Help! Looking For Subtitling Software With One Single Feature, But Can't Seem To Find It Anywhere...

[markog]

Hello,

 

I've been using a professional software which is rapidly lagging behind the free software solutions I can find on the internet (Subtitle Edit, AegiSub, Subtitle Workshop etc.). What I would like to know is: Is there any subtitling software that allows single-key time coding (that is, setting the start and end time of subtitles using the same keystroke)? What I mean is this: you open the video file and the subtitle list without time codes, then you play the video and just press any single key when you want to set the start and the end time for each subtitle. Of course, you have to correct mistakes after you're finished, but that's easily done in any subtitling software. Professional subtitling software solutions use this option almost always, I'm used to it and would like to know if any (free) subtitling software can do this. Please help! Also, this software should support mp4 video files.

Any feedback or info would be immensely appreciated.

Cheers,

 

Marko

[markog]

OK, here's what I found out so far... DivxLand Media Subtitler is probably closest to what I'm looking for, even though you have to use two keys (one for start and the other for the end of each subtitle). Sure, I can always ask Nikse to help out (which I'll probably do very soon ). I just wanted to see what the other options are.

I can't believe that 40 people viewed this page and no one knows of any software that can do this... Come on, people, don't hold back.

[BorisVictor]

Hi Marko,

 

I don't believe there is an option (yet) for single-key time coding in SE as you said. But what is the advantage? You can use in SE the wave to make a rough timeschedule or do spoting using the F11-F12 keys.

 

For on audio translations the waveform works best but find the right options to make the wave (try in Guess timecodes; Detectoptions 100-37-70 and in others 3500 milliseconds.).

I use SE, the best free software I guess. I used to work with SWS 2.51 and the latest version but SE is still my favorite.

 

greetz

[markog]

What's the advantage? Well, for starters, it's just easier and more straight-forward. I've time coded hundreds of films using this single-key option with a professional software (which I want to ditch because the author is developing it in the wrong direction), that's why I'm looking for this in other software solutions.

Using audio visualization is fine for those who want to use it, but it's really awkward for people who are used to a different approach. Spotting using two keys is strange for me because I really can't get used to it after so much time spent doing it differently.

What's really interesting to me is the fact that none of the subtitling software packages offer this single-key time coding option by default, at least just for the sake of being available to those who want to use it. I mean, it's not difficult to implement, I'm sure. How come none of the developers ever thought "hey, maybe this would be easier than the two-key way"? Maybe they did? I don't know...

Aegisub developers even say that they will never support this option because it's "inefficient and inaccurate" (simply wrong on both accounts). All my colleagues use single-key time coding and it's been proven accurate and efficient. Yes, it takes about 120 minutes to time code a 90 minute film (because you have to correct certain things afterwards, not necessarily time codes), but the results are very good. So why this slight resistance to single-key time coding? I don't get it. I'd understand if this approach was cumbersome and counter-productive, but since professionals use it and it yields very good results, I don't see any good point against it. Has anyone of you tried the single-key time coding? I'm just curious. It's just as good as any other approach, but it's a matter of taste, I guess. I would even pay the developers to include this option, no problem. Furthermore, developers seem to be missing the fact that they could offer their subtitling software solutions to professional subtitlers and make money (I'm down with having a freeware version with regular time coding options and a pro version with this single-key time coding option). It's a win-win situation.

And Subtitle Edit is absolutely fantastic, we can definitely agree on that.

[Alice]

markog -- Why don't you ask directly to Nikse on its SE thread if that feature could be implemented?

[markog]

Yes, I've been meaning to do it, but I wanted to see first if there were any other possible solutions to my "problem". I just didn't want to bother Nikse as he's putting so much time into SE as it is. But I will definitely contact him soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

I've also seen several similar time coding options in SE, quite close to what I'm looking for, but always that small step away from being spot-on. So I guess there is hope after all.

[Nikse]

Hi Marko,

 

SE has shortcuts for many different ways to create/adjust - e.g. this:

 

If you open a text or subtitle via "File -> Import text" you can get "blank" time codes.

[mstoll]

with Manual Video Subtitler 0.9 you can do that, naturally without changing any option.
One keystroke for start and end of sub line.