OpenSubtitles forum

I poked around, but couldn't find much help on this topic. My subtitles are out of sync because the subtitle file I downloaded is not in sync with the DiVX I created.

Can anyone recommend tools or techniques for getting a .sub file in sync with a .avi file which was created separately?

Thanks in advance!

-vestina

Mplayer can synchronize video subtitles easily but I do not think it can save the output. But I do not normally use Mplayer since I usually want the subtitles sync saved for burning to a DVD to view on my TV.

I just SubtitleWorkshop.

Once that program is installed go to...
>File>Load Subtitle and load the subtitle you want synchronized, then ...

>Edit>Timings>Set Delay (or CTRL + D)


The above box will come up. Set the delay to what you think will sync the subtitles.

When you are done fixing the delay, remember to save the subtitle so the changes are saved.

In addition to what Nikephoros already explained, subs can also be adjusted by setting the correct time of the FIRST and LAST line of the subtitle (in SubtitleWorkshop).

Just write down the correct time of those two lines, hit Ctrl+B, enter the time (or frame), and click on adjust. This Method has the advantage of adjusting non-linear offsets, i.e. when the delay increases/decreases along the movie (which is not uncommon).

Just make sure that you really have the correct time of the FIRST and LAST line . There is also an advanced adjustment option, where you don't need to have the First/Last Line selection with Ctrl+Alt+P, but this is probably now a bit of an overkill....more later. SubtitleWorkshop's Help (F1) is a bit clumsy....but, what the heck....my post isn't exactely elaborated either.

Cheers, Gringo

Thanks Nikephoros and Gringo. I installed SubtitleWorkshop and am struggling with some things.

I set timings for first and last lines as suggested, and this brought the subtitles closer to sync. But, it seems like SubtitleWorkshop uses a linear calculation to distribute the subtitles throughout the film, and they seem to "drift" off sync. Even after just a few lines (either after the first or before the last) they are off by several seconds.

I tried the manual method and set two or three points in between, and although it's a bit better, the drift is still too much to make the subtitles useful. I would have to set about 100 sync points I think!

I'm wondering if maybe it has something to do with framerate or some other variable? I'm getting over my head though. Also, this is a 2-CD movie, and my movie is split at a different point (about 4 minutes apart) than the subtitle files. I have tried to cut-and-paste to get the subtitle files the same as the movie, but this only seemed to make things worse.

Anyway, thanks again for the reply and I'll keep plugging away!

Hi vestina,

Don't worry you'll be surprised how fast you get used to this programm.

First of all, you have probably just chosen a very tough task to begin with. Maybe you should try first another movie/subtitle just to get a bit familiar with the time editing methods.

Try to shift subs (Nikephoros method) and the stretch/squeez+ shift method I explained. This will do for most subtitles you ever encounter.

Your problem with the drift after syncronizing first/last line is strange (of several hundres of subtitles I edited I have encountered only very few that had problems with the framerate, i.e. time shown of a line in the text part is not the time when this line appears on the screen) but just to make sure that the first/last line approach works, you should delete all lines befor the first spoken and delete all lines after the last spoken line, befor you do the adjustment with Ctrl+B and see if your drift is still there. I recommend this, as I have fallen several times into the trap of assigning the correct time to the wrong line.

Let me know if that worked.
In case the timing is correct on the beginning and end of the movie, but still drifting the further you go away, reaching a peak in the offset somewhere in the middle of the movie, then the file would need a complete revision which takes much, much longer to do.

Also, make sure you start with a "fresh" subtitle file, just in case that your previous manipulations were not correct.

About the problem with the CD1-CD2- 4 minutes overlapping/crossover you descibed, you did correctly but missed a step in the process though. Here's what I do: i cut out those 4 minutes and put it into a seperate third text file. Then a sycronize all three files, before I transfer the part of the crossover to the CD1 or CD2 file. So don't paste the 4 minutes befor syncronizing everything (otherwise that 4 minutes will appear on the end instead of the beginning, or the other way around, or not at all).

But you really do want to do some tricky stuff on the first time you use SubtitleWorkshop, don't you...

Hi Gringo. Your first line probably sums it up... as luck would have it, I picked a difficult first try.

Anyway, I wanted to thank you and let you know that I will be away from this until next week (ugh... work). I'll pick it up again then and let you know how I'm doing.

Thanks again for your help!

You can use this tool:
http://freecorp.free.fr/ENG/furysync.htm

There are also some other tools listed in that page.

Hi vestina!

I've been using a cool website to do this:

http://subtimemachine.go.to

It's free, and fast... It's another web2.0 toy

I hope it can help you... Hugs!