Forum: Subtitling
Topic: PAC or EBU files any chance I can open and edit them on Mac
Poster: José Henrique Lamensdorf
Post title: Time-shifting sofware
[quote]Monica Paolillo wrote:
Experience shows glitches and headaches are way more likely if the translator uses some free subtitling tool (that sometimes can change the original timecodes by only opening the files) than a plain Word editor.[/quote]
Monica, it would be nice if you could point to us any (free or paid) subtitling software that, from your experience, changes times upon opening the file, so we'd avoid them. As we are on the subtitling forum, this is definitely relevant.
I know for a fact that Subtitle Workshop will immediately reset to zero any values on a SSA file to shift subtitles from their default position, that "0000,0000,0000" portion of each subtitle line, upon opening the file. Whenever this is needed, I enter these values on either SubStation Alpha or the Windows Notepad, but have to keep in mind NOT to open them again on Subtitle Workshop.
My current m.o. involves program-hopping. I translate into TXT on the Windows Notepad. Then I use Media Subtitler to convert that into SSA, this is quick & safe. Then I do a rough spotting on Subtitle Workshop, while reviewing. At last, I do a fine timing adjustment on Subtitle Edit.
This may look messy and cumbersome, yet after I've standardized the workflow, it's very efficient. Some kind of Henry Ford-like assembly line operation. Since the scope of each step is limited by its software, there is no chance of getting diverted and missing anything.
In the old days when I used ULead DVD Workshop to subtitle DVDs - it uses TXT subtitles, and all formatting is done there - I often missed things because I had access to everything at once. This is likely to happen (to me) using top-level subtitling software.
I have noticed that some players tend to shift, or delay subtitles appearing on screen. Subtitle Workshop is one of them. Nevertheless, VirtualDub is 100% accurate on this.
So it would be good for all to know what software actually changes subtitle times upon opening files, if you can pinpoint any.
Topic: PAC or EBU files any chance I can open and edit them on Mac
Poster: José Henrique Lamensdorf
Post title: Time-shifting sofware
[quote]Monica Paolillo wrote:
Experience shows glitches and headaches are way more likely if the translator uses some free subtitling tool (that sometimes can change the original timecodes by only opening the files) than a plain Word editor.[/quote]
Monica, it would be nice if you could point to us any (free or paid) subtitling software that, from your experience, changes times upon opening the file, so we'd avoid them. As we are on the subtitling forum, this is definitely relevant.
I know for a fact that Subtitle Workshop will immediately reset to zero any values on a SSA file to shift subtitles from their default position, that "0000,0000,0000" portion of each subtitle line, upon opening the file. Whenever this is needed, I enter these values on either SubStation Alpha or the Windows Notepad, but have to keep in mind NOT to open them again on Subtitle Workshop.
My current m.o. involves program-hopping. I translate into TXT on the Windows Notepad. Then I use Media Subtitler to convert that into SSA, this is quick & safe. Then I do a rough spotting on Subtitle Workshop, while reviewing. At last, I do a fine timing adjustment on Subtitle Edit.
This may look messy and cumbersome, yet after I've standardized the workflow, it's very efficient. Some kind of Henry Ford-like assembly line operation. Since the scope of each step is limited by its software, there is no chance of getting diverted and missing anything.
In the old days when I used ULead DVD Workshop to subtitle DVDs - it uses TXT subtitles, and all formatting is done there - I often missed things because I had access to everything at once. This is likely to happen (to me) using top-level subtitling software.
I have noticed that some players tend to shift, or delay subtitles appearing on screen. Subtitle Workshop is one of them. Nevertheless, VirtualDub is 100% accurate on this.
So it would be good for all to know what software actually changes subtitle times upon opening files, if you can pinpoint any.