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Laeti88
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 1:56 am

Can you change or import timestamps between 2 .srt files?

Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:07 am

Hello,

I'm really sorry if this question sounds dumb or was already discussed, I am really new into subtitles editing and don't understand much about it.

Here is my issue: I downloaded a .srt file for a movie I wanted to show a relative. The file was in English so I translated all of it in French manually so I could show it to this person. Unfortunately, after checking with the video (which I should have done first, I know), the timestamps of this file are totally wrong. It's not only a constant lag, it just goes back and forth between subtitles being too early or too late, etc. So, I cannot just adjust them on VLC player as it would require non-stop adjustment back and forth all through the movie.

I then tried to download some free subtitles synchroniser tools, to try to re-synchronize the whole subtitles on the movie, but there are a lot of lines and it seems that it would be more stenuous and take even longer than to re-translate everything again, as pretty much every line has a wrong and hectic timestamp.

I downloaded another .srt file for this movie, in English, which totally fits the film this time. I would really love to avoid going through the process of translating everything again. Is there any way I could intervert the timestamps between the 2 files, so my French translation could match the right timestamps of the new .srt English file I downloaded?

I'm sorry if this question sounds confused, English is not my main language. I hope what I said is still understandable.

Thank you in advance for any answer or advice! :)

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scooby007
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Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:49 pm
Location: Scandalous

Re: Is it possible to exchange timestamps between 2 .srt files?

Mon Aug 03, 2020 10:15 am

Hello,

I believe you can. Download Subtitle Edit (SE).

1: Open SE and select the first subtitle.
2: Click Synchronization tab and choose "point sync via other subtitle". Other subtitle would be the English one that fits, select it.
3: Select the first line of your subtitle and click "set sync point".
4: Select the first line of the subtitle you want to import the times from and click "set sync point" again.
You'll notice the timestamp for the first line has changed to match the timestamp of the file you are importing from.

Important: Make sure both lines selected in the steps above are for the same speech in the movie.

5: Follow steps 1 to 4 again, but this time for the last line of speech in the movie which will be towards the end of the subtitle.
6: Click apply, save the changes and check the results.
7: If all okay, upload your work to opensubtitles.

Let us know how it went for you. :D

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