        buf: *mut ::std::os::raw::c_char,
+        s: usize,
+        cc_data: u16,
+    ) -> ::std::os::raw::c_int;
+}
 #[repr(C)]
 #[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
 pub struct xds_t {