Syncing subtitles accurately

[alex28]

Introduction

I made this article because many people were asking questions on how to sync subtitles. Well, this article should help those who want to sync their subtitles accurately to their correct timing.

This method can be used either if you need a constant or an arbitrary delay.

For this article I will use SubtitleWorkshop version 2.51.

I hope this clears all your doubts on how to sync subtitles. Enjoy

Steps Involved In Syncing

1. Download SubtitleWorkshop from here and install the program.

2. Run the program and load your subtitle and video by dragging/dropping both to SubtitleWorkshop’s main window:



3. To sync the subtitle, click on "Add Subtitle/Video Synchronization Point" or press Ctrl+Alt+P:



4. Select the ‘Simple’ tab:



5. Find out the timings of the first and the last spoken lines. They’re displayed on the right side of the sliding bar:



6. Now go back to the ‘Simple’ tab and change the values accordingly:



7. Save your subtitle clicking on ‘File’ and then ‘Save’. If you want, you can change the filetype selecting ‘Save As’, otherwise it’ll remain as the original file (.srt, .sub etc.). You can now enjoy your video with subtitles after syncing them to your desired timings.

(Taken from VeRdiKT's tutorial @ SubScene.com. List of credits goes as follows:
Lyliakar at subscene.com for publishing and editing this article.
Rogard at subscene.com for telling us about this cool software.
DivXStation.com from where I took some points on making this article.
URUSoft for this wonderful software (Subtitle Workshop 2.51) and guidelines.)

[sanaraset]

Do you have a tutorial for mac users?

[alex28]

Nope, but i`ll look for one.

[deGrote]

Greeeat! Thanks, dude!

[picollo]

Humm... Do you know Visualsubsync aka VSS ? SW is a prehistoric tool by comparison to VSS.

[Kerensky]

And VSS is pretty limited compared to Aegisub...

[picollo]

I don't agree. VSS has the best additional plugins, it can make standards subtitles as professionals. Aegisub is perhaps better for karaoke or others "gadgets", but who cares except those who make japanime. Anyway, VSS powa for good subs.

Please, excuse my English :/

[Kerensky]

Well, the day the VSS has the video/audio support and can work with .ass/.ssa as well as Aegisub, we talk ok?

And the plug-in's for VSS are not that great, I know it well because I program my own subtitle programs.

[kuting]

question... i tried to download the subtitles for the first season of True Blood. i watched the 1st episode and everything went well. however for the 2nd episode onwards, i notice some problems. the videos i have has the "previously on..." recap of the previous episode and the subtitles i got here didn't have a subtitle for the recaps. the subtitle for the 2nd episode, for example, starts with the actual line for the start of the series.

but anyway i already found subtitles for it that includes the recap. but just incase, using the software and instruction you said here, how would i edit the timing and find out when the subtitle should start based on the first line of the episode's start and not the first line spoken which is about the show's recap???

[picollo]

but anyway i already found subtitles for it that includes the recap. but just incase, using the software and instruction you said here, how would i edit the timing and find out when the subtitle should start based on the first line of the episode's start and not the first line spoken which is about the show's recap???

You can do it with Visualsubsync very easily, check the first line on the sub and the first line spoken and use CTRL+D to resynch. The first sub must be start 60-120ms before the speech for a good timing.

If you want to use subtitle workshop, use CTRL=D too, but it's less accurate.

You can check video tuto on youtube : For example

[viviand]

Hi! Thanks for this info. However, I cant seem to get it right. I have 2 srt files; the first file runs too long so it easy to cut off the extra subtitles and the file is corrected. Now, I have to append my deletion to the second file. Once I go through the above steps and generate a new srt it doesnt change all the timings in the srt for new portion I added. It does change them for the old portion however. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Breys]

Well, the day the VSS has the video/audio support and can work with .ass/.ssa as well as Aegisub, we talk ok?

And the plug-in's for VSS are not that great, I know it well because I program my own subtitle programs.

So let's talk, now. VSS supports both video and audio, and can work with ass. Even if I don't know why this should be important, because you can easily convert a srt into ass and vice-versa.

Anyway, for syncing properly, VSS is the only good way in my opinion. Aegi is for manga fanboys who wants to do karaoke and shit like that, although VSS can do it also (but who cares?).

[honeybunny]

VSS rulez :D

[DrVCD]

I sub TV Shows and animes for quite a time now, and the only thing I can't do with VSS is karaoke... It would take too much time.
For everything else, VSS is just the perfect tool for subbing.
Big big thanks to the author for providing such a good tool.


PS - Bunny, your avatar is just... I'm in love. :wub: :wub:

[honeybunny]

Bunny, your avatar is just... I'm in love. :wub: :wub:

:D

[Saile.Nicolas]

I sub TV Shows and animes for quite a time now, and the only thing I can't do with VSS is karaoke... It would take too much time.
For everything else, VSS is just the perfect tool for subbing.
Big big thanks to the author for providing such a good tool.


PS - Bunny, your avatar is just... I'm in love. :wub: :wub:

[fitzstudio]

Instead of making a new request, I wanted to re-sync myself the subtiles for Alias 3rd season [720p.] as all the subs for that season are made for the normal rip and totally out of sync.
So I searched for a guide in the forum, found it, downloaded and installed Subtitle Workshop and tried to fix'em myself...

BUT

Problem #1: the guide in this topic is missing many of the original pics. Could you update the links in a way tha they can be seen again, plz?

Problem #2: I dragged the video and its sub into Subtitle Workshop as said in this guide but SW shows me this error message:
"I:\video\tv series\Alias Season 3\Alias - s03e01 - The Two.DVDRIP.H264.AC3-indi.avi" is not a valid video file. WHY? WS doesn't support 720p video files?

Thnx for your help,
Fitz

[DrJackson]

[...] I wanted to re-sync myself the subtiles for Alias 3rd season [720p.] as all the subs for that season are made for the normal rip and totally out of sync.
[...]

Try Subtitle Editor from HERE. Choose SE30Setup.zip, unzip it, ther run .exe file. That will install SE.
Enjoy.

doc.

[fitzstudio]

Try Subtitle Editor from HERE. Choose SE30Setup.zip, unzip it, ther run .exe file. That will install SE.
Enjoy.

doc.

No guide?
I have to figure out myself how it works? :blink:
Ok, I try..... :P

[fitzstudio]

Ok, to begin I think I've found out that it's a matter of frame rate problem as the sub file starts perfect and goes wrong the more on in the video file.
I checked the video file properties and tells me that is 29 frames x second.
I selected ''Tools">"Change frame rate'' and a box opened:
From frame rate "23,976" [this was already written in the box]
To frame rate "EMPTY". So I checked the options available there and I choose the one more close to 29 [29,97]
I did "ok" and then I saved the srt file.

It didn't work: now the srt file is starting goin out of sync already after 10 secs of video....

What did I wrong?

Help plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :rolleyes: